Reverse Racism | 75 comments (75 topical, 3 hidden)
Do you really want... (none / 0)
...whites to give themselves awards for being white?

If not, then why is it okay for blacks to give themselves awards for being black?

by EveningStarNM on 07/03/2009 12:45:28 PM EST

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Racial Reversism (none / 0)
Sorry, ES, I think, you are wrong here. They don't give themselves awards for being black, they award themselves because they feel neglected by the mainstream and or because they think the competition is tainted by racial considerations. If that feeling relates to real discrimination (in the Entertainment business that is) is another thing but I think as long as there is real tangible discrimination in general society there should be compensation of some kind to some extent.

I am not black, so I cannot speak for African Americans but that is my opinion.

by eborujion on 07/03/2009 01:29:23 PM EST

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empathy gets white people a long way (none / 0)
http://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=usAlMqa-2ok&feature =related

Chris

by chrisandyasemin on 07/03/2009 04:29:57 PM EST

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That is a valid argument. (none / 0)
Saying that people with black skin feel neglected by mainstream organizations and that their cause, therefore, demands special attention is a powerful and compelling argument because they have been neglected.

From there, we have two options: either we can fix the current system or set up a separate one for blacks.

What is at the logical end of that path?

by EveningStarNM on 07/03/2009 04:58:39 PM EST

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that's the million dollar question (none / 0)
the logical end to me is a point at which the debate happens where someone asks BET executives if they really feel the "black entertainment awards" are necessary anymore.  If we have reached the positive "end", the executives will say,"you know what, maybe it is time we stopped calling the show the "black entertainment awards", and started calling it the "Artist recognition awards" and we'll recognize other artists as well, because other award shows have integrated minorities into their pools.  That could very well happen, especially if people like Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson get on BET's case.  Remember, they tried VERY hard to get the young black community to stop using the word nigger(although they failed), so it's not like black leaders won't take the black community to task when they deserve it.  I don't see the path ever coming to an "end" however, so I think one day all of a sudden, race relations will be something of the past because our genetics will be too complex.  Not in our lifetime though.

Chris

by chrisandyasemin on 07/03/2009 08:09:17 PM EST

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I could not have said it better. (none / 0)
Thanks.  And that's all I'm trying to do is to start the debate.  Believe me, I have no expectation that the changes that I've proposed will happen even in my lifetime -- and I am sad about that, because it means that racism will continue to plague us for a long, long time.

But as long as we're asking these kinds of questions and considering the possibilities even as unrealistic as they currently may be, then we're making progress.  I don't demand that we immediately stop Black History Month and anyone who disagrees with me is immoral.  I just want to stop considering skin color in all of our affairs.

Eventually.  (Oh, did I forget to use that word before?  My bad.)

That's all we can really hope or ask for: progress, not perfection.

by EveningStarNM on 07/03/2009 08:38:05 PM EST

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Reverse Racism | 75 comments (75 topical, 3 hidden)