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What to Expect When Dealing With The Racially Impaired

Monday Nov 2, 2009 – By Sky Obercam

77807056We’re only human and equally subject to the chronic brainwashing that inevitably instills varying degrees of bigotry. Racism, sexism, homophobia, and a massive list of baseless rationale for hatred and discrimination are commonplace in virtually every culture on Earth; as long as there are folks who choose to allow their narrow-minds to operate on auto-pilot, prejudice “ain’t goin’ nowhere”. Contemporary racism is as insidious as ever, running rampant within the US (and beyond) often in a covert fashion. Regardless, the truth is that bigotry is one of the most perverted detrimental, and contagious disorders known to (wo)mankind, which is precisely why we’d like to review some telltale signs you may experience upon coming into direct contact with the racially disabled:

  • You notice that s/he frequently glares at the only Black person in the room when mentioning a certain “bad” neighborhood or when referring to the “large man” who robbed them last summer.
  • Classic symptoms also include a not so subtle insinuation that you got a job or accepted to college because of your (non-White) identity, rather than your intellectual faculties.
  • Anyone who lobbies to have President Obama impeached behind false citizenship claims are clearly certifiable. Have those folks even heard of the FBI, Homeland Security, or right wing Republicans for that matter??
  • You hear the following statements used as a rationale for blatant sentiments:  “I have plenty of Black friends!” or “My best friend is Black!”
  • The same applies for the closet racists who gush over George Lopez or Beyonce when interacting with Latinos or African Americans, respectively. A of show solidarity, or a thinly veiled attempt to mask a closed-mind?
  • The racially impaired person speaks with “one of their own” about that person’s friend/significant other of different race – as if they’re the ambassador to that particular culture. They typically reach out to these individuals as an attempt to assuage their racist guilt: “Well, if Jimbo here isn’t calling me on my questionable behavior, and he’s got a Black girlfriend, then by golly, I really must not be racist, phew.”
  • Boldly assuming that as a Black person, you’re automatically a card-carrying member of the Tyler Perry and/or Lil Wayne fan club.
  • You note their tense demeanor when being critical of President Obama within earshot of you, as if they’re slandering a close member of your family.
  • Have you ever entered the home or workplace of a ’sheltered individual’ who attempts to prove his/her cultural savvy by blasting out-dated tunes from some hip hop hits greatest CD to help you feel at home? How about trite, awkward, obnoxious outbursts such as “Fa Shizzle” and “Homeboy”? If so, you were more than likely in the presence of a bigot extraordinaire.
  • Conflicted homophobes may go on and on about how much they “love” Ellen DeGeneres or Rosie O’Donnell when in the presence of a lesbian, but declare devout support of Prop 8 in their absence.
  • A classic sign of a racist in treatment: An uneasy fascination with kinky hair – need we say more…
  • Another symptom includes those who speak of Africa as if it’s a country or large island as well as those who fail to recognize that it is a continent full of millions of economically prosperous professional citizens.
  • You’ll often hear the racially challenged speak of Hitler as if he was only psychotic leader in history to wreak havoc in lives of million. Many US Presidents, for example encouraged the extermination of Native Americans, in addition to the subjugation of Africans in the “new world”.
  • Stage VI of the disorder can be characterized by employing simple a** measures to appear as non-racist as possible. Case in point: A young White preppy decides to don a sizeable Black Panther pin on his hoodie while spending time with his big brother and (Black) friends in Harlem (true story).

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Additional Signs & Symptoms:

  • Euro-Americans who feel oppressed due to the small increase in opportunities for non-Whites.
  • African Americans who discriminate against others due to a belief that the prejudice towards Black folks is the only unlawful form of discrimination.
  • An individual (typically non-Black) who is extremely uncomfortable or takes personal when any relevant racial debates arise. Their impairment leaves them incapable of facing reality.
  • Chronic offenders are those who compulsively deny 1) the positive impact historically oppressed cultures have made in society and 2) the disenfranchisement of said groups (i.e.,  individuals who try to downplay the institution of slavery or the existence of the holocaust)

No one is immune to the sickness that is prejudice; sometimes we may even catch ourselves sounding like a fire-breathing bigot. While conducting a study on racism earlier this year, Kerry Kawakami, associate professor of psychology at York University in Toronto, Ontario, stated, “people are willing to tolerate racism and not stand up against it.” Racism & prejudice is a disease of the mind, but it can also be likened to a wildfire that feeds on blind rage. We may not be able to eliminate the sting of discrimination, but observing the sheer stupidity of it may very well lessen the pain.

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18 Comments – Add Yours

  1. gabbi gabbi says:

    Awwww. Can’t believe you sited that Harlem fiasco! That was priceless.

  2. Audrey Audrey says:

    I know sometimes people try to be slick or underhanded with the racist remarks but sometimes non-black folks honestly do not have enough knowledge about black culture or the black experience to know how to interact with black people. They are just out of their comfort zone when dealing with black people but they are attempting to relate to us.

  3. Rhue b Rhue b says:

    Yawn….. this article is sooo boring…..

  4. NESSA NESSA says:

    Wasn’t boring to me..lol. To each it’s own.

  5. Alex Alex says:

    Oh you forgot the because I’m dating/had sex with (insert racial or ethnic group) I’m not racist or culturally insensitive.

  6. Kari Kari says:

    great article!

  7. Mark Mark says:

    As a “White” man I am required by my job to refer to Black people as African-American. In your article you have the right to switch from one term to the other. Please tell me which is correct. You have labeled me a Euro-American which in my opinion is as bad as the label White. How many of your readers are caring about my Norwegian roots, or am I just European? I am not willing to “tolerate racism” and I “stand up against it” by living and working in a multi-cultural environment. However, your article has pointed out to me yet another example of chronic brainwashing that instills bigotry, but maybe it lessened your pain.

  8. atlchick09 atlchick09 says:

    Mark, you are not required to do anything, nor have Black people relied on whites to “lessen” our pain, we have done that very well on our own. Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the fabrication of race to begin with.

    European philosophers themselves created the concept of race in order to justify the practice of slavery against Black people. In uniting Europeans under the umbrella of a white race and pooling people of African descent as Black, they created both a classification system and a caste system that effectively dehumanized blacks and justified mistreatment during the Mid-atlantic Slave Trade.

    Europeans and white Americans who are touted as heroes, Immanual Kant, Thomas Jefferson, G.W Hegel, among many others, created the concept of whiteness and blackness. They did not unite under it for social justice issues, to reverse political inequities, or to instill pride in a race that had been villified for centuries, but out of greed and to maintain political power over people of color.

    Yet your immediate response to this article is not about the hegemony and oppression these Europeans and white Americans sought in creating such a system, but to villify the author for rightly co-opting this fabrication once used to oppress in order to enlighten both those who discriminate and those who have suffered under discrimination.

    If the light has not turned on in your mind after reading her piece, I suggest you do a bit more than read an online blog and visit your local library, because clearly your “multi-cultural environment” isn’t doing enough.

  9. Monique Monique says:

    Amen! Well said atichick09.

  10. Gia Gia says:

    Yeah Mark is a perfect example for this article. The racially impaired always get defensive when topics of race arise!!! Lolol. Thanks Mark. We can always count on people like you to prove a point.

  11. anon anon says:

    WELL WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE RACIALLY IMPAIRED PERSON IS BLACK?
    I get so sick of Black people trying to pretend that race issues dont even exist! I have come across too many people to count defending Racisism … I know we are all raised diffrently but my goodness sometimes I feel like I am living in the Twilight ZONe!

  12. LAUGHING OUT LOUD LAUGHING OUT LOUD says:

    THIS IS A PERFECT ARTICLE

    Mark, there are blacks who call them selves African Americans and others who call them selves Colored or Black.

    Personally I call myself Black because i can not trace my roots directly back to Africa. I do not eat African Food nor do I participate in African practices.

    I do partake in Black Culture. I listen to Hip Hop (started in the Bronx) eat “soul food” (started in the south). So I acknowledge myself as Black.

    Truthfully actually African Americans from Africa don’t acknowledge Blacks as Africans, they don’t think of us as “brothers and Sisters” . Its a personal choice and I made it.

  13. NLSmith NLSmith says:

    “Conflicted homophobes may go on and on about how much they “love” Ellen DeGeneres or Rosie O’Donnell when in the presence of a lesbian, but declare devout support of Prop 8 in their absence”

    First of all, homosexuality is not a race…and racial prejudice is NOT the same as homophobia…so this does fit the topic.

    I know that this is an on-line only magazine, but this article is still very poorly written and edited. Did ANYONE re-read before posting?

    • NLSmith NLSmith says:

      I meant to write that the Prop 8 does NOT fit the topic…

      “African Americans who discriminate ‘______’ others due to a belief that the discrimination against Black folks is the only unlawful form of discrimination.”

      against?

  14. Caranze Caranze says:

    NLSMith – Bigotry, prejudice, racism and discrimination are all closely related. The homophobe thing doesn’t fall under the racist category but it does classify as bigotry, prejudice and gays are discriminated against. I’m one of the people who appreciates this article because I’m not offended by it. Anyone can be narrow-minded, that’s the whole point.

  15. ms. complexity ms. complexity says:

    Thanks for interviewing a Canadian professor!! Yay!

  16. missxray missxray says:

    wooow this article is really good! despite all of the negative comments i really did learn something.i can definitely share some of this info w/ my club members in BSAC (black scholastic achievements club). being a young (pause) well gee i dnt even kno what to call my self anymore besides woman lol does being a minority of yellowish tan color skin & naturally “kinky” textured hair explain enuf..that im you know (whisper: black). i don’t really know much about my culture but im ready to jump in on it and teach my fellow classmates a thing or two! any suggestions because i dont think watching roots, reading a w.e.b du bois book, or reading about african american women from the 1700’s is cuttin it anymore. trust im not knockin any part of our past but we need a new way a presenting it. thats y i love this website so much. its fun, hip, and has a lil taste of everything. google has yet to fail! well if you have n e advice please contact me at: irepd0rk2010@gmail.com

  17. Woadchuck Woadchuck says:

    This checklist has me concerned. What about if someone professes to be “color-blind”. Does that count as playing down past injustice, and therefore make someone a racist?

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