Ignorance is not always bliss
Ignorance is not always bliss
Was subjected to frequent examples of ignorance today.
First in my human resources class. Discussing race in a predominately white environment is always a sensitive situation as people start assuming thing they have no concept of.
(By the way, the quarterback of the football team, Reggie’s Balls…(lool, sorry that was so immature but I can’t help it, I think that’s hilarious) is in my class. I think it’s the first or second time he’s been there though even though we’ve been in school for a few weeks now.)
I digress…
SO somehow the issue of being multiracial came up and it was asked how those that are multiracial might denote their race on government papers. Some person had the audacity to ask if multiracial people just marked the race that would benefit them the most at the time. (ie. A black/white person would claim black for a college application for affirmative action reasons.) - his example not mine.
The teacher had the audacity to say, I don’t know, maybe they DO do that.
I visibly shifted and rolled my eyes to the back of my brain after that one. Really guys?
For real and for true? Do you know how many multiracial people there are out there? And why do you refer to them as if they’re not people but specimen?! Where did you come from?!
Oh another example, there was a case study that an Asain company was only hiring other Asians and discriminated against Black people, Hispanics, and whites. When asked why they favored Asians over Americans, they said, “once Americans get to a certain pay, they stop working.” I want to reiterate that this was said about AMERICANS.
However, in my class, somehow Americans became “white people.” After a while, it was as if people were saying, “well maybe those colored people are like that, but not us.” (of course not in so many words though.)
I eventually left class as people continued to dance around saying such a phrase. I’m really thinking of emailing my professor as I’m sure they think I’m all militant with the comments I make in class…but some of their comments, professor included were completely inappropriate.
I also hated how every discrimination case she referenced involved a black person that was suing. What about sex discrimination? What about religious discrimination? What about discrimination based on sexual preference (although that’s not legally covered.) Why do you have to make it seem as if Black people are always the only ones to sue over discrimination?
Moving right along though, I can’t say black people aren’t as bad when it comes to other races.
After turning in some paperwork and retrieving my ticket for Saturday’s game, I “crossed the railroad tracks” (aka. I 75/85) to Subway. I promise, it really is like going to a different world once you cross those tracks. Right away, every stereotype imaginable was demonstrated. There was a line of black people at KFC, people were shouting across the street having conversations, the Ray Rays’s were out in their white tees and matching hat and sneakers smacking at anything with a vagina… I was like…boo + boo=…
I went into Subway for a sammich and a man and his friend came in behind me. He was older, not particularly articulate, and was acting SO IGNORANT…I was embarrassed myself. The people working at that subway were of Indian descent and had heavy accents. Sometimes it was hard to understand them, but I just listened more carefully so they wouldn’t have to repeat themselves…but for the most part, they were easy to understand.
The man behind me however made comments like, “yall have been over here for 30 years and yall still don’t know how to speak English,” “can I get someone who speaks my language,” and “yall are so stupid, hurry up with my sandwich you [insert derogatory name here]”
He frequently looked at me like I identified with him but I was looking everywhere but him. I was like, “my name is bennet…”
I made extra sure to be patient and cordial to the workers to make up for him though. (even though it took 10 minutes for them to ring me up because they didn’t know how to process my subway card…but that happens everywhere not just there. )
You’d think that oppressed people would understand the plight of other oppressed people, but that is never the case. Everyone always has to rag on the group that has it harder than them…that made me so mad…even I wanted to curse that dude out…
P.S. I always thought John Legend was a cutie, but now I have to say he is dang sexy. Check out his new video (although I don’t appreciate how he goes through all those girls in the video…i really just play the first minute or so on repeat and imagine that lucky chick is me…lol…)
*sigh…
