SHUT UP
This post relates to the the one yesterday entitled "SISTERS" on the subject of being silent. When I was growing up (in a very white world I might add), it was common for people to call the chinese takeaway "the chinky", the corner shop was the "paki shop" and black people were "nignogs" and "darkies". If you were lucky and very very good, you might be referred to as "the coloured gentleman". While some people today in Britain might find it acceptable to continue with these derogatory terms, most find it abhorrent. If you have ever been on the receiving end of this kind of language you would understand fully why the situation had to change. The saying when I was growing up was: "Sticks and stones will break your bones But names will never hurt you" This is totally false. As anyone who has ever been verbally abused by someone will tell you. What the phrase really meant was: "Shut up" In the same way the feminist movement fights to change the sexist society we live in, the anti-racists take up the challenge against racism. There are always those that will use these movements to deride the issues. The backlash against feminism is quite ferocious. We are told stories about working women being unable to find partners. That delaying having children will result in deformed babies or infertility. That really things are not that bad for women. Finally, we are being led to believe that men are now the victims. Basically, this boils down to: "Shut up" The backlash against the anti-racist movement is equally ferocious. We are told stories about black people hating whites. We are overwhelmed by ridiculous exaggerations of political correctness. We are bombarded by white anxiety that black people want to wipe them out. We are told that things are really not that bad for black people. And indeed that white people are now the victims. Again, the same. "Shut up" I am glad those words are gone from our mouths. I am glad that it is unacceptable to use derogatory words to describe huge numbers of people. I am glad that we have been forced to look at our racist language and change it. I am glad that we didn't shut up. There is still so much to do. Sometimes it seems like we will never reach equality. I am sure I will be told to be nice, and not rock the boat, and be grateful for the few concessions I have been granted, many, many more times before I die. But until then, I am not going to SHUT UP.
posted by deviousdiva @ 1/18/2006 06:32:00 PM
8 comments
This post reminds us all of our responsibilities as citizens of the world: "There is still so much to do."
It's the Rosa Parks of this world that will add the humane in Humanity. Unfortunately, a better world will be achieved by small torturous steps at a time instead of huge alleviating leaps. Your blog is a step in that direction! Don't shut up and keep reminding us that we shouldn't either!
Thank you flubberwinkle, I couldn't agree with you more when you write "a better world will be achieved by small torturous steps at a time instead of huge alleviating leaps".
This post is as much to remind myself not to shut up as much as anyone else.
Hi loxias, thank you for your kind words. I am sorry that you feel like that. I think I had made it clear what the blog is about ("The blog is just more of the same "statistical evidence" on why black people are inferior, rants against the left and assorted muslim and gay bashing that we have come to expect from our favorite commenter"). He is a very frequent visitor over here and the catalyst for me writing the "Sisters" and "Shut Up" posts. This is the kind of stuff we are up against. Apologies that it upset you.
Interesting connection between the backlash against anti-racism and feminism. I (being white) wasn't hugely aware of this.
When I was a kid growing up in Wales there was massive peer pressure to use words like "paki" and "chinky." Any kid who tried to resist was at risk of extra bullying. I have no problem with "political correctness" putting pressure on people to change this situation and make such language unacceptable.
ZARDOZ SAYS:
INTERESTING...dialogue
.... alot of emotions
by all,
.........those who wrote
and those who read.....
i'd like to stress ms DD , and all
that the evidence behind everyones
ideas seeps from different upbringings
and very different "statistical information evidence" ....
Which by the way who or what creates
the INFORMATION FUNNEL..?
which we all baptise our personalities
to take a stand when the time comes for each and every one .
------wrong or right??-------
I am old enough and have been stupid
enough in the past,, and maybe tomorrow too (i will try not too)
TO have been unflexible and violent
in my opinions towards the other opinion other than the one that i defended,
but thru emotinal selftorture
(yes it has a cost, on both sides)
maybe less on the side that is mostly religious , because god will forgive
anything to anyone willing to give it to him (god), so selfcleansing is done
(i mean no disrespect to anyone)
those of course without one (god)(and gods there are many...dynasty,gold,etc..depend on what you pray for)
carry more of the burden for their actions and such, because its difficult to pass on responsibilities
to something that is not there .
BUT ONLY YOU.
THUS WE HAVE STALEMATES..
NOT . . . D I A L O G U E,
its essential so try to lose the emotions.... try....
and to give some iformation on
personal basis
I was black or a spic in chigago
because of greek heritage(dark skin)
_early and late seventies_
and until i lived it down a bit,
I was an american .."imperialst"
_late eightys_
in athens....because my accent was
a bit different or saw thru hyphens
(as scruffy somewere mentioned)
Thats how i felt ,
SO lets try
..........to get the facts straight
as DRAGNET used to say
"just the facts"...mam
noone is going to shut up noone
unless they take him for a drink
to CUBA,, you know guandanamo beach hotel.
and one thing at a time ,,
seems i opened up a whole can of worms
for my therapy.
thank you.
-----------------zardoz
Hi loxias, Actually I completely missed the smiley (computer brain not totally engaged)!
hello zardoz, what can I say? You are absolutely spot on with this:
"alot of emotions
by all,
.........those who wrote
and those who read....."
Good for you Diva! Glad to see you haven't lost the spirit needed to tackle such a thorny and often volatile issue.
If we don't speak up then the only voices to be heard are the rants of the xenophobes.
On a different but related topic...have you seen the movies
Hotel Rwanda (Don Cheadle)
Crash (Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon)
American History X?? (Edward Norton)
I often rent these movies for free at my stores because I really believe they're 'must see' movies for anyone. I've found that many people don't consider themselves racists if they 'have no problem' with blacks while at the same time tell me that asians/arabs/eastern europeans are the real problem. The movie 'Crash' portrays racism within ethnicities who are often racism victims themselves.
Thanks seawitch, always good to have support. American History X is in my dvd collection. The other two I know of and are on my list of wanna-see. Good for you, renting these for free.
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