"Racist is the new Bling"

[Sergeant Hustle]

Let me preface this by saying a lot of people consider me to be white. I’m fine with this label. I am proceeding as a white person who is criticizing white people. I know, it’s really rare!

Now, why is it that "my people" always feel the need to use the "R" word for the most ridiculous reasons? Do we think that calling other people "racist" absolves us of our own secret fear and/or hate of anything non-white?

Case in point:

Monday was St. Patrick’s Day. I made a comment on the air to M2 saying "People just use St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to drink beer". The next day, I received a two-minute voicemail from an angry Irish mother who called me a racist for saying "People just use St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to drink beer". Now, if one of you can explain to me how exactly that is racist, I’d be happy to hear you out and admit my subconscious hatred for Irish people that I had no clue I was carrying around with me on the daily. Can you even be racist against Irish people in 2008? I mean, I get the historical bastardization of the Irish, but they were soon assimilated into the "white zone" and now receive all the benefits of being white in America. Not only that, but I didn’t say "Irish people use St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to drink beer". I said "people". I would include all Americans in the term "people" here. The three major "drinking holidays" in the U.S. are St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo and New Year’s Eve/Day. Please tell me I’m lying.

I was also called a racist over that New Times article where I labeled the Blunt Club scene as "white". Now, if I’m white and recognize there are a lot of white people somewhere, how exactly is that "racist"? White people were coming out of the woodworks with these allegations about how I’m a racist for seeing what is right in front of my face. Under this infrastructure, I would also be racist if I said that when I go to Food City I see a lot of Mexicans? Can we fairly say that a lot of Mexicans shop at Food City without it being an inflammatory front-page racial clusterfuck?

I’m Armenian. A lot of us are hairy and we tend to have big noses. If someone non-Armenian said this, I’d have a good look at my last family reunion portrait and be forced to agree. There’s a reason why I wax my upper lip, folks.

Now we have this giant racial mess over Barack Obama’s reverend saying "racist" things about white people. Of course, you can’t have a black guy running for president without looking for reasons to find him secretly hating the white devil. Well, I’ll say this. If I were a black male in America, I’d probably hate a lot of white people not in secrecy, but out loud. I see how uncultured white people behave around minorities and if it makes me want to slap the shit out of them, I can only imagine how they feel.

Here are some quotes from Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Jr., the head of Barack’s church:

"Who cares about what I’m going through? Who cares about what poor people have to put up with? Who cares about what a poor black man has to face every day in a country and a culture controlled by rich white people?"

"Hillary fits the mold. Europeans fit the mold. Giuliani fits the mold. Rich white men fit the mold."

"Hillary ain’t never had her own people say she wasn’t white enough!"

How exactly are these quotes "racist"? Is this not a country that is run by rich, white people? Is this not a country that reminds minorities that they don’t fit the mold and has women like Pepa and Lil’ Kim looking like aliens in an effort to do so? Has Hillary ever been told she wasn’t "white enough" by white people? [Sidenote: I have.]

White people are all up in arms about a black man speaking the truth as he sees it, from a zone that they will never comprehend because they have they luxury of not having to. So because Barack’s reverend says certain things, white people shouldn’t vote for him because he might be racist against white people and his mother is white? Help me out here, because the logic is escaping me.

In closing, I’d like to say that all of us Americans need to chill out on the racist volleyball game we’ve been playing since the beginning of time. Yes, racism exists, but please, whatever your race or ethnicity, only use the word when the situation truly deems it appropriate. We’re playing out the word "racist". It’s becoming worse than the word "bling".

 

[Lamberto Quintero]

I agree with everything that you said, thanks for posting.

And all I have to say on the issue is that no matter what, there is a dominant culture who gets special benefits and the rest of the ethnicities are on some caste-system shit. This dominant culture decides the norms. That's the way this country was founded and things have yet to change.

 

[Sergeant Hustle]

Thanks for reading! I feel better getting it off my chest. My rabid PMS needed an outlet.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

whats this, a Karlie Hustle spotting in the gathering of minds??!?? yesterday we got XianeX dropping by, today Karlie and tomorrow, who the fuck knows maybe HERESY will bless us with an upcoming natural disaster warning, followed by EDJ stressin the fact he's a loak from da blok. A real family reunion we got here.

Good post though, I agree with you. People really need to chill out these days, everyone is so uptight. I made some drunkin Irish comment on st. patti's day and someone at my work was sayin how it's wrong there is a double standard. Wanted to slap him - just drink and stfu man, celebrate. Besides, I have irish in my anyways

 

[kayvee]

armenian = white?

that's news to me!

~k.

 

[ColdBlooded]

Stop the white guilt, self loathing, reverse racism.

**Warning you will be ridiculed and may be banned for such action on the siccness **

All comments on racism must be tempered by references to all other non-white races and how racist they are too.

White Devil, Cracka, and Honky are = to nigger.

 

[Defy]

it goes at both ends....I realize you're armenian but looking at it from a white perspective, I'm mixed and hang out with all different races of people, but not really at once. like if I'm kicking with people most of the time everyone is basically the same race. I notice that some my black friends always equate any sort of hostility or disagreement with someone of another race is due to them being black and the other person being racist. my friend had his son in an upscale school and his son wasn't exactly labeled as a problem child, but something of the sort and he felt automatically it was because they're black in a white school. the worse is when people themselves are saying discriminatory things and once someone responds to it then they are racist.

I had a point to what I was saying, but I forgot.....lol

 

[Defy]

White Devil, Cracka, and Honky are = to nigger.

I thought "cracker" and "cracka" were two different words...like cracker is racist because it has the er, but cracka is cool because of the a as long as its a white person saying it or if you grew up around white people. :eyecross:

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

How exactly are these quotes "racist"? Is this not a country that is run by rich, white people? Is this not a country that reminds minorities that they don’t fit the mold and has women like Pepa and Lil’ Kim looking like aliens in an effort to do so? Has Hillary ever been told she wasn’t "white enough" by white people?

The problem I have with these quotes is that he is blending a lot of seperate, loosely related issues and hurting the arguement he is making by segretating each side from one another and qualifying one in particular with an issue shared by all.

In other words. What is the difference between the struggle experienced by the "Poor black man" vs the "Poor Asian man" vs the "poor white man" vs the "poor latin man". I am sure there are differences between each, but is that really an issue worth debating?

It is not the "poor black man" vs the "rich white man" it is the "poor man" vs the "rich man", and by man I mean mankind not males.

I think if anything the quotes are more "racist" towards minorities, and even whites, who together share the struggle against the rich (majority white) man that controls the wealth and much of the direction of this country.

Sure the "rich white man" doesn't know the struggles of the "poor black man" but is he any more familair with the struggles of "any poor man"? Is he doing favors for his poor Mexican brothers, or is he making it difficult for them as well?

 

[Sergeant Hustle]

good, respectful points made.

lol @ family reunion, white guilt and armenian not being white. i guess it all depends. i had a fairly explosive column written about me in the local paper where i was called a "wigga" when the journalist, who assumed i was black when meeting and talking to me, accused me of tricking her into thinking i was "half-black". the first article was written assuming i was "half-black". after it went to print and they found out otherwise, a second article was written calling me a "wigga". who the fuck uses that word? am i supposed to wear a shirt with my race on it so you're not confused? go figure.

 

[MaddDogg]

I don't think anything you said on your radio show was racist. However, I do believe it is quite "uncultured" of you to believe St. Patricks day is an exuse just for people to drink. Perhaps the word the caller should have used was "ignorant." While the Irish are known to enjoy a good drink and often use the pub as a place of social gathering, St. Patricks day for the Irish is also a time to celebrate Irish culture. This includes Irish and Scottish music, Irish dancing, Christianity, celebrations of Irish literature and "the gift to gab," parades involving Irish sports teams especially in soccer and rugby, firefighters, police, electrician and labor unions with both Irish and non-Irish participants, etc. etc. Its a time for Irish families to get together, neighbors, cousins, old friends, etc etc. Perhaps to those on the outside, St. Patricks day is an exuse to drink. But for those on the inside like the Irish mother, your statement could be offensive and derogatory.

Furthermore, I am not quite sure if the term "uncultured" should be thrown around only to describe white people. After all, as an Armenian you know all white people are not the same. There are plenty of white and non-white people who think St. Patricks Day is only for drinking, plenty of white people who think Cinco De Mayo is Mexican independence day, and plenty of Africans Americans who wear dreadlocks and do not even know the true meanings and beliefs of rastafarians. "Uncultured" people can be found anywhere, in America, Europe, our outside, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender.

Reverend Wright is entitled to his own opinion. As is quite common in the media, short snippets of his sermons were used for sensational media and politics. The logic about white people not voting for Obama because of Wright was also sensational media and politics as well. But it was a FoxNews style fear politik that needed to end. Obama in my opinion did something not many politicians do. He made it clear this man has an important place in his life, made clear that this man was more than the "hate-monger" he was being made out to be, and also made clear the unity rather than division will help solve not only the plights of African Americans but of all Americans. I agree that the "racial volleyball" needs to chill, and the point of Obama's speech is that this campaign has become an issue of race, rather than an issue of change and oppurtunity.

 

[Sergeant Hustle]

I agree that the "racial volleyball" needs to chill, and the point of Obama's speech is that this campaign has become an issue of race, rather than an issue of change and oppurtunity.

Didn't we know already that this would happen?

Good points with regards to the Irish explanation, but I think it's still a bit hyper-sensitive to call it ignorant when it's really the truth. People with no concept of Irish culture go and get drunk on St. Patrick's Day. That was my point. People use days as excuses to do shit like get drunk or spend mad money on gifts. People who aren't Christian use Christmas as an excuse to buy a tree and give people shit. Is that offensive? I dunno, I'd just say it's the truth.

 

[MaddDogg]

Didn't we know already that this would happen?

Good points with regards to the Irish explanation, but I think it's still a bit hyper-sensitive to call it ignorant when it's really the truth. People with no concept of Irish culture go and get drunk on St. Patrick's Day. That was my point. People use days as excuses to do shit like get drunk or spend mad money on gifts. People who aren't Christian use Christmas as an excuse to buy a tree and give people shit. Is that offensive? I dunno, I'd just say it's the truth.

I don't know what "that this would happen" is? Obama's speech?

I don't think I would have called in to your radio show to tell you that you are racist. In fact, I see your comment as rather light heated, and, well, something a radio show host would say.I guess what is really "the truth" is open to everyone's interpretation. I'm Irish and I drink on St. Patricks day just like everyone else. But it is also a day for me to sing Danny Boy and see people and families I haven't ran into in five years, eat corned beef and watch a really cool parade. If you ever visit a big city I'd urge you to check out the St. Patrick's day parade. There's a lot more to see than a bunch of drunks.

 

[rekomstop]

yeah its the companies of america (i.e. candy companies for easter and eggs i guess, and the whole world of consumerism for christmas) that bring these once, personal tradititions and holidays meant for family and the community to a consumer-friendly 'holiday' that involves a lot of consumerism.
Luckily for the beer companies, alcohol is legal, and it is a favorite past time of people of the united states, so they got their audience, they just gotta create a special occasion to boost sales....and WAAAH-LAH we got the american version of an irish holiday.

I think thats what you meant by the ridiculousness of this "holiday".

Why does buying someone a flat screen t.v. for Christmas mean you love them? Because of the obsession with consumerism in this country that was created from our lovely capitalistic companies with wonderful little factories(sweatshops) all over the world.
yes, thats a generalization of all companies, but still....its a growing trend.

 

[Defy]

I think you should've just clarified yourself to say people who are not of Irish descent use St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to drink.

 

[Lamberto Quintero]

I think you should've just clarified yourself to say people who are not of Irish descent use St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to drink.

^^^ I know hella Irish people that don't know shit about St. Patrick's Day and get hammered.

I don't know why people would make a big deal about her comments, it's the truth. I wouldn't get mad if someone said the same about Cinco de Mayo, because it's true!

 

[Sergeant Hustle]

I really wasn't thinking about Irish people at all when I said it, therefore I didn't feel the need to clarify. I was just saying how people in general use the holiday as an excuse to drink. I said it's the same with Cinco de Mayo. It's an excuse for everyone to have a party and spend money and get together with their buddies. There's nothing wrong with that, either. I was just pointing out that people in general will use whatever excuse they can to go get toasted in the name of a holiday.

 

[ColdBlooded]

St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of the driving out of the Jews and Pagans aka "Snakes" and creating a catholic dominion.

Fuck that Irish culture shit. Have Ireland day or something. That's like the Italians trying to claim Columbus Day as some kind of cultural festival.

If you want a day named after someone who was given sainthood for his evangelism - then celebrate it for that reason.

Otherwise expect it to be just another excuse to drink.

 

[Fucky McFuckerson]

Cinco de Mayo anyone?

There are a number of "americnaized" holidays that get celebrated here in the states that get turned into an "excuse to get hammered".

Is it bad that I would have known exactly what Karlie was talking about when she made that comment? I mean, we ARE in America...the "swagger jacking country of the entire world"...it just goes without saying anymore. One only needs to look as far as fried rice and pizza...

 

[XxtraMannish]

I think you should've just clarified yourself to say people who are not of Irish descent use St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to drink.

Exactly. Because everybody knows that Irish people never use St Patricks Day to have an excuse to drink.