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lauren’s journal

Nothing's Shocking

· · 🌡️ 72°F

I am really not trying to be
scratch that. I apologize too much. Whatevs.

I am NOT surprised that there are racist gay men out there. Or racist white lesbians for that matter. I am NOT surprised that the white power movement is alive in well all over this country. I am not surprised that there are murders every day of queer and trans people in this country and across the globe. I am not surprised that Obama's name was "mis"spelled as Osama. Is it possible to vote for Obama and still be racist? Hell yes. Is it possible to "love" Ellen and still be homophobic? Hell yes. Give me a break.

Who the hell do we think we are?? The 60's was not that long ago my friends. The truth is, people ASSUME that racism and sexism don't exist anymore because PCism has pushed people underground, which is perhaps even more debilitating toward whatever it is that we think we've achieved. I am so sick of good intending white people talking about how "surprised" they were when they overheard this or that explicitly racist or sexist or homophobic remark. Perhaps what they should say is that they are surprised that someone said it IN PUBLIC. I think that we have some skewed and warped perception of ourselves as a progressive, politically correct, modern "civilized" society that has somehow magically overcome this bullshit that has been entrenched for thousands and thousands of years. What we really need to grasp is that racism and sexism and homophobia and ethnocentrism make up the VERY CORE of this society and this globalized world. Until there is a fucking revolution, this things will continue to live and breath and grow and consume. Maybe, just maybe if people would stop being so godam surprised all the time, we could get somewhere.
307 words

💬 9 comments

  1. matthew ·

    @lauren, who exactly are you talking about?

  2. drew ·

    Theologically speaking, you are touching upon the the concept we call, "total depravity," :::link:::

    Which also might be called, "Don't be surprised."

  3. james ·

    I am racist.

    I don't say that to be shocking or am making a joke. But I recognize the learned racism in me. I try to be mindful of the almost subconscious things I think and I try to work through them, discover the root of my ignorance and supplant it with understanding.

    I find it is a much more constructive task than just patting myself on the back for pretending to be free of such bad thoughts.

  4. metalpeter ·

    I completely agree with your first paragraph and you make a lot of great points. I think that being PC (not the computer) has made things worse. I think that it is important to know that there is a difference between good and bad sterotypes also. When I was a kid the only time I saw relatives was at get to gathers and there was all ways beer so I thought everyone who is Irish was a drunk or had a problem, that isn't true and it is ok for me to say that. But some one else saying that out loud is a problem and if it is at an Irish Bar and really big problem. If someone black talks about the problems of his family and his hood and what they want to do to change it (maybe a preacher or something) that might be looked at as black power and if I agree and go on a march that would be ok maybe. But for me to have those same views and express them, than I'm a racist, if I say it in a negative light or if I think that just because someone is black they are from the Ghetto. Lets flip this most of the sterotypes I have heard about asains were postive like good in school, over achivers, and things like good in math. But if I ask some dude in school and ask if he can teach me self deffense (yes they all know kung fu) dude is going to be pissed or he might be if I ask him for math help and none of the white boys. It is a very fine line from having information about people or a culture and sterotyping.

    Ok back to my point about being PC. Every term for someone who is black doesn't really fit or is used wrong in my opinion. The reason why being PC is bad is because it gives people a way of saying what they would say with out sounding bad. For example when Blacks and Hispanics moved onto the westside lots of Italians and other whites didn't like that and so they moved. But instead of saying Nigg... and Spics moved in they say the hood got bad, you mean the Mafia hits were not bad (even if you never saw or heard them). See now they have a way to say something racist in a non racist way. Now people think Nigg... and mean it but they say African American or Homosexual instead of Fag or what ever. The atitude hasn't changed just the wording. Gerorge Carlin had lots of bits about this, in other avenues. Like how no one says he died it is "He Is gone" or "Pasted Away".

    I think that there is still lots of hate in this country it is just that the words we use now are better at hiddig it. Because of that people since it isn't in the open pull the act of I'm so offened.

  5. lauren ·

    @matthew, I am talking about pretty much everybody. I admit, I wrote this after first reading @joshua's post and then @jim's response and then @paul's, but I didn't write especially about or toward them. I think this is more of an overall generalization and I would say maybe particularly toward "liberals" who think they are so great. I would say that usually my arguments are made about the SYSTEM rather than the individual. Although individuals are always already creating and perpetuating the system, and I don't want to argue that the system somehow exists outside of our ability to change, but rather that the system shapes individuals and hence, we are all products of it.

    @drew...hmm...this total depravity thing is interesting, but I'm not quite sure that that's what I'm saying. (although sure this wiki article doesn't say it all :)) My point is not to say that we are incapable of change or transformation, but rather that we think we have ALREADY changed when we have not...or rather, we have changed in way that allows us to think that we have.

    @james...thank you. It's so hard for progressive people to admit that they benefit from racism, let alone that they are racist. As if some how the magic of liberal education has cleansed them of the "past" and present realities of white privelege. I mean, when we talk about race, we are almost always talking about blackness just as when we talk about gender we are almost always talking about women. I could go on...but I think you got it :)

  6. metalpeter ·

    I'm sorry I just have to ad one more thing. I try not to be racist and compared to a lot of people one could say I'm not racist. But do to things that Happened in my past I have been made that way some. I do get that most blacks are good and that it is the small amount of people who are "Bad" but I also get that the game is rigged and that is a factor. I have read about some one in the paper and thought I knew someone with that name in High School who lived over that way I wonder if it was him. Also sorry if I misunderstood that you where more talking about the system then people, I took it as people and not the system.

    But that brings up a good point. I think that the reason we have straving kids in Africa is because the people are black. If They where white I think more people would donate money and more American Companies and politicans would send help. But since they are black they are thought of as Savages and not the same as whites, or at least not as important. Even if the USA helped more there would still be problems in Africa. Anther sign of our racism is that Most people speak of Europe by country but all the countries in Africa are Called Africa. Ok that is the end of my rant I can't type anymore.

  7. drew ·

    yeah lauren--it's not a direct line from your concept to that of Total Depravitiy, but they are conencted.

    Total Depravity does not mean that we are incapable of change, just that we are incapapable of doing it solely on our own. If you think about it, it makes sense. We need feedback, instruction or a model--even if we have to get it from a book.

    Society has changed, but people have not (not too much, anyways) Even though there is less racism written into law, and racism is less accepted in polite company, people are still selfish and prone to scapegoating people that are different than them.

    If racism ever goes away (it could--since race is an invented concept, it could also be discredited and forgotten), the problems associated with racism (favoritism, bigotry, scapegoating, hate) will remain. In this way, racism, though horrible, isn't really the core problem. The core problem is human behavior.

  8. paul ·

    "I would say maybe particularly toward 'liberals' who think they are so great."

    Wait isn't that you?

    I, like @james, also have innate racist feelings that I wrestle with, spare me I don't need your congratulations for admitting it. Is there anyone of any race that doesn't? I think it is a fear/misunderstanding of the unknown.

    Do you think, that I think that life is just a united colors of Benneton ad because of my "liberal" education?

    In reference to my journal @paul #46096 I was not at all shocked that the man was racist, but rather the way he said "If I don't vote for McCain, the niggers and spics will rule the street" in a public, generally progressive setting with no hint of apprehention or shame about it. It is totally shocking to me especially considering he was saying it to a total stranger, in an environment that is typically progressive and accepting.

    While I don't think Political Correctness is an answer to the problem or that it will make people really change their opinion about their racism, sexism or homophobia, I do think being offensively racist in a public setting, sets the ground for the next logical step - hate action.

    Think about it, as soon as people are comfortable saying racist, sexist things in public to strangers, there is really no reason to hold back. Moreover, they might actually garner support of other people who are more mildly racist/sexist/homophobic and would not act alone but are susceptible to group mentality and join them to commit actual crimes. Ironically, it was in that parking lot behind underground that I experienced this best when a gang of porto ricans decided to try and kill us for being gay a couple years back. I would have been much happier if they drove by and thought, damn I hate faggots and want to kill them but feel uncomfortable saying something in public, without blocking the street, feeling comfortable enough about the scenario to scream we are going to kill you faggots in public, taking out knives and then trying to actually kill us.

  9. matthew ·

    @lauren, I think you totally missed the point of the journals you refer to. You have made rash judments on people without being properly informed about them or the issues they talk about. It's kinda offensive.

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