Sometimes I think I’m living in a really bad movie.
Dean Grose, the mayor of Los Alamitos, sent an email with this photo of the White House lawn covered with watermelons, under the title: “No Easter egg hunt this year.” It get’s better… he sent it to Keyanus Price, a local businesswoman and city volunteer… who is Black! It get’s even better… Grose stated he wasn’t aware of the racial stereotype that black people like watermelons, so he had no idea this “joke” would offend her!
Note to “white” people:
- Nooses aren’t funny;
- Comparing us to crazed chimpanzees needing to be shot numerous times by the police isn’t satire;
- Associating us with watermelons (and fried chicken) ain’t a joke;
Grose has apologized for the email and stated that he will step down as mayor on Monday but intends to stay on the five seat city council.
I can almost see my Grandmother shaking her head… and hear her say with that familiar tone of disgust: “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
So much for the “Obama Post-Racial Beige Revolution”.
I must point out that things have changed. Fifty years ago we had segregation and racially motivated violence was common. Now there is an African-American president, several African-American CEO’s, and racial violence has decreased dramatically. (many more things I could list)
No one asks you to ignore past injustices, or pretend the world is perfect, but please take a look around we have made incredible progress.
Lekowitz, if you read my comments, you will see that I talked about ethnic minorities well integrated, but this does not mean that Racism is a thing of the past.
Why is it that on the lips of most Europeans, they enjoy criticizing Black People and Africa?
I remember when I was hired at Cisco systems headquarter in Reading – England, to work on behalf of Planet Pro, an Agency bought by Cisco, but based in California, the only Colleague there, from Argentina, had an interesting conversation with me while we talked about the news. It was in 2008 when London saw many deaths of Teenagers being stabbed, shot with other Teenagers.My Colleague at Cisco (Planet Pro) said:This is the problem of allowing foreigners into a Country, even other colleagues say this, they say that London is not the true England as there are too many foreigners, and that is why I prefer to live outside London.
As an activist, and victim of Years of institutionalized racism and bullying, I just could not keep quiet about these comments, from another foreigner himself (Argentina).
I decided to engage with him, I went straight to the point, I asked if he was racist, I challenged to say that because the Media is showing crimes committed by Black kids (born here in Britain), People then become racially minded without knowing it, they suddenly have a perception of Black People because Media said so, does it mean that other ethnicity do not commit crimes in England?
I agree that all ethnic minority are well integrated, but there are still some in our Communities, Governments, Police, Business World, Schools and Universities, who continue to try to label the Black Man as a problem, under-achieving.
Early this year, I took a job at Mondial assistance Ltd, it was a workplace of open racism, where ethnic minority just could not raise their voice, they constantly made comments about Africa, I felt angry inside but kept quiet.
Let us make no mistake about it, this World still has a deep racism and negative perception about who we are as Black People and Africans.
What is sad is to see Black carribeans feel that we,as Africans, come from the jungle, an experience I had living in the UK, hearing old and Young say:in Africa, they all live in the bush!
Dear Desire,
I am guessing that you are from the motherland, Africa. I do not know what you mean when you say Black Caribbeans think that Africans live in the jungle. You might be right at certain points but this one…. I am from Haiti and I am talking as the common belief in Haiti. For us Haitians, anybody who is not Black is NOT considered Haitian. Even light-skinned Haitians are popularily disconnected with Haiti. We are the closest country to Africa outside of Africa. We have been independant for so long, [205 years] that our Africanness can still be seen today. Voodoo is closely linked to Haiti and Africa but Haitians when people want to associate themselves with voodoo, they look UP to Africa. I do not know what kind of ‘Antillais’, as we call ourselves in French or Caribbeans you are referring to, but DEFINITELY NOT HAITIANS. We only know they have lions and elephants in Africa but no educated Haitian would say such thing. We all know that for sure the decline of the Black race and the troubles in Africa are always blamed on the guys who solely own the land. Not on the ones who came with the guns and the money…
In the 1950′s and 1970′s hundreds of Haitians graduates return back to teach in schools in Africa, especially Benin, Congo even during the Lumumba revolution. This is just to promote our attachment to the land. Take a picture of villages in Africa, like in Mali, Congo, Benin and google some pictures of villages in Haiti, you will see the ressemblance. Jungle? Where ? We all know that Humans and those wild animals would NOT cohabitate under the current conditions.
Although I am in the US now, I have plans of visiting my roots, where it all started. I am a proud Black man, a proud Haitian and at last, a proud member of the African diaspora.
Much respect to you brother !
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Racism should be over.
What would America be without good ole down home barbecue and beer soaked RRRRRRRACISM! “Oh, nig.., er I didn’t kno the N-word was rrrracist!”
If the muff ukka dint kno watermelon was a racist stereotype, why’d he do it? What relevance would it have?
You kno the word Cracker comes from Whip Cracker? That aint a racist term. Oh, yes, it is a racist ID. But one ya earn, muff ukka.
One cracker one bullet. One banker one bullet.
Post Racialism or just Racism Gone POSTAL!
Yeah, the joke with watermelons is archaic and never really made sense considering the amount eaten by all sorts of people. Maybe one day, they’ll catch up with the rest of the planet…
Reply to Lekowtiz: Conversation with Racist Minded of Europe
Just today, a Turkist Person was:”Don’t get me wrong, I am not racist, but I see all the problems coming from Black Boys in this Country.” Later on, another group of Turkish Mini-Cab drivers having a conversation:”Yeah,last time, these two Black b** from Africa..” I turned around and looked at the Man who said, he was embarrassed that I heard him.
At cisco, Guy Duhau, from Argentina, supposed to train me as a new starter, once we had heated debate about Race as he had the perception together with his English Friends as he put it, that Foreigners in the UK are the cause of the Problem, his comment came after weeks of Media propaganda showing Black Boys shot/stabbed by other Gangs, this was a time for British Nationalist to openly ask immigrants to leave UK,when Guy Duhau got a warning from HR in california that it is not appropriate to have sort of comments he made, he came back the following morning trying to portray himself as the tolerant:”Oh, Desire, I am not racist, you know, Women say Black Men are good in Bed for example…” I was so angry to be sitting with racist minded like these that I just walked out of the Job.
Not to mention how communities would target you, asking:”How does it make Money?We were born here, our Ancestors were born here, but we are struggling to make ends meet, he must surely be in drugs dealings.” My own Bank Lloyds TSB asked the same question, and currently, my own new Bank Halifax is witholding £2200 asking me how I made this Money, they asked to know more about Mondial Assistance Ltd (among the biggest insurance Company in the UK) where I worked, is this an excuse to steal ordinary citizens’ cash?
Hate and Racism start with words, these hate and racist seeds were planted in the minds of Old Generation, and they continue the tradition of spreading this into the new Generation.
http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2009/01/10/business/OUKBS-UK-USA-LLOYDS-VIOLATION.php
A little background with my old Bank (Lloyds TSB) and current Business Partner with my current Bank (Halifax), see how corrupt they are, but yet, they want to ask how you are making Money (typical racist attitude)
Immgrants have always been the scapegoats of society. In the late 1800s in America, it was the Irish, Italians and Poles. After Emancipation, former slaves and their children were targets. Now it’s Latinos, Arabs, and everyone else who wanders into the crosshairs. Every subsequent group has, in turn, been transformed from the accused to the accusers. And people wonder why there is so much strife in the world!
Humans can thank England (I won’t degrade Ireland and Scotland by mentioning the “U.K,” a label which both despise) for its proliferation of colonialism, cultural oppression and the mess that followed. Throw in the Dutch, while you’re at it.