As Long as I'm Avenue Qing: Are You a Little Bit Racist?

[Exian]

Ben,
Do you find stereotypes funny when used by stand-up comics?

[Ben Davis]

Ben,
Do you find stereotypes funny when used by stand-up comics?

Sometimes. It depends on the joke and the comic. There's lots of dark comedy that I find hilarious, in the right circumstances. I find it helps to fight the darkness if you can laugh at it.

[Alex K]

Ben,
Do you find stereotypes funny when used by stand-up comics?

I think I despise stand up comics.

[Ben Davis]

I think I despise stand up comics.

I think that's a crass generalisation

[Exian]

Well, then stereotypes treated in any comedic sense. Phrase it that way.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Alice, I think you cut to the heart of my unsettled feelings after that experience. I can sort of relate it to the stories that popped up after 9/11 about people making a big deal when a middle-eastern guy boarded a flight they were on. In the comfort of my home, I would classify those people as ill-informed and quick to judgement; another part of me understood their point of view, but mainly I would distance myself from them. I'm well aware of the affect the media can have on me, and I liked to think I was able to temper any bias with either just acknowledging it or informing myself, but none of that ultimately mattered when faced with what I thought was a real threat. Maybe in the end, I was too quick to judge those people.

And this goes exactly to what I was saying earlier, about profiling being a form of stereotyping, and why I feel deeply uncomfortable when it pops up in my head.

I reckon it is a form of racism, but I also reckon that being aware of it, and acting fully in the conviction that it's wrong, allows me to make corrections to my behavior -- things like taking note of non-sterotypical behavior, asking what-if questions, imagining myself being on the receiving end of it.

[TaraJo]

I see the term 'racist' or 'racism' thrown around a little too freely in a lot of progressive circles. I've actually talked to people who claim that objecting to Obama's economic policies is racism and, at best, that's really watering down the term. It makes me think we need a new term entirely for what Martin Luther King Jr. had to put up with. And it bothers me that now, I can't even respond to legitimate racism without being dismissed because assholes have over used the term.

Do I have issues with race? I dunno. I have issues with culture, I'll admit that. I don't speak Spanish, which has become a bit of an issue since moving to Houston. But even with other English speakers, there can be a cultural divide. I worked at a job where I was only one of about 3 white people, while another 20+ people were black. And I don't have anything against them for being black, but it was sometimes difficult to relate with them. I mean, I have no idea what a weave is, I only have a vague idea what a grille is (not certain if they're talking about teeth or those fake gold teeth coverings) and I despise rap music (and don't even get me started on those damn Madea videos, but I think I have other, non-racial reasons for objecting to those). So, where does that put me when so many of my racial minority co-workers were into a culture I knew so little about?

[Exian]

And this goes exactly to what I was saying earlier, about profiling being a form of stereotyping, and why I feel deeply uncomfortable when it pops up in my head.

I reckon it is a form of racism, but I also reckon that being aware of it, and acting fully in the conviction that it's wrong, allows me to make corrections to my behavior -- things like taking note of non-sterotypical behavior, asking what-if questions, imagining myself being on the receiving end of it.

I definitely agree. Theory of mind and empathy goes a long way here. I watched a video that was posted by a friend on Facebook. The description was something along the lines of "Cop shoots black guy for no reason" so I knew going in what to expect and what my response was expected to be. Normally, I stay away from watching these things, but for whatever reason I watched this one.

I'll break it down: (this is from memory)
(Ended up being pretty long)

---

The dash cam shows the front of a gas station. The black kid, maybe early 20's, pulls into the gas station and into frame. He hops out of his vehicle and attempts to walk towards the store, but before he can, the cop hops out and tells him to stop. Already we know this isn't a normal stop, because the kid has just pulled into the gas station to buy something, or whatever business he had. He's visibly surprised by the cop, as anyone would be in this odd situation. The cop tells the kid to produce his license and the kid taps his back pocket, then turns and leans into the car to retrieve it. The cop starts yelling and opens fire while running in front of his car and behind the kids vehicle. Luckily, the kid is only shot in the leg, and he drops. I think the cop ends up being fired.

So, apply the theory of mind and empathy to both situations.

The cop says the kid dove into his car, that's why he opened fire. On a second viewing, it does look like he moves quickly into his car, but it's clear that he was just eager to comply in the strange situation. He pats his back pocket, pauses for split second in thought, and realizes he left the license in the car and reacts almost at the same time. And so the cop is obviously wrong and he's an asshole and the video gets the expected emotional reaction.

But...

Because I had a fearful experience, I can also relate to the cop. Granted, the cop shouldn't have "pulled him over" while the kid was already out of his car; he basically fucked himself right there. He put himself in an uncontrolled situation. Also, he should be held to a higher standard in an uncertain, possibly dangerous, split-second situation than I would be held in my situation, but I still can't help but to apply the emotions I went through to the cops situation. It can only be speculated that the cops heightened emotions were the result of his own stereotyping of this kid, but it's probably a safe bet. So, when I put myself in the cop's situation, with my sense of equality, my views of racism being extremely wrong, would I have fared any better, or would my strongly held beliefs fall to the wayside?

This, of course, is an extreme example and may not be the best way to measure yourself, but my experience with it has definitely caused me look a little deeper into myself.

---

[downbeatplumb]

I think I despise stand up comics.

That's occupationist.

[Anomalocaris]

I am a little. Once upon a time, long, long ago when I was freshmen in college a young woman described a good choice for our study group. He's wearing a red sweater she said. Well the student center had over a hundred people in it. Red was in. And the room was 95 % white. I couldn't see him. He was black.

Ah ha! Racist. But if color didn't matter, why didn't she just say he was one of the only three black men in the room.? I hate this gotcha. Race for identification isn't racist. Pretending you don't see skin color may not be racist either, but it's silly, because you do.

Anyone skin color blind? I don't believe you.

A little racist? How can you help it?

The moral question is how do you act?

I try to make sure any would be victims of my racism does not suffer in anyway whatsoever on account of my racism. My racism is not their fault.