All I have to say on RaceFail 09

[ailbhe]

Quoting submarine_bells: I would like to say, up front and explicitly to any folk of colour who might interact with me, that if I seem to be behaving in a way that appears racist I would actively welcome having that pointed out to me. I do try to avoid such things; but with the best will in the world, trying ain't always enough. I know that. And if there's any unexamined prejudice in my thinking that I've not spotted myself, I'd take it as a favour if it were pointed out to me so that I can apologise to you, address the matter and (hopefully) deal with it.

I'd like to add that favour in no way translates to obligation and this isn't an indirect demand of any kind. Just an expression of explicit openness.

Comments

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

I'm on a racism-snarking group to learn how to be less racist. I keep very, very quiet and I've learned a lot. There's nothing like seeing some crass entitled-white-person behaviour being torn apart and realising 'Oh. I do that too' for making me feel very small. Whether this means I make fewer obvious mistakes, I don't know - the main thing I learned about racism is that a lot of it is entirely invisible to the perpetrator.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

the main thing I learned about racism is that a lot of it is entirely invisible to the perpetrator.

*nod* This has been my experience too. One example: in college, a few friends of mine were discussing life, and one Asian-American guy complained about people who express shock at how well he speaks English. I almost opened my mouth to say something like "but it's a compliment" when I remembered that people have expressed that kind of shocked praise of my English, and I resent it, and why I resent it. Even with my own experience of insulting praise, I had to catch myself and remind myself that it was racist when done to him too.

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

I learned that having a mixed heritage doesn't give me 'colour points' in a racism debate if my upbringing, background and understanding of the world is entirely white. And also, although I might have been subject to an attack and a handful of insults through my life because of my whiteness, I *really* have not experienced racism, nor do I have any idea what it's like to be the subject of racism. I also learned not to bring one -ism into a debate about another -ism. And... er... lots of other things I don't remember, but I am embarrassed enough as it is.

I still get horribly confused over the whole issue of cultural appropriation.