It Is Not Automatically Racist To Make An Observation That Includes Mention Of Race
A friend posted the link in the LA Times to Leslie Van Houten's parole, and noted, "Being a pretty white lady does have its rewards."
Additionally, this friend observed, "Think of how many people's lives were destroyed by the Manson cult."
Someone accused her of "racist ignorance" for saying this -- the "pretty white lady" thing.
Completely tiresome.
It is not "racist" to make an observation that involves race, such as, "Being a pretty white lady does have its rewards." It does have its rewards. It's not hateful to say this. It's an often-realistic observation. Being pretty helps and being white helps. Let's review the meaning of racism, so we use it correctly in the future, boys and girls!
As I wrote in my next comment:
Do we see [this friend of mine] engaging in any of this? No. Assholes gonna asshole, but [this friend of mine is] not engaging in racism by observing what she did.
Applauding Amy's deployment of "asshole" as a verb.
Crid at September 9, 2017 12:25 AM
Thank you! (There's a three-page, single-spaced document with my page proofs for the next book of all the words I made up or used in grammatically offbeat ways.)
Amy Alkon at September 9, 2017 4:59 AM
Left out of the definition of racism above was:
- a rhetorical bludgeon (see "shut up!)
Old RPM Daddy (OldRPMDaddy at GMail dot com) at September 9, 2017 5:11 AM
Second Old RPM Daddy.
Add, that hardly works any more because everybody knows it's manipulative scam.
Richard Aubrey at September 9, 2017 5:19 AM
It certainly comes in handy when a group of friends includes two Kevins of different races. A real-life example:
"I ran into Kevin last night."
"Black Kevin or white Kevin?"
Kevin at September 9, 2017 10:28 AM
If Van Houten weighed 450 lbs, lost her teeth and found Jesus in prison, I doubt that John Waters and the cool kids would be so quick to champion her.
It's not just the lives of those murdered by Manson--it's the lives of their families (Polanski was a jerk but just maybe he wouldn't have been quite such a monster) and friends (Brian Wilson drank from guilt for years) and the whole community (Manson wanted a race war.)
Sure, she was 19. So was Medal of Honor winner Pfc Ross McGinnis.
KateC at September 9, 2017 10:32 AM
Some would say that being a pretty Asian lady also has its rewards, maybe even more so.
Fayd at September 9, 2017 11:37 AM
Ironically adding "white" as a descriptor seems less racist than the usual cultural assumption that a "pretty lady" refers to a white woman. For example, in the hospital, I never heard anyone say "white doctor" or "female nurse" although I heard "black doctor" and "male nurse" on a regular basis. And if you are not aware that being an attractive woman (of any race/ethnicity) has MAJOR advantages, you are either an entirely unconscious attractive woman or living on a different planet!
ccziv at September 10, 2017 3:03 PM
Ironically adding "white" as a descriptor seems less racist than the usual cultural assumption that a "pretty lady" refers to a white woman. For example, in the hospital, I never heard anyone say "white doctor" or "female nurse" although I heard "black doctor" and "male nurse" on a regular basis. And if you are not aware that being an attractive woman (of any race/ethnicity) has MAJOR advantages, you are either an entirely unconscious attractive woman or living on a different planet!
ccziv at September 10, 2017 4:44 PM
Ironically adding "white" as a descriptor seems less racist than the usual cultural assumption that a "pretty lady" refers to a white woman. For example, in the hospital, I never heard anyone say "white doctor" or "female nurse" although I heard "black doctor" and "male nurse" on a regular basis. And if you are not aware that being an attractive woman (of any race/ethnicity) has MAJOR advantages, you are either an entirely unconscious attractive woman or living on a different planet!
ccziv at September 10, 2017 4:45 PM
"I ran into Kevin last night."
"Black Kevin or white Kevin?"
"White Kevin, so I stopped and rendered first aid until the ambulance arrived."
Thenk yew, thenk yew, I'll be here all week. Try the veal!
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 10, 2017 6:07 PM
"Think of how many people's lives were destroyed by the Manson cult."
Well, white lives, anyway.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 10, 2017 7:18 PM
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