Imus, Duke and racism

I think it has been lost in all the hand-wringing over the Duke lacrosse case that this whole thing might have started with a racial slur.

At least one member of the lacrosse team yelled a racial slur at the strippers. We know this because there was an independent witness who heard it, something along the lines of “thank you grandpa for my cotton shirt.” It makes me wonder how many slurs might have been hurled at the strippers that night. We know it had to be enough to inspire the other stripper to call 911 and complain about the rowdy college boys (and remember, these are women who are used to dealing with all kinds of crap in their line of work). Was it enough to so anger the accuser that she decided to cry rape to get back at the players?

Don Imus lost his job because of a racial slur. The Duke lacrosse team lost its season, the coach lost his job and three members lost a year of their life amid some of the worst possible accusations that can be made. Did all of that begin with a racial slur, too?

If it did, what do we glean from these two events? That rich, privileged white men are going to pay a price for denigrating black women? That black women aren’t going to take it lying down anymore? (Pun intended, given this country’s history.)

I don’t have the answers. I only have questions and this lingering thought: It’s 2007, we’re 150 years or so past slavery in this country and the tension and hate are still alive and well. That’s unbelievable to me.

(Before anyone starts down that trail, I’m not excusing the accuser. There is no justification for lying to smear the players. No one deserves what they went through. But let’s also not deify these players. They were acting the part of spoiled, privileged brats, neighborhood rogues who had the community up in arms over their behavior for years. One already was known to be verbally abusive – he was charged with yelling a gay slur in D.C. Again, that doesn’t mean these three deserved what happened to them. Absolutely not. However, I wouldn’t pull a Jemele Hill and apologize for not believing them. Their overall behavior raised suspicion from the start.)

 

Why are you surprised?

Racism has always existed and will never be eradicated, whether it's white on black, black on white, black on brown or brown on white. Couple that with the fact that society is much more coarse and impolite than it was 30-40 years ago and it's hard to be surprised by anything anymore.

 

Well, that settles that.
Let's all get a beer.

 

Little early for that. How about a Sprite?

 

No caffeine.

 

I've probably posted this before, so forgive me and please forgive the tangent.

I had an interesting conversation with my OB/GYN several months ago. Somehow we got on the topic of C-sections and drugs that facilitate labor and delivery (hang with me.) A lot of people shy away from those things because they see them as modern nuisances that interfere with the natural process. They often say, "Women in China squat to give birth in a rice field without any of these modern devices."

To that, the doctor said, "Yes, but China is still largely homogeneous-- Chinese men and women procreating." Here in America, we are becoming more "melting pot" than ever-- And he said he's observed this increasingly throughout his 20 year practice. i.e. A Chinese woman marrying a 6 foot 3 Irish guy. The baby won't fit through her pelvis, therefore the need for the C-section.

He said this "mixing" if you will, is at an all-time high.

What's the point here? ;D

The point is that we Americans are becoming more mixed and less "delineated," if that's the right word.

Right now, I think we're seeing the last vestiges of "you're black, I'm white." I always think of the famous comment Tiger Woods made on Oprah: "Cablanasian."

Understand that the thought of this makes some people's heads explode. But there's nothing they can do to stop this -- it is what it is.

So to the original post that started the thread: No, I don't think racism is destined to always exist on a large scale.

 

I think Strom Thurmond had something to say about mixing the races, but I can't remember for sure.

 

Sounds like there will be more c-sections though.

I've heard about that Irish/ Chinese connection. It makes the challenged Irish men feel bigger.

 

This is a very good point. I was speaking with a co-worker about this yesterday. My theory is that in a couple hundred years we'll be a pretty homogenous society. If you pay attention, it's already happening in sports with biracial guys like Tiger Woods and Derek Jeter. We can eliminate race distinctions and the problems they cause by just blurring the lines. Everybody needs to just get out there and mix it up!

 

Everyone's a little bit racist
Sometimes.
Doesn't mean we go
Around committing hate crimes.
Look around and you will find
No one's really color blind.
Maybe it's a fact
We all should face
Everyone makes judgments
Based on race.

Everyone's a little bit racist
Today.
So, everyone's a little bit racist
Okay!
Ethinic jokes might be uncouth,
But you laugh because
They're based on truth.
Don't take them as
Personal attacks.
Everyone enjoys them -
So relax!

If we all could just admit
That we are racist a little bit,
Even though we all know
That it's wrong,
Maybe it would help us
Get along.

Everyone's a little bit racist
It's true.
But everyone is just about
As racist as you!
If we all could just admit
That we are racist a little bit,
And everyone stopped being
So PC
Maybe we could live in -
Harmony!

 

C-sections in this country are at an all-time high.

cran: great point about sports.

 

Why is it that Woods is predominatly identified as African American in the media but Jeter is not?