Sunday, May 3, 2009

Out From Africa

Is this woman Black?
Why?
http://www.marieclaire.com/world-reports/news/latest/black-white-skin

But imagine growing up in Africa and looking white.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/16/tanzania-humanrights

If things can be that bad for those with lighter skin today - imagine being the outcast all those millennia ago.
http://www.godandscience.org/evolution/sld046.html

Tell me again how Blacks can't be racist?

9 comments:

Mr. Noface said...

I say to you that blacks can be and are racist. Racism is an ugly marker of humanity, and as members of humanity we are just as capable of bearing the stain as are our white, red, brown, and yellow bretheren. It all stems from the "Us and them" way of thinking that we all adopt to varying degrees.

Tairebabs said...

I agree with Mr. Noface. The minute a person has the us and them mentality you are being racist. I know a lot of black americans who think they are better than africans...are they not both black skinned...that is racism as well in my books.

Marcus said...

"us v. them" is a good way to stay alive and further ones goals and ambitions.

History has proven this time and time again.

Black racism is vastly different then the racism that has been leveled toward blacks.
To compare the two as equal is delusional,sad, and rather simple minded.

Another thing the albinos in Tanzania, if I have read the story correctly, were killed for reasons related to witchcraft not racism so I am at a lost as to how that story relates to your statement about blacks and their racism.

On another note that is one hot albino woman.

I went to school with an albino white girl she was very fragile, kept to herself and was never allowed at outside.

I met an albino black girl once when I got out of the marine corps she was hot as well but she wouldn't give me her number lol said she had a boyfriend...sigh.

RunningMom said...

She is so pretty! I knew an albino white guy once that had very red toned skin. Her skin looks creamy and even-toned, perhaps not as dark as she would like it, but beautiful.

To answer your question... "Is this woman black?" the answer is both yes and no. She is not "black" in the sense that some folks refer to their skin tone (which lets be realistic, most folks are a shade of brown, not black) but yes, she is African American.

I hate that she said that she had to use slang and learn rap songs in order to be ghetto enough to fit in with the other black kids. Tragic.

Her uniqueness should be celebrated, but kids, especially in grade/middle/high school are mean, unforgiving, and only know what they have been told. Unfortunately, insecurity and hurt from school can stay with you a long time. In this case, I hope it doesn't.

Besides, it's very sexy to have light skin against dark when you are making love. ;)

Freeman Press said...

Coming from a family where my gmoms parents can pass for white this lady is black. Now in the past it was a benefit to avoid racist bs but nowadays what is the reason. I couldn't finish the article because she is so wanting to be unique that it bothers me a bit. Some people want to run away from the ugliness they perceive is carried with skin color that they try to be something they are not.

Racist or prejudice? I think what people are describing is more prejudice more than racist. Everyone prejudges a person or a situation but racism is not prejudging it's creating rules and procedures to oppress someone because of their skin color. I think we need a definition of racism and prejudice so people can know the difference. They are used by mistake interchangeably.

uglyblackjohn said...

@ Marcus - Actually, I was waiting for NoFace or Ojo to point out that race is a construct used to separate one group from another.

Mr. Noface said...

@Marcus

"Black racism is vastly different then the racism that has been leveled toward blacks.
To compare the two as equal is delusional,sad, and rather simple minded."

I disagree. The "effects" of the racism espoused by blacks and the racism leveled at blacks may be vastly different, but that is because the of the setup of the power structure throughout this post-colonial world. Racism itself may vary, but it is perfectly capable of being equal across races and people groups. I hold this view, because in my mind, racism is an idea, philosophy, or way of thinking. For example, I feel that a black person (untouched by slavery or colonialism for the purposes of this example), is perfectly capabable of seeing a white person as "less than" or the "other", just as well as a white person. That black person just wouldn't be able to have his outlook affect any white people in a significant way, because of who holds the power in much of the developed (and undeveloped) world.

@uglyblackjohn

Well...it is. It's is the latest and most damaging (IMHO) classifier used to further fragment the human family.

Marcus said...

But we are not talking about black people that are untouched by slavery or colonialism. At least I am not.

Black people have some pretty good reasons to be racist toward whites.
Black racism will never shape the world of whites as white racism has shaped the world that black folks inhabit.

uglyblackjohn said...

@ Marcus - So do the Africans with Albinism have a reason to hate their oppressors (the Africans with pigmentation)?