Racial Oversensitivity: Black Virginia Councilwoman made an ass out of herself over claiming to be offended by a square on a quilt.
Who knew that having a black stick figure on a quilt could become some sort"racial controversy". If the quilt is shown to black progressives with race on the brain, then yes it is not only possible but will indeed become a controversy. A group of high school juniors at Piedmont Governor’s School in Martinsville, VA, were presenting a quilt to the local city council they made as part of a class project. The students were in the the middle of explaining the individual squares they had made in a fairly non-controversial way. That was until one student started describing it.
female student "We got to walk across the Philpott Dam and the small black person represents us before we learned all the information and then the bigger gold person is how he feels after he’s been enriched with all the different knowledge,”
Well, that explanation didn't sit very well with the black councilwoman who interrupted the young lady.
WSET.com - ABC13
Councilwoman Sharon Brooks-Hodge said to the student and the teacher " considering you only talked to 10 percent of black people in a city that’s 45 percent African-American, I take offense to that and I hope that you do not display that.”. I am so freaking sick and tired of black people who always try to find the racial conspiracy behind every little thing. This was a freaking quilt and nothing more. What the female student was explaining was something I picked up on with no problem, and I am black!! The black stick figure before going across the dam represented a person who was "empty". Space is black and is void of substance. When I first read the story, I immediately remembered the story of the black Dallas Commissioner John Wiley Price who got "offended", when Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield who is white said at a meeting "it seemed that central collections "has become a black hole" because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office." A comment like that doesn't leave room to the imagination. Well it did to Mr Price who was so blinded by racial paranoia, he lashed out at Mr Mayfield. Councilwoman Sharon Hodge is just like John Price and other blacks with the same mindset. Their ignorance and racial oversensitivity makes them look like utter fools, when reacting over perceived racial incident that really isn't.
I thought about how that young girl must have felt. She made a simple square that she was proud of that wasn't racist in any fashion, yet an intellectual ignoramus had to make her feel like crap by taking something innocent and blowing it out of proportion.
posted by Alpha Conservative Male at 12:41 PM
17 Comments:
If this woman had it her way, she would, and I'm surprised that she did not make a fuss over silhouette images on school and pedestrian crossing signs, and demand that they be replaced.
Speaking of silhouette, around 30-years ago, the city of Tacoma was forced to remove a small, iron statue of a running child with no facial features from Point Defiance Park, because black community leaders took offense to the object.
As for John Wilely Price "black hole" offense, there was an another situation when the LA Chapter of the NAACP took offense by a Hallmark graduation card and called it racist, when the talking card feature two characters, Hoops and Yoyo.
The Hallmark card reads, "Hey world, we are officially putting you on notice!" When the card is opened here is what the dialogue says:
"Hey world, we are officially putting you on notice...yeah! "You better watch out because this graduate here is kickin' rear and taking names! This graduate's going to run the world, run the universe and everything after that...whatever that is...maybe black holes...you're so ominous...Congratulations!! Good luck taking over the world!"
Well, what they heard was "black whore". I listened to that card it clearly they're saying "black hole".
Also, why does the public have to respond to the requests from a public figure or groups that find something offensive, but most of the people whom they "represent" take no offense to it. Remember the time when Speedy Gonzalez was removed from the airwaves because a Hispanic group took offense to the character? Ironically, Speedy was restored after after a letter writing campaign from private citizens from the Hispanic community.
-Big Pop
With the perpetually offended, the proverbial chip on the shoulder NEVER comes off.
Charity is the one virtue they'll be accused of having.
...RIGHT ON! Big Pop! ;)
What's up with folks trying to bring into their own personal biases into the workplace. Smh, I can't wait for the day when humankind as a whole is melded together as black and white, so we can have one less thing to be outraged by. Would either the council woman, or the other person be offended had a picture or word been said by a person of their liking. Angel food cake or Demon Food cake whatever, its only in the eye of the beholder who sees white or black as being good or evil. Ain't now in a cook book says a carrot cake has to be white...It is what it is at the moment, it don't mean you can't change that norm.
People like Sharon Brooks-Hodge and John Riley Price are "offended" because they choose to be; it empowers them. Whether they're aware of it or not, they're the ones who are being racist, not the ones who they accuse to be.
The only way that Ms. Brooks-Hodge can be offended if the image was in her likeness and having her do something in a degrading way.
What puzzles me most often is why is it that most minorities gets offended if a white person says a derogatory term, but never take offense when someone of their peers says the exact same thing. Or how is it that they can get away making derogatory terms toward white people?
I can imagine if a white person is at a karaoke club that has a patronage of mostly blacks and he recites the lyrics from a rap/hip-hop song with constant use of the N-word, we know what happens next: he'll be condemned and called a racist, and people would be "traumatized" by what he was singing.
-Big Pop
Big Pop;"What puzzles me most often is why is it that most minorities gets offended if a white person says a derogatory term, but never take offense when someone of their peers says the exact same thing".
If you're talking about the word/term "Nigger", you should first take a look at the history of the term. Nigger is a variation derived from Latin, niger, meaning black, the Spanish and Portuguese word, negro, and French, nègre. In America prior to the early 1900's the term was used purely as a description of the African slaves. Thus, the word was not a pejorative.
In the years following emancipation (by the 1900s), nigger began to take on the negative connotation, in large part because of it's connection to slavery and the degradation of blacks in America. When used by whites, blacks take offense to the word because it carries those scars. When used by whites it was meant to demean, marginalize, lower in character or status.
Frankly, I don't know why, and can't begin to reason why blacks appropriated a use to have a different meaning from the derogatory term. I do know that since I was a child I've heard blacks use it, typically for camaraderie purposes. In many cases as merely for descriptive purpose (eg. "I don't like that nigga', or, nigga you must be crazy, or the interrogative "nigga please!") My grandparents used it, my father used it, my mother used it, and I've used it.
I do think that it's silly and senseless that we as blacks have "co-opted" the term. However... IT IS WHAT IT IS! And the facts still remain. Blacks don't use the word Nigger (or Nigga', same thing) for the same "REASONS" that a non-black would, and have used the term. Basically, blacks that use the word are victims to one of the many flaws which plagues far to many blacks in American society.
As a white American Big Pop, you should know the history of the word. So the question is not "why can't you use it too", because that should be obvious. The question is "WHY DO YOU WANT TO USE IT?" Moreover, I've told you that I think that it's really silly that blacks have appropriated and personalized a different meaning. Why would you want to be just as silly?
Speedy G "With the perpetually offended, the proverbial chip on the shoulder NEVER comes off".
So very true Speedy, but not only does the chip never comes off, but those who see themselves as life's victims will never learn that that they are their own self made victim.
Big Pop "
Also, why does the public have to respond to the requests from a public figure or groups that find something offensive, but most of the people whom they "represent" take no offense to it."
Because some figures suffer greatly from an inferiority complex, and they want all of us to suffer right along with them in one fashion or another. It's the old misery love company thing Big Pop.
Big Pop "
Remember the time when Speedy Gonzalez was removed from the airwaves because a Hispanic group took offense to the character? Ironically, Speedy was restored after after a letter writing campaign from private citizens from the Hispanic community. "
Speedy Gonzalez was one of my favorites growing up. It doesn't surprise me some cry baby Hispanic group didn't like Speedy. They are no different then some Indian groups who want sports teams to change their names like Redskins, Braves, Warriors etc. RG3 is now getting attacked by the left because he said political correctness is tyranny in response to a DC Councilman who wanted the Washington Redskins to change their name to something stupid like the Washington Redtails.
p allen "In the years following emancipation (by the 1900s), nigger began to take on the negative connotation, in large part because of it's connection to slavery and the degradation of blacks in America. When used by whites, blacks take offense to the word because it carries those scars. When used by whites it was meant to demean, marginalize, lower in character or status."
So why do black use the word allen? Do they have any concept to the history of the word?
p allen "Frankly, I don't know why, and can't begin to reason why blacks appropriated a use to have a different meaning from the derogatory term. I do know that since I was a child I've heard blacks use it, typically for camaraderie purposes. In many cases as merely for descriptive purpose (eg. "I don't like that nigga', or, nigga you must be crazy, or the interrogative "nigga please!") My grandparents used it, my father used it, my mother used it, and I've used it."
I don't use it. I know the history of the word. I've used negro. I've noticed that ghetto ignorant blacks use the words nigger and nigga the most. Funny that blacks who use the words truly don't realize how they sound using it.
Allen-"As a white American Big Pop, you should know the history of the word. So the question is not "why can't you use it too", because that should be obvious. The question is "WHY DO YOU WANT TO USE IT?" Moreover, I've told you that I think that it's really silly that blacks have appropriated and personalized a different meaning. Why would you want to be just as silly?
What makes you think I want to use the word Allen? I told you before, I don't like the word as well as any other derogatory words that are used. I am just making an observation as to why to some if they find the word offensive coming from a white person, then they should speak out and tell the other blacks to stop making fools of themselves by using it too.
I recall in a previous blog by you defending Gerald in reference to Dr. Ben Carson, for using the word because that was part of how he was brought up, so his vocabulary is understandable. Now, let's say if I was brought in the same background where a bunch of blacks used the word to be endearing to others, like most claim, and I did the exact same thing. Would you and be supportive of me using that kind of language because I came from that part of society, or would be jumping down my throat so hard and fast it would make my head spin?
-Big Pop
Here is the video that shows the presentation and an interview afterwards:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McGr25A65sk
My Post-"If this woman had it her way, she would, and I'm surprised that she did not make a fuss over silhouette images on school and pedestrian crossing signs, and demand that they be replaced."
That's funny. When the interviewer asked her if she took offense to the other silhouette image two slides over, she could not answer the question, instead she's so fixated with the "little black person" she found so offensive.
Sharon Brooks-Hodge (answering the question about when the student using a contrasting color as metaphor)-"There you go, reinforcing the stereotype that white is good and dark is bad!"
That's what John Wiley Price said about "black hole" or any other term with black in it, like "black sheep". He also he said if it was angel food cake, it's good if it's devil food cake, it's bad. Alright, here are some "white metaphors that may be considered bad: white line, a term for cocaine; Hell's Angels; Lucifer, better known as the fallen angel; the drug angel dust.
Sharon Brooks-Hodge: "That is what you white people have put in people's brain and continue to perpetuate."
So, when a white person says "you people" to a group of minorities, that person is condemned for saying it; just like what happened with presidential candidate H. Ross Perot when he said it a crowd at an NAACP convention. Ever since then, "you people" has become such a taboo, most people took offense to it.
Sharon Brooks-Hodge-"Governor’s School with a group of white kids from the county with no black students there, and no black teachers is sensitive whether or not using a racially, derogative image of a black person..."
While looking at the video earlier, I noticed there was a dark-skinned female student. I'm pretty sure that there are black students at the Piedmont Governor’s School, only they were not part of this class. Also,how would she know if black students and teachers would take offense to this image?
-Big Pop
Big Pop "
While looking at the video earlier, I noticed there was a dark-skinned female student. I'm pretty sure that there are black students at the Piedmont Governor’s School, only they were not part of this class. Also,how would she know if black students and teachers would take offense to this image? "
Because in Sharon Brooks-Hodge's racial conspiracy laced self victimized mind, she thought it was only normal for other blacks to come to the same conclusion she did.
Big Pop;"What makes you think I want to use the word Allen?".
Okay, I'll admit I'm being a bit presumptuous. You, personally, might never use the word and believe it's offensive.
However, we're talking about why blacks use the word, and the fact that it's really stupid for blacks to do so. We're talking about something that was (and still can be) harmful when spoken with malice. So when you asked why blacks are offended when whites or others use the term, the first thing that comes to my mind is, WHY DO WHITES (OR OTHERS) WANT TO, OR EVEN NEED TO?
But I will offer a possible solution, or a way that whites and others can begin to use "nigga" if they really really...reeeel-lee want to, without reprehension or repercussion! That would be, if whites and other races moved their family's into majority black area's, send their kids to all black schools, attend all black churches, encourage themselves and their kids to enter-mingle, date and marry blacks, and basically socialize and become part of the "positive" African American culture. I guarantee you that within one generation, everyone would be able to use the word "nigga" (hell, even stop using it) with no reservation!
Allen-"But I will offer a possible solution, or a way that whites and others can begin to use "nigga" if they really really...reeeel-lee want to, without reprehension or repercussion!"
You know that is not going to happen today, Allen. That may have happened in the Jim Crow South, but those days are gone. I have seen reports where white students who go to a predominantly black school, who have been harassed and called derogatory names, and the school official would never do anything about it until they're hit with a lawsuit.
Allen-"However, we're talking about why blacks use the word, and the fact that it's really stupid for blacks to do so"
If you are against other blacks using the word Allen, why are you making excuses for those who use it because that is part of "their culture" just as Prof. Henry Louis Gates try to claim years ago? If you want other blacks to stop using the word, put your foot down immediately, and tell them to grow up.
-Big Pop
It is important to realise that the language that we used is in fact very much associated with race. As you wrote black is associated with void. We are using the English language. Why do you think that authors never used the word white to represent emptiness. But colours represent emptiness. Black has been associated with grief, death, danger etc. This is what the problem is. The girl was not responsible for the metaphors in the English language but I believe that the councilwoman was getting at a deeper point. Even look at the word denigrating. African American's and Caribbeans were stripped of their language and now have to use a language that in fact ridicules us. However, one positive thing is that the opposite of 'coloured' is blank. In the light of this, being called coloured isn't too bad.
The World Around Me "t is important to realise that the language that we used is in fact very much associated with race. As you wrote black is associated with void. We are using the English language."
People who chose to associate non racial words with something racial again suffer from an inferiority complex. It's easy to associated black with void. We refer to the dark as "pitch black". We call night time "dark". If you remove a manhole cover and look down underground, all you will see is "black".
The World Around Me "The girl was not responsible for the metaphors in the English language but I believe that the councilwoman was getting at a deeper point. Even look at the word denigrating. African American's and Caribbeans were stripped of their language and now have to use a language that in fact ridicules us. However, one positive thing is that the opposite of 'coloured' is blank. In the light of this, being called coloured isn't too bad."
Her point that she made very clear was that she was oversensitive on the issue of race, and she made her emotional hangup the problem for the class. It's as simple as that.
The World Around Us "African American's and Caribbeans were stripped of their language and now have to use a language that in fact ridicules us."
African Americans were not stripped of their identity. There are people from Africa who come to the United States and become citizens every day. You are mistaking an African-American for and post slavery American of African Descent. You said that the language "ridicules us", really? So if that is the case, why do Americans of African Descent refer to themselves as "black" then? Is that "self ridiculing"?
p allen "But I will offer a possible solution, or a way that whites and others can begin to use "nigga" if they really really...reeeel-lee want to, without reprehension or repercussion! That would be, if whites and other races moved their family's into majority black area's, send their kids to all black schools, attend all black churches, encourage themselves and their kids to enter-mingle, date and marry blacks, and basically socialize and become part of the "positive" African American culture. I guarantee you that within one generation, everyone would be able to use the word "nigga" (hell, even stop using it) with no reservation! "
That was funny allen but absurd. Ever notice how ,moral and dignified blacks don't use the word nigger, nigga or any version of the word?
Alpha conservative male - when I was referring to African Americans I was referring to those whose ancestors were slaves, not those who migrated to America. The point that I was making was that the problem is in the language not in the people. Which explains why we say 'black.' People say these words without the intention of being racist, but it is always possible to infer that they were if you are overly sensitive and believe that all the problems you face are because you're black 'it's cos i'm black.' It is often what words mean to certain people - not what the word was intended to mean.
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