Tim Wise: White on White

Last night, around 130 people squeezed into Cathedral Hall to hear visiting author and anti-racism activist, Tim Wise.

Billed as a “white on white” forum, the audience was predominantly white-skinned – and predominantly white-haired too.

Tim’s talk lasted for only an hour. It was followed by two hours of questions and discussion, which would probably have gone on all night if it had been allowed to.

Before I met him, I had the impression that Tim was someone who believes that whites are the biggest obstacle to resolving racial issues. I thought that perhaps he was out to blame white people and make us feel bad about ourselves. After listening to him speak, I no longer believe that to be the case.

The key points of his talk were as follows:

• Don’t ask what it means to be black - whites can never properly understand anyway. When a black person tells us we don’t understand, don’t take that as a slight or an insult, just recognise it as a fact. However, show a willingness to try to understand. Whites should not concern themselves with what blacks need to do to tackle racism or what blacks think of us – that’s a conversation for the black community and is outside our control.
• Ask yourself what it means to be white. Being white is to benefit from certain presumptions of honesty, competence, legitimacy and belonging that are not afforded to blacks. Use that knowledge to infer what whites should be doing to tackle racism.
• Recognise that as a white person you have the luxury of being able to succeed or fail as an individual, whereas black success or failure is often made a racial issue. Successful whites will rarely be hailed as a credit to white people; whites that fail will rarely have their failure ascribed to their whiteness. Yet often when a black fails, it is cited as proof of the validity of certain negative stereotypes. (Is this why some suggest that if Bermuda becomes independent it may get its very own Robert Mugabe?) Similarly, society often draws attention to the achievements of successful blacks because of their blackness (think of Tiger Woods or Colin Powell).
• Understand that as a white person you rarely wonder whether any criticism directed at you is because of the colour of your skin, whereas for many black people this is always in the back of their mind. Whether it’s Oprah Winfrey being refused admission to Hermes in Paris or Alex Scott receiving an obnoxious email from Tony Brannon, ask yourself why blacks instinctively question whether something is genuine or racial? While it’s fine to criticise the Premier’s response, it’s just as important to understand the context in which it was made. This is something that whites find difficult to do, because they have never had to regard criticism with the same suspicion. The only way for whites to ensure that their criticism of blacks is judged on merit alone is for them to make certain that their other actions clearly show where they are coming from. It may be regrettable that whites have to prove themselves in this way, but that’s just something we have to deal with.
• Understand that racial inequality is often perpetuated not by active negative discrimination, but by subconscious preferences that can cause us to favour people who look like we do. We all have a tendency to accentuate the positive characteristics of those who remind us of ourselves while accentuating the negative characteristics of those who do not. In this way, even those who are not bigots can end up making bigoted decisions. We may poke fun at George Bush because of his difficulties with the English language, yet we put this down to him being from Texas, or else we consider it a sign that he’s just a regular guy. But how would we regard the same failing if the President was black?
• Recognise that notions of the superiority of whites have been internalised – by both whites and blacks. Tim told a story of how he boarded a flight one day to discover that both his pilots were black. His immediate reaction was, "Oh my God, can these guys fly this thing?" He knew that this reaction didn’t come from either his upbringing or his intellect, both of which told him it was false. Yet still, the notion had somehow become embedded in his subconscious. He said that he has observed similar reactions in black people who have discovered, for example, that they were to be treated by a black doctor. The only way to deal with these subconscious biases is to recognise them when they surface, then confront them.
• Recognise that being an ally to blacks means letting go of your own sense of surety, listening to what blacks say and being prepared to believe them. While on an individual level, blacks may indeed perceive racism where there is none, as a group we must respect them enough to believe that they do not. Being an ally means following the lead of people of colour and allowing them to set the agenda. Motivation is also critical: you shouldn’t do this because you want to “save” black people, or because you want black people to like you, but because you’re as angry about the damage that privilege and racism has done to whites as blacks are about what it has done to them.
• Affirmative action is necessary but it’s not about giving preference to someone solely because they are black. Tim likened the search for opportunity to a race where one runner is shackled. Halfway through the race, the shackles are taken off. Is that enough to give both competitors an equal opportunity to win? Affirmative action is about going out of your way to find suitably qualified blacks – not promoting them at the expense of more-qualified whites. As one audience member remarked, the whiteness of expats is sometimes defended on the basis that they are hired from majority white countries such as the US, UK or Canada. One way of increasing the number of blacks in the expat workforce might be for those companies to start recruiting from the Caribbean too.
• Blacks and whites approach racism from different angles. Whites tend to view race relations – their interpersonal relationships with others – as important. In contrast, blacks consider the way they are treated by institutions – the outcomes and structures that are perpetuating inequality – to be a bigger problem. Hence whites who get on well with blacks on a daily basis may not consider racism to be a big deal, whereas those blacks do because they do not see the personal relationships as the crux of the problem.
• Racism is both an ideology and a system. While you may not be ideologically racist, in that you may not hold racist views, you may still be benefiting from systems which continue to perpetuate inequality.
• Expectations of change often get ahead of reality. This can lead to frustration at black governments by both blacks and whites, as well as a backlash from those governments. (It seems this is true not only in Bermuda, but at the local level in the US too.) Nevertheless, recognise that progress will not just happen with the passing of time, but that it requires individuals to stand up and make change happen.

One audience member asked whether whites should go out of their way to develop black friends. Tim suggested that although you should give yourself the opportunity to get to know black people, you shouldn’t do this in a way that’s phoney or artificial. He encouraged whites to participate deeply in black-organised events, rather than at just a superficial level, and be willing to go outside their comfort zones to do so.

Nick Duffy asked whether the language used to describe blacks and whites was appropriate in a multi-racial society. Tim said that while those with multi-racial backgrounds should define themselves in whatever way they see fit, they should also recognise that they have no control over how they are perceived by others. They are likely to find themselves considered members of the opposite group by both blacks and whites.

At around 9.30pm, one audience member became visibly frustrated. “This is all sugar coating,” he shouted. “Let’s get a forum going!”. He questioned why he should have sympathy for black businessmen when there was “no evidence that any of them” plough the money they make back into their businesses, preferring to buy flashy BMWs instead. This prompted some murmurings of agreement but also hostility from several people. Tina Nash asked who he was to say what blacks should be spending their money on. Another pointed out that blacks lived under a system that put them down and denied them a vote for centuries. “Not for the last 40 years!” he countered. “You can’t overturn 400 years of history in 40 years,” retorted someone else.

Tim Wise is giving another talk at 8pm this evening (Wednesday) at St. Paul’s Centennial Hall on the corner of Court and Victoria Streets. All are encouraged to attend. As last night’s talk was directed at whites, it will be interesting to hear what Tim says and how the discussion differs when there are more blacks present.

» A full transcript of Tim's talk is available here.

Comments

[blovator on 13.10.05 at 15:35]

As I noted earlier, I would prefer a different race. Purple would be fine or lime green. The ones we have won't do.

[Bud on 13.10.05 at 17:01]

Smoking,

"TV sitcoms come and go and are soley for the purpose of making money - not trying to teach the world what's right or wrong about life."

Dig Deeper - the business decisions are a reflection of the broader society's values, and historically the broader society that has money tends to not care about people of colour. The real question is why would a show like Friends not make as much money if it had a diverse cast that reflected New York City? Why would a news channel be making a bad business decision if it reported on missing people of colour? Why would playboy not find their profits maximised if they didn't obsess over blond hair and blue eyes?

[sleepy on 13.10.05 at 17:07]

I can't tell you the (head) hair or eye colour of anyone in Playboy.

I do however vividly recall certain other features.

[SmokingGun on 13.10.05 at 17:44]

Bud,

Q: The real question is why would a show like Friends not make as much money if it had a diverse cast that reflected New York City?
A: Because the demographic that this particular sitcom is targeted at may not necessarily care about watering down the plot. It is a very concise and well planned out program that reflects a small part of New York City and might not have been nearly as successful if it had tried to do more. In other words I do not think George Clinton would be nearly as successful as he is had he tried to include Smoky Robinson's style of music in his act. He's the Funk Master for a reason.

Q: Why would a news channel be making a bad business decision if it reported on missing people of colour?
A: I really believe this is the core of what you are trying to say. I too am at a loss as to why it happens and it is refreshing, although sad of course, when you see a TV station show as much concern for missing people of colour. And to be frank I think it's a bad business decision to not do so.

Q:Why would playboy not find their profits maximised if they didn't obsess over blond hair and blue eyes?
A: Again, this is a formula that sells magazines, although seeing as it made the news that they are going to have to raise prices so they can't be selling enough. Maybe they will re-evaluate their fomula, who knows. But to be honest even Hef's having a hard time competing with all the content on the internet.

[Phil on 13.10.05 at 18:16]

This is an interesting take on the missing-white-girl stories, from an American columnist I enjoy reading.

But let's keep this thread about Tim's talk please.

[SmokingGun on 13.10.05 at 19:09]

Limey, very interesting. Thanks.

Bud, I think this supports your point and concerns and it even touches on the reasons why TV goes after certain demogrphics.

Now the thing about gossip. If theres one thing Bermudians are world leaders in that's got to be it!

[lickinalong on 13.10.05 at 20:34]

For a long time I have been glad that I am not black. I don't mean that in a derogatory way although no doubt it will be taken that way. Just imagine every time you see a white man or woman you have to wonder about his or her motives. If those white people look at you in a slightly different way, are they being racist or are they being honest with you? Chances are given Bermuda's recent history you will lean towards the racist interpretation. That's a pretty heavy burden to carry on a daily basis.

How much time and energy is wasted on this stupid exercise. We could probably power Belco with all the wasted energy.

[blovator on 13.10.05 at 23:03]

likninalong

I think we'll all be thinking that way soon. Black and White : we are reaching an equality in paranoia.

[Jorge on 14.10.05 at 00:43]

Lickinalon
I do not take your remarks derogatory but I think behind that statement lies an intense lack of intelligence .
Blacks don't walk around wondering about white people's motives. We have a lot of problems to deal with in this society which has not dealt us a fair card from the beginning. We are trying hard to make it which you might not understand as your colour has opened and still opens doors in this Apartheid Bermuda that we live in. PLP or NO PLP, the economic and social strata of the Bermudian society is racist and do not even try to dispute that.
Blacks don't waste energy tryuing to figure why the hell you have been racist and are still.( I talk about the ignorant racist whites).
We put our energy in cleaning your houses and offices, serving you in the cafeterias,mowing your lawns, and figuring how to push our children through school. I admit that not all black folks have these priorities right and not to say that their lack of education is an excuse, but it is also a reflection of the Apartheid system that permeated the educational system of before.And maybe still.

[lickinalong on 14.10.05 at 07:05]

Blovator,
I think we all are starting to think that way more and more. I notice that white people are becoming more hypersensitive about issues of race. In the whole historical frame of things, P's racist response to Tony Brannon was pretty minor. No-one lost their job, their mortgage, their land. It was racist, it was wrong, but you would think it was the end of the world. Yes we are becoming as hypersensitive about race as our black brothers and in the process wasting huge amounts of emotional time and energy on this issue. Perhaps that's why so little gets accomplished in Bermuda these days. We are spending all our time "keeping score".

Jorge, I know the historical burden that black Bermudians labor under. I would agree with Tim Wise that I can't say that I will ever fully understand it. The lagacy of our racist background is that there is a hypersensitivity by black Bermudians to what white bermudians say and do and that can involve a lot of wasted emotional energy, energy that could be spent on more productive activities. I think that is really unfortunate for the individual and for Bermuda as a whole

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 14.10.05 at 10:12]

everybody is invited to the WHITE Party at Southampton Princess.You must wear white and buy a ticket.I think people that come to the event will soon realize it has nothing to do with White.You will find by mixing with all the races that white is just another colour in the Rainbow.Be prepared to dance and have fun!!!!! ^..^

[JM on 14.10.05 at 10:16]

I am a white bermudian, born and raised. Went to public schools here. Went to schools predominately black and lived in a predominately portuguese neighbourhood, not bad for a kid with a british background.
My experiences growing up were great, interacting with kids from all backgrounds and never once was their a race issue. I think I was lucky, but I do agree it is a two way street and it does come down to upbringing and experiences.
I also think that it applies to an older generation. Us 30's and below have mixed alot, through school, through regiment, through work etc. Things still do need to change more for equal footing and I am all for that and I do believe it is happening, slowly but it is happening.
We may not always understand how each race thinks, but the more we interact with each other, the less that will be misunderstood.

I do have a few points. When will we be able to critize another person on their performance without them thinking it based in their race? (govt etc). When, no matter how much you deny it, it falls back to that, what has to happen to change that? I always find that falling back on race is an easy and distracting practice from both sides.

Why don't the PLP actively seek white and portuguese Bermudians to join their party to help bring a balance to Bermuda? Rather than critizes the black and white Bermudians that join the UBP.

Will their ever be more white Bermudians to play on the national football or cricket team? I know there are talented athletes, they are just never asked to participate at young ages.

Does society need to go to the other extreme before there is balance between the races?

Just a few thoughts rambling in my head!

[ace on 14.10.05 at 12:23]

"Blacks don't waste energy tryuing to figure why the hell you have been racist and are still.( I talk about the ignorant racist whites).
We put our energy in cleaning your houses and offices, serving you in the cafeterias,mowing your lawns, and figuring how to push our children through school. I admit that not all black folks have these priorities right and not to say that their lack of education is an excuse, but it is also a reflection of the Apartheid system that permeated the educational system of before.And maybe still."

Hang on a sec.

Firstly, my wife cleans our house, with occasional help from me.

Secondly, I have splurged on having my grass cut but that is done by a Portugese crew.

Thirdly, "push" your children through school? What does that mean?

You seem to have basketed all white people into one group and all black people into another.

Seems somewhat of a racist view to me.

[blovator on 14.10.05 at 13:30]

Jorge

Of course Blacks think about how white people feel about them. When ever I discuss it, it is the subject of intense interest. Are you in fact Bermudian? I sense that you did not grow up here.

Also, the education system of Bermuda may have been developed under a parochially racists system ( with the cooperation of blacks ) but the how can it be an educational system associated with apartied when its foundation has been left untouched by the PLP. The PLP that committedly exclusively black party, whose first objective is securing the vote of the black population? Clearly the lousy public education system in Bermuda is fine and good in the minds of Black Bermudians in general.

[JJ on 14.10.05 at 15:10]

JM
I have also always wondered why there are no white players on Bermuda's national football or cricket teams. It does seem strange. Also, why are there never any white players, at least in the last 5 years, on the Cup Match sides? Anyone know?

[It Doesnt Matter on 14.10.05 at 15:32]

Portugal is in Europe. White people descend from Europe. Portuguese are white (generally speaking).

Funny how people are classing them as some different race. That's deplorable.

I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH SOLVING ANY RACE PROBLEM IS SEEKING EQUALITY.

[Jorge on 14.10.05 at 15:33]

Ace,
I did not basket all white folks, that is why I stated "the ignorant ones".I have white friends and a white father so ...?
All I meant and if you read it carefully is that although Blacks think about racism, we do not obsess our daily lives about it.
There is racism and there is the reaction of Bermudian blacks which has sometimes gone to the extreme to hating everything white.(I hope they go the White party).
You have to ry to understand, put yourself in the minds and lives of Blacks and Portuguese to understand the racist attitude of some Bermudian whites.
My question: Why is there not much integration between all the races in the hundred plus years that all these communities have been here on the ROCK?Why don't you have a lot more mix marriages and offspring?
Answer that!!

[ace on 14.10.05 at 15:50]

"Blacks don't waste energy tryuing to figure why the hell you have been racist and are still.( I talk about the ignorant racist whites)."

This is where you qualified that you were talking about racist whites.

You then went on to say this:

"We put our energy in cleaning your houses and offices, serving you in the cafeterias,mowing your lawns, and figuring how to push our children through school. I admit that not all black folks have these priorities right and not to say that their lack of education is an excuse, but it is also a reflection of the Apartheid system that permeated the educational system of before.And maybe still."

So, when you say "we" I can only assume you mean "blacks"...and when you say "your" you are referring to whites in a general sense, not just the racist ones. Afterall..how on earth would a black man/woman know they are cleaning a racist white's home or cutting a racist white's lawn?

Just because you preface one remark does not necessarily mean it applies to everything you say. I think you know that and are backtracking.

"Why don't you have a lot more mix marriages and offspring?"

Have you even "been" to Bermuda? There are ALOT of mixed marriages and offspring, including my own...which is not black/white but Asian/white. It is mixed nevertheless.

[blovator on 14.10.05 at 16:11]

Jorge: Why is there not much integration between all the races in the hundred plus years that all these communities have been here on the ROCK?Why don't you have a lot more mix marriages and offspring?

Me: I know part of the answer is in Cyril Packwood's book on Bermudian slavery which I can not pull out right now. I may have my dates wrong but at some point in the 18th century blacks and whites began to intermarry. This probably would have been as a result of poor Whites arriving from England and freed Blacks moving into skilled professions.

This was seen as a serious problem and misegination was stamped out by legislation. The legal precident would have generated other undesirable effects as the family structures on the island would have been racially segregated by legal fiat. These effects would have been deeper buried in the Bermudians pysche of all races as time went on.

[blovator on 14.10.05 at 16:55]

One odd feature of Bermudian sports is the trade off of different pursuits. White people invented cricket but over the years it became a completely black sport. Almost no white people play it. Dingy racing was originally a black sport. Then white people started financing the boats that black sailors sailed in. Eventually the black sailor was replaced by the white owner who probably had figured out where the fun was. So now sailing is a white sport. Almost no black people sail.

That is great shame. If Bermudians ever decided that educating children was important I imagine that it might occur to them that cricket is great but it is a land sport. We have a lot more ocean than land. High school sailing teams makes a lot of sense. We would almost certainly develop a lot of world class sailors very quickly.

But education is not taken seriously. So its sort of moot point.

[It Doesnt Matter on 14.10.05 at 17:10]

^^^

I'm dumb, so I remain unsure of your point. Could you clarify for my benefit?

[SmokingGun on 14.10.05 at 17:25]

blovator,

Interesting point. I think you are absolutely right, it would be great if there were some sort of school sponsored sailing programs, even rowing and water skiing maybe. Watersports would be an ideal focus for our youth to compete internationally. I was a swimmer and have never understood why that sport hasn't been given more support.

[Jorge on 15.10.05 at 00:16]

I am not going to get into a personal duel with you. I am not and will never bactrack on the fact that there are white ignorant racists and I do not have a head count to give you the percentages.
Now answer this... How many Black/White Bermudian marriages are there? Go to the Marriage registry and compute the percentage.
You might have a White/Asian mixed marriage and I congratulate you for that, but it is a known fact worldwide of how Asians are themselves racist toward black folks.How many Asians marry or are in relationships with Blacks? Go to Toronto and see if there is any integration.
My post is for to acknowledge that there has been and there is still racism in Bermuda. Racist point of views have directed policies in Education,Health and Economics of this island.
Black nurses were not allowed to work in KEMH until the mid 70's. Any white doctor is allowed free range in Bermuda regardless of how incompetent they are.
The education system is segregated.
Now lets work to fix things and not bicker about who feels what and who is right or wrong. let us look into our past,examine our present state and see how we can affect the future.

[ace on 15.10.05 at 09:23]

"I am not going to get into a personal duel with you. I am not and will never bactrack on the fact that there are white ignorant racists and I do not have a head count to give you the percentages."

I'm not going to disagree that there are white racists, just as there are black racists.

We agree.

But the "backtracking" accusation isn't about whether or not they exist. This is your way of twisting what I said.

You fail to see that in two paragraphs you went from talking about certain racist whites into making grand generalisations about black people serving white people, effectively basketing all black people into roles of servitude and whites into some form of modern slave owners.

You don't see that and won't acknowledge your own racial bias.

"it is a known fact worldwide of how Asians are themselves racist toward black folks".

Wow...just wow. Thanks for making my point.

"Go to Toronto and see if there is any integration."

I lived in Toronto for almost 12 years mate. It is one of the most racially diverse city's in the world.

[Jorge on 15.10.05 at 11:51]

Racially diverse does not mean racially integrated. Diversity and Integration are very different on the Webster scale.(Check the definition)
Bermuda boasts of being racially diverse but not integrated.

[silencedogood on 15.10.05 at 16:00]

Jorge
1) see Tiger Woods. 1/2 black, 1/2 asian, all golfing talent.
2) in my experience blacks are mighty racist against asians, the street runs both ways mi amigo
3) you are right about diversity not equalling integration. I lived in Canada for a time and they pride themselves on being a mosiac rather than a melting pot. But still, you are being extreme in saying bermuda has aparthied. It may have a way to go, but it has come along way too.

[Rincewind on 15.10.05 at 16:51]

"We put our energy in cleaning your houses and offices, serving you in the cafeterias,mowing your lawns"

I thought we had white people doing that?

[Phil on 16.10.05 at 10:56]

If you're white and chose not to go to any of Tim Wise's talks, I'd be interested to hear your reasons. Either leave a comment here or drop me an email. Thanks.

[shipstones on 16.10.05 at 21:54]

I think the idea of school sailing teams is a great one! This should be taken up! I will ask around the sailing fraternity why this hasn't already been instituted!

[Curried Goat on 17.10.05 at 06:19]

IT DOESN'T MATTER : "Portugal is in Europe. White people descend from Europe. Portuguese are white (generally speaking).

Funny how people are classing them as some different race. That's deplorable."

We consider our spiecies "The Human Race". To sub-divide that is racism in itsself. The reason I segregate the Portuguese as a different race in Bermuda is that they were. They were originally encouraged to come here to do jobs that Bermudians did not have time to do. The first generation Portuguese spoke little or no English. They were discriminated against in all quarters. Yet they worked incredibly hard keeping this beautiful Island pristine. The final straw came when the second and some third generations had their right to residency revoked as they did not have Bermudian lineage. Many were forced to return to the Azores or Portugul where again they did not speak the language etc.

Yes they were abused as a race. That is blatant racism.

[Raptor on 17.10.05 at 09:45]

I was shocked to read in one of the newspapers some years back that Portuguese immigrants from the Azores had been classified by the government as “non-white.” Unbelievable. Curried Goat is correct--they were treated in an awful racist manner.

[Trinity on 18.10.05 at 22:09]

Raptor - I am surprised to hear of your shock regarding the treatment of people of Portuguese nationality who emigrated to Bermuda many years ago, especially given that discrimination against Portuguese nationals and Bermudians of Portuguese descent continues today, albeit to a lesser degree. Make no mistake, it is still there but the reason why you and others may not know of its existence is because those of this nationality are well known for putting their heads down,focusing and working hard to achieve a better life for themselves and their families, while ignoring the discrimination inflicted upon them by others.

Curried Goat - Spain is a European country, people of Spanish nationality can be of various races. The same applies with respect to people of France, Germany, etc etc...and the same applies to Portugal and the Azores. Portugal is a European country and the Azorean Islands are self governing territories of Portugal. There are white and black Portuguese people. Black and White = races. Spanish, French, German, Portuguese = nationalities.

Is it really that difficult to understand? That must be what bw&p?? is getting at with that blog name. Bermuda is, without a doubt, the only place in the world where "Portuguese" is considered a race.

bw&p?? WHY??

[jorge on 19.10.05 at 01:14]

How would you call a system that discriminates its Portuguese inhabitants? Classifying Portuguese as non-whites is absurd although the whole clasification of race smells of apartheid to me. (Get the definition of Apartheid and you will understand)
Portuguese is not taught in schools but we will rather teach our kids Spanish and French.Are they getting ready to import folks from the DR and Haiti when they kick the Portuguese out?

[Curried Goat on 19.10.05 at 06:33]

Yes Trinity, Portuguese, French, Spanish etc. are European nationals, just like a large proportion of Bermudians and Bermuda residents who have the right to live and work in the Uk and therefore the EU, they are effectively European nationals too.

So I guess that makes those who discriminate against the Portuguese of Bermuda "nationalists"!

[Raptor on 19.10.05 at 09:06]

Trinity, I did not say I was shocked to discover the poor treatment of people of Portuguese nationality who emigrated to Bermuda many years ago. I was very much aware of that all my growing-up years, and I have no doubt it continues today, especially in terms of classicism, which affects many Bermudians. I have nothing but admiration for those of Portuguese descent, who have brought so much good to Bermuda and to their own families.

What I said was that I was shocked to see that the government had classified Portuguese as “non-white.” I think that is purely bizarre.

[Trinity on 19.10.05 at 09:42]

Raptor - thanks for your comments. I agree with you - the government's classification system is bizarre, but I think it also demonstrates their total and complete ignorance regarding issues of race.

[It Doesn't Matter on 19.10.05 at 10:30]

People should look closely at history. The only group of people who historically are identified by their color of their skin is "blacks". Every other racial group has been defined, historically, by the landmass in which they resided, eg. Chinese, Japanese, Indians, Spanish, English, French, American, etc.

The reason Blacks are identified by their skin tone was because they classified themselves that way before the inclusion of Arayan races in their portion of the World.

For all intents and purposes though, we know that Blacks are of African descent; and we know that Whites are of European descent. There is no hint of racism in that statement. It is not tinged with apartheid.

Maybe a quick look in the dictionary would rectify some of the misdefinitions of racism floating around. You may find out that by suggesting the recognition of separate groupings of humans is racist, you are preaching the fundamental basis behhind all racism.

Afterall there is wealth in understanding your lineage. Isn't that what has been so vehemently kept from Blacks throughout their modern life?

[Chris Broadhurst on 19.10.05 at 13:22]

I think that comparing race relations in the USA - where only 11% are black - and most are poor, to race relations here - where 70% are black and many are quite well off, is in fact ....crap.

[silencedogood on 19.10.05 at 16:52]

People should look closely at history. The only group of people who historically are identified by their color of their skin is "blacks".

Posted by It Doesn't Matter on 19.10.05 at 10:30

Overall I have no issue with your post, but the excerpt above is way off base. Where did you hear this? Maybe you've never seen an old cowboy and indian movie where native american's were referred to as the "red man"??? Or what about them referring to whites (a color based reference by itself) as "paleface". They didn't just make those references up. Asians were called "yellow", etc.

I wouldn't normally nitpick things like that, but that generalization was too much. It's like saying when blacks referred to whites as "honkey's" for 5 minutes in 1973 before realizing that was a lame slur that it was the only time in the history of the world a race was referred to by the sound it makes. Do we honk by the way? I never quite got that one.

[jake on 19.10.05 at 17:41]

I think that comparing race relations in the USA - where only 11% are black - and most are poor, to race relations here - where 70% are black and many are quite well off, is in fact ....crap. - Chris

I know that blacks trail whites in the USA in terms of economics as a group, but I am not sure it is accurate that most are poor. The purchasing power of the African-American community is huge and the progress made in terms of representation at all levels is not caught in that description.

I know it was not your central point (which was that a comparison is not necessarily fair) but I think that comment speaks more to your perception, than the reality.

Quite a few are wealthy here as well, outside of the traditional avenues of sports and entertainment. I was surprised myself to learn this, as my own perception was similar to yours prior to spending a few years there.

[Uncle Elvis on 19.10.05 at 18:48]

"The only group of people who historically are identified by their color of their skin is "blacks"."

Um... whites?

[SmokingGun on 19.10.05 at 19:52]

As an example, I think the point it Doesn't Matter is trying to make is before people in the USA decided they wanted to be reffered to as African Americans they were just called blacks. White people have always tended to be referred to by their country of origin. Except of course in predominantly black countries. Similar with Asians. What would therefore be interesting is why were black people not just referred to as Africans instead of by their skin colour in the first place?

As far as holding back learning of black people's lineage and history, is it really that bad? I can understand it might have gotten a late start but as the world becomes smaller and smaller are there not a lot more avenues to learn about African history and culture?

Also regarding comparing Bermuda to the USA. I have always held the notion that our island is a very sophisticated country and that wether people care to believe it or not we already have a far better relationship between people of all races than most other countries. Yes there is still much work to be done and yes there are some who just don't really want to see real progress, but they are by far in the minority.

[Ethiops on 19.10.05 at 21:04]

I like and support the ideas in tims work. We need models designed for our schools. Likewise in the work force we could implement programs that deal with these issues. A clear message

There are more whites on welfare in america than there are black people.

Anyone ever hear the tale of the Portugese being the last people of Atlantis. I say this because I wonder if an old legend like this could have been the fuel for seeing them as different.

[Ethiops on 19.10.05 at 21:22]

Smokinggun - "As far as holding back learning of black people's lineage and history, is it really that bad"

Um, yeah it's really bad because you grow up feeling like you have no origins, no story, no past, no history, and that you're contribution to the story of man is a clouded mystery. Then you dig a little and find out that the white mans history books have been lying to you about many, many things. LOL. The most prolific science writers, acknowledge that mathematics, science, medicine and technology are the gifts of ancient Africans to our modern world. This short list can get so long with black peoples contribution to the story of man. The fact that this info was either blacked out or white washed is a shame for sure.

[Uncle Elvis on 19.10.05 at 22:12]

Um... they were also called negroes, which was quite acceptable back then, as was coloured.

Historically, they haven't been called "Blacks" for very long. About as long as whites have been called "Whites"

Regarding African History, I would LOVE it if there were more African History Classes taught.
I would love it if someone put together a resource so people can at least TRY to trace their lineage (It's not the easiest thing to do, due to the WIDE dispersement of locations that slaves were taken from).

It would be amazing if there was some African stuff taught other than the Ethiopian and Egyptian stuff that seems so prevalent these days.
It seems amazing to me that, with the immense size of Africa, there's nowhere that people can find out where they're from. Not even what PART of Africa, let alone what tribe.

Maybe there is... anyone know? I'm gonna hop on Google.

[Ethiops on 19.10.05 at 23:21]

Smokinggun

I'm getting the feeling I misunderstood what you were saying in the post I spoke on. My bad i'm using the happy grass defense. To think I thought you said holding black people from learing their history. :)

[Uncle Elvis on 20.10.05 at 00:34]

"There are more whites on welfare in america than there are black people."

While this is true, Ethiops, it's a little misleading.
According to Wikipedia, there are 34.6 million Black people in the United States, making up 12.3% of the population.
I'm trying to find the percentages comparing black to white. It's rather disgusting, I think. And a perfect example of the black situation in the States. (Before someone jumps all over me, I'm saying that it disgusts me how black people are treated in the States, not that it's disgusting that they can't get off welfare... I hope you know what I mean.)

"Anyone ever hear the tale of the Portugese being the last people of Atlantis. I say this because I wonder if an old legend like this could have been the fuel for seeing them as different"

I'd say this is a stretch.
I don't think we need to look any further than how Bermudians, black and white, treat Asians here, Indian, Chinese, Philipino, etc, etc.

History repeats itself over and over again.

[Raptor on 20.10.05 at 09:06]

Here's a very interesting short piece from the highly-regarded "conservative" commentator David Brooks:

NY Times
Sept. 21, 2005
THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS

Still staying on racial matters, here’s some bad news. The black middle class is not growing.

Douglas Besharov recently reported his research (www.welfareacademy.org/pubs/poverty/2005.0715.testimony/) on this subject to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He found that contrary to a lot of upbeat news stories in the 1990’s, the black middle class has hardly grown since the 1980’s.

It’s true that black incomes are rising in absolute terms, but so are white incomes and over the past quarter century the gap between black and white incomes has not narrowed.

Besharov breaks down the data. African-Americans are twice as likely than whites to be in the bottom decile of earners. As the report notes, that proportion has hardly changed in 45 years.

In the middle classes, black incomes have kept pace with white incomes, but have not come close to catching up.

If you want good news, look up the income scale. The proportion of blacks in the richest fifth of Americans has increased by 66 percent. That suggests there is still a significant black underclass and there is a vast majority of African America middle class earners who are barely keeping pace, but there is larger share of affluent blacks. Inequality within the black community is rising.

Who, or what, are the culprits? First, there is discrimination, but maybe of a new kind. Black women earn about what white women do. It’s black men who are lagging far behind. Second, there is family structure. Since the 1960’s, there has been a much-documented increase in the number of black children living in female-headed households. If today’s black families were as intact as the black families of 1970, the child poverty rate would be much, much lower.

Then there is government employment. Government hiring was an important element in black economic progress from 1959 to 1970, but since then, those salaries have not kept pace with the private sector.

And finally there is education. Besherov notes, “the main proximate cause of the lack of economic progress among African Americans is the continuing difference in educational attainment between whites and blacks.’’ Blacks are graduating from high school at a higher and higher rate. But here’s the crucial statistic: the college drop-out rate for blacks has risen since the 1980’s.

This is a brutal indictment of high school guidance counselors, who seem to be sending African American students to the wrong colleges. It is also an indictment of the colleges themselves, who have not learned to meet minority student needs. It is also an indictment of financial aid formulas, which often direct aid to the wrong people. For example, some aid programs don’t distinguish between families that own their homes and those that rent. Black families are more likely to rent, and therefore have fewer assets than families that own. Students from these families probably have much harsher financial pressures, and may be more compelled to leave college to get a job.

[Two Cents on 20.10.05 at 09:35]

"I don't think we need to look any further than how Bermudians, black and white, treat Asians here, Indian, Chinese, Philipino, etc, etc.
History repeats itself over and over again".

Uncle Elvis you couldn't be more correct, a prime example of this is Ice Queen.

If you’re feeling adventurous and your life insurance is paid up, go and hang around the service counter at Ice Queen for an hour (after dark), the names that young Black Bermudians use to describe/communicate with the service staff is diabolical. I have heard;
"Yo...Chiney Man"
"China Man"
"Hey Mr. Chin"
And a few others that I won't mention (but they rhymed with Tucker).
(For what it was worth, I informed my young fellow Bermudian customer that judging by our server's looks he was most probably either Philipino or Malaysian, to which he replied "That guy knows he's a Chinese fucker".....How can you argue with logic like that.

I have said it before; for a country that brags of its Cultural Diversity we have much work to do.

[Ethiops on 20.10.05 at 11:37]

Uncle

I mention the story of the Portuguese because I’ve heard it in England, France, Spain and Germany. I don't disagree with what you say.

Welfare is a tough one it’s not easy finding out who stays on welfare just for the extra money or because they really can't make ends meet. Some won't think twice to take some of that free money while they work or hustle on the side. Looking at the horrors some have had to live through. I can't say I blame them. Blacks in America like blacks anywhere in the Diaspora have come a long way.
While we have the impression of equality and justice the reality of it is not always convincing.
The more reports and surveys that surface all kinda say the same thing nothing has changed.

The other day I was reading on how diseases were released into black neighbourhoods to study them and continued long after they found a cure.

I'm mixed even though in BDA or USA I would be seen as black. Most of my life I’ve felt a tad bit resentful towards whites and or Portuguese, even though I had tons of white friends. I always had this idea in the back of my mind saying, "You guys ain't doing shit to right the wrongs of inequality". With age I can see the rabbit hole goes as deep as hell, and while many whites are trying to implement change. It's the institutional racism that worries me. People on a one on one basis tend to be more open. People don’t worry me its old ideas that have more power than anything to get in someone’s mind and do damage.

Today with my Afro-Porto-Bermudian make up I’m feeling like windows XP future edition.
It’s a blessing as I can’t afford the luxury of taking sides. Even though some days I forget this. I think if many Bermudians were challenged to go back and find the mix in their lineage they would have the opportunity to have this experience. It induces humility.