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Skin Colour, Races and Racism

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So this is kind of inspired by mine and some other people's posts in the Love thread. There's actually a question that I want to ask everybody here and it's something I've never really thought about until now. Do you think of yourself as your skin colour? (This question may be better to mixed race people but to anybody who's a full colour, I wonder what your take is too). Yeah, you can say "I do look in the mirror" but I mean what do you actually think?

 

I'm mixed race (White and Black Caribbean) and quarter-cast (quarter Jamaican) and I've never really thought of myself as white or black really. I just think of myself as me. I look in the mirror and I see my brown skin but I've never actually thought of myself as black or brown or whatever but other people would. It's also quite weird because I'm the only one in my family who's actually brown (I'm not exactly on talking terms with my mother and I don't know her side of the family well) and I've never actually thought about it until now. Not that it matters to me but I just found it funny.

 

However, I get reminded sometimes when I face racism and stuff. I did in school before and it really hit me hard. I've recently faced it with one of my 'friends' and it really hurt as well. I live in a mostly white area so I'm in the minority but I've never really thought of it like that at all.

 

So what I want to know is your experiences in this, your experiences of racism and other things too.

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It's a funny thing, I'm completely Danish as far back as I know, yet my complexion would suggest Latino. I was actually mistaken for a Spanish exchange student once. :heh:

 

But no, it's not something I've ever really thought about like that.

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Interesting question.

 

I can't say I've ever looked at myself and thought 'oh there's that white guy'. I've never really taken much notice of race. Obviously you can see what race someone is immediately but I have no prejudices or anything. I won't look at someone and think 'he's black so he must be (whatever)'. I'll judge people on their appearance and whatever (make assumptions about their character), but it won't be derived from what race they are.

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Interesting question.

 

I can't say I've ever looked at myself and thought 'oh there's that white guy'. I've never really taken much notice of race. Obviously you can see what race someone is immediately but I have no prejudices or anything. I won't look at someone and think 'he's black so he must be (whatever)'. I'll judge people on their appearance and whatever (make assumptions about their character), but it won't be derived from what race they are.

 

I must admit, it is annoying when old women clutch their handbags close to them and look at you like you're about to rob it. It's not until I smile and say hello that they loosen it. I wouldn't mind if I were wearing a hoodie and stuff but I suppose it's from a different era.

 

Another thing is how would one act white or act black? I mean, I get what is meant by it but why is this said? I get it if someone would say you're speaking like you're from the ghetto or something but to say "Ah, why are you talking like you're black?" or "Damn, you dance like a white guy!". I've joked about it before with some friends but again, never actually given it some thought.

 

Also, what are your takes on racist jokes? Do you mind? Do you straight out hate them all or do you have a limit?

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Do I - who's white and grew up in a place where white was the 'default' - think about my skin color? Erm, no. :heh:

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People just refer to me as tanned. So I don't feel any different. They get jealous sometimes as well. I like my skin colour.

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Also, what are your takes on racist jokes? Do you mind? Do you straight out hate them all or do you have a limit?

 

Racist jokes can be funny depending on intent and context. A racist person telling racist jokes is not funny because you know he's not joking, he's just belittling someone else because of the colour of their skin or whatever.

 

I like a lot of edgy humour because the funny thing about the jokes is not the content, it's the feeling of saying something you know you shouldn't. Or exploiting stereotypes for humour. If you know the person telling the joke doesn't actually think that way, you can fully accept what they're saying as a joke. And by definition, jokes are funny and not to be taken seriously.

 

I often say that I'm so pale I make milk look tanned. Is that racist? :p

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I'm white. Personally, I hate acknowledging that racism still exists. I think it unbelievable that people are still racist. My dad can say some racist things, but I guess he isn't racist, per se. I know like a lot of people in this country, he detests the immigration policies and can often direct his frustration towards immigrants.

 

I have to remind him that his anger should be directed at the politicians, and if he lived in a third world country and heard about a magical land that gives out free houses and free money, he'd be on the next Eurostar over too.

 

I think it looks worse in America, and over there I think Afro Americans don't do themselves any favours. They tend to do and say things that mark them as part of an exclusive club like they can call each other n*gger, but god forbid a white person do the same.

 

So yeah, I think maybe by the time we are in our 60's, all this racism talk will be dead and burred... it's so 1950's.

Edited by madeinbeats

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Admittedly, I don't like it when black people say "Only we can use that word". I just say "If you have any kind of self-respect, you don't say it in the first place". I don't mind it in a joke at all.

 

I remember in school, somebody told me a joke that was something like: Me and the girlfriend were in bed last night and we were watching the telly when it started to move in mid-air. My girlfriend screamed that it was a ghost but I just grabbed my gun from the drawer and shouted "Freeze Nigger!". Everybody looked at him like "I can't believe you just said that in front of him" and I just laughed. Then I got given the looks as if to say "I can't believe he said that and you're laughing!".

 

However, I don't like it when someone calls me a monkey or compares me to one or anything like that. I don't like that at all. Someone I used to know did it, knowing I hated it and I just fell out with him. I don't think of him the same as I used to. I used to think he were alright but I just lost respect for him. He played dumb and said he never knew it was racist but I know he did. There was one stage, I can't remember how the conversation turned at this point but I just pointed out that no race is superior and he said "Well, actually, it's been proven white people are smarter" to which I just replied "Yeah, I'm not going there with this one. I am not going to touch this with a ten foot bargepole!" lmao.

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Not so much a race thing, but similar.

 

I hate it when people put so much into race/nationality/heritage etc. Living in Wales I encountered quite a lot of nationalism. Some of the Welsh speaking people would refuse to acknowledge you or speak English. I would also hear a lot of people go on about being celts. For one thing celts originated from central europe, places like Wales and Scotland were the last places to become celtic. Also I'm a ginger who can trace his roots to Scotland in the 13th century on my father's side, and to Wales on my mother's. And I would hear this celt argument from dark haired people who knew absolutely nothing about celts or their history. They'd just happened to have been born (and had recent ancestors who had been born) in Wales.

 

It was all completely idiotic. It certainly gave me a new view of nationalism.

 

I'm mixed race (White and Black Caribbean) and quarter-cast (quarter Jamaican) and I've never really thought of myself as white or black really.

 

What are you thoughts on your Jamaican blood/ancestry/heritage etcetera?

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Interesting question.

 

I can't say I've ever looked at myself and thought 'oh there's that white guy'. I've never really taken much notice of race. Obviously you can see what race someone is immediately but I have no prejudices or anything. I won't look at someone and think 'he's black so he must be (whatever)'. I'll judge people on their appearance and whatever (make assumptions about their character), but it won't be derived from what race they are.

 

I plainly admit that my mind automatically makes initial assumptions based on people's appearance, be it their skin colour, their clothing, their cleanliness, their posture etc. First impressions always leave ... well, an impression, but the important thing is to correct those impressions if proven wrong.

 

My thoughts on humour echo Peeps's completely.

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On a related note, has anybody watched the Twincredibles documentary? It's about mixed race twins (one black parent, one white) who are born different skin colours. Such as these two:

b01606sk.jpg?nodefault=true

 

It raised quite a few interesting points. For example, when the two boys pictured above went to nursery, they were required to fill out one of those questionnaires regarding race/religion etc. Their mother got into a dispute with the nursery because they wouldn't allow the white twin to put "white - mixed race", he had to put either "white" or "black - mixed race".

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I think Chris Rock does a good job of holding a mirror up to N-club, and I do laugh along. I think there are differences in genetics and culture that do define us though. I find it interesting how you rarely see a white man in the 100m final and never see a black fella in the swimming. I suppose jokes are made about this all the time, and as long as there is no nastiness in them then they're only like Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman jokes.

 

 

On a related note, has anybody watched the Twincredibles documentary? It's about mixed race twins (one black parent, one white) who are born different skin colours. Such as these two:

.

 

I remember this. Was quite interesting.

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I find it interesting how you rarely see a white man in the 100m final

 

That can be easily explained by the fact that (until relatively recently) most black people in the americas and europe originated from slaves. When slavers were choosing slaves they picked the strongest and fittest, then those slaves made an arduous journey by boat, so only the strongest and fittest of those survived. So black people in countries like USA and Jamaica, who originate from slaves, essentially get their genes from the strongest of the strongest. So that's why they excel in physical tests such as sprinting.

 

This can also be seen by the fact that, of the 76 people to break the 10 second (for 100m) barrier, 72 of them are of west african descent. Yet only a minority of these are actually from west africa.

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Not so much a race thing, but similar.

 

I hate it when people put so much into race/nationality/heritage etc. Living in Wales I encountered quite a lot of nationalism. Some of the Welsh speaking people would refuse to acknowledge you or speak English. I would also hear a lot of people go on about being celts. For one thing celts originated from central europe, places like Wales and Scotland were the last places to become celtic. Also I'm a ginger who can trace his roots to Scotland in the 13th century on my father's side, and to Wales on my mother's. And I would hear this celt argument from dark haired people who knew absolutely nothing about celts or their history. They'd just happened to have been born (and had recent ancestors who had been born) in Wales.

 

It was all completely idiotic. It certainly gave me a new view of nationalism.

 

 

 

What are you thoughts on your Jamaican blood/ancestry/heritage etcetera?

 

Would you not class Welsh as a race? I know that some people do but yeah, I can see your frustration in that.

 

Also, I don't really know an awful lot about my Jamaican ancestry as the only person who answered those questions was my mom's dad and I was extremely young at the time and I've never really spoken to him. He's dead now anyway, though. However, I was told that (I'm not too sure but) my great-great grandfather was a slave and that's all I know of it. So really, I can't have a lot of thought on it and it's probably going to be one of those things where it'd be impossible to find out about it. However, I'm proud with who I am and what I am and thinking about it, I'm proud of being mixed race.

 

I'm also proud of my parents too because, at the time, in our area, mixed couples were kind of frowned upon or joked about but they never cared and carried on. It never got to them so I'm proud to be a part of that.

 

I plainly admit that my mind automatically makes initial assumptions based on people's appearance, be it their skin colour, their clothing, their cleanliness, their posture etc. First impressions always leave ... well, an impression, but the important thing is to correct those impressions if proven wrong.

 

My thoughts on humour echo Peeps's completely.

 

Mine does too, really, but mostly on clothes. I've no idea why but when I see someone with their hood up, I just think they're dodgy. I think it's just an automatic assumption, really. If you can't see their face or you see them acting shifty, you think they're hiding something or they have something planned.

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That can be easily explained by the fact that (until relatively recently) most black people in the americas and europe originated from slaves. When slavers were choosing slaves they picked the strongest and fittest, then those slaves made an arduous journey by boat, so only the strongest and fittest of those survived. So black people in countries like USA and Jamaica, who originate from slaves, essentially get their genes from the strongest of the strongest. So that's why they excel in physical tests such as sprinting.

 

This can also be seen by the fact that, of the 76 people to break the 10 second (for 100m) barrier, 72 of them are of west african descent. Yet only a minority of these are actually from west africa.

 

I've heard that theory, could well be some truth in it... I dunno. I read once that black folk have on average twice the amount of fast twitch muscle fibres. Still doesn't explain why the black man doesn't swim, but I'm sure Chris Rock has a good explanation :wink:

Edited by madeinbeats

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I've heard that theory, could well be some truth in it... I dunno. I read once that black folk have on average twice the amount of fast twitch muscle fibres. Still doesn't explain why the black man doesn't swim, but I'm sure Chris Rock has good explanation :wink:

 

Michael Johnson did an excellent documentary about that (the 100m, that is) called "Survival of the Fastest". One theory was indeed that West Indians/Americans brought over from Africa were tougher, as they survived the terrible journey. Another theory was that Africa is one of the most genetically diverse continents on Earth - those brought to the West Indies/America mixed their genes together and became stronger because of it.

 

Anyway, I suppose race is one of the biggest taboos. On the one hand, I feel like there is too much political correctness about it. On the other hand, it can't be much fun when you encounter the racist idiots (who we all encounter in some way, but obviously not all of us encounter their racist side).

 

I can honestly say I don't think of people as their skin colour - we all have so many subtle differences in race anyway. There is absolutely no race I'd be nervous or judgmental of if they were walking towards me in the street. But a group of men who clearly embrace the "gangsta" culture? Yeah, sure I'd be nervous of them. It's all about culture, which has its roots in race and national identity, but needn't be constrained by them. This is one reason I'm not a huge fan of multiculturalism (but I am a proponent of multi-racialism - who isn't?) We don't have a perfect culture over here, but it's better when people are assimilated.

 

Personally, I like it when a comedian lets us laugh about the issues in a good-natured way. I'm enjoying Citizen Khan at the moment, partly because of the way he accuses so many (innocent) white people of being "racists" or "racialists". Conversations like this (can't remember the exact wording):

 

Mr Khan: You can't be the mosque leader!

Dave: Because I'm white?

Mr Khan: No, because you're ginger!

Dave: Isn't that a bit racist, Mr Khan?

Mr Khan: I can't be racist, I'm racial! If anything, you're racist for calling me racist!

 

And...

 

Neighbour: Do you want to come and watch the cricket?

Mr Khan (in full cricket gear): No, I don't like cricket.

Neighbour: What's that on your legs then?

Mr Khan: They're shin guards, for praying.

Neighbour: What's that in your hand?

Mr Khan: It's a Muslim artifact.

Neighbour: Looks like a cricket bat to me.

Mr Khan: That makes you ignorant of Muslim culture and, therefore, a bloody racialist!

 

...Made me chuckle anyway. People like that who are trying to make us feel better about ourselves and each other are the good guys, in my book.

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How come you're not a fan of multiculturalism? I'm not seeing how that follows from everything else you said.

 

Well, cultures tend to bring their own religions, which is bound to cause clashes.

 

I've got a horrible feeling I've derailed Animal's thread...

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I've heard that theory, could well be some truth in it... I dunno. I read once that black folk have on average twice the amount of fast twitch muscle fibres. Still doesn't explain why the black man doesn't swim, but I'm sure Chris Rock has a good explanation :wink:

 

Another factor is culture. If black people have some success as sprinters because of this, then a few of them will become celebrities, encouraging other black people to take up sprinting. And when you get to a point like now where there are virtually no white sprinters, the we develop a culture where white sprinters don't even try, and automatically move towards 400/800.

 

I was talking to a black (amateur) sprinter about this. He said that the sprinters at his club (who are all black) have a bit of an in joke whenever a new, white sprinter joins, along the lines of "how long 'til they get moved up to 800m?" They don't intend it in a racist "white people can't sprint" sort of way, far from it. They are commenting on the fact that coaches/trainers don't seem to give white sprinters a chance, and try to move them up as soon as possible. So in his view this was a major contributing factor into west african dominance in sprinting.

 

In reality it's most likely a combination of these things, i.e. genes give them an edge, this creates celebrities, we enter a culture where whites are moved up to 800 etc. etc. Everything has a knock on effect.

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Anyway, I suppose race is one of the biggest taboos. On the one hand, I feel like there is too much political correctness about it. On the other hand, it can't be much fun when you encounter the racist idiots (who we all encounter in some way, but obviously not all of us encounter their racist side).

 

I can honestly say I don't think of people as their skin colour - we all have so many subtle differences in race anyway. There is absolutely no race I'd be nervous or judgmental of if they were walking towards me in the street. But a group of men who clearly embrace the "gangsta" culture? Yeah, sure I'd be nervous of them. It's all about culture, which has its roots in race and national identity, but needn't be constrained by them. This is one reason I'm not a huge fan of multiculturalism (but I am a proponent of multi-racialism - who isn't?) We don't have a perfect culture over here, but it's better when people are assimilated.

 

Personally, I like it when a comedian lets us laugh about the issues in a good-natured way. I'm enjoying Citizen Khan at the moment, partly because of the way he accuses so many (innocent) white people of being "racists" or "racialists". Conversations like this (can't remember the exact wording):

 

Mr Khan: You can't be the mosque leader!

Dave: Because I'm white?

Mr Khan: No, because you're ginger!

Dave: Isn't that a bit racist, Mr Khan?

Mr Khan: I can't be racist, I'm racial! If anything, you're racist for calling me racist!

 

And...

 

Neighbour: Do you want to come and watch the cricket?

Mr Khan (in full cricket gear): No, I don't like cricket.

Neighbour: What's that on your legs then?

Mr Khan: They're shin guards, for praying.

Neighbour: What's that in your hand?

Mr Khan: It's a Muslim artifact.

Neighbour: Looks like a cricket bat to me.

Mr Khan: That makes you ignorant of Muslim culture and, therefore, a bloody racialist!

 

...Made me chuckle anyway. People like that who are trying to make us feel better about ourselves and each other are the good guys, in my book.

 

I do agree and I also love comedies like Citizen Khan that kind of poke fun out of racism and stereotypes and such.

 

Well, cultures tend to bring their own religions, which is bound to cause clashes.

 

I've got a horrible feeling I've derailed Animal's thread...

 

You haven't. This is exactly the kind of thing that should be discussed. Sometimes, cultures bring their own religions and some people change the religion. Take being in a white Christian church and a black Christian church. A white one would sing hymns in a choir whereas a black one would sing gospel. Both preach the same thing but in different ways.

 

Sometimes, culture and race meet and sometimes it's good and sometimes it's not.

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I wouldn't discourage multiculturalism because of clashes. I'd actually say that's why we need multiculturalism, so we can learn about each other's differences and broaden our horizon, further our knowledge and understanding.

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Actually i saw a article on why black people are rubbish at swimming and good at running. Basically for running, you need long legs and short body, to get a high centre of gravity, which helps as you basically 'fall forward'. For swimming, you need a long body and short legs; the opposite, as legs just get in the way, and most of the power comes from the arms.

 

Genetically, white people tends to have the latter body shape, and hence are better at swimming. Black people tend to be of the former shape and are better at running.

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I am of a brownish hue. :D

 

Not ever been racially attacked like for the colour of my skin but London is pretty diverse in that respect or whatever but you are asking the wrong person in that respect because you can call me whatever you like I won't get offended doesn't mean it's right it just means I'm too laidback. :)

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So yeah, I think maybe by the time we are in our 60's, all this racism talk will be dead burred... it's so 1950's.

Very unlikely. It's human nature to have a tendency to fear/hate those different to you, and in some this manifests itself in an ugly way. As long as there are adrenaline-fuelled stupid people there will be racism.

 

At least until that time they predict where the world's population becomes a homogenised single race anyway.

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