Off-Topic: Can a white person ever know how it feels to be a black person?

[edub69]

I grew up in a very integrated neighborhood, school and state. I have seen much racism in everyday life as long as I can remember. I see sports as our best way to really mix together and feel true kinship. In life outside sport it seems to me, groups of people vary, but as a rule you usually seem to see people self-integrating themselves in their neighborhoods and schools, and churches. I do not have all the answers, or even pretend to, but i would like to see the world get along more like we do in sports. Somehow , we always seem to have this black/white thing hanging out there like a huge spector and very seldom does the subject get broached. OJ and Michael are miles apart but still the spector lingers unseen and unheard until it explodes somehow. Will we ever agree on this or will it always remain? Your thoughts, please!:toast:

I recently joined the Big Brother Big Sister program, and was assigned a little brother who is an 8-year old black kid living in Inglewood. I have been to his house a number of times, and I am the only white person I have seen in that neighborhood. I am also the only white person that this child knows, outside of a couple teachers at his school. I went to watch one of his pee-wee basketball games and I was the only white person at the gym. My wife and I took him to Chuck-E-Cheese in his neighborhood and we were the only white people there. I don't know if this tells me anything about how black people feel in our society, but I know how out of place I felt, even though no one said anything to me or gave me dirty looks.

 

[jwunderdog]

"Can a white person ever know how it feels to be a black person?"


"Can a Black person ever know how it feels to be a white person?"



"Can a female ever know how it feels to be a male?

"Can a male ever know how it feels to be a female?

"Can a rich person ever know how it feels to be Poor?
"Can a poor person ever know how it feels to be rich?
Can an ugly chick ever know how it feels to be hot looking?

The answer to all these questions is no. Best you can do is try to understand.

 

[RobFunk]

Good response JW.

 

[volhound]

anybody or anything that is different will be pre-judged.

when I was a kid, there was this albino squirrel that was getting chased by the other squirrels in an agressive manner, not play. He was shunned and at the time I was told that he probably wouldn't make it through the winter.
There is something inherent in all species to want to be with others that are alike to them.
That is why kids pick on the others kids that have differences, or were born a certain way, or with a certain disability, and of course a different race.

There are no excuses for racism, and it should not be tolerated

Look at New York City
you have Little Italy, Chinatown, Harlem, and many other ethnic based areas. I don't think white people put them there. They started their own areas cuz they wanted to be with others of their own ethnic background. I am not offended at this as a white man, but our warped society says that I cannot do the same with caucasians, nor do I want to

I will never know what it is like to be a black man or any other man, I know what is like to be my own man, nobody owes me anything.

I will not say that I don't see color, because I feel any of you that say that are lying. You and me might see every man, no matter color, the same way and give them as much respect as the next guy, but I see a black man in front of me, or an asian guy, or whatever. But I also might see a tall man, or blonde guy. Hey, that's what you are, you should be proud no matter what you are.
You can try to walk in another man's shoes, but it is not the same.
I will never no what it's like being black, but I know that I would never let my race prevent me pursuing happiness, nor would I try to prevent someone's happiness due to race.

 

[IGAMBLER]

I don't think that squirrels can detect color.

 

[volhound]

my point is that they knew he was different

 

[Woody0]

"Can a white person ever know how it feels to be a black person?"

Yes.

In the late 50's or early 60's a newspaper reporter posed as Black in the South for a week, wig and dye for skin. His reports were most illuminating and he had an experience he would not want to repeat.

 

[Holysmoke+]

Eddie Murphy knows what its like to be black and pose as a white guy.

remember that skit he did as a white guy. that chit was funny

 

[wilheim]

The Wayans Brothers have a different take after doing "White Chicks"

wil.

 

[wilheim]

 

[HacheMan]

"Can a white person ever know how it feels to be a black person?"


"Can a Black person ever know how it feels to be a white person?"



"Can a female ever know how it feels to be a male?

"Can a male ever know how it feels to be a female?

"Can a rich person ever know how it feels to be Poor?
"Can a poor person ever know how it feels to be rich?
Can an ugly chick ever know how it feels to be hot looking?

The answer to all these questions is no. Best you can do is try to understand.

I disagree JW. I, like Shawn Gotti, have seen it all. Since I was 6 years old up until high school 80% of my friends were black. I practically "lived" in their "area". My best friends dad (who is black) growing up was like a father to me since mine was deceased. He even used to whip me right along with my friends when we would get in trouble! If I wasn't spending the night with some friends down there, one of them was spending it with me. I could venture and do things in the black community not many other whites would even consider. I could go on and on and on about this, but I have many times in here when subjects such as this has come up and I'm sure some are tired of hearing about it. Point is, I have seen both sides as far as an opposite race can see when it comes to knowing how black people feel, and many of my black friends growing up has seen vice-versa. Shawn Gotti can probably attest that there is actually no way of describing or explaining all of this, it's just something you have to experience.....

 

[SHAWN GOTTI]

Hache-man.....good Respose Brother!!

 

[jwunderdog]

Hache, I understand what you are saying but in a sense you are agreeing with me. Read your own post"seen" you have seen it and grown up around it so therefore you understand better then 99% who have not. BUt you still have not walked in the shoes. When you walked outside the Black community you were not looked at or treated exactly like a black person would be.

 

[Lawrence]

in one word...no

 

[CAPNCRUNCH]

Fishhead: Kudos for putting this thread back where it belonged! Thanks! And thanks to everyone posting here for keeping this thread from going in the gutter like some of the folks in the political wing. A lot of truth and understanding/wisdom here and I for one learned something! Thank you all!:toast:

 

[HacheMan]

Hache, I understand what you are saying but in a sense you are agreeing with me. Read your own post"seen" you have seen it and grown up around it so therefore you understand better then 99% who have not. BUt you still have not walked in the shoes. When you walked outside the Black community you were not looked at or treated exactly like a black person would be.

JW, no offense, but you can use the arguement above in many ways.You're right, when I walked ousided the black community, I wasn't looked upon as a black person. HOWEVER, You can flip-flop that and use the same arguement for black people. BUT....the main thing is that you can also say that when I walked INSIDE the black community for so many years, I was not looked down on, judged by my color, or thought of any differently than anyone else down there. AND......the same goes for my friends that through the years spent so much time in my "side of the town". I stand beside my statement that most people will not understand unless they experience living and seeing both sides of the picture. Did you not catch the part about my father was deceased, killed when I was a baby at one year old, and my best friend's dad treated me as his own. He even spanked us all together for God's sake! I was basically part of their family as I probably spent at least 50% of my time there since my older brother and sister were gone from home and it was just I. He actually died a couple years ago, and it was only the 3rd funeral I have ever been to in my whole life, but the first time I've shed tears. Also, as a matter of fact, just the other day I saw a couple friends from back then and they made the statement that they never see me anymore, or I never come "down their way" anymore, and asked me to come see them to hang out and/or go to the court and play some hoops(still same old courts from so long ago). I could tell you stories that could fill up these threads day in and day out from now on about things back then, but as I said, in the end, most will never understand. It IS possible to see and understand both sides, and not just on my part, but my friends from back then have seen both sides also.....

p.s. One of the biggest misconceptions that most white/latin/other races have is that if they have some black friends they spend time with, and they hear the black guys "jabbing'" or playing back and forth with each other and calling each other the "N" word, they think it's then ok for them to ALSO joke with the black guys and call them the "N" word! Let me just tell you.......That is a No-No!:nono5:

 

[valium]

no i don't think you can ever 100% know what it is really like. this i do know, go live in another country ( assuming you live in the united states ) canada, latin america, europe. unless your wearing blinders or refuse to be open minded you will see how racist the u.s. is.

 

[AK]

Majority of white americans are not racist and or just dont show it and infact are primaraly the minorities of this country! I don't think any other Race will know what it's like to be a white Caucasion.

Nothing worse than still paying for things that happend over a centry ago. For example, Being better qualified for a job and not to recieve the job even though you know your better qualified. The job having to be used as a "filler job" for a minority is a lose lose situation and if not done according to the equal rights board have david cochran on your ass.

If your a minority going for school education or a job you might as well fall asleep during the interview as your probably going to get the "statistic" job no matter what.

 

[CAPNCRUNCH]

no i don't think you can ever 100% know what it is really like. this i do know, go live in another country ( assuming you live in the united states ) canada, latin america, europe. unless your wearing blinders or refuse to be open minded you will see how racist the u.s. is.

I have lived outside the US many years and have yet to find a non-racist country. Many have seemed to be very inclusive after a short while only to find out after 6 months that they are MORE
prejudiced than the US. Please enlighten me Valium of these utopian countries, please!:toast:

 

[valium]

I have lived outside the US many years and have yet to find a non-racist country. Many have seemed to be very inclusive after a short while only to find out after 6 months that they are MORE
prejudiced than the US. Please enlighten me Valium of these utopian countries, please!:toast:

CAPN i never said other countries are not racist. i should have been more specific. those country's are less biased towards blacks and or inter racial couples where one partner is black.
of course there will always be racism and bias towards other groups of people. in most latin country's the group most looked at as stupid or lazy within the hispanic community is mexicans. IMHO latin america and europe are less prejudiced against blacks.