Comments on: Brown Is the New Whitergate: Comments From the Blogosphere

By: Deborah

Deborah — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:39:33 +0000

Biggie: “generalization” is not necessarily a positive, as it’s often just a nicer term for “stereotype” (as in selecting traits which apply to a some individuals and attributing [generalizing] them to an entire population)… Kinda like your comment about “the ‘cowboy’ aesthetic of many Latino males.” Also, just out of curiousity, do your co-workers actually refer to themselves as “Afro-Americans”? I’m just asking because I have a pretty extensive circle of close friends and colleagues who are African American and refer to themselves as African American or Black, but never as “Afro-American” because the term is so outdated. Just wondering…

By: Biggie Smalls

Biggie Smalls — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:43:12 +0000

I see your point. “Generalization”, which is a positive (in predicting future outcomes based on previous results), hues close to “stereotype”. I wouldn’t agree, though, that emphasizing the distinct regional character of Afro-Americans is the same as saying “all Latinos are undocumented”. I’d rather think of it as equivalent to the “cowboy” aesthetic of many Latino males.

As is, I shall try to limit my forays into quasi-racialism. I knew my post would prolly trigger a negative response, but I put it out there. Why? My job has me in a majority Afro-American workplace, where we also come into contact with many non-English-speaking, (sometimes) immigrant populations — namely, Hmong/Lao & Mesoamerican — & I have witnessed a visceral disapprobative response to them on the part of my Afro-American co-workers. “If you’re going to come to our country, speak English” — & beyond that, please refrain from the Spanish when you’re around people that don’t speak Spanish. Anecdotal, still, sure, but I think indicative of (at least) a certain strain of thought among Anglo- & Afro-Southerners.

By: Bosrican

Bosrican — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:13:44 +0000

Biggie, not sure I agree with your generalizations that border on stereotypes. To assume that African-Americans are “southern” is like saying that every Latino in this country is an illegal immigrant. I do, however, agree on your minorities-coming-together as a miracle construct.
However, since the subject is a T-shirt sold by an evil, white corporation, it is my duty to report that Macy’s was also the company that took down a gay pride window display in Boston after some lunatic religious fanatic complained that the mannequins had “enlarged breasts” and were generally offensive (according to his crazy ass). Macy’s took down the display during Pride week, never replaced it, and never issued a statement of apology. Desperately seeking new customers, of which they lose a lot of every year, is what drives this company head-first into so many PR nightmare shitshows.

By: ivelisse

ivelisse — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:54:48 +0000

i only wish i were brown enough to pull it off. when does the “pote ‘e leche is the new white” tee come out?

By: Biggie Smalls

Biggie Smalls — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:46:13 +0000

The nugget that’s going to emerge from this is the fact that the black-brown coalition ever having been a functional enterprise was an utter miracle. The Afro-American (generalizing, here) has just about as wary an opinion of Latinos as Anglos. Such is a product of their essential Southern-ness. Insularity & fear of the “other” is born into them. Now, as the Latino numbers increase, but especially in areas of former Anglo-Afro dualism, the backlash will come.

(Not that the (apparent) brown-on-black gang violence in sections of L.A., et. al., is helping matters. But for another time…)