Jay Smooth Talks About Talking About Racism
Wondering how to have a conversation with someone who has just informed you that you have “good hair” or that you’re so “pretty and white” or that “you’re a Latina, aren’t you?” while looking at your rear end for possible confirmation? Well, radio show creator and blogger Jay Smooth has some helpful guidelines for you. He gives great advice on how to frame a conversation about racism without going so far as to call someone a racist. Yeah, apparently, you’re not supposed to retort with a “Your ass is racist!” Which probably explains why last year’s Thanksgiving dinner went to horribly awry.
ILL DOCTRINE: HOW TO TELL PEOPLE THEY SOUND RACIST [Racialicious]
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- Managing Editor
Daniel Mauser
- Editor
Cindy Casares
- Associate Editor
Alex Alvarez
- Contributing Editors
Gabriel Caro - Camilla Rowan
- Video Editor
Marcelo Cunning
What’s the difference between “saying something racist” and “being honest”?? Anyone?
Posted by Marco | July 23, 2008
Honesty is a convenient excuse used by a lot of under-cover racist.
People claim to be “honest” when they KNOW they said something totally lame but want to insist they’re right and make you feel like you’re making a mountain out of a mole-hill.
Case in point: ex-boyfriend (yeah, a white guy) who kept insisting that black people looked like our primate cousins. I just stood there with my jaw hitting the ground & all he could say was, “hey, i’m just being honest. Some of them do.”
Posted by lola del rio | July 23, 2008
Another Case: the other day on Jezebel (don’t laugh… that’s how I found this site). One of the editors referenced the story about the salmonella jalapeño scare.
Now… what did she call that pepper? Oh yeah… a Wetback.
When called on it, she gave an explanation about how she was making fun of the xenophobia and didn’t think it was a big deal ‘cause she had heard the word on an episode of I Love Lucy.
Now is she a racist? Don’t think so.
Is she hella lame she is for using a word she heard on a show from the 50s and never bothering to look it up? Fuck Yeah.
Posted by lola del rio | July 23, 2008
@ lola: Well, to be fair, several Jezebel editors also “act like” misogynists and less-than-intelligent people to the point that one has to wonder how much of what one says and does is a reflection of what kind of person one is / is becoming.
Posted by piruli | July 23, 2008
@ piruli: I KNOW you’re not saying 2 wrongs make a right.
Posted by lola del rio | July 23, 2008
Huh? How do you get that impression from what I wrote? I was saying that if a person espouses a lot of hate, after a while you start to wonder how much of it is just a slip-up and how much is a result of being a person who is downright hateful.
Posted by piruli | July 23, 2008
@lola - I like that you said “don’t laugh” when talking about Jezebel - cuz that site is just a joke. Well, the writers have some talent, but the commenters…… ayayay.
Posted by Barriga Verde | July 23, 2008
It can be really hard to explain to people about racism, internalization and hegemony. (Yeah, I have a Chicana/o Studies degree.) But those difficult conversations are necessary. You have to call people out, even if they are your boss.
Posted by denise | July 23, 2008