I Wish I Was A Negro

[Blue Strat]

Originally posted by TheWewus:

hey strat, I'm white too. You live right down the skreet from me. Let's do lunch.

When and where? I'll need some notice so I can schedule you in. I'm up in the UNCC area.

[big K]

Interesting topic, .. was there some specific incident that prompted this.

 

I love to stir the pot, and will do so now...

 

I live up in calgary, alberta, canada. Honestly dispite a "redneck " history, our sulture is, as far as I can tell, trasparent in the negitive direction to race in any practical sence. I do take issue with the fact that so many of the minorities get "benifits", and I don't. This was most apparent when I was in school. I am a single white male. With out incrediable accidemic standing I was unable to recieve any sort of funding for school. HOWEVER, a number of minority students I when to school with , didn't even have to apply - the goverment just sent them money. It was also very apperant in a number of meeting I was at that the university is not interested in attracting any guys like me (I guess we are a dime a dozen), our efforts where to focus only to women, and minority groups.

 

 

I do however think one of the bigest problems canada will face in the next few decade is with our native population. Canada has been very generous with pay out, land grants, and other benifits to the native comunity. I think this has only made more problems then solutions.

 

The culture has come to expect this relation ship with goverment, and it is getting costly for use to support.

 

There are still outstanding land claims, where the natives say we owe them money for land. Last I heard B.C. (one of our provices) had unsetteled land claims of 230% of its area. - yes you read that right, .. over double of the entire province was claims as owed by natives. One group is also laying claim to the south 1/2 of the city of vancouver.

 

I kid you not, if I was president (prime minster) the first thing I would do is abolish the native reserves. and turn it all in to private land. (and give ti to the people who live there.

 

Pay for this mess once and for all, and be done with it.

 

I have native friends, .. I even have native family. But like I said the cultural attitude is not approprate for this day and age, and we need to stop promoting it.

 

thoughts? Do you agree? Am I an asshole?

 

Kevin Nemrava

[skipclone 1]

Originally posted by Phait:

I might sound like an asshole saying this, but if 'Merka never brought over Africans and enslaved them, we probably wouldn't have problems with them.

 

Sometimes I wish it never happened, but I with that thought I have good intentions. I have nothing against blacks. I have a few friends that are black or half black.

 

But y'know, I just wish some things didn't happen. But they did, so you have to accept it.

You mean if people who were kicked out of Europe hadn`t turned around and kidnapped people from a third country, those same people wouldn`t have problems now.

That`s deep dude.

[skipclone 1]

I`ve noticed several threads that seem to be, for lack of a better term, cyberbait-there`s a race debate going on and if you don`t identify yourself and take a stand, you`re helping the bad guys. Sorry but that`s total crap IMO. I`ve always thought that the Internet wasn`t ready for people-too many screwups, too permeable to spies and hackers and it folded like a potato chip after 9/11-did anyone try to get a message through?-forget it. But stupid head games like cyberbait make me think that it`s people who aren`t ready. Leave the vomit bags at the door folks, let`s party.

[Phait]

"You mean if people who were kicked out of Europe hadn`t turned around and kidnapped people from a third country, those same people wouldn`t have problems now.

That`s deep dude."

 

I mean it shouldn't of happened, or at least - the way they did it (slavery). Simple as that.

 

"I kid you not, if I was president (prime minster) the first thing I would do is abolish the native reserves. and turn it all in to private land. (and give ti to the people who live there."

 

Fuck that. The natives were there first, I'd let them have it. It's their right. Why take more away from them?

[eh steve]

the time has come

 

to say, "fair's fair"

 

or is it?

 

[not coaster MODERATOR]

and why did they le the danish in here?

 

selling sugar and pastries to our children,

 

ice-skating at dangerous speeds through our canals,

 

unsightly windmills where sidewalk clubs gather

 

tulip gardens attracting bees and other creatures into our neighborhoods,

 

and front porches covered with old wooden shoes

 

doesn't this anger you??

[Mats Olsson.]

Cereal: canal-skating, tulips & windmills... you should put the blame on the Dutch, not the Danes

 

For Danish, go here!

[Dan South]

"I would love to tour the Southland/In a traveling minstrel show."

 

- Steely Dan

 

"Y'all white people wouldn't trade places with ME, and I'm RICH."

 

- Chris Rock

 

"No. It's not the same. I could have gotten out any time I wanted."

 

- C. Thomas Howell in "Soul Man"

 

"Where all da white women?"

 

- The Wewus

[Dan South]

Yo, Wewus!

 

Stay Black, homey! N git some bitches up in yo muthaf**in crib!

 

[Blue Strat]

Originally posted by Dan South:

"Where all da white women?"

 

- The Wewus

"Hey McClintock! Where da whiskey?"

 

- some old indian cheif

[Tedster]

I'd say it's about time to start bad-mouthing us Ukrainians.

[Super 8]

Originally posted by henryrobinett:

You sound like an asshole for saying it.

I don't get how Phait sounds like an asshole.

 

His comment was worded a little awkwardly, but as I read it, he's essentially saying; 'It's unfortunate that blacks were enslaved.'

 

Do you read it any differently? You must or you wouldn't have told him he sounded like an asshole.

At the very least, if you are going to tell someone that they sound like an asshole, you might at least tell them why.

 

In general, I'm not sure what the point of this thread was...

To get us talking?

To get us thinking?

To get us arguing?

Just another one of Wewus's tangents?

[Groovepusher Sly]

Wewus, I wish you were a Negro too. Better yet, you could just be a black man walking down the road in Jasper Texas.

Rent this movie, Watermelon Man (1970) , it may help a little.

 

Originally posted by Phait:

I might sound like an asshole saying this, but if 'Merka never brought over Africans and enslaved them, we probably wouldn't have problems with them.

Yeah, you sound like an asshole.

But going back a little further, imagine what youd have to contend with if the europeans had never come to the americas.

American Indians with nuclear capability!

But seriously, woulda, coulda, shoulda, its TOO LATE to go back. You have to deal with the world as it is today.

 

Sly

[Dan South]

Sly, that was deep.

 

Watermelon Man, is that the one with the late, great Godfrey Cambridge? I saw that many years ago.

[Wewus432]

I just think Negro, is such a weird, dated word. I really wasn't trying to bait anybody, or start an argument, or belittle a very serious subject. If anybody finds the title, or subject of this thread offensive, I'll edit it.

[henryrobinett]

I'm sorry. I haven't been reading this thread. It's a silly thread on a serious topic and that's OK. How ever folks feel it's best to broach this subject is fine by me. I didn't take it seriously and didn't mean for my comment to be taken seriously (unless someone wanted to). But now that Super 8 asked . . .

 

Phaits comment was off the cuff. Not serious and not threatening. He started off by saying:

I might sound like an asshole saying this, but if 'Merka never brought over Africans and enslaved them, we probably wouldn't have problems with them.

 

I was responding to the "I might sound like an asshole . . . " I was agreeing that he sounds like an asshole for saying it. In other words I was agreeing with him. However he then goes on to finish his sentence with:

we probably wouldn't have problems with them

as if we're an escaped bunch of feral banshees from some federal institution. I'm sure it wasn't MEANT as it sounded to me, but then again that's how it sounded to me. I take issue with being labeled as some other group as distinct from an american. It's OK. Phait still owes me one.

 

But I read it with the best intentions I could put on it. But I'm also one not to mince words with important issues I've spent my life knowing about.

 

But I agree about the native americans. And agree that the term "negro" is funny.

[Dan South]

Who is having problems with whom? How many white boys got lynched or dragged or put on death row by mistake by a bunch of overly suspicious Black folk? How many predominantly white countries were colonized by Blacks from a different contintent? How many white people were shipped of to pick cotton in Africa? How many white folks are routinely profiled by Black cops?

 

It seems to me that the Black folks have gotten the raw end of the deal throughout most of our intergrated history.

[Geoff Grace]

"The world would be a much better place if people only treated each other like human beings."

- Spoken by Cary Grant's character, (angel) Dudley, in The Bishop\'s Wife .

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[offramp]

Originally posted by Dan South:

"No. It's not the same. I could have gotten out any time I wanted."

 

- C. Thomas Howell in "Soul Man"

Dan, I wanted to post that quote, in my first post. (That movie seemd to hardly make a blip on the cinematic radar.) I just couldn't remember the actors' name. I DO remember James Earl Jones' response:

 

(medium length pause) "You HAVE learned a great deal."

[Super 8]

Originally posted by Dan South:

Who is having problems with whom? How many white boys got lynched or dragged or put on death row by mistake by a bunch of overly suspicious Black folk?

Not too many, Dan. But I don't think that was what Phait was saying.

I think what he was saying is that had blacks not been enslaved, we ('we' meaning ALL of us) wouldn't be having the racial issues that we have been struggling with for so long.

 

In other words: had we all treated each other as as we would like to be treated from the beginning, we would all be a lot better off.

 

No need to get your undies in a bunch here.

We all know that blacks have suffered tremendously, and needlessly over centuries.

We all know it was wrong.

We all want to be part of the solution.

 

Emotions always run so high when these topics come up. If a guy like Phait comes along and posts something he thinks is a nice sentiment, that might not be worded just right, he gets buried -often by a bunch of white guys who want to give him a black history lesson.

 

Read the first post again. Wewus started a light-hearted thread about a serious issue. It would be great if people would lighten up a little bit, and give poor Phait a break.

I mean, he doesn't even have a drivers license, and he lives is Wisconsin, for god sakes! WISCONSIN!!!

[Phait]

Haha! Right on Super 8 (Wisconsin).

 

Yeah, I didn't mean anything bad by what I said. Probably could've worded it better. Hell I'm not entirely white myself - quarter Inuit (Eskimo). Got myself a full-on Eskimo gramma. If I were white supremisist in any form what would I do?

[big K]

Originally posted by Phait:

"You mean if people who were kicked out of Europe hadn`t turned around and kidnapped people from a third country, those same people wouldn`t have problems now.

That`s deep dude."

 

I mean it shouldn't of happened, or at least - the way they did it (slavery). Simple as that.

 

"I kid you not, if I was president (prime minster) the first thing I would do is abolish the native reserves. and turn it all in to private land. (and give ti to the people who live there."

 

Fuck that. The natives were there first, I'd let them have it. It's their right. Why take more away from them?

Phait Et Al:

I understand and appreceate your view point, I think it is in the majority here in canda, and I think also teh stance of our goverment.

 

There are other interpetaions. One is that how do you define "ownership" of land. It is my opinion that the society of canada is progressing forward, however the culture of many natives comunities has chosen not to. I find it a weak arguement that canadians have to continuely fund, and support those native comunities that, for the most part, produce nothing back in to the society. I would understand if this was an issue that crossed cultureal and racial borders. For example homeless, and abused people. But when it is a specific subset of a culture that has dispopotionally so many problems, I think it is due to a failure of a system.

 

I think it would be an interesting discussion to define what determins the "ansesterial" rights. The natives where a nomatic people, so can they claim any area that there had walked accross? If so do they need to exersize this right to retain it? How about my rights, as only a canadian, born in a country that claim I owe them cause of what my great granpa did to there great grandpa?

 

what are you thoughts?

do you agree that there is a problem with how canada sees native people? if so do you believe tthey have set up a fair and just system for dealing with this issue? If not what do you think would benifit everyone in volved?

 

Kevin Nemrava

[skipclone 1]

big K

If you don`t mind my picking up on part of what you said-Canada`s government is giving those native communities an allowance-as a token for having forcibly occupied their lands, disrupted their way of life and subjecting them to foreign laws they had little or no say in. I`m not an expert on the historical data but to say they`re not doing enough to earn their allowance seems a little strange.

[Dan South]

Originally posted by Super 8:

No need to get your undies in a bunch here.

We all know that blacks have suffered tremendously, and needlessly over centuries.

We all know it was wrong.

We all want to be part of the solution.

 

Emotions always run so high when these topics come up.

Um, maybe SOMEBODY'S emotions are running high. I was completely calm when I posted this. I thought that it was a straightforward observation. I just wanted to add it to the record.

 

What gave you the impression that I was angry?

[Rog]

Group hug!

 

It would be great to get through a race thread without blood being shed

 

I mean, some of my best friends are black ... er, no that won't work. I mean I had a black friend around for dinner and he's so normal. No, wait that won't work either.

 

Sometimes, whatever you say, you always end up looking stupid.

 

I'll shut up now

[Tedster]

Originally posted by henryrobinett:

... as if we're an escaped bunch of feral banshees from some federal institution.

...

You're crackin' me up, Henry! Can I use "Feral Banshees" for a band name?

 

Oh, and to all, doesn't "negro" just mean "black" in Spanish?

[Nawledge]

Groove, what would of been wrong with the native indians having nuclear power, from everything I've been taught they would of taken care of the land better than anyone else has?

 

RoG:,Ditto on the hug, I know you're joking but actualy its a good opportunity to shed that myth (imho)

 

I mean, some of my best friends are black ... er, no that won't work. I mean I had a black friend around for dinner and he's so normal. No, wait that won't work either.

 

see what I think is that it's a piece of cake, all one would need to do is think to ones self that one wouldn't say 'some of my best friends are white' or I had a white friend around for dinner' so then why would one say that about a black person or a person of another color. there it is ...all such issues alleviated.

[henryrobinett]

Tedster - have at it!!

 

And Super 8, I"m not mad either. I don't know who is. I don't think this is turning into a ugly fest like some others we've had. But the topic is atomic. What some folks, even after all this time, fail to realize is the subject of racism IS an emotional subject. It's pain is etched on our cellular walls. It's not an intellectual thing where most black people can with distance and objectivity look at the situation. It's getting better. With more distance it'lll get better still. But you shouldn't be surprised that you have to walk on egg shells when broaching or discussing the subject. Yet it must be talked about or we'll forever be walking on egg shells. Those things you must hide tend to persist with more ferocity.

[Groovepusher Sly]

The Wewus use of the term Negro may have been humorous, but he knew it would also be controversial. In my opinion a well educated person would not have titled a thread like that, without a disclaimer, such as I Had A Thought Today....., or I Was Just Thinking......

But its cool, I dont think anyone here took it maliciously.

 

Originally posted by Dan South:

Sly, that was deep. Watermelon Man, is that the one with the late, great Godfrey Cambridge? I saw that many years ago.

 

Yes, thats the one. There was another story on the news recently, about a young man who copied John Howard Griffins experiment. Im still trying to find it. But in the meantime, Wewus might want to read Griffins original book, Black Like Me or watch the movie, Black Like Me to further enlighten himself.

 

The Amazon page suggests a couple of other good books,

"The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Malcolm X , and, Nigger: An Autobiography by Dick Gregory .

 

Originally posted by Nawledge:

Groove, what would of been wrong with the native indians having nuclear power, from everything I've been taught they would of taken care of the land better than anyone else has?

 

No doubt thats true. My comment was a metaphor for the out come, had the power base, and circumstances been different. Example, suppose when the pilgrims got here, the American Indians had Uzis, Mac 10s, and xenophobia? Knowing what you know now about history, extrapolate where they would be as a nation now. (dont get to wild). Where would we be? (I know, I know, its all hypothetical. But what if?).

Anyway, with more knowledge comes better understanding.

and we probably have some of the best trained white boys in the music business right here on this forum!

 

Ah say, ah say, it was a joke kid!

Foghorh Leghorn

 

Sly

 

P.S. Side note. I actually know a horn player here who calls hinself Foghorn.