Comments on: On the Front Porch With A Gun, Waiting for the Black People to Come http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/ Thrive Between Trips Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:28:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Christy http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4403 Christy Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:19:20 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4403 I REEEEALLY like this article. It gets me to do lots of thinking! Keep up the good work Leigh! I REEEEALLY like this article. It gets me to do lots of thinking! Keep up the good work Leigh!

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]]> By: Leigh Shulman http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4216 Leigh Shulman Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:23:47 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4216 That is amazing. I'm curious to know what else is behind that saying. As for idealized whiteness, I think that happens in the US a lot as well. The generations, though, of children growing up seeing only white dolls and white characters in cartoons is arguably fading, but it still very much exists. When I think of the so-called multicultural children's television shows, though, I find them rather facile and one-sided too. That is amazing. I’m curious to know what else is behind that saying.

As for idealized whiteness, I think that happens in the US a lot as well. The generations, though, of children growing up seeing only white dolls and white characters in cartoons is arguably fading, but it still very much exists.

When I think of the so-called multicultural children’s television shows, though, I find them rather facile and one-sided too.

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]]> By: Leigh Shulman http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4215 Leigh Shulman Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:20:41 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4215 Sometimes I think that true evolution takes us to a place where we no longer make those assumptions about people based on race or where they're born. We'll always connect with people on a level that makes it easier for us to define those around us, but it doesn't necessarily mean something bad. For example, having kids or not having kids. There's a pretty big dividing line between those of us who are parents and those of you who are not. When <a href="http://thefutureisred.typepad.com/onedayatatime/2008/05/exhausted-and-amazed.html" rel="nofollow">we visited the San Blas Islands in Panama</a>, Noah, Lila and I fit in far better with the Kuna Yala because we connected as parents than our little family fit in Bocas (lots of singles, lots of drinkers). That said, you mentioned earlier that you liked the image I painted of the native-shaman-voodoo character. That is one that has always fascinated me. It sort of rolls the two forms of other stereotype into one package. In college, I wrote a short story in which the main character ends up in the outskirts of Johannesburg and finds an old black man who helps him find answers. I chose that ending because I was running out of time to finish the assignment. It was a facile ending, one that no one bought, and one that I never forgot because it simply doesn't reflect any real truth. I do think stereotypes can reflect truth, but when we use them as the sole definition of a person or group of people, then we're just projecting what feels easiest and running away from grappling with real thoughts, fears and realities. Anyway, I'll step down from my soapbox now. Sometimes I think that true evolution takes us to a place where we no longer make those assumptions about people based on race or where they’re born. We’ll always connect with people on a level that makes it easier for us to define those around us, but it doesn’t necessarily mean something bad.

For example, having kids or not having kids. There’s a pretty big dividing line between those of us who are parents and those of you who are not. When we visited the San Blas Islands in Panama, Noah, Lila and I fit in far better with the Kuna Yala because we connected as parents than our little family fit in Bocas (lots of singles, lots of drinkers).

That said, you mentioned earlier that you liked the image I painted of the native-shaman-voodoo character. That is one that has always fascinated me. It sort of rolls the two forms of other stereotype into one package.

In college, I wrote a short story in which the main character ends up in the outskirts of Johannesburg and finds an old black man who helps him find answers. I chose that ending because I was running out of time to finish the assignment. It was a facile ending, one that no one bought, and one that I never forgot because it simply doesn’t reflect any real truth.

I do think stereotypes can reflect truth, but when we use them as the sole definition of a person or group of people, then we’re just projecting what feels easiest and running away from grappling with real thoughts, fears and realities.

Anyway, I’ll step down from my soapbox now.

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]]> By: Heather Carreiro http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4193 Heather Carreiro Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:48:08 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4193 I agree that both positive and negative preconceptions and stereotypes can be blinding and even damaging. In Pakistan, people totally trusted white foreigners. I heard an anecdote once from a Lahori, "Who would a Punjabi man rather leave his wife with in a room, his brother, or an American?" The answer was American. Just this week Matador Abroad published an article of mine about being idealized for my whiteness in the Indian subcontinent. It's essential that we as writers continue to bring up these issues. http://matadorabroad.com/tales-from-the-frontier-of-expat-life-a-memsahib-in-pakistan/ I agree that both positive and negative preconceptions and stereotypes can be blinding and even damaging. In Pakistan, people totally trusted white foreigners. I heard an anecdote once from a Lahori, “Who would a Punjabi man rather leave his wife with in a room, his brother, or an American?” The answer was American. Just this week Matador Abroad published an article of mine about being idealized for my whiteness in the Indian subcontinent. It’s essential that we as writers continue to bring up these issues.

http://matadorabroad.com/tales-from-the-frontier-of-expat-life-a-memsahib-in-pakistan/

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]]> By: Nick http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4189 Nick Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:34:28 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4189 Oops, sorry, that was meant to be a reply to Leigh! Me bad! Oops, sorry, that was meant to be a reply to Leigh! Me bad!

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]]> By: Nick http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4188 Nick Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:33:02 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4188 I'd not seen that video before, Leigh, thanks for sharing! I think what you say about how treating serious topics too seriously can turn people off the message is very true. That is one of the reasons I am in awe of Bill Hicks. He dealt with massive topics - really, if you think about it, almost all the biggies - with such cutting humour. Makes things so much easier to digest. To come back on topic a bit more directly. As other people have pointed out, it's human nature (presumably bound up in our evolution) to compartmentalize and judge. The trick is to realize we are doing it (whether in a positive or negative way), and try to adjust our world view accordingly. Since we should all in theory now be relatively evolved human beings (Bill Hicks again!), this shouldn't be beyond us. Sadly, and of course I include myself here, it often is. I’d not seen that video before, Leigh, thanks for sharing! I think what you say about how treating serious topics too seriously can turn people off the message is very true. That is one of the reasons I am in awe of Bill Hicks. He dealt with massive topics – really, if you think about it, almost all the biggies – with such cutting humour. Makes things so much easier to digest.

To come back on topic a bit more directly. As other people have pointed out, it’s human nature (presumably bound up in our evolution) to compartmentalize and judge. The trick is to realize we are doing it (whether in a positive or negative way), and try to adjust our world view accordingly. Since we should all in theory now be relatively evolved human beings (Bill Hicks again!), this shouldn’t be beyond us. Sadly, and of course I include myself here, it often is.

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]]> By: Leigh Shulman http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4184 Leigh Shulman Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:08:46 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4184 Yeah, it's pretty difficult to get around calling anyone simple. Yeah, it’s pretty difficult to get around calling anyone simple.

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]]> By: Leigh Shulman http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4183 Leigh Shulman Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:05:53 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4183 I totally agree. Travel is the best antidote for prejudice. That is if you're willing to really travel, not just pick up your life in one place and transplant it to another. It's really hard to make general statements about a group of people when you actually spend time with them, and the more you see different groups of people, the more you can't escape the fact that while groups as a whole might have defining characteristics, those characteristics do not necessarily identify the individual. That and when you've actually visited a country, you in some small way become part of that group. When I meet Argentines or Panamanians anywhere else in the world, we immediately connect. I totally agree. Travel is the best antidote for prejudice. That is if you’re willing to really travel, not just pick up your life in one place and transplant it to another.

It’s really hard to make general statements about a group of people when you actually spend time with them, and the more you see different groups of people, the more you can’t escape the fact that while groups as a whole might have defining characteristics, those characteristics do not necessarily identify the individual.

That and when you’ve actually visited a country, you in some small way become part of that group. When I meet Argentines or Panamanians anywhere else in the world, we immediately connect.

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]]> By: Leigh Shulman http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4182 Leigh Shulman Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:53:49 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4182 Nick, you crack me up. Which i think is well needed in any discussion of race, stereotyping and prejudice. It can get so damn serious, and ultimately, that level of seriousness makes it really difficult for people to hear. Not all of us want to spend all our time in deep self reflection. On that note, don't know if you've seen <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw1oZ9oSroo&feature=related" rel="nofollow">this video of Bill HIcks reporting from outside the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas</A>, prior to the assault on the compound. Talk about treating a serious subject respectfully (sort of) yet with humor. Nick, you crack me up. Which i think is well needed in any discussion of race, stereotyping and prejudice. It can get so damn serious, and ultimately, that level of seriousness makes it really difficult for people to hear.

Not all of us want to spend all our time in deep self reflection.

On that note, don’t know if you’ve seen this video of Bill HIcks reporting from outside the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, prior to the assault on the compound.

Talk about treating a serious subject respectfully (sort of) yet with humor.

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]]> By: Kate http://matadorlife.com/on-the-front-porch-with-a-gun-waiting-for-the-black-people-to-come/comment-page-1/#comment-4177 Kate Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:47:29 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=3871#comment-4177 Nice points, Leigh. I also think that generalizing in that way (though 'simple' is pretty damn insulting) denies people diversity within their own groups in a way. It's a signal that you see an ethnic group as a wall of homogeny and that is pretty damn insulting no matter what sort of generalization is being made. Nice points, Leigh. I also think that generalizing in that way (though ’simple’ is pretty damn insulting) denies people diversity within their own groups in a way. It’s a signal that you see an ethnic group as a wall of homogeny and that is pretty damn insulting no matter what sort of generalization is being made.

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