This won’t be the definitive post for answering all the nonsense out there. This also won’t be my attempt to flame bait the Internet trolls to prove any intrinsic point, nor will it be my attempt to get everyone on the same page.
Honestly, this post will just be reflection and food for thought.
First, let’s get on the same page of what we’re talking about. Inevitably, you’ve seen the sentiment in comments or blogs or news articles. It can be summed up like this:
Why does it have to be ‘Black’? Why can’t it just be [insert subject]. If White people called it ‘White’, we would be labeled as racists.
Anyone with a decent amount of common sense knows this answer is complicated.
There is a historical component. The effects of slavery, oppression, and untraceable roots are immeasurable by any standard. The pride that grew within the Black community stemmed from survival within the weeds of hate. That meaning has evolved, while the counter-argument of something being labeled ‘White’ has not. It’s incorrect to attribute the historical hate of one label from the past, to today’s realities of what ‘Black’ is.
There is an identity component. Somewhat extending the previous notion, it is within our human nature to identify who we are. Whether spiritually, economically, or socially, we want to be a part of a group. The Black American is a complex group because the obvious evidence says we have roots to African countries. Remembering that Africa is a continent not a country, I honestly do believe that if we could say we have documented, family roots in Ghana or South Africa, similar to Italians or Greeks, even if it could be inferred from our last names, our need to create our own identity by defining something as ‘Black’ would not be so profound.
There is an intent component. A colleague of mine, who is White, articulated this point well. The real issue is the intent of labeling anything. To call something Women’s Soccer, the Puerto Rican Day Parade, or the LGBT community center does not have the intent of excluding anyone. Historically, calling something ‘White’, did. The Young Black Professional Guide, the Historically Black College, and Black History Month carve a niche of information, education, and reflection for everyone to be a part of.
There is a self-image component. When I was in school, I was a member of the Association for Latin American Students (ALAS), the Indian Student Association (ASHOKA), and the Asian-American Student Association (AAA). I joined them because I wanted to learn and I had friends who encouraged me to get involved. I learned about Diwali and Chinese New Year. I was able to learn because I didn’t feel insecure from the cultural differences. I didn’t feel threatened by these organizations nor did I wish or ask the question of why they existed in the first place. The flavors these people added to my life wouldn’t have happened had the university leadership or student leadership adapted the mindset of assimilation and ‘color-transparency’.
It’s being thrown around that the age of Obama brings this post-racial American time. That may well be, but the misconception lies hard in the definition of what ‘post-racial’ means. Many opinions throw the stipulation of I’m not a racist because I don’t see color. What they fail to realize is that opposite of racism is tolerance, not ignorance.
You don’t tolerate differing opinions by wishing they didn’t exist nor asking why aren’t they more mainstream. We don’t evolve into a better society until we become essentially what Barack is genetically: Both White and Black.
The day you can see a color and say ‘That is pretty cool. I am ok with that’ is the day our society becomes post-racial. To wish racial transparency is nothing more than exuding your own lack of self-identity and desire for the status quo.
Well, I can tell you now, that isn’t the new ‘Black’.
Disclaimer: This post is in response to the pages of comments on TechCrunch about the Blackbird browser, the pages of comments on the Chicago Sun Times about the Ebony Experiment, and endless comments that inevitably follow anything labeled ‘Black’ (or Brown, for that matter).
sc
well stated. i will have to remember some of those points when this issue comes up in conversation.
December 22, 2008 at 1:24 pm
The Ebony Experiment Launches | Black Web 2.0
[...] Inevitably, as with Blackbird, the comments are plentiful about the purpose and ‘real meaning’ of solely supporting Black-owned businesses and franchises. In fact, the 15+ pages of ‘If I did this with White-only businesses’ on the Sun Times attest to that. While Angela did a nice job of bringing the analytical argument to the mainstream via TechCrunch, the root of those questions and that issue are much more complicated. You can read my full take on that over at YBPGuide.com. [...]
December 22, 2008 at 1:55 pm
afropixie
I think the most important thing to mention and remember in this discussion is your first point. ABSOLUTELY if something is labeled white its racist. As it is, everything is white by default anyway. We are making the statement that this meeting of ideals will not follow the norm of our American society…or what has become intrinsic in our society – the normal history, the normal meeting of people – that you would find otherwise.
Other than that… I think your other points resonate nicely. good post thanks for sharing
December 22, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Bronze Trinity
That was excellent!!!! I totally agree and the post-racial arguments drive me nuts!
December 22, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Malcolm Turner
Great post. There's also a very practical reason for labeling something Black, African, African American, Latino, Asian, etc. Like a previous comment said, white is the default. Therefore, if you don't include one of these labels in the name, most people will assume the organization is predominately white. Labels are a marketing tool to attract the intended audience. For example, I'm not a Christian so I don't care about denominations, but when I go to a new city and want to find a church I find something that says AME or Missionary Baptist because it's an easy way to identify Black churches. So rather than just trying to find an organization by trial and error, it saves time if people use labels.
Another possible reason why people don't label stuff as “white” is because it's not descriptive enough. There really is no white culture. It's much more helpful to break it down further using terms like European, American (with no hyphenated word in front of it), Anglo-Saxon, Irish, Scandinavian, Aryan, etc.
I for one wish that white people would label stuff white if they want to so we can stop guessing. If you're not racist then your actions will speak for themselves. If you are racist, let us know, so we can make the proper adjustments to our strategy for dealing with you. This cowardly, covert racism is just so difficult to fight.
December 22, 2008 at 6:25 pm
The Urban Scientist
Here! Here! I agree. Earlier this year, I posted about Black History Month on Scienceblog.com. I can't tell you how many trolls gave me a hard time about the “Black” thing. It is wrong? Why am I hung up on it? Get over the Black thing, there is no color. I later posted about Women's History Month and Latino Heritage Month. Crickets. No objections at all. These selective attacks against Black-identity and not against any other group have always bothered me. In college some students objected against Black Student Organization, because there is no White student organization, but had no problem with the Asian/Chinese/International/Ethitopian/etc student organization.
Your comments about the so-called post-racial desire is dead on. Thanks!
December 23, 2008 at 8:26 am
Kit (Keep It Trill)
Enjoyed this post. You nailed it with “The pride that grew within the Black community stemmed from survival within the weeds of hate.”
This pride manifests is many different ways and is often misunderstood within our own group, accounting for in-fighting, and by non-blacks, some who unfortunately feel threatened, and others who don't see us as being the same as them.
Thanks to this Election year and the Internet, at least many of us are talking about. Progress comes in baby steps.
Otherwise, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Come visit my blog and read my writings too in the future and leave a comment if like a particular essay like I have here. I think you'll enjoy them.
December 25, 2008 at 7:31 am
Kimberly
And now that Kwanzaa is here how much more of this woe is white people crap will we hear….
December 26, 2008 at 1:54 pm
as
“What they fail to realize is that opposite of racism is tolerance, not ignorance.”
that's pretty profound…
January 7, 2009 at 9:18 am
Is the ‘Ebony Experiment’ Wrong? « Reconciliation Blog
[...] This commentary by blogger Fredric Mitchell presents some interesting food for thought that, at the very least, can help bring context to our thinking on topics like the Ebony Experiment. [...]
March 9, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Denise Barreto
Wow. I love this article. It says what I've attempted many times. It so completes my thoughts on this topic. Thanks for posting. I am linking this to my blog tonight!
March 9, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Is the ‘Ebony Experiment’ Wrong? - Ed Gilbreath - God’s Politics Blog
[...] This commentary by blogger Fredric Mitchell presents some interesting food for thought that, at the very least, can help bring context to our thinking on topics like the Ebony Experiment. [...]
March 11, 2009 at 8:47 am