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Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
You'd think it should be easier for white folks to realize what they're being taught than black folks. Shows how blind we are to the built-in biases.
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Not surprising at all -- If you grew up with being taught this way, it's water.
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Some of my favorites are the "bad neighborhood" that you're told not to to go near, which often redlines half a city as places whites shouldn't go, the "where is he from" question that really means, is he black, one you highlighted, the "don't dress like a thug" meaning, dress like a white boy, etc.
Any time people are segregated fear is taught of the other group in a million little ways. Segregation and stereotypes are two of the biggest weapons.
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Most of my experience with this sort of shit is from people who were not segregated, or at least not so completely that they did not have plenty of opportunities to deal with black people as people, rather than as stereotypes. The SiL I talked about grew up in Yonkers. The uncle's kids mostly went to my public school, which was about 1/3 black (though certainly there were black areas of the city).
Some time ago, I was walking thru Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf in SF with a bunch of martial arts instructors I trained with/under. They are all black, mostly muslim, and just generally an energetic group of people -- loud (not obnoxiously), dressed colorfully, fairly big physically and with enormous presence.
I cannot tell you how many people looked at me as if I was in danger -- I was surrounded by black men! It was astounding, especially since I had never been so safe in my entire life.
