Both Ways?

I recently received an email from a friend of mine that she had received from someone. In this message were a list of grievances against many ethnic holidays and support provided for minorities here in America. I am black myself and I found this message interesting, as I have heard similar comments from Andy Rooney.

The original author of this email begins with several racial epithets, both for Caucasian, and for minorities (from Blacks, Jews, Arabs, Hispanics and Asians). The author states that it is unfair that a Caucasian would immediately be called a racist if s/he used any of these names referring to a minority, but a minority would be able to use any of the words derogatory toward a Caucasian with no repercussions. The author goes on to ask since the ghettos are the most dangerous to live, how can we as minorities say that whites commit a lot of violence against us.

I responded to these complaints with the fact that, while the ghettos may be dangerous places to live, so are many upscale neighborhoods if you aren’t white. If you get on the wrong side of the right person, just like any ghetto, you can be taken care of with no hesitation and no questions asked afterward. As far as the complaint about racist name calling and how it’s okay only when a white person is being called names; I don’t condone the use of racial epithets in any situation, but the names thrown at minorities have been in effect for much much longer than “cracker” or some of the other names the author mentioned. They have been in use much longer and carry much more insult when used. Minorities are called these names much more often than white people are, I myself have walked off of three jobs after hearing one of these names slip from a manager’s mouth.

The author continues on listing several minority holidays and days of recognition (including religious ones) such as Martin Luther King Day, Black History Month, Cesar Chavez day, Yom Kippur and even goes to complain about the TV station BET. Stating that if there were a WET (white entertainment television) station, or a white pride day, they would be called racists. In response to the white pride day, the reason there isn’t a “White Pride Day” is since most of the time you hear someone shouting white pride, they’re in one way or another persecuting a minority, that phrase just isn’t going to go over well. As for an all white TV station, there are Caucasian people (however a minority) on BET at various times during the day; does that phrase sound familiar?