Comments on: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

By: Nancy Creighton

Nancy Creighton — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 07:26:10 +0000

I’m one of those people who reads a lot, but can never cite because I can never remember where I read something. But, somewhere in my reading life, I read that most societies that have grown and “conquered” have done so because of slavery. The difference in America, is that the slaves were black and the owners were white. In most other slave-holding societies, even if people think differently, they don’t look that different, so that former slaves can more invisibly rejoin the larger society. Something to think about when you think of racism.

By: amanda

amanda — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 04:01:01 +0000

ugh. not only was the article horrendous and racist, its historically inaccurate. Slaves fought back in all kinds of ways from the very beginning; even jumping off ships was a way of fighting back, of resisting. others fought back by singing, dancing these were all forms of resistance. what a disgusting article.

I dont think China’s “rep” matters in this case. We shouldn’t judge an individual based on the actions of its government. As someone else pointed out, the US isn’t exactly a leading figure in human rights.

By: african american

african american — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 01:10:38 +0000

Why China? no african american sculptor in the usa? and speaking of china being the biggest humane rights abuser, what do you say about america herself? isnt america ranked number one inthe world with number of people in prisons? oh and almost all your american prisons are full of young african american men?

By: Chris Heuer

Chris Heuer — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:46:15 +0000

Interesting. Why I Hate Blacks was stupid and stereotyped. But the point he makes about other Asians “sucking up to white people” in his column Why I Hate Asians… what are we to make of that? Especially when he says that we (Asians) spend so much time fighting among ourselves… After all, he himself IS Asian. If he’s not qualified to make that observation, right or wrong, then how are we qualified to criticize the conduct of our OWN minority groups?

I look around at my fellow deaf people… I would never go so far as to say I hate THEM. But do I hate the fact that we can’t seem to get something going? Yes. Do I hate the fact that we can’t seem to bind together politically and economically at least long enough to improve our collective lot regarding issues many of us have in common? Yes. And I don’t think there’s anything politcally incorrect about saying that.

But hating deaf people themselves… no. I feel sorry for people who have internalized oppression to such an extent that they’ll deny their own needs in order to defend what amounts to second-class citizen status (imposed upon us largely by whom? Three guesses!) because that’s what they’ve been trained to do. And sometimes I get irritated when people remain difficult to break through to.

Irritation, impatience, yes. Hate, No.

By: cyansquirrel

cyansquirrel — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 04:48:22 +0000

One small defense of Eng: he doesn’t mess around with political correctness. He says what many people think from time to time, but have no balls to say in polite discourse. That he’s an equal opportunity offender makes his rants slightly credible but its still not a good idea to alienate half the planet. Racial tensions are very real for everyone, though, and pretending they don’t exist will not solve anything.

By: kaybee

kaybee — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 03:43:34 +0000

it sucks. February is such a short month. I stepped into Borders bookstore and spotted a stand honoring “African American Month” with themed books and writers. It’s as if it’s crammed very early in the year and once Winter starts to thaw, once people start to pay more attention, oh it’s March already.

By: Sue Chevy

Sue Chevy — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 01:51:58 +0000

what a beautiful post. Look forward to seeing Martin Luther King’s statue.