As Black History Month rolls on, I asked myself a question that may seem stupid to most people: Who exactly is black and who is not? And how is it decided? Does the individual or society determine what we are or is it a combination of both? Are there other factors? Is this the Family Feud or actual objective science?
In 2009, all rational and educated people now accept that race is a human construct, which isn't to say that it's meaningless. As long as people are treated differently (preferentially, discriminatorily or just differently based on presupposed differences) on the basis of race, how society constructs and applies that race is worth thinking about. And, ideally, there shouldn't be any shame in recognizing broad cultural differences either. Why should "white pride" be offensive? Pride in er-one, I say. Minor caveat: to even assume that American society has reached a consensus on race defies reality – that's why Dave Chappelle instituted the racial draft. So step with me into a blog of shadows and substance, things and ideas into, to coin a phrase, The Twilight Zone.
This guy asks some really good questions so I thought I'd set aside five seconds to come up with some answers.
Why didn't the scientists call it a white hole?
They did. A white hole, in astrophysics, is an object which ejects matter from within its event horizon (as opposed to a black hole, which absorbs all visible light, and has a black appearance). They're theorized to serve as the exit points for wormholes. Their appearance would be white, like a white dwarf (which is also known as a degenerate dwarf). If Commissioner Mayfield had made the analogy to a white hole, it would seem to imply that central collections is spewing paperwork.
Tell me one thing when they say "white" and you get a negative connotation?
For starters, ketracel white, white coats, white collar crime, White Noise, White Sox fan, White House, White Castle hangover, The White Stripes, White Horse, Bill White, white flag, White Devil, whitehead, white guilt, White Men Can't Jump, White Man's Overbite, white out, white reggae, great white shark, white bread, white booty, white trash, "that's so white," white wash (as he used himself).
Warning! This trailer does NOT necessarily reflect my opinions or the opinions of Amoeba Music, although we do sell this DVD. It's arguably our generation's Birth of a Nation.
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Amoeba and the Amoeba Music mark and logo are trademarks of Amoeba Music Inc.
The views and opinions expressed in Amoeblog are those of the individual bloggers and not necessarily those of Amoeba Music.