Head About To Explode
More on Michael Richards' racism. Sadly, but not unsurprisingly, I've seen several defenses of Michael Richards. It's amazing how white privilege blinds us to this racist shit. Apparently any racist act can be excused as not being racist. We need to check our white privilege. Seriously, it won't kill us. Some of the horrid defenses I've seen.
- "What's the big deal, he just called a couple of hecklers some names?"
No, that is not all he did. First, the word he used is used exclusively by whites derogatorily towards blacks. Second, he also referenced lynching. Funny how that fact is always forgotten in the defenses of Richards. I suppose it just makes it so much easier to excuse him.
- "Yeah, but blacks call each other 'nigger' too. Look at Chris Rock or Dave Chappelle!"
There is a huge difference between a black person using that word and a white person. Two things. People who use this excuse are clearly unaware of the concept of reclaiming language to make it less hurtful. Whites cannot use that word in a reclamatory fashion. It was never used to hurt whites, so we cannot use it in a way that makes it less hurtful. Especially not when it's used as an insult. Insults are meant to be hurtful, so it's idiotic to pretend we can make it less hurtful in an attempt to hurt.
In addition, black comedians may use it in their comedy about their own culture as a way to subvert the power structure. White comedians CANNOT do that. White comedians represent the power structure, whether they intend to or not. When a white comedian (or person) uses it against a black person, it is an expression of power over that person and over blacks as a whole. A reminder of their "place", a way of saying "It doesn't matter how far you've gotten in life, we still have power over you, so don't get too uppity." It no way has that impact when used by a black person. Too bad if you don't like that fact. Deal.
- "Well, what else would you call a black person who acts rudely?"
I'm thinking "asshole". Why would anyone ever need a racially specific term to express nothing more than "You're being rude, which is making me upset." No one does, so please stop pretending.
- "Some blacks don't have a problem with what he said."
And? I wonder how many of the people who use that excuse get pissed off when a European refers to Americans as the most dangerous people on the planet. Some Americans don't have a problem with that, so I suppose the rest should simply suck up and deal? Ha! Like that would be accepted.
I know that racism is very steeped in our culture and our interactions with each other, but if we cannot even admit it when we so blatantly see it, what hope do we have of really fixing it?