Apr

30

Grouping People Together: Problems & Prospects of Panethnicity

Filed Under Interracial Relationships, Original Essays and Analysis, Race and Racism, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Some people may wonder what the terms panethnic or panethnicity mean. My first exposure comes from this book by Yen Le Espiritu. Here is the description of the book:

With different histories, cultures, languages, and identities, most Americans of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese origin are lumped together and viewed by other Americans simply as Asian Americans. Since the mid 1960s, however, these different Asian American groups have come together to promote and protect both their individual and their united interests. The first book to examine this particular subject, Asian American Panethnicity is a highly detailed case study of how, and with what success, diverse national-origin groups can come together as a new, enlarged panethnic group.
Yen Le Espiritu explores the construction of large-scale affiliations, in which previously unrelated groups submerge their differences and assume a common identity. Making use of extensive interviews and statistical data, she examines how Asian panethnicity protects the rights and interests of all Asian American groups, including those, like the Vietnamese and Cambodians, which are less powerful and prominent than the Chinese and Japanese. By citing specific exampleseducational discrimination, legal redress, anti-Asian violence, the development of Asian American Studies programs, social services, and affirmative actionthe author demonstrates how Asian Americans came to understand that only by cooperating with each other would they succeed in fighting the racism they all faced.?

So a panethnic category takes many diverse groups of people and groups them together as one group. Terms like European American, African American, Latino/a, American Indian, and Asian American are all panethnic labels that take diverse groups of people and lump them into larger categories.

I have mixed feeling about panethnic labels. Espiritu argues the advantage of such labels is that they can consolidate diverse groups with diverse histories to help them organize for social change. The power of the groups and their ability to create change is much greater because the panethnic label leads to greater numbers, which clearly has political implications in a democratic society.
While the terms Asian American was created as an organizing tool in the 1960s, the panethnic labels for African Americans, and European Americans were created at a much earlier. Let me start by saying I dont think the term European Americans is a very popular term; most people just use the term Whites. What is fascinating about the category of Whiteness is that it started out fairly narrowBritish and a few northern European groups were included. Later the Irish were included into the Whiteness category, and Italians and eastern Europeans were the last to be included into this category (Im sure others are to come.). The creation of a White panracial category was designed to integrate European immigrants, while simultaneously keeping these immigrants from forming alliances between the indigenous people and enslaved Africans. See the various European groups did not see them selves as aligned with each other, but the creation of the White race (or a panracial identity) allied these groups and allowed them to squash their differences.

Enslaved Africans were forced to develop a panracial identity, because they were not allowed to engage in the customs associated with their ethnic groups. This was forbidden by slave owners; moreover, these Africans came from very diverse ethnic groups, which made communication very difficult. African American panethnic identity formed in part because it was forced upon Africans by Whites and in part as a means of survival under conditions of slavery.
American Indians also come from very diverse origins. In some cases early settlers allied with various American Indian ethnic groups against other ethnic groups. It wasnt until somewhat later through Census enumeration and the legal system that the notion of a panethnic American Indian group was established and to a large extent forced upon indigenous people. However, some American Indians later saw panethnic alliances (for example the Lakota and the Cheyenne at Little Big Horn).as a means of fending off Whites.

Panethnic labels can and do unite diverse groups of people, but I think the greater question is to what end. If people are united to oppress (as is the case with the Irish becoming White), or if people are united to fight for the survival of their ethnic group and their way of life as in the case of Little Big Horn, then the more important issue is not whether or not diverse groups are united under one umbrella, but why they are united and what can be done about it.
One down side of Panethnic labels is that tend to become racial terms. While ethnic labels group people based on culture, racial labels tend to group people based on perceived physical characteristics, thus, many people come to the conclusion that these groups are groups of people who are similar physically, genetically, and culturally. While race is not about genes our culture constructs it in this way, and thus, very diverse groups such as east Indians and Japanese or Somalians and Nigerians are groups together. Ironically, people in these groups dont typically look alike they have been geographically and culturally isolated from each other, but they all get lumped together under a label and people tend to group them as a race..

When panethnic labels become popular there is a tendency for people to forget the diversity and variety that goes into the groups that make up the panethnic categories. For example, people frequently talk about Asian culture or African Culture which is problematic because there are many cultures in Asian or Africa and they are often in conflict with each other. The same could be said for Native Americans, Latino/as, Europeans, and so on. At times panethnic labels become short cuts that allow us to be very lazy in thinking about the complexity and diversity of various groups. For example, Puerto Ricans and Chicanos (Mexican Americans) are situated very differently on the issue of immigration simply because Puerto Rico is a US territory. In fact, in my own community, my sense is that the local Black/West Indian population and the local Mexican American/Chicano population have much more in common with each other, but that often gets lost in the media and the larger culture since one group is put under the label Black/African American and the other is put under the label Latino/Hispanic.

Some people lament panethnic categories because they believe that it leads to the loss of cultures, languages, and customs. Once groups are combined together whether by force or by choice people worry that some traditions will necessarily disappear as a new panethnic culture and identity emerges. This attitude comes up frequently in discussions about intermarriage. Many people who oppose interethnic and interracial marriage do so out of a concern that the hybridization of cultures will lead to the loss of traditions and language. I have mixed feelings about this because my sense is that global capitalism and the modern communication and transportation technology will inevitably lead to a mishmash of cultures (what Kwame Anthony Appiah calls the new Cosmopolitanism) In fact, one of the ideas that comes up frequently is the notion that a “mixed” ethnic identity inherently involves the loss of some traits from either side. Personally, I am skeptical of that argument because I think a much larger force is at work–global capitalism and the one world culture that it encourages. Given the trend toward a global culture dominated by capitalist superpowers like the US, the creation of panethnic categories can in fact be a way to retain aspects of cultures that are being over run by western countries (put more simply for those who might be losing meif local ethnic groups can unite they stand a greater chance of keeping their traditions in the face of corporations like McDonalds. Corporations are some powerful that small ethnic and regional groups can’t do much to keep them out, but by uniting diverse groups, they stand a chance.). Here, there seems to be a tension between humanism and identity based politics. Humanism emphasizes universal human rights, while coalitions along panethnic lines represent one of the last bastion of unique, traditional cultural identities. (Here is an interesting essay on this subject I should forewarn everybody that it is written in the typical post modern academic language, so it is really hard to follow if you are unfamiliar with the jargon.) The irony here is that both the new cosmopolitanism and panethnic identities lead to a flattening of culture. The unique traits of groups are going to be lost under both ideas. The question is just a matter of how much local culture will be lost and how fast it will be lost.

The potential for organizing groups around panethnic identities has upsides and downsides. On the upside, it can consolidate political power and help underrepresented groups gain a voice. On the down side, it has a tendency to encourage some people to forget the diversity and variety subsumed under the panethnic label. I think the increasing popularity of panethnic labels is both a reaction to and a product of the larger trend toward becoming a global culture. Humanism and global capitalism seek to squash differencehumanist would say were all people, and capitalists would say were all profit maximizers. On the contrary, panethnic organizers would say we are people competing over scarce resources. The only way for oppressed groups to fight back is under by uniting various groups (many would go beyond ethnicity, to class, sexuality, gender, and so on). The alliances that this leads to are very unusually and do not fit neatly into political linesboth conservatives and liberals ideologies are promoted by panethnic politics, and both conservative and liberal ideologies are part of the humanist/capitalist perspectives on identity. Panethnic categories seem to be a bridge between modern ideas of identity and post modern ideas of identity.

(PSI know this is a very jargony piece for those who are accustomed to reading most of my posts. Sorry in advance if people have no idea what the hell Im talking about. LOL!! I promise to get back to some more simplistic stuff later in the week.)

Apr

28

Racism Round Up 4/28/06

Filed Under Racism Round-Up, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

1. The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission is bringing suit against Universal Pictures alleging that they fired an assistant director for the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious because he is Black.

2. A company is selling racially specific vitamins. I think this is going to be part of a new trend. Where all medicines are marketed by race? The notion of biologically based races is making a ressurgence and drug companies are responding.

3. Many schools were not counting minority students in order to comply with The No Child Left Behind Act.

4. A court has upheld the firings of two firefighters and one policeman. Rudy Giuliani fired these men in 1998 after they wore blackface on a parade float in 1998.

5. Here’s an article on how New Orleans race has played out in the New Orlean Mayoral election.

Apr

10

Racism and Empathy: Some of My Approximating Experiences

Filed Under Race and Racism, Sociology, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

In a previous post, I talked about how most Whites need to develop greater empathy for people of color. I also discussed a concept called approximating experiences, which is one way Whites can develop more empathetic orientations. Feagin and Vera say that that approximating experiences help Whites grasp what it is like to be the victim of racial discrimination. Citing a study by Tiffany Hogan and Julie Netzger, they say that approximating experiences most often come from three sources: relying on stories that people of color tell about their experiences, relying on general humanistic values, and relying on aspects of their own oppression. In the last case they note that White women who experienced multiple forms of discrimination (such as being a woman and being lesbian or Jewish) are more likely to develop empathetic orientations toward people of color. I think my personal story is useful at showing how Whites can challenge their own racism through approximating experiences and develop greater empathy.

I had my first approximating experiences in high school. My views started from a humanistic orientationI grew up around all Whites, and my parents had taught me that everybody should be treated fairly. Although they didnt say a lot about racism, I remember them repeatedly telling me that you do not treat people bad because they are different from you. I remember repeatedly hearing my classmates make derogatory comments about African Americans. I very specifically remember being bothered by racist comments, and I repeatedly admonishing my classmates not to use the n-word.

My outspoken views on racism did not endear me to my classmates. In fact, I was subjected to ridicule and occasional threats of violence. I was routinely called nigger lover, so many times that I do not remember most of them. In my art class during my sophomore year one of my classmates Brian, called me nigger lover almost everyday. See while we worked on our art projects, we talked social issues and politics. When I challenged my classmates, Brian as the ring leader and on occasion his buddies would say this to me in front of the entire class including the teacher, who had asked him to stop but never enforced any consequences. Frankly, I had no idea how to respond to comments like this because people like Brian dont like common sense arguments. They like bullying. Eventually I came up with the most creative response I could. I would say, Im not a nigger lover because I dont like you. I was 16 and this was the best response I could muster to shut him upall of the reasonable arguments about the golden rule, respecting your fellow man, and so on didnt work.

One of the other incidents I remember happened when I was a junior. In this case two or the more popular girls in my school Mindy and Emily were taunting me in class. These girls were your typical means girls (as depicted in the movie LOL!). I have no idea why they were picking on me, but it wasnt the first time and I was fed up. The teacher of this class was habitually late and played the popularity game, allowing these girls to do what they wanted. I didnt expect any support from her or any other of my classmates, so I turned to them and yelled, Bitch you need to shut the fuck up. They laughed and the rest of the class got quiet. I hoped this would be it, but later that day when I went to my locker I had a note put inside my locker that said, Youre a niger lover and a horsefucker. I just looked at the note and truly was scared. I was afraid of what they could have taken from my locker or what may happen to me as I walked down the hall. The whole time my classmates, all of whom were White, were directing racial slurs at me (and of course, all African Americans albeit indirectly). I didnt tell the principal, my teachers, my parents, or anyone. The primary reason I didn’t say much about almost all of these incidents was simpleI knew that they wouldnt do anything about it. I knew that they were indifferent to racial slurs and that they didnt understand the severity of it. I knew the Whites who I lived and worked with were not bothered by racial slurs or racism. I did occasionally have people who agreed with me, but it was almost always a brief “I agree with you” when no one else was around to hear it. For me personally, it was these experiences that helped my to feel some empathy towards people of color. I am by no means saying I get everything. I just know what I felt like when these things were directed at me. I knew the fear, the powerlessness, the exasperation, and the anger that racism was creating in me. Because of these experiences (and others), I dedicated myself to fighting racism.

In my later years of high school and in college, my approximating experiences came from listening to my friends and classmates who had personal experiences with racism. I was able to get a better understand of racism from Black professors like my undergraduate mentor Dr. Lewis. I learned about Black nationalism from two friends who were in the Nation of Islam, and I probably learned the most from my friendship with Jennifer. Jennifer and I didnt go to the same high school, but by getting to know Jennifer and her family I started to see how racism affected a good friend of mine. I had a close Black friend who wasnt afraid to tell me about the things I didnt get. This has also been the case as I have gotten older and have made other friends.

I have also been influenced in my anti-racist work by several prominent authors, artists, and academics. I didnt meet these people, but I read their works. James Baldwin was my early inspiration. Somehow, I got my hands on If Beale Street Could Talkone of his less popular novels. I loved that book, so I decided to read Go Tell It On The Mountain, Another Country, The Fire Next Time, Just Above My Head, and several other books. I remember reading a June Jordan article in college about the power of anger. The book I mentioned in the previous postWhite Racism had a dramatic shift on my understanding of racism. When I read it, I felt like someone else was articulating what I felt about racism. While I do think many people misinterpret literature and art, this can be another was to begin to develop approximating experiences, which can help lead to empathy.

I think my experience is instructive for three reasons. First, it shows that there are many pathways developing awareness of racism whether it is through interpersonal relationships, organizational involvement, a general belief in social equality, or accessing at and literature. The second reason it is instructive is that it shows some of the ridicule and difficulty that Whites face if they challenge racism. I dont want this to scare people, but it is a reality that people who challenge racism face. When we ignore racism, we simply opt out by using our White privilege, but when we challenge racism and White privilege there are consequences. Finally, I think my experience can help others who want to challenge racism know that they are not alone. I felt really alone in high school, and I kept many of these experiences to myself. I think developing anti-racist allies is crucial to maintaining a front against racism. Those allies can be Whites or People of Color. They can be role models and/or friends. The battle against racism doesnt have to occur in isolation. Im not saying I have all of the answers or that I have completely purged racism from myself. In fact, the more I learn about racism the harder I think it is to challenge it. I see coming to an anti racist consciousness as a long process. I learn new things every day, and I still have a lot more to learn about racism. Update: I would also like to add this link to David Schraub’s website. He talks about his own approximating experiences.

Apr

8

White Racism and Empathy (or the Lack Thereof)

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Race and Racism, Sociology, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Prologue: This is part one of a two part series on white racism and the lack of empathy it creates. In this part, I provide a few example that demonstrate this problem, and talk about why empathy is important in the fight against racism. In the second essay, I talk about my own approximating experiences and how they have helped me to develop empathy and an anti-racist conciousness. The prupose of these posts are not to attack Whites, but to point out how white racism and white privilege affect the psychology of Whites in America. It is an attempt to get Whites to think about ourselves and our role in racism. I also understand that the lynching picture to the left is gruesome and offensive. I am putting it up to help show the brutality and force of American racism. This picture is one of many from the crtitically acclaim book and exhibit Without Sanctuary. National Public Radio also has a good series of links on lynching in the US.

I found this article on National Public Radio a few days back, and then April sent me an email reminding me about this story. For those who dont have time to listen, Ill summarize. A group of three teenagers on Long Island, decided that it would be funny to taunt their two Black classmates by tying the hands of a Black doll and putting a noose around its neck. The students laughed so hard; it caught their teachers attention and the ended up being charged with a crime. The students apparently saw nothing wrong with what they did, and they admitted to the crime. What disturbs me most about this story is the complete lack of empathy and compassion that racism created in these young people. Much of the racism in America today manifests itself in a lack of empathy. I am by no means trying to dismiss structural racism. I agree that our political, economic, and educational systems are structure in a way that recreates racism. However, I think there is a fundamental lack of empathy that underlies White racism. I was first introduced to this idea about 10 years ago when I got my hands on the first edition of White Racism by Joe Feagin and Hernan Vera(the book has since been updated with a third author Pinar Batur). On page 174 of the first edition, they have the following quote:

Empathy is an essential component of human social life. It tells us that a childs cry means discomfort or hunger or allows us to relate pleasure to a smile and pain to lament. Empathy permits us to come together and communicate, and it requires significant personal effort. Most importantly for our arguments here, empathy is essential for the resolution of racial oppression and conflict.

Feagin and Vera, also argue:

The persistence of antiblack rituals has been publicized in the United States, although the widespread character and significance of these rituals tend to be ignored or denied by whites.But the cognitive acknowledgment of the racist acts of other whites does not necessarily bring an empathetic understanding of the pain that such acts inflict on the Black victims. Empathy is not the same as sympathy. Sympathy means feeling sorry for someone; empathy involves identifying strongly with the circumstances and pain of another human being

The lack of empathy that many Whites display is both a sociological and a psychological problem. It is the indifference to human suffering that allows ordinary people to engage in extraordinary acts of violence. It is the lack of empathy that allows people to sit by and blame people for their suffering.

Each semester I show lynching photos like the one above, so my students understand the shear brutality of racism. One of the most disturbing aspects of these photos is how much glee and pride are evident in the faces of the White lynch mobs. In fact, I always show this picture above because it shows the White girl on the left smiling as if she is proudly posing with the victim. Think of the sheer lack of empathy and the viscous brutality that is associated with smiling at something like this.

I remember this after Hurricane Katrina. How could someone watch this people chanting for help and taking care of dying elderly people, dehydrated babies, and people going into diabetic comas and only be focused on looting? How could people be more concerned about destroyed property than the lives of their fellow human beings? This is what racism does. It makes people indifferent to human suffering, and it allows them to rape, rob, pillage, and kill without guilt or conscience. It allows them to watch scenes like the ones in New Orleans and be most worried about whether on not the Superdome will be ready for the upcoming football season. It allows them to look at racist insults as something that really people of color should turn a blind eye to. Those of us who want to challenge racism need engage with this problem, and we need to find ways to make people, primarily White folks, more empathetic.

Feagin and Vera believe that Whites can develop empathetic orientations through approximating experiences. Approximating experiences help Whites grasp what it is like to be the victim of racial discrimination. Citing a study by Tiffany Hogan and Julie Netzger, they say that approximating experiences most often come from three sources: relying on stories that people of color tell about their experiences, relying on general humanistic values, and relying on aspects of their own oppression. In the last case they note that White women who experienced multiple forms of discrimination (such as being a woman and being lesbian or Jewish) are more likely to develop empathetic orientations toward people of color. These strategies provide us a place to start to think about how an empathetic anti-racist consciousness can be developed in Whites. So back those Long Island White kids who think it is funny to put a noose around a Black dolls head. When their Black classmates were subjected to this racist ritual, I bet they thought of a scene like the one in the picture above. How could these White teenagers do this without knowing the fear, pain, disgust, sadness, and anger that lynching symbols create for African Americans. How could they not feel this ways themselves? How could they be like that little White girl in the picture above–completely indifferent to human suffering. If we are ever going to change racism, us White folks need to ask ourselves how we can move toward understanding and empathizing with the pain and suffering that our racism creates. Rather than focusing on our own views and experiences, we need to step outside of our perspectives and try to develop the approximating experiences that challenge the apathy indifference that racism creates.

Apr

5

Duke Rape: The search warrant for the second residence has been released….

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Duke Rape, Education and Academia, Gender and Sexism, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Apr 05 2006
 ?
Duke Rape: The search warrant for the second residence has been released….
Updated with important new details.? ?

Today was a big day for updates in teh Duke case. The lacrosse coach has resigned and the University has suspended the entire season for the team.
Here is a quote from the Raleigh News Observer:

Coach Pressler offered me his resignation earlier this afternoon, and I accepted it, Duke athletics director Joe Alleva said in a statement released at 4:36 p.m. ?I fully support President Broadhead’s decision to cancel the remainder of the season as well as his outrage at the latest developments involving the men’s lacrosse program. I believe this is in the best interests of the program, the department of athletics and the university.

However, the most important update comes from the newly released affadavit for the second search warrant. The Smokinggun has a copy of the search warrant here. While the search warrant reveals more details from the case, the biggest news is the following email message sent by one of the players just after the victim reported being assaulted. The email sent by Ryan McFayden says,

Well the young man who wrote this email has been suspended from Duke University. His lawyer says for his own safety–it’s rather hard for me to buy this one, but this is his lawyer. The email was anonymously sent to the police (looks like somebody is cooperating behind the scenes.

A close read of the affidavit, insinuates possible premeditation because the men intentionally used the wrong names and said they were part of the Duke baseball or track teams. She also noted that the man who called himself Adam, was called Dan by people at the party. However, I would need a little more evidence to definitevely say it was premeditated.

The email alone is enough to make me sick. It doesn’t prove he raped someone, but it sure shows he has depraved fantasies.

The email above is clear evidence of the lack of character (my edit: depravity) of at least one of these young men.

Apr

4

Bunch-O-Links (Mostly Duke Rape Links)

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Gender and Sexism, Race and Racism, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Apr 04 2006

1. Amp over at Alas has his take on the “guilty until proven innocent” argument.?

2. A neighbor received threats for speaking to the media about the case.

3. North Carolina Central Students rally in support of their classmate yesterday and today.

4. This guy is trying to suggest that this is Tawana Brawley redux. In a very offensive article, he suggestions:

If the Duke allegations turn out to be true, this is a case of criminal, runaway libido ? not racism. Were a white exotic dancer involved, the outcome, whatever it actually was, would have been the same. Taking a note from the Tawana Brawley case, the Duke community should hold its powder until some facts emerge.

5. Hystericalblackness has two articles posted about the Duke rape. She has this repost about the image of “oversexed Black women” in the media. She has also posted one professor’s letter to the Duke administration.

6. Blackademic has a link to a film screening of a documentary on sexual violence against Black women.

Apr

4

Comments Like This Will Not Be Tolerated

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Gender and Sexism, Race and Racism, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Comments Like This Will Not Be Tolerated

She deserved to get raped.

This comment was posted by a Canadian poster from Calgary. I have been putting up with the conspiracy theory posts on the rape thread, but comments saying that someone deserves to get raped will not be tolerated on this blog. I have a record of the IP address, and I have deleted to comment.

Apr

3

When Blacks Oppose Interracial Relationships: A Few Common Reactions

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Family Issues, Interracial Relationships, Original Essays and Analysis, Sexuality and Heterosexism, Sociology, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Pt 11 of the Snippets from my Dissertation on Black/White Relationships. Keep in mind all of these posts are snippets of a much larger piece of work, so feel free to add to things, ask questions, or give critiques. I’d love to hear feedback from people. In my dissertation, I focused on family approval of Black/White interracial relationships. The data is based on 39 interviews with people in interracial relationships (conducted individually) and 5 interviews with the relatives of some of these couples, so the focus is on family.

Even though opposition is greater in white families, many African American families still express some degree of opposition to interracial relationships. For African American families concerns about loyalty are often at the forefront of family opposition. Many Black relatives worried that a White partner will not be able to understand racism. Underlying this concern is the idea that the white partner might not be able to handle racism since he or she has not had the history or the socialization to deal with it. Black families were also concerned about the white partners motives. Black womens families in particular were concerned that white men may be exploiting black women and viewing them as sex objects. It was hard for some Black families to imagine that a white man could truly be loving and loyal given the long history of white men targeting Black women with sexual violence. For a couple families of the Black participants there was concern that the white partner may be trying to make a political point by dating or marrying a Black person. In some cases Black respondents and their families, were concerned that the white partner would be torn between loyalty to their family members and their Black partner. In some cases this happened, White families threatened or tried to bribe their relative to end the relationship. Concerns about the loyalty of the white partner are also related to trustspecifically the ability of African Americans to trust whites, especially in intimate relationships. For Black families, especially those who have extensive experiences with white racism, trusting a White person can be very difficult. Some Black families were concerned about the loyalty of the white partner, but many others were concerned that marrying or cohabiting with a White person might reveal that their black relative was not loyal to African Americans. Consistent with Romanos (2003) arguments Black opposition to interracial marriage in this study is often rooted in the idea that Black participants in interracial relationships may be insecure in their identities or disloyal to African Americans. Overall, the most common concern in Black families is the possibility that their relative might be selling out by entering an interracial relationship. Given the long history of anti-Black racism, many Black parents are concerned about preventing their children from buying into negative stereotypes about Blacks. For some relatives, the choice of a White partner makes families wonder if they have been successful in shielding their children from these stereotypes. Because of the tendency for Black relatives to question the Black partners loyalty a few Black partners went out of their way to show their loyalty to the Black community. This was especially true for middle class Black men. These men wanted to make it clear that their decision to date or marry interracially was not a sign of disloyalty; moreover, these men were particularly active in African American politics. One respondent noted that his family was surprised that he married a White woman given that he was the Black militant in the family. This group of Black men knew that some Blacks might view their racial politics and their interracial marriages as contradictory and in turn their interracial relationships could make people questions their racial allegiance. The phenomenon of politically active Black men marrying and partnering with white women is not new. Romano (2003) argues that racial intermarriage among politically active Black men became contentious during the Black power movement of the 1960s. Many in the movement saw interracial relationships as a sign of disloyalty and those who married interracially were seen as defying the goal of Black liberation. Interestingly, the Black women I interviewed did not talk about their political involvement as a way of buffering them from criticisms of their relationships. This is not to say that their loyalty was not questioned but that people did not call attention to their activism when discussing their relationships. While middle class Black men were often questioned about their loyalty to the African American community. Some working class Black men and women had their racial identities questioned more directly. In these cases, respondents began to see themselves as distant from their families and from the African American communities in which they were raised well before they entered any interracial relationship. However, their families saw their interracial relationships as one more sign of disconnections from the Black community. These respondents recalled incidents from their childhood where they were told that they were acting white. Even prior to their interracial relationships this group of African Americans had their loyalty to the African American community questioned. Even though these respondents did talk in great depth about how their families disapproved of their relationships and did not give many concrete examples of disapproval specifically related to their relationships, it was evident that their families saw them as somehow less Black and their relationship did not help this situation. All of these respondents didnt feel like they fit in when they were growing up and they saw themselves as differentwhat is interesting is how their experiences with isolation was racialized and how families contributed to this. Several Black respondents also talked about their how their families and acquaintances viewed the interracial relationships of Black entertainers and athletes. For many of African American families, interracial marriages among Black athletes and entertainers are cited as part of the approval process. Several Black respondents discussed how prominent Black Americans in interracial relationships were sometimes viewed as traitors by their relatives or by Black people in general. One respondent felt that interracial marriages among Black celebrities were fodder for gossip within the Black community. For many African American families being economically or educationally successful was viewed as a pathway to an interracial marriage. Many of the Black interviewees felt that their families and African Americans in general viewed interracial marriages among successful Black celebrities as a sign that they were trying to use their economic status as a pathway from the Black community. Black families are concerned about the White partners loyalty and ability to withstand and understand racism, and they are concerned loyalty of their Black relative entering the interracial relationship. Black families want to be sure that their children are not turning their backs on their blackness. They are also concerned that their relatives white partner may not understand what it means to be black and therefore may not truly understand their loved one. For those who would like to compare this to the reasons Whites gives with the reasons Blacks give here is the previous “When Whites Oppose Interracial Relationships…”

Apr

2

Not Much Going On

Filed Under Blogs Blogging Blogthropology, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Apr 02 2006
 ?
Not Much Going On
There is not too much going on here. I’m in a holding pattern right now on the Duke Rape Case, just waiting for more info. to come out. The DA will probably not release much info. until the DNA comes back, and there are many pieces of this puzzle that need to be put together. So in the mean time, I’ll keep checking for updates on the story every couple days.

I’m going to go back to the posts on language starting tomorrow or the next day and of course, I ‘ll have Tuesday and Wednesday American Idol blogging.

Apr

1

More Duke Rape Updates

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Apr 01 2006
 ?
More Duke Rape Updates
1. The local Durham paper has some quotes from the district attorney Mr. Nifong. We probably won’t be hearing anything for a while.

2. A good story from the local paper that details how forensic evidence in collected in rape cases. It also raised the question as to why it took so long to gather evidence.

3. Some are questioning the timeline of the two calls to police. Here is the link to the story.

I don’t expect that we will be hearing much about the case until the DNA evidence comes back in a few weeks, but I did read at least one report where the DA was saying that if they don’t have DNA he doesn’t want to go ahead with the case. I’m nor sure if that report is correct or not because earlier he was saying that he is confident that he can win the case without DNA. We’ll see what happens.