Articles of Interest 7/17/07
Posted on July 17th, 2007 by Tariq Nelson
Feeling way too white - A white person decides to visit a black neighborhood
Moreover, and more to the point, there are black folks where I live, and I can’t say that I know them any better than I do those in Austin. At parties or school functions, we chat and trade news; occasionally, we reference comedian Chris Rock or presidential candidate Barack Obama.
And at that very moment, that Chris Rock/Barack Obama moment, I become painfully, agonizingly, white. Beset by white liberal discomfort and mortified that I might appear to be trying too hard, I quickly change the subject, to something not identifiably black
Filed under: Children's Issues, Race
Sounds like he just read, “Black Like Me.”
Seems like a bit of a psychosis. I always find it troubling when people feel awkward about being themselves. I faced much of that early on in all white-prep schools and then later in predominantly Arab Islamic circles. I have even felt a fair bit of discomfort in the company of Fulani or Sokoto people - although they usual sense that and help me feel more comfortable - and they are my own people. But since I was born in the US somehow amongst my own people I would felt awkward. This was early on in life, this goes away when one becomes a bit more rooted in life - not this dunya - but life itself, in my opinion. Such as having a spouse, children and responsibility in the your community.