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Is Calling Someone A Typical Black Person Racist?

Is it racist to use the phrase "a typical black person"?

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Caine

Caine

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http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MDg1MTk0YjQ2YjI1ZDBhNDYzMTA4Y2NhMDA4ZWRlOWU=

So, Obama has been quoted as saying that...

Source said:
"The point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity, but that she is a typical white person. If she sees somebody on the street that she doesn't know (pause) there's a reaction in her that doesn't go away and it comes out in the wrong way."
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............to a Philadelphia Radio Host 2 days after his "great speech" that was made.

To reference his speech
Source said:
I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother – a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.
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So, with that said, the question begs to be asked.

Do you think it is racist is someone makes a comment that someone else was a "typical black person"??

For example, is it racist for me to say that Shanikqua is an unemployed single mother of three living in Section 8 (free) housing , receiving a welfare check, her children are on free meals at the local school due to their lack of income, yet mom has a very nice car from one of her drug dealer boyfriends, and she doesn't go a day without some liquor. You know, a typical black woman.

Is this type of stereotyping acceptable?
 
Is the statement one that intends to demean, insult, or indicate inferiority among people of the race?
 
If the 'typical' white person was racist, blacks would have 0 rights.




If the 'typical' white was as loving and understanding as Jeremiah Wright,...
 
Iriemon said:
Is the statement one that intends to demean, insult, or indicate inferiority among people of the race?
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Generalizing people as "typical (insert race here) person" is bad. Period.

Regardless of what your INTENT is, there is someone who is offended by your representation of what a typical "insert race here" person is.

I am insulted by Obama's suggestion that a typical white woman is in fear of a black person she witnesses while walking along the streets. Because this generalization is that of a "typical white woman" being a racist woman who fears blacks on the basis of the color of their skin.
 
Caine said:
Generalizing people as "typical (insert race here) person" is bad. Period.
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Why? Typical doesn't mean absolute. As well, stereotyping isn't racism.

Regardless of what your INTENT is, there is someone who is offended by your representation of what a typical "insert race here" person is.

I am insulted by Obama's suggestion that a typical white woman is in fear of a black person she witnesses while walking along the streets. Because this generalization is that of a "typical white woman" being a racist woman who fears blacks on the basis of the color of their skin.
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The "typical white woman" that he referred to was his grandmother. Given that, she must have lived in the time of the the antebellum south, and probably through the Jim Crow era. Most likely, Obama is correct about this "typical white woman" stereotype. It may not be true today, but you must consider his context.
 
Lightdemon said:
Why? Typical doesn't mean absolute. As well, stereotyping isn't racism.
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Funny.
Because if I stereotype that blacks eat Fried Chicken and Watermelon, that makes me racist.

There is nothing hateful about this stereotype. However, Its WHO im Stereotyping that makes it racist. :roll:




The "typical white woman" that he referred to was his grandmother. Given that, she must have lived in the time of the the antebellum south, and probably through the Jim Crow era. Most likely, Obama is correct about this "typical white woman" stereotype. It may not be true today, but you must consider his context.
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He didn't give it the context of age or era.

He said, "SHE IS A TYPICAL WHITE WOMAN."
 
Caine said:
Funny.
Because if I stereotype that blacks eat Fried Chicken and Watermelon, that makes me racist.

There is nothing hateful about this stereotype. However, Its WHO im Stereotyping that makes it racist. :roll:
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I don't think that's racist. What's racist about it?

Do you discriminate against people who eat fried chicken? Watermelon?

Or are you just categorizing people based on what they eat? I can tell you right now, that Thai people like thier food spicier than fire itself. Is that racist? No. It's just a stereotype, a category.

The second you discriminate, meaning acting upon your stereotype, then it becomes racism. Restriction based on stereotype is racism. Stereotyping alone is not racism.




He didn't give it the context of age or era.

He said, "SHE IS A TYPICAL WHITE WOMAN."
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He said it was his grandmother. This is a given. I'm sorry you couldn't read between the lines.
 
well, no one seemed to notice or care when Obama was not a "typical black candidate":

Obama is not typical black candidate | USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) | Find Articles at BNET.com

or when this excerpt from Obama's book appeared in TIME Magazine:

"...the typical black sermon freely acknowledged that all..."

or about this guy saying stuff about Obama not representing the "typical black as the scapegoat":

The Black Commentator - January 10, 2008 - Issue 259

I wonder if the Clinton camp remembers this:

In a 1995 interview, Clinton's Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders called Sen. Jesse Helms a "typical white, Southern male bigot."

Steven Leavitt spoke about the "typical white child" on p. 165 of "Freakonomics":

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist ... - Google Book Search

and "typical white person" is mentioned in 65 other (respectacle) books here:

"typical white person" - Google Book Search

how about 62 mentions of "average white households"?

"typical white household" - Google Book Search

did anybody care when Michael Sherradan, Director of the Center for Social Development at Washington University made a testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on April 28, 2005, and spoke about what life for a "typical white person" was like?

oftentimes "typical" can be used when speaking about what is statistical probable, and unfortunately stereotypes are often true. everybody knows what is meant. but no one "piles on" unless we're incited to.

this is another manufactured "scandal". our society is illiterate. something as crucial as our election process is reduced to two-word soundbites used to distract attention from real issues. never mind that the candidates have policy positions on things that matter. it's pathetic -- anything that can be used against the front runner, will be. heaven help us.

I can't answer the poll question, because it entirely depends upon the context. but now you know how I stand on the whole matter, anyhow.
 
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Caine said:
Funny.
Because if I stereotype that blacks eat Fried Chicken and Watermelon, that makes me racist.

There is nothing hateful about this stereotype. However, Its WHO im Stereotyping that makes it racist. :roll:






He didn't give it the context of age or era.

He said, "SHE IS A TYPICAL WHITE WOMAN."
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This reminds me of the Prison my Dad worked at. The inmates were on a hunger strike for a couple days until they served fried chicken and watermelon. That's not racist. They like that stuff, it's true. Middle Easteners like falafels. Asians like seafood. Mexicans like ....you get the point.

You keep harping on this as if it weren't true. Heck, tell me you have never warned someone white that they shouldn't be in a predominantly black area of town after dark. That doesn't make you racist. It makes you cautious for their safety (once you've determined that they aren't from the neighborhood or drug customers).
 
typ·i·cal
Pronunciation: \ˈti-pi-kəl\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin typicalis, from typicus, from Greek typikos, from typos model — more at type
Date: 1609
1: constituting or having the nature of a type : symbolic
2 a: combining or exhibiting the essential characteristics of a group <typical suburban houses> b: conforming to a type <a specimen typical of the species>
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typical - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Typical isn't a derogatory term. And for you people feigning outrage over this, are you saying that you can't put adjectives in front of a race or else it's racist? That is rediculous.
 
Caine said:
Generalizing people as "typical (insert race here) person" is bad. Period.

Regardless of what your INTENT is, there is someone who is offended by your representation of what a typical "insert race here" person is.

I am insulted by Obama's suggestion that a typical white woman is in fear of a black person she witnesses while walking along the streets. Because this generalization is that of a "typical white woman" being a racist woman who fears blacks on the basis of the color of their skin.
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Sorry you're insulted. Have a crumpet.
 
Was the comment about a typical white women racist? Probably not. Did he negatively steotype a group of people? I think so. I really, honestly do believe that most white people have moved past the point his grandmother(and mine) are at.

Was his comment really stupid to make in light of the rest of the controversy surrounding him right now? Absolutely. It really is time for him to shut up about race before he digs himself a deeper hole than he already is in.
 
Redress said:
Was the comment about a typical white women racist? Probably not. Did he negatively steotype a group of people? I think so. I really, honestly do believe that most white people have moved past the point his grandmother(and mine) are at.

Was his comment really stupid to make in light of the rest of the controversy surrounding him right now? Absolutely. It really is time for him to shut up about race before he digs himself a deeper hole than he already is in.
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I personally believe his Grandma is a long way from being a racist, after all she raised and nurtured a black grandson.........If she was a racist I doubt if she would do that...........
 
Niether is mine Navy Pride, despite the culture she grew up in. On the other hand, I think most people have moved even further past the point where his grandmother is, and mine. One of my big issues with Obama's big speach was his comparing his grandmother to his preacher, when his grandmother, from the sounds of it is not truly racist, while his preacher is preaching hate and racism.
 
independent_thinker2002 said:
Typical isn't a derogatory term. And for you people feigning outrage over this, are you saying that you can't put adjectives in front of a race or else it's racist? That is rediculous.
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Thats the standard that is held to a white person making a "typical" remark about most other races.
 
Redress said:
Was the comment about a typical white women racist? Probably not. Did he negatively steotype a group of people? I think so. I really, honestly do believe that most white people have moved past the point his grandmother(and mine) are at.

Was his comment really stupid to make in light of the rest of the controversy surrounding him right now? Absolutely. It really is time for him to shut up about race before he digs himself a deeper hole than he already is in.
Click to expand...

What is funny is that my grandmother on my mom's side wasn't like this at all. And she never saw a black person until she was 18 and married to my Grandpa and went with him to his first duty station in the Marines. (She was raised in West Virginia). She might have been like that at first because she mostly heard negative things about blacks. Its like when people who have only heard negative things about pitbull dogs actually meet one in person (in a positive environment, not by being chased by one for intruding its owner's private property) they learn that the dog isn't as bad as they thought. At least thats one way to put her initial views of blacks. But she was the first person in my family to accept my best friend from my hometown (a black guy) as one of my friends.

My father and his mother (other grandma), it took them a little more time to get to know my friend HIMSELF (not just his color) before they were able to let their suspicions drop.

However, I wouldn't call them "typical white people" because there isn't anything typical about reserving judgment on someone based upon the color of their skin.
 
There is a way to say it that isnt but when your in the public eye its always shaky ground.

Its pretty much a fact politicians and people in the media dont have the same freedom of speech as everyone else.
 
Caine said:
Generalizing people as "typical (insert race here) person" is bad. Period.

Regardless of what your INTENT is, there is someone who is offended by your representation of what a typical "insert race here" person is.

I am insulted by Obama's suggestion that a typical white woman is in fear of a black person she witnesses while walking along the streets. Because this generalization is that of a "typical white woman" being a racist woman who fears blacks on the basis of the color of their skin.
Click to expand...


I agree. To get called a typical whatever can be offensive. Just because you are a certain race doesn't mean you are the typical stereotype of that race.

IT2002 said:
That's not racist. They like that stuff, it's true. Middle Easteners like falafels. Asians like seafood. Mexicans like ....you get the point.
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But that's not always true and to get catergorized by your ethniticy to "like" something is wrong. Not all Asians like seafood and not all black people like fried chicken. To insinuate that they do is stereotyping them and making them into your idea of a typical ------ person, which they may not be. It may not be racist but it's offensive and stereotypical.
 
independent_thinker2002 said:
typical - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Typical isn't a derogatory term. And for you people feigning outrage over this, are you saying that you can't put adjectives in front of a race or else it's racist? That is rediculous.
Click to expand...

It's the pointing out race AT ALL in that particular situation that is the SEPERATION of one race from another and generalizing about one of those race's behaviors. THAT'S the problem. THAT, combined with the particularly sticky situation Obama has due to his relationship with a bigoted anti-American pastor--he needs to choose words on this issue carefully since he is under the microscope.

http://www.debatepolitics.com/1057565626-post90.html

In the context in which Obama used the three words "typical White woman"--it was an indelicate reference to the supposed reaction caucasian women have to black men on the street--in other words--his grandma is like any other "typical white woman" who would judge her safety threatened by confronting a black man on the street. HUUUUUUUGGGGGGGEEEEEEE generalization (and frankly, BULLSH!T). In this regard, as a white woman, I am being labeled by the generalization that I fear for my safety when on the street with a black man simply due to the color of his skin--ergo a racist reaction. That is both WRONG and INSULTING.

http://www.debatepolitics.com/1057565622-post89.html
 
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americanwoman said:
But that's not always true and to get catergorized by your ethniticy to "like" something is wrong. Not all Asians like seafood and not all black people like fried chicken. To insinuate that they do is stereotyping them and making them into your idea of a typical ------ person, which they may not be. It may not be racist but it's offensive and stereotypical.
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Yes, there are exceptions to the rule so to speak. But typically, it is the case. Stereotypes can be offensive, but not always. Stereotypes happen because certain characterisitics fit the type. Be honest, are you surprised when a black person likes fried chicken? Is it a shock to you when an Asian likes seafood? Would you tell them, "I never would have guessed that you would like that."?

Is saying that your "typical black person" votes for Obama offensive? It's backed by empirical data. Are facts offensive?
 
independent_thinker2002 said:
Yes, there are exceptions to the rule so to speak. But typically, it is the case. Stereotypes can be offensive, but not always. Stereotypes happen because certain characterisitics fit the type. Be honest, are you surprised when a black person likes fried chicken? Is it a shock to you when an Asian likes seafood? Would you tell them, "I never would have guessed that you would like that."?

Is saying that your "typical black person" votes for Obama offensive? It's backed by empirical data. Are facts offensive?
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so then you have the "facts" to prove obama's granny is a "typical white woman"?


post em.
 
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