Why is it ok that racism is funny to black people - it is a core area of humor and jokes for black standup comedians - but not to white people. I mean blacks are the most racist people out there.
So, this "prank" is funny because it's sort of putting them in their place, like?
I mean, after all, if an entire race of human beings are "the most racist people out there", in your opinion... it must make you feel kind of warm and tingly inside to see them get their comeuppance, eh? To see them publicly humiliated?
Make no mistake: this was humiliating.
Black people are a
minority in this country.
I have no idea the situation in New Jersey, but where I live, there are probably even fewer black people than the national average.
In a Walmart on a crowded day, there might be one or two black individuals or families. There might be none.
Now think about being that minority.
Think about what you'd feel like if you were one of only two white people shopping in a large discount store where all the other shoppers were black.
Imagine that an announcement was suddenly broadcast throughout the store, instructing all white people to leave.
Half the people in the store burst out braying like donkeys (but only because of the "absurdity", wink-wink, nudge-nudge).
How do you feel?
Probably like a giant spotlight's suddenly been turned on you.
Everybody's eyeballing you to see what your reaction will be.
You don't know
what to do. Leave, certainly. But you've got to get to the door first, and it's a long, long walk, through all that braying and smirking.
You're confused. Who all was in on this? All the braying jack-asses? Was this the work of one disturbed individual? If so, why the f' is everybody laughing? If you have your children with you, you're fluctuating between anger and fear. Should you complain to a manager? But whoever did this obviously works here. Would it do any good?
Are you able to imagine that? Being the only white in a store full of blacks and having an announcement come over the intercom instructing all white people to leave the store?
Well, if you can, congratulations. You have a good imagination.
But you
still don't know what black people in that store felt like, because in your imaginary scenario, you can still walk out of the offending store and blend effortlessly back into a nation- a culture, a society- where your race comprises not only the majority, but also the power structure.
And that is not something a black person in this country can ever, ever do.
