White People and the "Diversity Olympics"

So, to keep from derailing the Fat Acceptance thread, there was something that was touched on that I think is worth talking about.

It seems to be a common trait amongst white people that when they say anything with even vaguely negative racial connotations, they must invoke what I am now going to refer to as the Diversity Principle. I'm sure at one point or another you've heard someone say "Oh, don't worry dude, I'm not racist/sexist/X, I have tons of X friends."

I guess it's because when you're white, there's this vague suspicion that if you aren't a completely die-hard supporter of the trials and tribulations of any minority group of any stripe, you get called out at being some white supremacist jerkoff at even the slightest mention of a specific group or generic statement, and thus people feel the need to justify that they are not, in fact, racist.

Feel free to also discuss the complex amongst much of the white community about the commonly held subconscious belief that we are, in fact, all complete racist douchebags if we don't invoke the Diversity Principle whenever we mention someone who is not of the same demographic as us.

BONUS ROUND: If you are white, invoke the diversity principle at the end of your post: My best friend is black, my roomate is a gay black man, my step-dad is black, and I have a half-sister and half-brother who are both obviously half black, and I've only ever dated one white woman, the rest have all been hispanic. Natch.

edited 25th Feb '11 7:06:54 PM by Barkey

I don't really see that around me, everyone is fairly comfortable and secure. The neighbourhood is affluent and the area is highly educated (situated right beside a university). It's hard for me to comment on this phenomenon. Actually, the only person I was talking to that comes to mind that was using that statement was Chinese, and stated they were not racist because they had plenty of black friends.

^

I don't see it everywhere, but for some reason the people I've encountered this the most from were all upper middle class liberal white males.

I think it's some sort of parallel to White Guilt. Such a silly concept.

Is this my fault?

Nah dude, you just reminded me of it, and it seemed like it could be fun to talk about.

I actually had just this conversation with my roomate like two days ago, and we discussed it in detail. Did I mention he's a homosexual african-american?

I think maybe it's just because I'm in Canada but we crack racist jokes between one another constantly no matter what ethnicity you are and the crowd is always heterogeneous enough that it is funny. A lot of the popular comedians these days ride on ethnic jokes.

edited 25th Feb '11 7:16:18 PM by breadloaf

I love race jokes, but I have some white friends who cringe at that sort of thing.

Which encourages me to just do it more, I don't give a fuck if people are sensitive about that sort of thing.

Back in 02 the Gay ▼ Olympics were on and my bisexual friend want to me to go. I declared it wasn't my thing  ^♂

Well she got *pissed* and word got around that I was a homophobe  ^♀

^{which is in my liberal elite social circle, was worst than being a pet molester}

. I made it up to her by giving her a big bag of lesbian erotica.

BONUS ROUND: I'm a white male, my father is jewish, my mother is a woman, my best friend is bi, and my grandma is a cunt.

edited 26th Feb '11 3:19:21 PM by joeyjojo

hashtagsarestupid

Just be glad you don't live in Germany. Because then you'd have to deal with GERMAN guilt.

And that's 10 times worse then White Guilt.

My other signature is a Gundam.

"I made it up to her by giving her a big bag of lesbian erotica."

You deserve a prize for this. Like a badge or something.

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

I can imagine that being a soldier in Germany would suck dick. The Government would hamstring you at every turn, and while I hate overmotivation in the US Military, I think the second you started being super motivated and had a "fuck yeah" attitude, they'd kick you out for being too enthusiastic about your job.

^

Now that's a gift that I think everyone can appreciate.

And if you don't, you're dead to me.

edited 25th Feb '11 7:57:34 PM by Barkey

Yes well I kind of guessed an ulterior motive when she went to the women's tennis

edited 25th Feb '11 8:19:07 PM by joeyjojo

hashtagsarestupid

Oh, hey, I'm dead to Barkey

I haven't really heard anyone use this in real life. Occasionally I've heard people bring up "I have gay friends" in, say catholic youth group discussions, but that doesn't seem to be saying 'look at me I'm so unprejudiced'. Never heard anyone say "I have black/hispanic/asian friends" before.

Be not afraid...

I've certainly heard of this happening, but I haven't really seen this first hand. A lot of my friends are upper middle class liberal white males, and we all love making jokes about Jews, black people, Indians, women, gay people, you name it.

Yeah when you start mentally listing your friends by race/sex/whatever I question just how 'progressive' you're being.

edited 25th Feb '11 8:18:31 PM by joeyjojo

hashtagsarestupid

Well, I would hope so!

I'm in the military, so I'm surrounded by people of all kinds of ethnicities. I generally don't see a point in keeping track of it that way. But for the record ... my department head is Asian, and I have three black women who work for me  ^*

. I did get chased home from elementary school for being friends with a black kid, or maybe because I wasn't Mormon, and my best friend from junior high is now an openly gay Asian entrepeneur  ^*

^{whose mom wants to trade kids with my mom, since I have a family and a military career, while he's openly gay with a Masters degree from MIT}

.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw

Oh who cares about homosexuality if you're got a freakin' master's from MIT?

I'm not entirely sure what the OP means, but I can safely say I don't particularly relish being white.

I spread my wings and I learn how to fly....

You know what they say. There is only one colour in the marines green.

edited 25th Feb '11 9:08:38 PM by joeyjojo

hashtagsarestupid

Rains bleach in Oregon I know maybe two black guys, and one of them's an exchange student from Zambia or something. Most of the foreign ethnicities I deal with are some flavor of Asian or Arabic, also mostly all transfers (or professors). My classmate in E&M (singular — we were the only two people taking the class!) was from...Vietnam I think.

Haven't really had any race cards pulled on me. We're all usually too wrapped up in whatever SCIENCE we're doing to give a rat's ass as long as we can understand each other.

The military pretty much makes it not matter as well, like Blue said.

Spain: What's wrong with being white? I don't see why anyone cares enough about race to wish they were something else in that department.

Mexican jokes are pretty common here because.. Well, Mexico is in the process of taking California back. :P

But I often hear a hispanic joke and somebody going "Heh, it's ok, all my friends growing up were hispanic." It's like they have to somehow justify that they aren't racist in order to find a racial joke funny. I think being comfortable with cross-racial humor is a building block to ending racism for good.

edited 25th Feb '11 9:20:57 PM by Barkey

The moment I'm going to be anything approaching apologetic for being born into a race is the moment hell freezes over.

edited 25th Feb '11 9:21:59 PM by kashchei

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

[sighs] White people just don't understand.

There's no justice in the world and there never was~

^

Then explain the error of our foolish ways.

@Barkey I have no reason that the average white person knows what it feels like to be in the minority, that's all.

There's no justice in the world and there never was~