You Ever Forget Race Exists?

[Gregolian]

You don't have to pretend that race does not exist, that serves no purpose at all. The goal should be to lack prejudice, not to lack general awareness.

Not trying to be a dick but you're white aren't you?

I only say this as I was basically 1 of like 3 Chinese/Japanese/Korean mix blood Asians at the high school I went to and it was always hilarious to me and the other 2 that the white people in our school were the only ones ever concerned with "what are you?"

The Mexicans, Natives, Islanders and the like 4 black folks? They didn't give a damn.

My job as a bouncer is the same way. There are like 10 of us on staff. There's me, 2 black dudes, 1 guy that has a half Afro half Euro mother, 1 East Indian, another Japanese guy that grew up in Wyoming, and like 3-4 white guys... Of the patrons we have... predominantly of the athletic and explosive variety (to use a Goldberg term) it's always the fucking white people asking me and Parm (the Indian dude) "what are you?"

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

It's not about not thinking race exists or deluding yourself into believing that one is "color blind" or " don't see race."

I think it's more important to NOT be a dick to someone simply because they are different, be it race, national origin etc.

I think the favorite part of my job when dealing with new clients are the ones from different countries/cultures.

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

Not trying to be a dick but you're white aren't you?

I only say this as I was basically 1 of like 3 Chinese/Japanese/Korean mix blood Asians at the high school I went to and it was always hilarious to me and the other 2 that the white people in our school were the only ones ever concerned with "what are you?"

The Mexicans, Natives, Islanders and the like 4 black folks? They didn't give a damn.

My job as a bouncer is the same way. There are like 10 of us on staff. There's me, 2 black dudes, 1 guy that has a half Afro half Euro mother, 1 East Indian, another Japanese guy that grew up in Wyoming, and like 3-4 white guys... Of the patrons we have... predominantly of the athletic and explosive variety (to use a Goldberg term) it's always the fucking white people asking me and Parm (the Indian dude) "what are you?"

hahahahaha

"what are you?" that's probably the most common question I get.

 

[Greoric]

Not trying to be a dick but you're white aren't you?

I only say this as I was basically 1 of like 3 Chinese/Japanese/Korean mix blood Asians at the high school I went to and it was always hilarious to me and the other 2 that the white people in our school were the only ones ever concerned with "what are you?"

The Mexicans, Natives, Islanders and the like 4 black folks? They didn't give a damn.

My job as a bouncer is the same way. There are like 10 of us on staff. There's me, 2 black dudes, 1 guy that has a half Afro half Euro mother, 1 East Indian, another Japanese guy that grew up in Wyoming, and like 3-4 white guys... Of the patrons we have... predominantly of the athletic and explosive variety (to use a Goldberg term) it's always the fucking white people asking me and Parm (the Indian dude) "what are you?"

I hope you're not confusing curiosity with in-group preference?

 

[nac386]

Not trying to be a dick but you're white aren't you?

I only say this as I was basically 1 of like 3 Chinese/Japanese/Korean mix blood Asians at the high school I went to and it was always hilarious to me and the other 2 that the white people in our school were the only ones ever concerned with "what are you?"

The Mexicans, Natives, Islanders and the like 4 black folks? They didn't give a damn.

My job as a bouncer is the same way. There are like 10 of us on staff. There's me, 2 black dudes, 1 guy that has a half Afro half Euro mother, 1 East Indian, another Japanese guy that grew up in Wyoming, and like 3-4 white guys... Of the patrons we have... predominantly of the athletic and explosive variety (to use a Goldberg term) it's always the fucking white people asking me and Parm (the Indian dude) "what are you?"

Yeah I'm pretty familiar with that line of questioning, although it's never directed at me. I've had a few very racially ambiguous girlfriends, being from various racially diverse Islands. "What are you?" is a common theme, and white people are usually not entirely comfortable moving on until they can categorize them in some way.

But I'm not sure why you directed this post at me. Was it in response to something I said, or was it just a random thought?

 

[Gregolian]

hahahahaha

"what are you?" that's probably the most common question I get.

Being 6'4" and overweight everyone guesses I'm either a Native or an Islander. When I say I'm Japanese they do that James Franco from his North Korea movie "I don't believe you" face.

I hope you're not confusing curiosity with in-group preference?

I'm not and here's why. That work group from my bar job... We hang out a fair bit OUTSIDE of work going shooting, BBQs and shit like that and we ethnically speaking at least are made up in a way that looks like someone threw darts at a dart board in order to hire people at least on an ethnic basis.

Yeah I'm pretty familiar with that line of questioning, although it's never directed at me. I've had a few very racially ambiguous girlfriends, being from various racially diverse Islands. "What are you?" is a common theme, and white people are usually not entirely comfortable moving on until they can categorize them in some way.

But I'm not sure why you directed this post at me. Was it in response to something I said, or was it just a random thought?

Just a kind of random jumping off point from that bit in the quoted post here:

You don't have to pretend that race does not exist, that serves no purpose at all. The goal should be to lack prejudice, not to lack general awareness.

Reminded me of all the white kids in my "Race and Politics" 400 level polisci class my senior year of college. The minority kids were almost to a T "I don't notice race until I get called a racial slur" and the white kids were the ones that always used the "you have to be aware of other people's ethnicities/race" and shit. That's the only real reason I quoted your post.

 

[Jack Stevonovich]

Not trying to be a dick but you're white aren't you?

I only say this as I was basically 1 of like 3 Chinese/Japanese/Korean mix blood Asians at the high school I went to and it was always hilarious to me and the other 2 that the white people in our school were the only ones ever concerned with "what are you?"

The Mexicans, Natives, Islanders and the like 4 black folks? They didn't give a damn.

My job as a bouncer is the same way. There are like 10 of us on staff. There's me, 2 black dudes, 1 guy that has a half Afro half Euro mother, 1 East Indian, another Japanese guy that grew up in Wyoming, and like 3-4 white guys... Of the patrons we have... predominantly of the athletic and explosive variety (to use a Goldberg term) it's always the fucking white people asking me and Parm (the Indian dude) "what are you?"

My experience is typically the same unless someone gets curious which to me indicates that white people just tend to feel more liberated in their ability to express curiosity publicly.

 

[all caps]

The only people that ever know my race right off the bat are black people. I've been mistaken for every race I can think of.

 

[Greoric]

I'm not and here's why. That work group from my bar job... We hang out a fair bit OUTSIDE of work going shooting, BBQs and shit like that and we ethnically speaking at least are made up in a way that looks like someone threw darts at a dart board in order to hire people at least on an ethnic basis.

I gotcha, I was writing with regard to your interpretation of the white guys asking, "what are you?"

 

[Gregolian]

My experience is typically the same unless someone gets curious which to me indicates that white people just tend to feel more liberated in their ability to express curiosity publicly.

I think of the people that have asked me it's been other what used to be called "Oriental" Asians (aka Chinese, Japanese, or Korean Americans) and people from the Islands if they weren't white.

Part of it is definitely a size thing with the guys from the Islands given in the PNW there aren't many of them up here.

 

[Lord Commander Palis]

This is true but at the same time there are a lot of black folk that don't play the being loud and looking hard game but they still encounter the stares because they are not from that neighborhood. The POC that become the most well adjusted to it sort of come to anticipate that everyone will on some level be racist and sort of direct the racism at themselves playfully. Funny black people tend to be the best at this I have seen.

If I go to a black or brown neighborhood I get stares and looks too. Am I going to assume all of them staring are racist? Hell no.

Yeah so to your last point, for instance, meeting friends for happy hour, there is always that one that will start it off with a reference to race. "Sorry I'm late y'all, you know, black people time and shit!"... people laugh at this (to be nice) over played and over used joke but I cringe. I don't give a fuck about "black people time" nor do i care that you're late, shit happens... think of something else for once... and no it isn't just this person i know who does this, other races including whites do this shit too and it's low IQ insecure conversation filler shit.

 

[Gregolian]

I gotcha, I was writing with regard to your interpretation of the white guys asking, "what are you?"

At my bar job I feel like it's for SOME there way of checking off "I can't say or do this but I CAN say/do this other thing in front of this guy"

It throws those people for a loop when our door guy who is a white bread white dude denies entry to a group of out of state refinery workers who happen to be Mexican. Their first response? "You're a racist" then a bunch of Spanish calling him a puto and shit like that.

When he responds to THEM in Spanish the stunned look is always worth a laugh.

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

Being 6'4" and overweight everyone guesses I'm either a Native or an Islander. When I say I'm Japanese they do that James Franco from his North Korea movie "I don't believe you" face.

.

don't get me wrong...I'm not offended by it...I often find myself doing it as well...

I work with this black guy, with strong Asian features...and I'm able to recognize my own people...

so I was like, "hey, sorry to be so forward...but are you half Korean?"

he ended up being so, and we had a great conversation about Korean tiger moms...long story short, our moms were pretty identical in rearing us.

 

[Gregolian]

don't get me wrong...I'm not offended by it...I often find myself doing it as well...

I work with this black guy, with strong Asian features...and I'm able to recognize my own people...

so I was like, "hey, sorry to be so forward...but are you half Korean?"

he ended up being so, and we had a great conversation about Korean tiger moms...long story short, our moms were pretty identical in rearing us.

Asian mothers in general dude.... The stereotype exists for a reason.

Which is what makes it so lulzy in King of the Hill that Khan and not Min is the one that goes apeshit on Connie not doing homework and shit.

 

[Jack Stevonovich]

If I go to a black or brown neighborhood I get stares and looks too. Am I going to assume all of them staring are racist? Hell no.

Yeah so to your last point, for instance, meeting friends for happy hour, there is always that one that will start it off with a reference to race. "Sorry I'm late y'all, you know, black people time and shit!"... people laugh at this (to be nice) over played and over used joke but I cringe. I don't give a fuck about "black people time" nor do i care that you're late, shit happens... think of something else for once... and no it isn't just this person i know who does this, other races including whites do this shit too and it's low IQ insecure conversation filler shit.

It sounds like you are a tough critic!

Good Humor is definitely a skill.

It can get real annoying when it is just used as pulling the race card under the pretenses of not pulling the race card though.

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

Asian mothers in general dude.... The stereotype exists for a reason.

Which is what makes it so lulzy in King of the Hill that Khan and not Min is the one that goes apeshit on Connie not doing homework and shit.

yup...

the stereotype is about 98% accurate.

not to mention about commenting on your weight...or "how fat you got." lol

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

If I go to a black or brown neighborhood I get stares and looks too. Am I going to assume all of them staring are racist? Hell no.

Yeah so to your last point, for instance, meeting friends for happy hour, there is always that one that will start it off with a reference to race. "Sorry I'm late y'all, you know, black people time and shit!"... people laugh at this (to be nice) over played and over used joke but I cringe. I don't give a fuck about "black people time" nor do i care that you're late, shit happens... think of something else for once... and no it isn't just this person i know who does this, other races including whites do this shit too and it's low IQ insecure conversation filler shit.

See also:

1) Filipino Time
2) Samoan Time.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

I hate the term 'POC'.

From 1988.

 

[Gregolian]

yup...

the stereotype is about 98% accurate.

not to mention about commenting on your weight...or "how fat you got." lol

TRUTH

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

TRUTH

whenever I brought a white girl home to meet my mom, I would always have to prep my GF....

"listen...my mom might say something about your weight...or about how you can be skinnier....she doesn't necessarily think you're fat or anthing...this is a Korean thing. ..."