# Poll: Your reaction to "If Black People Said the Stuff White People Say" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 21, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305 "2014-06-21T17:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/1 "2014-06-21T17:28:50Z")
If you’ve got two minutes to spare, here’s [If Black People Said the Stuff White People Say"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1zLzWtULig). Then answer the poll, if you don’t mind. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/2 "2014-06-21T17:31:51Z")
Substitute “smiled” for “laughed” if you didn’t actually LOL. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/3 "2014-06-21T17:40:22Z")
Most of them I was thinking “I’ve never heard anyone say something like that” so had a ‘raised eyebrow’ sort of reaction. The ones that did remind me of things I’ve heard made me cringe in the same way that hearing a white person say them to a black person does. So I went with the I’m white and thought it stupid option. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/4 "2014-06-21T17:51:12Z")
I didn’t crack a smile - just kinda “meh” - but it did remind me of bootcamp in 1973. The Navy was doing a lot of training after the USS Kitty Hawk race riots in Oct '72. I understand why they were doing it, but it was poorly executed, at least in Orlando that summer. Anyway, during a discussion period, one of the ditzier girls said “I’m not prejudiced! I dated a black guy once!” I imagine an outside observer would have seen the entire group cringe at that remark. Not relevant to the video, but it’s what came to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/5 "2014-06-21T18:08:06Z")
It wasn’t racist or funny. I’ve never heard anyone say the majority of those things, so I got the intent of the video but didn’t connect to it the way I would have if the examples had been more familiar. I voted “not white, and neutral.” ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/6 "2014-06-21T18:08:21Z")
I’m white and I laughed because I’ve heard variations on a lot of these. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/7 "2014-06-21T18:08:44Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Most of them I was thinking “I’ve never heard anyone say something like that” . . . The only place where I ever hear someone say something like that is in comedy routines. In the real world I never hear it. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/8 "2014-06-21T18:19:55Z")
Why do white people keep saying “I’ve never heard these things.” Why would people say these things to you? ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/9 "2014-06-21T18:22:42Z")
At this moment in time, with 16 voters, the pattern goes 5,4, 3, 2, 1, 0,0,1 I voted for Stupid. Do I recognize that sometimes white people say stupid things? Oh, yes, but most of the stuff in that video isn’t appropriate in the contexts in which I hang out. I’ve opted to not say anything about hair except “looks cute” to one particular (African-american) co-worker, lest the next comment be stupid. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/10 "2014-06-21T18:22:53Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Substitute “smiled” for “laughed” if you didn’t actually LOL. How about cringe? I mean, it’s kind of like the character Michael Scott in _The Office_ when he says racist things. He doesn’t make me laugh so much as cringe, because he’s such an embarrassment to himself. If he were more like a real person (the kind who exhibit much more subtle kinds of racism), then I’d laugh at it as well done satire. But because it’s so over-the-top (like the video in your OP), it doesn’t make me laugh _or_ smile–it’s more farce than satire. It lacks the kind of finesse of _true_ satire that would deserve a smile. I don’t tolerate simplistic, poorly done attempts at satire. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/11 "2014-06-21T18:28:36Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Why do white people keep saying “I’ve never heard these things.” Why would people say these things to you? Because we can hear other people talking to each other, too. Our ears work pretty well, you know. But I get your point. Obviously if you’re black you have the opportunity to hear this kind of comment all day long. ---
**Author:** ![SmallBrownBurro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SmallBrownBurro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmallBrownBurro)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/12 "2014-06-21T18:38:03Z")
Well, I thought it was sort of funny, but I would be shocked if I heard someone saying ‘black’ versions of some of the things. I mean, I’m sure that people say stupid things - I just hope it doesn’t happen very often. I might be delusional. And just put my mind at ease - when I told my (black) coworker that I thought her new (natural) hair looked fantastic, and very sophisticated, that’s not the same as suggesting she looks like a golden retriever, right? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/13 "2014-06-21T18:44:03Z")
I’m white and I could certainly see some truth in that video. Exaggerated for satirical effect in my opinion but I have to acknowledge I might be missing a lot of white cluelessness. Here’s something I think black people miss about white people: we don’t think about race all that much. It’s not really an issue for us the way it is for black people. I think (and again I’m a white person thinking this) that black people are constantly being reminded of their race in ways that white people are not. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/14 "2014-06-21T18:53:15Z")
I’m white. I think it’s funny. Not sure how many of the opposites I’ve heard in real life but I don’t have too many black friends who would have been the target. I like those “Shit xxxx Say” videos too. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/15 "2014-06-21T18:55:38Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m white and I could certainly see some truth in that video. Exaggerated for satirical effect in my opinion but I have to acknowledge I might be missing a lot of white cluelessness. > > Here’s something I think black people miss about white people: we don’t think about race all that much. It’s not really an issue for us the way it is for black people. I think (and again I’m a white person thinking this) that black people are constantly being reminded of their race in ways that white people are not. I would agree with this. Like, a white person may think they are just making idle chitchat when they talk about a black person’s hair, not realizing that it’s a touchy subject sometimes. Or they may think they are paying you a sincere compliment when they say you are articulate, not realizing that “you speak so well” has a hidden meaning sometimes. Also, it’s not like in isolation any of those comments are that annoying. But when it’s something you hear frequently, it can work a nerve. The tanning thing kind of sticks out for me. I’m just a shade lighter than a paper bag. Why is it so freakin’ hard to believe that I can get a tan? Yet every summer I have to educate some incredulous white person about this. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/16 "2014-06-21T18:56:53Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Because we can hear other people talking to each other, too. Our ears work pretty well, you know. > > But I get your point. Obviously if you’re black you have the opportunity to hear this kind of comment all day long. You really think you’d be privy to these types of conversations? Okay. My friends and I often laugh at the ridiculousness people say to us, and I hardly ever hear what they hear, and they hardly ever hear what I hear. People don’t come up to me and say the things they would to, say, a Middle Easterner (who is possibly Muslim, everybody be scared!!!) living in WASPlandia. Sure, our ears all work fine, but there’s nothing to hear. These aren’t typically the kinds of remarks made 'round the water cooler at work. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/17 "2014-06-21T19:05:12Z")
Have heard OF the hair thing. Not really a race thing I think - some people will rub a bald guy’s head. And the rest of us are aghast at either behavior. If you think white people have names easy to spell and pronounces, then you know nothing. I’m looking at you, Mykynzee. Is the Romney one supposed to be about congratulating someone for Obama’s victory? Some of these were hard to interpret because they also change the words. I was expecting a variation of trying to describe someone by clothes, features, etc. without mentioning race in the belief that that would be wrong somehow. I am most offended by the existence of Buzzfeed, but amazed that this is not as shitty as their regular website (the bar is low). ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/18 "2014-06-21T19:06:10Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > You really think you’d be privy to these types of conversations? Okay. My friends and I often laugh at the ridiculousness people say to us, and I hardly ever hear what they hear, and they hardly ever hear what I hear. People don’t come up to me and say the things they would to, say, a Middle Easterner (who is possibly Muslim, everybody be scared!!!) living in WASPlandia. Sure, our ears all work fine, but there’s nothing to hear. These aren’t typically the kinds of remarks made 'round the water cooler at work. I also agree with this. Usually when I’ve had to deal with “clueless white people” questions, we’re in one of those “must make conversation or we’ll die from the awkwardness” type situations. Like if I’m going some place with a coworker and we’ve kind of run out of work-related things to talk about. A couple of times it’s happened when I’m talking to another black person, and a white person wants to be included in the conversation. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/19 "2014-06-21T19:33:26Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Here’s something I think black people miss about white people: we don’t think about race all that much. It’s not really an issue for us the way it is for black people. I think (and again I’m a white person thinking this) that black people are constantly being reminded of their race in ways that white people are not. Black people are being reminded of their own race. But a white person around a black person is likely to be ALSO thinking about the black person’s race. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305/20 "2014-06-21T19:41:45Z")
You need an option in the poll for “I’m white, and I want my two minutes back.” Regards, Shodan [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-your-reaction-to-if-black-people-said-the-stuff-white-people-say/691305.md?page=2)