In GQ there’s a thread about Blacks in the military special forces… and the stereotype about Blacks not being able to swim came up. Hell, some jackass running for public office made a similar statement this week. This stuff doesn’t really bother me as much as it makes me scratch my head.
So we all belong to ethnic, religious, racial, social, and special interest groups. What’s the most ridiculous stereotype you’ve ever heard about people in your group?
For me, here’s a few:
[ul]
[li]Black people have greasy hair. (Yes, Black people put grease/moisturizer in their hair because our hair tends to be DRY AS HELL.[/li][li]Black people are great at sports, specifically basketball. (I suck, and know many Black people who suck. The fastest kids at my middle school were two White kids.)[/li][li]Texans all have twangy accents and grew up on ranches punching dogies and riding horses. (Texas has four of the top ten largest cities in the US - and they are quite urban, and quite diverse. Lots of us came here from other places and have parents from other places, so why would we all sound like dyed-in-the-wool multigenerational ranchers?)[/li][/ul]
Just because I read an average of 7 novels a month it doesn’t make me intelligent or clever. My numerous posts here will testify to that. I just like to read alot is all.
The notion that white people have some special magical path to wealth and success, that we somehow start out in life with an advantage due merely to our being white.
Ummm Yes fat white guys CAN dance. My ex had amazing rythms and moves.
Please. I hope this is a whoosh, because it is absolutely NOT true that being white somehow imbues a person with the ability to springboard to wealth and sucess with no normal adversities of life.
Appalachia? or better yet, just watch a Jerry Springer episode, any episode. Or “Cops” for that matter. Or the recent TLC program about Meth in a small town.
That redheads have bad tempers. Why in the would would anyone say something that stupid…why I ought to… .
Seriously, someone here in Columbus wrote a letter to the editor bemoaning the hockey team because “people only go to the games to see a fight”. Uh, wrong. I know we’re in the South and it isn’t football, but I can appreciate the skill and talent these guys have on skates. It isn’t all about the fighting.
CS, just being born with white skin gives you the advantage of not being discriminated against for not being white. That in and of itself is a huge, huge advantage. If you don’t understand that then go check the statistics—i.e. high school graduation, college admission, and juvenile detention and prison populations. Also look into the stats on inner city public schools and the demographics that go along with it.
Your whiteness doesn’t make you smarter or better, but a lot of people still believe that it does. And whether or not that is accurate, it affects real life situations every minute of every day.
That apparently Bingo night is a big cover for a nefarious plan to take over the world using the Holy Grail (or something). Kid you not, my in-laws have asked me if I could share any of the Catholic secrets with them … I don’t think we have any Catholic secrets, which of course makes me suspect that they think I’m still covering up. I’m considering throwing them a bone and inventing some stuff.
I once had a coworker repeatedly tease me about that old stereotype that Irish-Americans are controlling Hollywood … er, I think you have the wrong ethnic group. But then I felt like the ridiculous one insisting “No, no, it’s Jewish people who are controlling Hollywood!” I let that one alone after a while.
That “only children” are by default spoiled, selfish and overindulged. I know half a dozen only kids (one being my own) and none of them fit that description. I do know several families with the “proper” one boy/one girl combination where the kids are monsters.
But that’s *not *what he was protesting. He was protesting your phrase:
And then you went and changed the parameters to mean “springboard to wealth amd success”. Not fair.
And of course white people, especially white men, certainly do have an advantage in this country. The “default” status just happens to be white.
…
For me, I’d have to say
“All Indian people wear turbans.” NOPE!
“All Indian people have that accent.” Some of us happen to be raised in this country, ya know.
Hmm.
Also, sponging off C&C’s (hee) post)
Just because I read 7 novels a month doesn’t mean I am unhealthily escaping from reality, you dolt.
Supposedly, as a bisexual man, I am actually gay, and it’s only a matter of time before I come out as such.
As a long-haired freaky guy, I’m expected to be a hippy.
The ones related to the gay community are largely pretty fundamentally ridiculous, but relating some of the more fantastic ones here would A) be nothing anyone hasn’t already heard and B) Pit material.
Yeah, but just because you say that just because you read 7 novels a month doesn’t mean you’re unhealthily escaping from reality doen’t mean you’re not.
…or something. I jsut broke my brain on that one.
