White Judge Draws Fire for Costume

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Well, primarily, tall people were never persecuted because of their height like blacks were because of skin color, so that's a sensitive area.

 

2 things,

 

Persecution of blacks does not occur today. Sure, there are prejudices. But not one black person today has experienced slavery. And the youngest generation arguably has not experienced racism of any kind.

 

Also, Christians historically have faced persecution easily on the same level. Yet they are one of the few groups you can insult with no fear of repercussion. I do it... the fundies and the child-molestors make easy targets. Same goes for the Irish, who were considered less valuable than slaves. But how many times do you hear the argument of someone being "too white" used legitimately in a discussion.

 

Also, insulting someone because they're black implies that the black race is inferior...

What if you are implying that tall people are inferior?

 

 

This all comes down to being insulted, with the exception of religion, for things outside of one's control. And, in my opinion, it's just as bad but not any worse to call someone inferior for their race as it is to do the same for their gender, physical ability, or number of toes.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

"Only a white person would say that race doesn't matter." - My grade 12 history teacher, who is Seikh.

 

I'm sure that more then a few black people would argue against your slavery comment, Spicy. While slavery in the traiditional sense is dead, that's not to say that black people still don't feel a sense of enslavement in todays world.

[Downhome 0]

Fuck the NAACP, "black leaders", and all of that other bullshit. I might give a piss when I hear something about them, if they gave a piss about their "causes" themselves...

 

The judge agreed to meet with black activists, elected officials and clergy this week to discuss the costume, which he wore to a restaurant in Houma, about 60 miles southwest of New Orleans, Boykin said.

 

The black leaders will decide after the meeting whether to file a complaint with Louisiana's Judiciary Commission, which can censure and dismiss judges who violate the state's judicial code of conduct.

 

...in other words, if the judge gives them the amount of money that they want, and do just what they say, they'll forgive and forget and that'll be the end of it. Just fuck them all, I can't stand this anymore.

 

They don't give a shit about their "people", they just want as much personal gain as possible, period. I can't wait untill the folk like Jesse Jackson (he's basicly a home town boy from here where I live, I don't like to claim him however) get put in jail and exposed for their extortion and whatnot, I'll be a happy man.

 

Sure, the judge was careless in what he did, I'll admit that. It isn't anything to go off the deep end over though. This isn't something that someone should be fired over, plain and simple. For one he more than likely DIDN'T think anything of it, I don't see why he should either. Another, The good that the man does in his posistion as judge more than likely out weighs the "wrong" done here. You can't just look at this and decide what to do, you have to take a lot into effect. Does he have a history of being a blatant racist? Does he use racial slurs in a demeaning way in his everyday life?

 

I'm sure they'll talk all of that over at the "meeting", and by "talk over" I mean to threaten him and his livelihood until he gives in and gives them the property, funds, or patronage that they will without a doubt...demand.

 

That's the reason they jump on bullshit like this all of the time, and that's the ONLY reason.

 

Sure there are those who want to truly do good, but they are far and in-between.

[Guest Ghettoman]

What's wrong with dressing up like a criminal?

[Guest El Satanico]

Nothing is wrong with dressing up as a convict.

 

Dressing as a convict isn't the problem. If he went without the black face, no one would've said a word. The judge is a dumbass for using the black face.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

This isn't something that someone should be fired over, plain and simple. For one he more than likely DIDN'T think anything of it, I don't see why he should either. Another, The good that the man does in his posistion as judge more than likely out weighs the "wrong" done here. You can't just look at this and decide what to do, you have to take a lot into effect. Does he have a history of being a blatant racist? Does he use racial slurs in a demeaning way in his everyday life?

 

"Does he use racial slurs in a demeaning way in his everyday life?" I'm glad you're not in charge of the law or assessing punishment for this incident because that's pretty silly. It doesn't matter if someone has a history of being a "blatant" racist. He's a frickin' public figure who gets to decide if people are innocent or guilty in a court of law, and he's out there in blackface and PRISON GARB. If his costume is a prisoner, then he doesn't need the blackface. When you put on blackface you're doing something steeped in a very dark tradition, and when you put on CHAINS and a PRISON JUMPSUIT, you are *certainly* making a pretty clear statement.

 

It doesn't even matter if this judge really is racist. You're all leaping to defend a guy who is a JUDGE and who dressed up in a fashion that I would say, intentions or not, appears undeniably racist. Can such a thing be funny? Yes. Does it mean that he is a racist? You know, maybe not. Is it appropriate for his position? Not at all.

 

The NAACP is more often than not ridiculous and outdated nowadays anyway, but that doesn't change the fact that this guy deserves some heavy reprimand from some direction. He's a public figure; he's a figure of authority and a representative of the United States judicial system. If you're a college kid and you want to do this cause it's funny, fine - you'll probably get your ass beat, or at least get tagged as a racist, but hey, you can accept those consequences. If you're a judge, the implications and consequences go way beyond just you.

[Downhome 0]

It doesn't matter if someone has a history of being a "blatant" racist.

It most certainly does. If you can't prove that he had any racist intent with what he did, then you can't do anything about it, or at least I don't see how you could.

 

He made a foolish decision, he more than likely didn't think it through totally. He should've known beforehand that there would be groups out there just WAITING to jump on his ass because of this, just for their own personal gain. If he's guilty of anything, it's not thinking this through.

 

If he honestly meant it as nothing more than a costume, then so what? If anything, he should simply say that he is sorry and move on, NOT be fired over something as trivial as this. If he DOES have a history of being a racist, and if he DID mean it as a slap in the fae to anyone, then that's another story.

 

I somehow doubt he meant anything by it however.

[Papacita 0]

But how many times do you hear the argument of someone being "too white" used legitimately in a discussion.

 

I can honestly say I've never heard that expression.

 

And there are several differences between insulting someone on the basis of race that to insult someone because of an abnormal physical feature or whatever, one of them being that America is socially, economically and culturally divided primarily along racial and ethnic lines. Other than being tall, there's no common thread that ties tall people together. There's no common culture, there's no common ideology, so any insult directed against tall people wouldn't have the same impact as one directed at blacks, latinos or even whites. And part of the reason that blacks take racially based insults so personally is because one, unlike with Christians and Irish-Americans, our persecution still negatively affects our society today. Whereas Christians have gone from persecution to being one of the world's dominant religions (arguably the dominant religion in the US), despite our improvements, African Americans' place in the social hierarchy really hasn't challenged all that much since slavery. Collectively, we have no real economic or political power in the country, and as a result, numerous issues affecting African American communities fail to be addressed, stereotypes that stem from slavery still exist, and other than Black History Month, our history and contributions to society (other than music maybe) are largely ignored to the point where most black children really don't know a thing about their own culture. And I'm not mentioning these things to try and place blame or anything, because there's not one cause for anything, but all of these things coupled with the history of persecution do weigh heavily on people's minds, which is why people who make the attempt to better themselves and their standing in society tend to take racism or the suggestion of black inferiority so personally.

[Papacita 0]

If anything, he should simply say that he is sorry and move on, NOT be fired over something as trivial as this.

 

It'd be hard to justify making him step down over one incident (though his weird sentencing would be sufficient enough reason if you ask me), but there's no way he should just be made to say sorry and move on, because if he truly is racist, then you've got a real problem on your hands. He should be placed under investigation, however, because whether he meant to offend or not, he's presenting a bias as to what type of person he believes is criminal.

[Guest Ghettoman]

Would a green face of been more appropriate?

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

It doesn't matter if someone has a history of being a "blatant" racist.

It most certainly does. If you can't prove that he had any racist intent with what he did, then you can't do anything about it, or at least I don't see how you could.

It's not about proving his intent. Look at my post again - regardless of his intent, even if he is just guilty of "not thinking it through" as you suggest, he should be punished, big time. He decides whether or not people will go to prison for sizable chunks of their lives and how they will be punished for their crimes. The job is one where you simply can't fully divorce personal life from public responsibility.

 

Have him apologize, take his punishment, and move on, or get him out of there.

 

Would a green face of been more appropriate?

 

It would have been a retarded costume in an entirely different way, but yeah.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Collectively, we have no real economic or political power in the country, and as a result, numerous issues affecting African American communities fail to be addressed, stereotypes that stem from slavery still exist, and other than Black History Month, our history and contributions to society (other than music maybe) are largely ignored to the point where most black children really don't know a thing about their own culture.

Just my opinion, but as long as you look to obtain economic/political power collectively, you won't get it. It has to be done based on individual merit. This is why I never understood the seeming affinity b/t blacks and the Democrats. The Dems claim to be the party of the blacks but they have no serious black political figures. I just see people as individuals not as a group.

 

And I'm not mentioning these things to try and place blame or anything, because there's not one cause for anything...

No, I'd rather be able to have a frank, open discussion like this. No worries.

[Guest Ghettoman]

Why would it of been better?

 

Call me crazy but I think the best way to look at racism, is like this: *closes eyes*

 

If blacks weren't classified as criminals in someone's thinking this issue wouldn't exist. So just don't think that way. You can only take care of one's persons thinking and if you do you got nothin' to worry about.

[Guest El Satanico]

But you really can't close your eyes and say "racism doesn't exist".

 

Racism will always exist and it would just be foolish to deny it's existance.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Why would it of been better?

 

Call me crazy but I think the best way to look at racism, is like this: *closes eyes*

No one on this planet has green skin unless they've been involved in a wacky and hilarious spray-paint accident. More importantly, blackface has a lifeline stretching back to minstrelsy, which is about as racist a practice as you can get. It was still prominent even at the beginning of the 20th century and you really can't put on blackface without invoking that legacy one way or another.

 

Your idea is nice, but it ignores a pretty major history.

[Guest Ghettoman]

Actually it wouldn't be foolish at all to act like it doesn't exist, because acting like there's no barrier between different races would eliminate every type of thinking that leads to racism.

 

If racism doesn't exist in your mind, it doesn't exist. The more people with that thinking the better off we are.

[Guest MikeSC]

"Only a white person would say that race doesn't matter." - My grade 12 history teacher, who is Seikh.

 

I'm sure that more then a few black people would argue against your slavery comment, Spicy. While slavery in the traiditional sense is dead, that's not to say that black people still don't feel a sense of enslavement in todays world.

Then, at this point, it is nothing less than "woe is me" self-pity.

 

The civil rights groups have now made me not feel even the SLIGHTEST remorse for slavery. My family was too poor to own slaves, so we did nothing to cause the problem and I, personally, don't owe a single black person in this country --- or anywhere else --- one damned thing.

 

I just find it funny that there is SO LITTLE CONDEMNATION of the Africans who SOLD them in the first place.

-=Mike

..."In Africa, I would have been a king."

"Maybe so, but apparently, your family was kinda beaten by somebody because, obviously, you aren't there now"

[Guest MikeSC]

I can honestly say I've never heard that expression.

 

And there are several differences between insulting someone on the basis of race that to insult someone because of an abnormal physical feature or whatever, one of them being that America is socially, economically and culturally divided primarily along racial and ethnic lines.

 

That is, hands down, the singest biggest crock of shit I've read in months. Economically? If you take them out as a group alone, black Americans would be in the top 10 of world economies (read that in a magazine a few years back). Socially? Blacks CHOOSE to segregate themselves on college campuses.

 

Other than being tall, there's no common thread that ties tall people together.  There's no common culture, there's no common ideology, so any insult directed against tall people wouldn't have the same impact as one directed at blacks, latinos or even whites.

 

Jamaicans, Haitians, and Africans have a common heritage?Hmm, if no other groups have a common heritage or culture, how in the heck do they manage to make the SAT'S (and, well, EVERY standardized test ever produced) "culturally biased" for whites and asians and against blacks and Hispanics?

 

I'll give you a little hint --- you have INFINITELY more in common with me than you do with an actual African.

 

And part of the reason that blacks take racially based insults so personally is because one, unlike with Christians and Irish-Americans, our persecution still negatively affects our society today.

 

No.

 

Today, blacks are coddled by the realization that the BIGGEST fear most whites have is being called a "racist", so they get away with saying asinine things and believing asinine things because others are too afraid to confront them ane be painted with the brush.

 

Of course, eventually, that fear will go away and progress will be made then.

 

Whereas Christians have gone from persecution to being one of the world's dominant religions (arguably the dominant religion in the US), despite our improvements, African Americans' place in the social hierarchy really hasn't challenged all that much since slavery.

 

And, WHOSE fault is that?

 

The Japanese were put in concentration camps in the 40's and thrive.

Koreans were OPPONENTS of ours in a war and came to this country speaking virtually no English. They thrive.

Ditto Vietnamese.

Ditto Chinese.

 

Why can't BLACKS do the same?

 

Because the "black culture" is screwed up beyond words. When you have, what, 80% of all black children being born out of wedlock, your "group" is GOING to be screwed up, no matter what ANYBODY does.

 

Black Americans biggest problem is BLACK AMERICANS. When black parents force their kids to do homework and study, education numbers will improve markedly. When black women STOP having illegitimate children at near-epidemic levels, there will be LESS black crime.

 

Whites are NOT the cause of the misery of black Americans and until black Americans RECOGNIZE and ACCEPT this fact, they will always be "low on the totem pole".

 

Collectively, we have no real economic or political power in the country, and as a result, numerous issues affecting African American communities fail to be addressed

 

Such as? Can you even name one?

 

stereotypes that stem from slavery still exist

 

Such as?

 

, and other than Black History Month, our history and contributions to society (other than music maybe) are largely ignored to the point where most black children really don't know a thing about their own culture.

 

No offense, but when you're slaves for a nice chunk of early American history, your cultural achievements will be more than mildly lacking in America. Africa has long had strife amongst the various groups --- whites did not cause that to happen.

 

The answer, also, is not to buy into the unmitigated BS churned out of most university "African-American Studies" programs.

 

And I'm not mentioning these things to try and place blame or anything, because there's not one cause for anything, but all of these things coupled with the history of persecution do weigh heavily on people's minds, which is  why people who make the attempt to better themselves and their standing in society tend to take racism or the suggestion of black inferiority so personally.

 

The problem for black America lies solely in the hands of black America and can only be solved by black America.

 

When black America decides that illegitimacy is intolerable, things will improve. When blacks stop embracing a thug lifestyle --- as MANY young blacks do --- things will improve. When blacks stop viewing education as "selling out" --- as many young blacks do --- things will improve.

 

Until then, there is nothing whites can do. And there is nothing we should do.

 

Whites owe black America nothing.

-=Mike

[Downhome 0]

Holy lord.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

stereotypes that stem from slavery still exist

 

Such as?

Blacks performing better in the sun due to all those years out in the fields picking cotton...

[Styles 0]

reads Mike's post....picks up 10 foot pole...sees hornet's nest...drops pole and runs

[Guest MikeSC]

reads Mike's post....picks up 10 foot pole...sees hornet's nest...drops pole and runs

As long as NOBODY will question blacks on things without worrying about being called a "racist", the "racial problem" in this country will never end.

-=Mike

[EricMM 0]

I agree witha lot of what Mike said.

 

Black America is in need of some real leaders. Not the money-grubbing farces they have now, but real leaders. People who won't go try to change white people, but change black people.

 

And anyone who says that white people don't get discriminated against doesn't acknowledge antisemitism.

[Ravenbomb 0]

maybe he was dressing as a specific guy he sentenced that he remembered. Like "Hey, remember that one guy? I think I'll dress as him". If the guy he was dressing as happened to be black, is it still racist?

[EricMM 0]

White people are not allowed to put on black face and pretend to be black, PERIOD.

 

Despite Eddie Murphey and Dave Chapelle doing the opposite.

[Guest Brian]

Mike, I'm just wondering: Do you think most black Americans choose the lifestyle they live?

[Ravenbomb 0]

White people are not allowed to put on black face and pretend to be black, PERIOD.

Bah, you just have no appreciation for detail in costumes

[Papacita 0]

Economically? If you take them out as a group alone, black Americans would be in the top 10 of world economies (read that in a magazine a few years back).

Well, we're not operating on a world economy, so how is that comment even relevant?

 

Jamaicans, Haitians, and Africans have a common heritage?Hmm, if no other groups have a common heritage or culture, how in the heck do they manage to make the SAT'S (and, well, EVERY standardized test ever produced) "culturally biased" for whites and asians and against blacks and Hispanics?

I'm sure you have a point here, but I'm missing it. No one mentioned a thing about SATs, no one mentioned a thing about Africans, Haitians or what have you. My point was that racial and ethnic divides are based more on common culture and ideology than physical appearance. The fact that you actually chose to group Africans, Jamaicans and Haitians along those lines actually supports my point.

 

The Japanese were put in concentration camps in the 40's and thrive.

Koreans were OPPONENTS of ours in a war and came to this country speaking virtually no English. They thrive.

Ditto Vietnamese.

Ditto Chinese.

 

Why can't BLACKS do the same?

 

Now I said that I'm now out to place blame, because as I said before, there's no single, definite reason for black America's problems today. But since you seem to adament that I identify a cause, you can't deny that slavery is indeed a major cause from African American's disproportionate development in U.S. society.

 

You pointed out that we as African Americans really have nothing in common with native Africans, and, all generalizations aside, this is true. See, unlike Japanese Americans, who were victims of persecution, African Americans are actually a PRODUCT of persecution. Whereas the Japanese American ideology has its foundation in Japanese tradition, the African American ideology more or less stems from the American slave mentality (that blacks are subhuman, inferior to whites, the "Willie Lynch syndrome", which, without getting into the whole story, basically describes the practice by white slave owners of dividing and conquering on the basis of skin pigmentation; lighter-skinned blacks were given preferential treatment in relation to darker-skinned blacks, causing tensions between the two groups that, believe it or not, still do exist today). And it's not like the Japanese, who were persecuted for maybe 4 or 5 years and then released. With African Americans, the slave mentality was actually passed on from generation to generation, and when you consider that most people inherit their parents' value system, it's a lot harder for blacks to bounce back from their hardship than it is for Asian American immigrants. And all of this is without taking into consideration the racial oppression blacks had to endure after emancipation.

Black Americans biggest problem is BLACK AMERICANS. When black parents force their kids to do homework and study, education numbers will improve markedly. When black women STOP having illegitimate children at near-epidemic levels, there will be LESS black crime.

Illegitimacy is at near-epidemic levels??? Black parents don't force their children do homework?? What are you basing this bullshit on???

 

Such as? Can you even name one [issue affecting African Americans that isn't addressed]

 

Well, there's the disproportionate allocation of resources for services crucial to to inner city residents, there's also the lack of funding provided to inner city public schools, to a lesser extent, practices of institutional racism in society (for example, why are there stricter penalties for crack-cocaine, primarily found in poor inner city communities, and powered cocaine, more widely used by whites), just to name a few.

 

As for stereotypes that stem from slavery, the general assumption that blacks are unintelligent, that they're criminal, to a lesser extent, that they're sex-crazed, promicuous, lazy, etc.

 

No offense, but when you're slaves for a nice chunk of early American history, your cultural achievements will be more than mildly lacking in America.

But that's not the case. Blacks have contributed a great deal to American society, most of which are largely overlooked, even predominantly African American schools. Throwing up a couple of commercials once a year about how a black man invented the light bulb is hardly sufficient justification for this.

 

Africa has long had strife amongst the various groups --- whites did not cause that to happen.

We're veering off topic here, but you've gotta be crazy to say that Colonialism didn't cause and/or aggravate the majority social conflict in Africa.

 

The problem for black America lies solely in the hands of black America and can only be solved by black America.

Where in my post did I say that blacks should receive handouts from whites?

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Mike, I'm just wondering: Do you think most black Americans choose the lifestyle they live?

What do you think, Brian?

[Ravenbomb 0]

wait, wait, wait...Papacita's black?