X

Jokes Can Be Just As Harmful

Skyla Gochenour,
8th Grade Holland New Tech High School,
Holland, MI.

Every day there are supposed “jokes” batted back and forth between man every day. While many of these jokes are seemingly harmless, they can really hurt people. Especially people like me. Since I have lighter skin it is impossible to tell that I am Mexican, with the only thing to prove it being several of my other family members. I do not speak Spanish, I do not like tacos, and I certainly do not fit the Mexican stereotype at all. Due to my paler skin, people may say a joke or two directed towards Mexicans unknowingly, or in even more serious cases- racial remarks. When I hear this, I always feel upset, they are insulting my mom, my grandma, my grandpa, my cousins and even my best friends. While you would expect them to fall silent in guilt after I tell them that I am Mexican many people do the opposite. A common response would be “Good, I needed someone to mow my lawn.” or, “So you like Tacos?” I have had to deal with this for my entire life and I am sick and tired of it. Even if it may be a “joke”, it is not funny at all. We don’t all eat tacos, we won’t mow your lawns for free, we are not all illegal immigrants. We are all people, we have hobbies, interest, and everything you have. So what makes us so different?

#HollandNewTech

I Am White Can I Say That

Deb,
Australia

“Every Country” treated People poorly/ badly/ hurt people since the year dot. Still is happening. Us Western Countries demand racism to stop. Racism happens to all of us. Me Too, Same but different… Other Countries are treating their own people terribly, starving them, no health care, still happening to this day. I think the picture of racism is small in the scale of the WORLD problems. I care thats all I can give.

You’re Too Pretty To Be Black

Akira Lee,
Virginia Beach, VA

I once had a woman approach me in a restaurant and tell me that I was really pretty. It was my 13th or 14th birthday, and I had dressed really nicely and was proud that someone noticed how beautiful I looked that day. I responded politely to her, and thanked her, upon which she asked me, “What are you?” I replied that I was Black, but she gave me this confused look and said, “But you’re too pretty to be Black. What else are you?” At the time, I didn’t understand that what she said to me was disrespectful and I ended up taking her hurtful words as a compliment. If I knew then what I know now, I would’ve known she said that to me was ignorance and would have simply walked away.

Brother played Cowboy, never the Indian.

bonni-4Bonni Hamilton,
Eliot, ME.

I grew up with two Native American siblings who my parents adopted when we were very small. When he was young, my Lakota brother always wanted to be the cowboy in Cowboys and Indians. He knew from personal experience the Indians always lost. The memory still breaks my heart.

My abuse was invisible because I’m white

Jack,
Saint Paul, MN.

My mom is an expert in manipulation and fake kindness, always sounding kind to hurt and control and shame.
Because of rampant child discrimination across cultures, it was not hard for my mother to convince others that she was right, or to uphold the illusion of a happy “white suburban family”. For holidays, she would buy toys and tell my relatives to buy gifts she knew I hated. She built up lies about my identity, and when I got angry and rejected them all she said I was spoiled and arrogant.
Now I’ve moved out on my own, and am in a transitional living program. Although many people now understand my case better, I have experienced quite a few times the notion that my child abuse wasn’t as bad as black kids (it was mostly black people telling me this when they brought up race), that ‘white kids’ have it easy or treat their parents like shit or it’s the kid’s fault, that they have no problems and their families are too nice. People said I came from white privilege because my middle class over-abundant materialism was a suffocating cage used to control and destroy me. How is this privilege?

You don’t want truth? Too bad.

Sammy Miller,
New Orleans, LA

It’s interesting that people say they want equality. What they really want is to demean. I hear people say that white people are so used to being white that they can’t stand advancement of another race.

We hear all the hurtful mocking of whites.
They can’t dance
They have no taste in music.
They are Karens
They think they are better.
They are trying to “be black”
They are stealing our culture.
They are trying to take over BLM.
On and on.

They say now whites know how it feels.

We have all been mocked, ridiculed, and hurt.
We were taught that kids matter what someone does to you, you don’t take it out on others. This doesn’t seem to apply to whites anymore. Society makes it ok to tell whites they aren’t wanted. That they shouldn’t lift their voices because they don’t know what it is like to be darker skinned. The ignorance of that is staggering.

The hate and vitriol directed at whites because of something someone else did is as irrational as being scared of black men for being black. It’s as useless as believing all black women are baby machines with 7 different dads.
Because you are angry and hurt you want to punish all whites and give them a taste of their own medicine.
While you point fingers at whites for their privilege ask yourself what it would be like to be subjected to the same scrutiny. You say you are invisible. Imagine everything you say and do being dissected, ready to be pounced on as racist or hateful. If a white woman ignores a black man who approaches her in the store then she is a supremacist! not simply disinterested. She is subject to constant scrutiny constant evaluation. You can forget complaining about a completely disruptive employee who happens to not be white because that results in instantly being ostracized.

I hear the seething “well white people deserve it!” But do they?

If dark skinned women yell, act rude, or even brawl in public, it’s accepted as “their culture”. It seems a lot like a “Karen” to think you can do whatever you want and that the rules shouldn’t apply to you.

No one bats an eye at black people promoting the exclusive patronage of black owned businesses. They do it out in the open. Promoting their own brand of supremacy.

Regarding reparations. I’m curious why people are not out demanding reimbursement from families of offenders for lives that have been taken by murder. Is it unfair to hold parent accountable for the actions of their children? If an entire race bears the responsibility for their ancestors or the ancestors of people that look like them, then why can victims of crime not seek reparations from the parents and grandparents of the offender? They are directly responsible for how that person behaves. Parents have a direct influence on how their children develop and interact with society.

Why are women looked down upon for accepting money as reparations for rape when that is exactly what thousands of black people Say they deserve deserve for something that happened to their ancestors.

If a woman Is a greedy B for taking money to make her life easier then what should she accept for a physical and mental violation? An apology? A jail sentence? The fact that it is illegal?

True equality comes from melding of cultures. Are you ready to accept that?

Stop saying I can’t be offended.

Becky Watts,
North Little Rock, AR.

I am an African American, and I am often told by White People when I can and can not be offended. This is extremely hurtful, because I am treated as if I am a 5 year old child who’s hyper imagination created racism. You can not tell me not to feel uncomfortable when I see the Confederate flag in someones lawn. I feel uncomfortable when I have to see a symbol that represents the enslavement and murder of people who look like me. I am offended when I over hear White students saying I was accepted in to their college because I am Black. Instead of telling me when I can be offended, why don’t you just listen.

I was not raised with predudice

Anita Cohen,
Boca Raton, FL.

I did not even know about prejudice until Martin Luther King was killed and I was in my best friend apt baking cookies. Her mother wailed and when I left I was surrounded by people who wanted to hurt me. Her mom took me home. I never hated anyone for trying to hurt me. I was 9. I did not understand what was happening. My parents never infused hate or prejudice in otlr to me. I hate the hate that we all live with.

Join the Newsletter

Subscription to our newsletter open soon.

Indulge in timeless elegance with our hand-curated collection of luxury vintage men’s fashion. From classic suits to iconic accessories, our online store offers a premium shopping experience for the modern gentleman who appreciates quality and style. Shop now and elevate your wardrobe with our carefully selected pieces that celebrate the art of craftsmanship and heritage fashion.