I don't know about that. I would say racist city. Obviously a city cannot keep racist people out of it, so like you said racist people live there. However, the ethnic enclaves in which the article Grambo posted describes, are pretty bad. You can take the T in Boston and go from a relatively safe college neighborhood and in 20 minutes be in an extremely dangerous, poverty stricken community. And the difference between Boston and New York in that manner is that in Boston you can tell the difference by the cleanliness of the stations. In New York, they're all dirty... besides the ones with heavy traffic like Times Square which gets cleaned daily.
The mind of a racist can also exclude celebrities and athletes. Big Papi and KG can be their favorite ball players and they can still turn right around and call you a nigger.
Also all people can try to pull a fast one; it is not an inherently black thing to try to not pay a taxi driver. In this instance, I don't blame the taxi drivers. As a people, I mean American people this time, we have been flooded with thoughts of blacks being dangerous, evil, stupid criminals. Check out Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink, (Grambo's reading it right now). It goes into our unconscious first thoughts in particular situations such as accessing personalities.
I don't know how we go about handling this situation or racism in general for that matter.
That's why I let white girls get me taxis.
--
Here's Grambo's original post below.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
I guess we can go on forever on this debate. I don't go to Boston that much, and maybe Im very ignorant of racism happening in front of me, But I have not expereince any form of racism on Massachusetts or in Boston. Now, Boston, Springfield, and other urban cities in Massachusetts have become more and more diverse over the years. The Hispanic community especially has been growing more than ever in these areas. Now you can argue that the immigration laws being passed can be viewed signs of the increasing resentment toward that community, to say that the state is racist is I guess up to your opinion. you can say that dirtier areas in Boston and worse neighborhoods is a sign of racism, or poor funding, or capitalism at its best, or no ne really giving a damn. Graham didnt make it quite clear if his friends were more sucessful is getting a cab than him, but if his white friends and so many other Bostonians had a problem getting a cab on a busy friday night, I would hate to jump the gun and call it racism. I would need more eveidence like the cab driver putting out his fist and yelling "white power" before ai can derfinitely say that what Graham expereinced was a definitive form of racism. I don't blame you for your opinion. I think it makes a great debate, but with something like that, with this particular situation, I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. Cabs get calls and sometimes when they are empty, its usually because they have a call to pick up someone else. Thats just the way it goes. If you guys wanna call it racism and form a rally in Boston tho, I'm down.
Post a Comment