Posted by
paul, long island, ny on September 4, 2010:
About 20 years ago when I first started my legal practice I was called on to represent someone who was being accused of racism in his housing practices. At first blush, on paper, it sounded like it might have been racism, but after investigation it became clear that racism had nothing to do with the events, at least on the part of my client.
There were several rounds of pleadings and every time that the complainant had any contact with the agency involved in giving a "fair hearing" in the matter, the complainant's story changed to be an even more egregious horrifying example of blatant racism. I realized that every time the complainant spoke with an agency lawyer, he was coaxed into changing his story slightly, but in significant ways that made it a stronger case. This happens to be illegal and is called Subornation of Perjury when committed by an attorney. In New York it is also a crime. I found out that my client, who was an employee of NYC, was nowhere near the alleged events which happened 2 boroughs away because he was an engineer who had signed out a boat from NYC to inspect a bridge at the time the complained of events occurred. During the course of the litigation, I described the complainant as "black" and was roundly castigated by the agency attorney who looked at me as a racist piece of crap that I surely was and reminded me that the gentleman was "African American, not black!" She then accused me of being white and I corrected her and told her in my best politically correct, (contemptuous) voice, "It is perfectly apparent that I am a Celtic Visigothic American and I'd appreciate if if she would refer to me as such in the future." I was so pissed off at the entire proceeding's lack of rationality that I represented the defendant for free (from that point) and conducted my own investigation and found 4 instances of criminal perjury that should have gotten the complainant not only thrown out of court, but thrown into jail. The agency's response was to find my client guilty of being racist in his rental practices of his 2 family house fining him $10,000.
The snotty attorney sent me a letter to give me instructions as to how my client was to make payment. I responded with the following: "I am in the smallest room in my office. Your letter demanding payment is before me. Soon it will be behind me. My client will make payment to a perjurer when they are having snowball fights on the River Styx, accordingly please find enclosed his notice of appeal."
When the appellate attorneys (to be read as "competent") for the city agency got the file they called me, apologetically, and asked if there was ANYTHING they could do to make it go away. We agreed to reopen the hearing, where the judge Mirandized the complainant before he was sworn in. This time he was honest, admitting that it was not my client at all and the case was dismissed. The appellate attorneys were afraid, rightfully so, that I was going to bring down the entire agency for reverse racism up to the commissioner. My client (who as I said was a city employee) was happy with a reversal of the original decision and an apology and did not want to pursue it further. The ironic thing was this was in front of the NYC Commission on Human Rights. It was outrageous.
So when I'm not pawning myself off as a Celtic Visigothic American I too tell people I am African American because of my common ancestry with Lucy. My children are also members of an exclusive club know by us as "The Yiddish Son's of Erinn." The fact is we're all mutts and proud of it. We've got the best of all the gene pools and a country that cherishes us for it.
Posted by
Chris, USA on September 5, 2010:
Racism - the practice of holding one race as better than another. The idea of hatred toward one race because that race is considered inferior.
Ms. Brown, in stating that all white people look alike to her, is effectively stating that she feels they are all just a blur of inferiority when compared to herself and her race.
Frankly, in my own opinion, anyone who accuses others of racism is more racist than those being accused, which is dangerous, as I find that I am accusing others of being racist while maintaining that I am not (what a vicious circle!). Racism is not a feeling of being picked on, persecuted, denigrated, oppressed, or simply ignored as less than human. That's a different concept altogether. Racism is the opposite; a racist is the one doing the picking, the persecution, denigration, oppression, and ignoring. The difference comes when those who feel the effect of racism "rise up in the name of righteousness" and suddenly find themselves suffering from that which they so readily accuse their oppressor of accomplishing - racial pride.
How is it different for someone who is black to hold themselves as elite because they are black? A Mexican to state that he is better than a White man or a Black man just because he is a Mexican? In no definition I have found does the White man hold exclusive ownership to being racist. In fact, I can't find a definition that specifies any one race as being dominantly racist.
Until we, as human beings, can accept each other on merit rather than on color, all people must be considered racist. Yes, there are those that truly practice non-racist attitudes in their individual lives. I am not directing my comments to the few. I am talking about a global community. We as a whole, not we as in me.
Shame on Ms. Brown for stepping up so boldly into the position she so vocally abhors. Shame on Mr. Noriega for giving her the ground to stand on with his own commentary. Had he simply ignored her slander rather than rise to it, we might not have realized a backward step in the struggle to overcome stupid attitudes.
Posted by
Jim, Virginia on September 11, 2010:
About 18 years ago, I went to a local, historically black college, to get a catalog for my wife, because their nursing program was considered one of the best on the East Coast. When I went inside, you could hear a pin drop. I was the only white person in the room. A very large security guard walked over and yelled, "What are YOU doing here?". I stated that I was there for a catalog, I was given the whole "UP AGAINST THE WALL!" treatment, frisked, and asked for my I.D. Then I got in line for the catalog, got to the front of the line, and was told I was in the wrong building, to go across campus to another location to get one. Everyone else was getting the same catalog as I was, so I left. I told my wife there was no way she would ever attend that school. Several people told me to file charges of racial harassment, but I figured I would be labeled as a racist for reporting what happened.
When is Racism OK? - Comments
Posted by paul, long island, ny on September 4, 2010:
About 20 years ago when I first started my legal practice I was called on to represent someone who was being accused of racism in his housing practices. At first blush, on paper, it sounded like it might have been racism, but after investigation it became clear that racism had nothing to do with the events, at least on the part of my client.
There were several rounds of pleadings and every time that the complainant had any contact with the agency involved in giving a "fair hearing" in the matter, the complainant's story changed to be an even more egregious horrifying example of blatant racism. I realized that every time the complainant spoke with an agency lawyer, he was coaxed into changing his story slightly, but in significant ways that made it a stronger case. This happens to be illegal and is called Subornation of Perjury when committed by an attorney. In New York it is also a crime. I found out that my client, who was an employee of NYC, was nowhere near the alleged events which happened 2 boroughs away because he was an engineer who had signed out a boat from NYC to inspect a bridge at the time the complained of events occurred. During the course of the litigation, I described the complainant as "black" and was roundly castigated by the agency attorney who looked at me as a racist piece of crap that I surely was and reminded me that the gentleman was "African American, not black!" She then accused me of being white and I corrected her and told her in my best politically correct, (contemptuous) voice, "It is perfectly apparent that I am a Celtic Visigothic American and I'd appreciate if if she would refer to me as such in the future." I was so pissed off at the entire proceeding's lack of rationality that I represented the defendant for free (from that point) and conducted my own investigation and found 4 instances of criminal perjury that should have gotten the complainant not only thrown out of court, but thrown into jail. The agency's response was to find my client guilty of being racist in his rental practices of his 2 family house fining him $10,000.
The snotty attorney sent me a letter to give me instructions as to how my client was to make payment. I responded with the following: "I am in the smallest room in my office. Your letter demanding payment is before me. Soon it will be behind me. My client will make payment to a perjurer when they are having snowball fights on the River Styx, accordingly please find enclosed his notice of appeal."
When the appellate attorneys (to be read as "competent") for the city agency got the file they called me, apologetically, and asked if there was ANYTHING they could do to make it go away. We agreed to reopen the hearing, where the judge Mirandized the complainant before he was sworn in. This time he was honest, admitting that it was not my client at all and the case was dismissed. The appellate attorneys were afraid, rightfully so, that I was going to bring down the entire agency for reverse racism up to the commissioner. My client (who as I said was a city employee) was happy with a reversal of the original decision and an apology and did not want to pursue it further. The ironic thing was this was in front of the NYC Commission on Human Rights. It was outrageous.
So when I'm not pawning myself off as a Celtic Visigothic American I too tell people I am African American because of my common ancestry with Lucy. My children are also members of an exclusive club know by us as "The Yiddish Son's of Erinn." The fact is we're all mutts and proud of it. We've got the best of all the gene pools and a country that cherishes us for it.
Posted by Chris, USA on September 5, 2010:
Racism - the practice of holding one race as better than another. The idea of hatred toward one race because that race is considered inferior.
Ms. Brown, in stating that all white people look alike to her, is effectively stating that she feels they are all just a blur of inferiority when compared to herself and her race.
Frankly, in my own opinion, anyone who accuses others of racism is more racist than those being accused, which is dangerous, as I find that I am accusing others of being racist while maintaining that I am not (what a vicious circle!). Racism is not a feeling of being picked on, persecuted, denigrated, oppressed, or simply ignored as less than human. That's a different concept altogether. Racism is the opposite; a racist is the one doing the picking, the persecution, denigration, oppression, and ignoring. The difference comes when those who feel the effect of racism "rise up in the name of righteousness" and suddenly find themselves suffering from that which they so readily accuse their oppressor of accomplishing - racial pride.
How is it different for someone who is black to hold themselves as elite because they are black? A Mexican to state that he is better than a White man or a Black man just because he is a Mexican? In no definition I have found does the White man hold exclusive ownership to being racist. In fact, I can't find a definition that specifies any one race as being dominantly racist.
Until we, as human beings, can accept each other on merit rather than on color, all people must be considered racist. Yes, there are those that truly practice non-racist attitudes in their individual lives. I am not directing my comments to the few. I am talking about a global community. We as a whole, not we as in me.
Shame on Ms. Brown for stepping up so boldly into the position she so vocally abhors. Shame on Mr. Noriega for giving her the ground to stand on with his own commentary. Had he simply ignored her slander rather than rise to it, we might not have realized a backward step in the struggle to overcome stupid attitudes.
Posted by Jim, Virginia on September 11, 2010:
About 18 years ago, I went to a local, historically black college, to get a catalog for my wife, because their nursing program was considered one of the best on the East Coast. When I went inside, you could hear a pin drop. I was the only white person in the room. A very large security guard walked over and yelled, "What are YOU doing here?". I stated that I was there for a catalog, I was given the whole "UP AGAINST THE WALL!" treatment, frisked, and asked for my I.D. Then I got in line for the catalog, got to the front of the line, and was told I was in the wrong building, to go across campus to another location to get one. Everyone else was getting the same catalog as I was, so I left. I told my wife there was no way she would ever attend that school. Several people told me to file charges of racial harassment, but I figured I would be labeled as a racist for reporting what happened.
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