Is anybody else perplexed that in 2024, we can't choose our race? Is race not also a social construct? Why is gender the only identity that is allowed to be fluid? Wrong Speak Publishing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Race is an illusion used as a tool for social control. Whiteness and blackness have never existed; they're just adverbs. The very idea of the "white race" didn't exist until English planters in the Carolinas invented it to stop poor and enslaved Europeans from joining enslaved Africans in revolts against them. In the 1630s. We even know where and when it was invented.
Gender, OTOH, does exist and isn't something that can just be felt or imagined or wished away. Vive la difference!
Kudos! I couldn’t agree more. I’m white. I don’t care. It wasn’t my choice, it doesn’t define me and I’m sick of being judged, lectured, assessed and spoken for on my “ whiteness. I’m Jewish. I was born to Jewish parents. If I converted to a different religious sect, I’d still be Jewish. A blood test would identify me as such. I don’t care, I don’t care what others subscribe to, I’m not particularly observant, I’m not ashamed.My son in law is the first American born child of immigrants from India. He’s an observant Hindu. He does not want to be identified as “ brown”, “ Indian” or “ Hindu”. He’s American.
The titles “ liberal”, “ Leftist”, “ Marxist”, “ Socialist”, Progressive”, “ Republican”, “ RINO”, “ Conservative”, “ Ultra- MAGA”… I can’t stand it any longer! One cannot be enough of anything. We must be defined, toe the line, subjugate, genuflect and pledge loyalty to the party overlords… or else! We aren’t given a voice or a choice. I no longer subscribe to either party. Neither represents me. Neither party appears particularly interested in representing America. Only their own interests. We cannot survive as a nation much longer, but that appears to be the grand design. A Brave New World. A central government ruled by despotic fiefs over a transhumanist serfdom. And all of the various “ isms” won’t mean a damn thing. Huxley’s 1931 opus- a fictitious, ominous warning has become a playbook.But we’re too distracted… too busy despising each other to see what is right before our eyes.
The racialized, sexualized, religious, cultural ,tribal, ideological cult of identity politics is exhausting, condescending, divisive and infantilizing. I’m sick to death of being spoken for and spoken at by those who don’t know me and truth be told, I’ve no desire to engage with. Leave me alone. All I ask for is equal protection under the law and respect . I’ve earned at least that much.
It’s quite amazing how easily people get along when left to their own devices. But that would destroy the plan. Divide and conquer.
And really, when did AOC become a “ Person of Color”? My daughter is white and at least three shades duskier then this fraudulent narcissist.
To fully grasp the sickness infecting our country, I just watched a debate between Mazi Pilip, running as an Independent who will caucus with Republicans and Tom Suwazzi ( or something close) running as a Dem, competing for George Santos’ seat.
Mazi is a black Jewish woman who was rescued from Ethiopia as a child. She was raised in abject poverty without running water. After Selassie’s expulsion, the Ethiopian Jews were targeted and persecuted. Apparently, they are one of the original lost tribes. She later emigrated to the US, had very little and was determined to excel. Worked diligently, met and married a Ukranian immigrant and together, they raised 7 beautiful children. The American Dream. She sits on the city council- her third term, re-elected in a landslide. She still runs her business and loves America. Joyfully expresses gratitude for the blessing of calling the greatest, freest nation in the world “ home”. She left the Democrat Party recently for the reasons you describe. Identity politics and now, crime, open borders, illiberalism, the lurch towards CommunoFascism, tyranny and now, cheering for Hamas and “ Death To The Jews”.
The Democrat competing with her is a white male. He is denigrating, mocking, accusing and if course, using race, religion, her former Democrat status.. accusing her of aligning with “ Extreme Rightwing White Nationalists” and her stance on reproductive rights. She could not have made herself more clear. Ten times she stated that she supports a woman’s choice for whatever reason, it is hers and only her decision to make. Between the woman and her doctor, it is not anybody else’s business. However, she is pro-life by choice. Her choice. The woman has seven children. Obviously, she believes life is sacred, but again, it is her personal belief. What he did to her was abhorrent. Twisted her words and demeaned her hideously. I so wish I could have been in the audience. I’d have blasted him. Who the hell is he to use race, religion, her personal ideology as a cudgel? Worse still, he’ll win and he brings nothing to the table.She wasn’t using identity talking points. HE WAS!Against her.
I wanted to cry, but I don’t have any tears left. I wish she’d been running in my district. Al’as, it might be a stretch for her to live in the Long Island district and run in Miami.😇
Your story about Mazi Pilip reminds me of a social worker in I think Louisiana who ran against the Dem incumbent and cousin of Harry Connick Jr. His political strategy was similar, i.e. malign social workers in general. That got a lot of them angry and out to vote for her. One sees on many platforms now this accusation of being a right-winger and/or white nationalist for not following the Dems’ rotting narrative. I find that incredibly odd as I’m neither white nor a westerner nor live in the US, I’ve always supported liberal causes. If I were in your country, I’d certainly be supporting people like Mazi and Khadijah. So they really couldn’t apply those remarks to me, which just shows they’ve got nothing else to say of substance.
“Liberalism” has become an oxymoron. I can’t stand hearing the pundit class and political right using the word “ liberal” as a pejorative. They are no longer remotely liberal, instead, the most intolerant, illiberal, bigoted, racist, anti-democracy, anti-civil liberties, anti-free speech, pro-statist, pro-surveillance, pro censorship, pro-CIA/FBI/NSA/NIA/FISA/Patriot Act, extra-judicial persecution/prosecution, anti-individualism, anti-American, pro-intervention,… They are totalitarian CommunoFascists. They’ve become what they once hated. “ The Man”
To fully grasp the sickness infecting our country, I just watched a debate between Mazi Pilip, running as an Independent who will caucus with Republicans and Tom Suwazzi ( or something close) running as a Dem, competing for George Santos’ seat.
Mazi is a black Jewish woman who was rescued from Ethiopia as a child. She was raised in abject poverty without running water. After Selassie’s expulsion, the Ethiopian Jews were targeted and persecuted. Apparently, they are one of the original lost tribes. She later emigrated to the US, had very little and was determined to excel. Worked diligently, met and married a Ukranian immigrant and together, they raised 7 beautiful children. The American Dream. She sits on the city council- her third term, re-elected in a landslide. She still runs her business and loves America. Joyfully expresses gratitude for the blessing of calling the greatest, freest nation in the world “ home”. She left the Democrat Party recently for the reasons you describe. Identity politics and now, crime, open borders, illiberalism, the lurch towards CommunoFascism, tyranny and now, cheering for Hamas and “ Death To The Jews”.
The Democrat competing with her is a white male. He is denigrating, mocking, accusing and if course, using race, religion, her former Democrat status.. accusing her of aligning with “ Extreme Rightwing White Nationalists” and her stance on reproductive rights. She could not have made herself more clear. Ten times she stated that she supports a woman’s choice for whatever reason, it is hers and only her decision to make. Between the woman and her doctor, it is not anybody else’s business. However, she is pro-life by choice. Her choice. The woman has seven children. Obviously, she believes life is sacred, but again, it is her personal belief. What he did to her was abhorrent. Twisted her words and demeaned her hideously. I so wish I could have been in the audience. I’d have blasted him. Who the hell is he to use race, religion, her personal ideology as a cudgel? Worse still, he’ll win and he brings nothing to the table.She wasn’t using identity talking points. HE WAS!Against her.
I wanted to cry, but I don’t have any tears left. I wish she’d been running in my district. Al’as, it might be a stretch for her to live in the Long Island district and run in Miami.😇
Seriously the labelism going on in our world today. I long wished I had the words to express what you both have in the post and the comments. Y’all nailed it.
I wore one at my daughter’s wedding and another to the evening reception at the behest ( command) of her mother in law).Gotta say, they’re effing awesome! Gorgeous fabrics and colors. All was good until ll my shoe got caught on the inner layer of the wrap and I fell to my knees… while my husband and I made our reception entrance. To the tune of The Doors “ Love Her Madly”. The same song we chose for our wedding reception… when I tripped on my wedding dress!
Her mother- in-law is a stickler. Even funnier, the brother married a Muslim girl a month later and the sister married a Catholic gentleman two months after. All three weddings had dual ceremonies. My daughter’s was officiated by a Hindu priest and a rabbi. The brother’- a Hindu priest and a second ceremony with an Imam- the bride is the American daughter of Indian immigrants.They are of a reformed sect called Ismile, the sister had a Hindu ceremony in the morning and a Catholic Church ceremony in the afternoon. Gives new meaning to checking all the boxes. Minus the hate.
The Hindu religion is very cool. Like Woodstock minus the acid tripping .
This took cobbles to write. I'm deeply impressed. I am deeply, deeply impressed. If anyone jumps on here trying to attack the author personally, someone please tag me because I'd be honored to fight that fight for someone who just showed all of us how we're doing it wrong.
This is the strongest thing I've read on here bar none. I can't wait to see where you go from here with you Substack because you just made one helluva entrance.
Seems really unfair that we don’t get to pick our parents. I’m unsubscribing from Boomerhood. As of today I’m going to identify as older. Oops, no, younger!
This was where I thought we were headed when I was in college on the early 90s, to a land where we didn’t care about the expression of a few genes resulting in minor phenotypic differences, we were going to meet each other as people. We were going to do this because science told us how similar we really are, and the experience of looking someone in the eye and hearing their voice when they talked about the people they love made it utterly undeniable.
Bravo! So well stated. As an “old white guy” (credit to Nemo) I wonder how we (all of US) could make others think this way and what positive changes it could bring to all of US of A.
This. "It’s not fair that gender is the only identity that has the privilege to be fluid, changeable, and discardable. But race, the ultimate social construct, is expected to be unchangeable, and rigid."
Exactly! As others, including you, have stated, race is a social construct. History illustrates this clearly. That we, as humans, STILL place so much credence on it, and so many ostensible intellectuals, I call them "racialists," study it so fervently, is testimony to how historical horse feces can smell sweet to idiots.
In other news, I found myself laughing aloud at so much of your prose. Just fantastic! I'm not sure I want to turn in my Black card yet, though. I have some cookouts pending, so...
Finally, there was a time when I would have accused you of "cooning" and I am sure, beyond even the most unreasonable of doubts, that there exist a not-insignificant number of "binary, people of color" who would accuse you now! They can kiss my deeply-melanin-enriched ass!
Thank for this - a beautiful essay. I have been checking the "prefer not to answer" race box for decades. If our society will ever achieve MLK's standard that all be judged by the content of their character, then we all need to chuck our race cards.
One question that I have is, given the blending of peoples through the centuries is one’s race currently an issue of objectivity or subjectivity and how is that criteria applied.
Here are my thoughts on that approach applied to sex and gender which may or may not have any relevancy to the race question.
To whom you are attracted sexually is purely subjective and therefore cannot reasonably be contested by an outside observer.
Where you decide to live your life on a spectrum of superficial, stereotypical male to female attributes (and we all do) is also purely subjective and similarly cannot be questioned.
However, your biological sex reflects an objective reality which cannot be changed by your subjective personal view and futile attempts to do so can result in serious health impacts to you as well as actual harms to members of the sex you are impersonating (especially women).
Finally, others who are grounded in objective reality should never be forced to accept your subjective version of your actual biological sex.
Unlike the question of one’s biological sex I see absolutely no downsides to accepting anyone’s subjective view of their race. It produces no harm to you or anyone else especially as we move away from such idiocies as affirmative action based on “race” to a truly color blind society where people are judged as individuals.
Perhaps consider that, due to structural factors (read: racism) that make it considerably harder for people of certain demographics to achieve certain victories than for others, it is worth celebrating when barriers are broken. Would you genuinely begrudge someone for celebrating that Mae Jemison was the first Black woman to go to space? Do you understand why that is, in and of itself, an achievement when there were (and still are, to a lesser extent) so many systemic barriers based on her identity alone? So — you're right — let's celebrate achievements, and also acknowledge those achievements that have to do with overcoming and dismantling structural inequalities.
I think Mae Jemison should be celebrated for her achievements.
Distinguishing her for her skin colour only perpetuates the idea there’s a difference between her and people of a different skin colour.
I understand the rationale used to point out skin colour alongside achievements, and there may have been a time for it, or a time it was thought to be a positive message, but in my view, it only perpetuates our thinking people are different from the colour of our skin.
The difference is that she had to overcome significantly more challenges than a hypothetical white counterpart would have had to, and that is a result of her race NOT because there is anything inherently different between people of different races, but because in the United States there exist structures that institutionalize racist treatment of people based on their skin color. That is reality and that is fact. I personally admire and strive toward the approach to dismantle those structures, which I believe requires an acknowledgment that they exist, and therefore that race actually does exist insofar as it has real-world implications. What do you think?
This is rather like a chicken or the egg argument. Do we dismantle institutional barriers in order to overcome the arbitrary differences between skin color? Or do we stop looking at arbitrary differences between skin color in order to dismantle institutional barriers? Does NASA have some rule structure that actually stands in the way of black astronauts, or did it simply take time for people to stop viewing her skin color as a problem? Did anyone at NASA, in fact, view her skin color negatively? Institutions only change when people do. That is the change that must be affected first.
This is a good point, and I don't claim to have the "right answer" here. I would point out that institutions can be formal or informal, and can have just as much an impact whether they're codified in a rulebook or exist normatively/societally. A rulebook can be rewritten and laws can be repealed, but that doesn't mean the informal norms underpinning them go away. In that sense, I disagree that institutions only change when people do. It's a mutually reinforcing process by which institutions and people change reciprocally, and it takes time. For example, normative views surrounding same-sex marriage were positively impacted by national legal standards, which in turn were brought about in large part by bottom-up activism and changing views. My perspective is that acknowledging the root causes of structural issues is essential to reaching that point of understanding and working toward change; they're not mutually exclusive.
Totally fair, but reaching that understanding begins, I think, with showing people what life without those arbitrary barriers looks like. Obviously working toward institutional change is necessary, codified or otherwise, but we must erase the barriers, not erect new ones. Working toward equality, not “equity.” Things like Affirmative Action are well-meaning in intent (maybe), but in effect they simply turn the racism upside-down until we are left with DEI policies trying to reverse-engineer society.
This is fabulous. I’m going to steal your self-description. I too *identify as a non-racial, joyful, clinically sane, adult human female*. And, I too, would choose trans-billionaire (I was born w champagne tastes on a less than beer pocketbook). Loved this essay. You go girl!!
Race is an illusion used as a tool for social control. Whiteness and blackness have never existed; they're just adverbs. The very idea of the "white race" didn't exist until English planters in the Carolinas invented it to stop poor and enslaved Europeans from joining enslaved Africans in revolts against them. In the 1630s. We even know where and when it was invented.
Gender, OTOH, does exist and isn't something that can just be felt or imagined or wished away. Vive la difference!
Thank you fellow human. ✨
Absolutely, oldest trick in the book: Divide and conquer!
Biological sex is a physical reality; gender is a social construct.
Kudos! I couldn’t agree more. I’m white. I don’t care. It wasn’t my choice, it doesn’t define me and I’m sick of being judged, lectured, assessed and spoken for on my “ whiteness. I’m Jewish. I was born to Jewish parents. If I converted to a different religious sect, I’d still be Jewish. A blood test would identify me as such. I don’t care, I don’t care what others subscribe to, I’m not particularly observant, I’m not ashamed.My son in law is the first American born child of immigrants from India. He’s an observant Hindu. He does not want to be identified as “ brown”, “ Indian” or “ Hindu”. He’s American.
The titles “ liberal”, “ Leftist”, “ Marxist”, “ Socialist”, Progressive”, “ Republican”, “ RINO”, “ Conservative”, “ Ultra- MAGA”… I can’t stand it any longer! One cannot be enough of anything. We must be defined, toe the line, subjugate, genuflect and pledge loyalty to the party overlords… or else! We aren’t given a voice or a choice. I no longer subscribe to either party. Neither represents me. Neither party appears particularly interested in representing America. Only their own interests. We cannot survive as a nation much longer, but that appears to be the grand design. A Brave New World. A central government ruled by despotic fiefs over a transhumanist serfdom. And all of the various “ isms” won’t mean a damn thing. Huxley’s 1931 opus- a fictitious, ominous warning has become a playbook.But we’re too distracted… too busy despising each other to see what is right before our eyes.
The racialized, sexualized, religious, cultural ,tribal, ideological cult of identity politics is exhausting, condescending, divisive and infantilizing. I’m sick to death of being spoken for and spoken at by those who don’t know me and truth be told, I’ve no desire to engage with. Leave me alone. All I ask for is equal protection under the law and respect . I’ve earned at least that much.
It’s quite amazing how easily people get along when left to their own devices. But that would destroy the plan. Divide and conquer.
And really, when did AOC become a “ Person of Color”? My daughter is white and at least three shades duskier then this fraudulent narcissist.
I’d be honored to make your acquaintance!
Thank you for sharing Gail. Nice to meet you. 👋🏾
To fully grasp the sickness infecting our country, I just watched a debate between Mazi Pilip, running as an Independent who will caucus with Republicans and Tom Suwazzi ( or something close) running as a Dem, competing for George Santos’ seat.
Mazi is a black Jewish woman who was rescued from Ethiopia as a child. She was raised in abject poverty without running water. After Selassie’s expulsion, the Ethiopian Jews were targeted and persecuted. Apparently, they are one of the original lost tribes. She later emigrated to the US, had very little and was determined to excel. Worked diligently, met and married a Ukranian immigrant and together, they raised 7 beautiful children. The American Dream. She sits on the city council- her third term, re-elected in a landslide. She still runs her business and loves America. Joyfully expresses gratitude for the blessing of calling the greatest, freest nation in the world “ home”. She left the Democrat Party recently for the reasons you describe. Identity politics and now, crime, open borders, illiberalism, the lurch towards CommunoFascism, tyranny and now, cheering for Hamas and “ Death To The Jews”.
The Democrat competing with her is a white male. He is denigrating, mocking, accusing and if course, using race, religion, her former Democrat status.. accusing her of aligning with “ Extreme Rightwing White Nationalists” and her stance on reproductive rights. She could not have made herself more clear. Ten times she stated that she supports a woman’s choice for whatever reason, it is hers and only her decision to make. Between the woman and her doctor, it is not anybody else’s business. However, she is pro-life by choice. Her choice. The woman has seven children. Obviously, she believes life is sacred, but again, it is her personal belief. What he did to her was abhorrent. Twisted her words and demeaned her hideously. I so wish I could have been in the audience. I’d have blasted him. Who the hell is he to use race, religion, her personal ideology as a cudgel? Worse still, he’ll win and he brings nothing to the table.She wasn’t using identity talking points. HE WAS!Against her.
I wanted to cry, but I don’t have any tears left. I wish she’d been running in my district. Al’as, it might be a stretch for her to live in the Long Island district and run in Miami.😇
Your story about Mazi Pilip reminds me of a social worker in I think Louisiana who ran against the Dem incumbent and cousin of Harry Connick Jr. His political strategy was similar, i.e. malign social workers in general. That got a lot of them angry and out to vote for her. One sees on many platforms now this accusation of being a right-winger and/or white nationalist for not following the Dems’ rotting narrative. I find that incredibly odd as I’m neither white nor a westerner nor live in the US, I’ve always supported liberal causes. If I were in your country, I’d certainly be supporting people like Mazi and Khadijah. So they really couldn’t apply those remarks to me, which just shows they’ve got nothing else to say of substance.
“Liberalism” has become an oxymoron. I can’t stand hearing the pundit class and political right using the word “ liberal” as a pejorative. They are no longer remotely liberal, instead, the most intolerant, illiberal, bigoted, racist, anti-democracy, anti-civil liberties, anti-free speech, pro-statist, pro-surveillance, pro censorship, pro-CIA/FBI/NSA/NIA/FISA/Patriot Act, extra-judicial persecution/prosecution, anti-individualism, anti-American, pro-intervention,… They are totalitarian CommunoFascists. They’ve become what they once hated. “ The Man”
Yes! I remember it because his only topic of note was being related to Connick. But that’s what matters,y’know.
To fully grasp the sickness infecting our country, I just watched a debate between Mazi Pilip, running as an Independent who will caucus with Republicans and Tom Suwazzi ( or something close) running as a Dem, competing for George Santos’ seat.
Mazi is a black Jewish woman who was rescued from Ethiopia as a child. She was raised in abject poverty without running water. After Selassie’s expulsion, the Ethiopian Jews were targeted and persecuted. Apparently, they are one of the original lost tribes. She later emigrated to the US, had very little and was determined to excel. Worked diligently, met and married a Ukranian immigrant and together, they raised 7 beautiful children. The American Dream. She sits on the city council- her third term, re-elected in a landslide. She still runs her business and loves America. Joyfully expresses gratitude for the blessing of calling the greatest, freest nation in the world “ home”. She left the Democrat Party recently for the reasons you describe. Identity politics and now, crime, open borders, illiberalism, the lurch towards CommunoFascism, tyranny and now, cheering for Hamas and “ Death To The Jews”.
The Democrat competing with her is a white male. He is denigrating, mocking, accusing and if course, using race, religion, her former Democrat status.. accusing her of aligning with “ Extreme Rightwing White Nationalists” and her stance on reproductive rights. She could not have made herself more clear. Ten times she stated that she supports a woman’s choice for whatever reason, it is hers and only her decision to make. Between the woman and her doctor, it is not anybody else’s business. However, she is pro-life by choice. Her choice. The woman has seven children. Obviously, she believes life is sacred, but again, it is her personal belief. What he did to her was abhorrent. Twisted her words and demeaned her hideously. I so wish I could have been in the audience. I’d have blasted him. Who the hell is he to use race, religion, her personal ideology as a cudgel? Worse still, he’ll win and he brings nothing to the table.She wasn’t using identity talking points. HE WAS!Against her.
I wanted to cry, but I don’t have any tears left. I wish she’d been running in my district. Al’as, it might be a stretch for her to live in the Long Island district and run in Miami.😇
You’re lovely! Where do you live?
Seriously the labelism going on in our world today. I long wished I had the words to express what you both have in the post and the comments. Y’all nailed it.
YES! I love everything about this stack, from the title to the comments. I feel such a sense of comradery in this community
Gasp! You wear a sari? Cultural Appropriation! 🫨
I wore one at my daughter’s wedding and another to the evening reception at the behest ( command) of her mother in law).Gotta say, they’re effing awesome! Gorgeous fabrics and colors. All was good until ll my shoe got caught on the inner layer of the wrap and I fell to my knees… while my husband and I made our reception entrance. To the tune of The Doors “ Love Her Madly”. The same song we chose for our wedding reception… when I tripped on my wedding dress!
Haha tradition 😁
Her mother- in-law is a stickler. Even funnier, the brother married a Muslim girl a month later and the sister married a Catholic gentleman two months after. All three weddings had dual ceremonies. My daughter’s was officiated by a Hindu priest and a rabbi. The brother’- a Hindu priest and a second ceremony with an Imam- the bride is the American daughter of Indian immigrants.They are of a reformed sect called Ismile, the sister had a Hindu ceremony in the morning and a Catholic Church ceremony in the afternoon. Gives new meaning to checking all the boxes. Minus the hate.
The Hindu religion is very cool. Like Woodstock minus the acid tripping .
This took cobbles to write. I'm deeply impressed. I am deeply, deeply impressed. If anyone jumps on here trying to attack the author personally, someone please tag me because I'd be honored to fight that fight for someone who just showed all of us how we're doing it wrong.
Thank you, Coleman. I appreciate you.
This is the strongest thing I've read on here bar none. I can't wait to see where you go from here with you Substack because you just made one helluva entrance.
Apart from which she has a way with words and has written it all so strikingly.
Seems really unfair that we don’t get to pick our parents. I’m unsubscribing from Boomerhood. As of today I’m going to identify as older. Oops, no, younger!
I forgot why I came here.
Hell, I’m going to identify as President!
Where’s my car?
Is this beer can smaller?
exactly! lmao. what a weird time to be alive.
Best laugh I have had on the Interwebs today, as of yet. Paul Kirwin wins this round!
This was where I thought we were headed when I was in college on the early 90s, to a land where we didn’t care about the expression of a few genes resulting in minor phenotypic differences, we were going to meet each other as people. We were going to do this because science told us how similar we really are, and the experience of looking someone in the eye and hearing their voice when they talked about the people they love made it utterly undeniable.
I still pine for that undiscovered land.
Bravo! So well stated. As an “old white guy” (credit to Nemo) I wonder how we (all of US) could make others think this way and what positive changes it could bring to all of US of A.
thanks for reading, Dave.
This. "It’s not fair that gender is the only identity that has the privilege to be fluid, changeable, and discardable. But race, the ultimate social construct, is expected to be unchangeable, and rigid."
Exactly! As others, including you, have stated, race is a social construct. History illustrates this clearly. That we, as humans, STILL place so much credence on it, and so many ostensible intellectuals, I call them "racialists," study it so fervently, is testimony to how historical horse feces can smell sweet to idiots.
In other news, I found myself laughing aloud at so much of your prose. Just fantastic! I'm not sure I want to turn in my Black card yet, though. I have some cookouts pending, so...
Finally, there was a time when I would have accused you of "cooning" and I am sure, beyond even the most unreasonable of doubts, that there exist a not-insignificant number of "binary, people of color" who would accuse you now! They can kiss my deeply-melanin-enriched ass!
lmao. I still wanna come to the cookouts!!
"Race" is profitable. Always follow the money.
Beautiful thoughts. The problem is everyone wants to label everyone. We are all people created in God's image. Man created these labels.
thank you for reading, John.
Thank for this - a beautiful essay. I have been checking the "prefer not to answer" race box for decades. If our society will ever achieve MLK's standard that all be judged by the content of their character, then we all need to chuck our race cards.
Thank you, Dan. I do this as well, bcuz it literally should not matter.
I seldom comment, but, that was beautiful. Thank you. And I’m an old white guy, trying to identify as young. Pupsicles help, for sure!
thank you for reading, Nemo
One question that I have is, given the blending of peoples through the centuries is one’s race currently an issue of objectivity or subjectivity and how is that criteria applied.
Here are my thoughts on that approach applied to sex and gender which may or may not have any relevancy to the race question.
To whom you are attracted sexually is purely subjective and therefore cannot reasonably be contested by an outside observer.
Where you decide to live your life on a spectrum of superficial, stereotypical male to female attributes (and we all do) is also purely subjective and similarly cannot be questioned.
However, your biological sex reflects an objective reality which cannot be changed by your subjective personal view and futile attempts to do so can result in serious health impacts to you as well as actual harms to members of the sex you are impersonating (especially women).
Finally, others who are grounded in objective reality should never be forced to accept your subjective version of your actual biological sex.
Unlike the question of one’s biological sex I see absolutely no downsides to accepting anyone’s subjective view of their race. It produces no harm to you or anyone else especially as we move away from such idiocies as affirmative action based on “race” to a truly color blind society where people are judged as individuals.
Oh my gosh, you have phrased these ideas really well. It would be great if you wrote a substack piece along those lines.
This is why the term "gender" exists, by the way.
How dare you preach all this common sense:-) You're going to break the machine with this you know.
thank you for reading, Brian. lol 😂
A glorious declaration of individualism. A pleasure to read. May the road rise to meet you, wherever takes you.
I appreciate this. Thank you
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
I’m always a little perplexed when I hear things like, “The first _____ person to achieve this position (or goal)”.
How is that helpful?
To me it just reinforces the colour or race barriers.
Let’s celebrate achievements and skip the identity qualifiers.
Perhaps consider that, due to structural factors (read: racism) that make it considerably harder for people of certain demographics to achieve certain victories than for others, it is worth celebrating when barriers are broken. Would you genuinely begrudge someone for celebrating that Mae Jemison was the first Black woman to go to space? Do you understand why that is, in and of itself, an achievement when there were (and still are, to a lesser extent) so many systemic barriers based on her identity alone? So — you're right — let's celebrate achievements, and also acknowledge those achievements that have to do with overcoming and dismantling structural inequalities.
I think Mae Jemison should be celebrated for her achievements.
Distinguishing her for her skin colour only perpetuates the idea there’s a difference between her and people of a different skin colour.
I understand the rationale used to point out skin colour alongside achievements, and there may have been a time for it, or a time it was thought to be a positive message, but in my view, it only perpetuates our thinking people are different from the colour of our skin.
The difference is that she had to overcome significantly more challenges than a hypothetical white counterpart would have had to, and that is a result of her race NOT because there is anything inherently different between people of different races, but because in the United States there exist structures that institutionalize racist treatment of people based on their skin color. That is reality and that is fact. I personally admire and strive toward the approach to dismantle those structures, which I believe requires an acknowledgment that they exist, and therefore that race actually does exist insofar as it has real-world implications. What do you think?
This is rather like a chicken or the egg argument. Do we dismantle institutional barriers in order to overcome the arbitrary differences between skin color? Or do we stop looking at arbitrary differences between skin color in order to dismantle institutional barriers? Does NASA have some rule structure that actually stands in the way of black astronauts, or did it simply take time for people to stop viewing her skin color as a problem? Did anyone at NASA, in fact, view her skin color negatively? Institutions only change when people do. That is the change that must be affected first.
This is a good point, and I don't claim to have the "right answer" here. I would point out that institutions can be formal or informal, and can have just as much an impact whether they're codified in a rulebook or exist normatively/societally. A rulebook can be rewritten and laws can be repealed, but that doesn't mean the informal norms underpinning them go away. In that sense, I disagree that institutions only change when people do. It's a mutually reinforcing process by which institutions and people change reciprocally, and it takes time. For example, normative views surrounding same-sex marriage were positively impacted by national legal standards, which in turn were brought about in large part by bottom-up activism and changing views. My perspective is that acknowledging the root causes of structural issues is essential to reaching that point of understanding and working toward change; they're not mutually exclusive.
Totally fair, but reaching that understanding begins, I think, with showing people what life without those arbitrary barriers looks like. Obviously working toward institutional change is necessary, codified or otherwise, but we must erase the barriers, not erect new ones. Working toward equality, not “equity.” Things like Affirmative Action are well-meaning in intent (maybe), but in effect they simply turn the racism upside-down until we are left with DEI policies trying to reverse-engineer society.
Race I just one of the many ways they control us
yes indeed
This is fabulous. I’m going to steal your self-description. I too *identify as a non-racial, joyful, clinically sane, adult human female*. And, I too, would choose trans-billionaire (I was born w champagne tastes on a less than beer pocketbook). Loved this essay. You go girl!!
thanks Lucy...