tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post3233437924105432189..comments2023-10-29T04:33:48.167-05:00Comments on daddyBstrong: James Baldwin to White Racists--Know Your History: The Pain You've Brought to Others, to YourselvesMac Daddy Tribute Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01483912561779369669noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-36566254072988394072008-10-21T22:02:00.000-05:002008-10-21T22:02:00.000-05:00An Addenda....Thank God, the ELEPHANT in the livin...An Addenda....Thank God, the ELEPHANT in the living room has been exposed in the cultminating weeks of this historic election:<BR/>RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE USA and it's good that we are finally talking about it....Obama has made every effort to make this campaign about the WHOLE of the American people.....But sooner or later it had to come out that racism is a huge factor for some of the voters.....Hopefully, through this process healing will be taken to another level....there is a basic integrity in the American people...Hopefully, that integrity will show itself on November 4th.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-6556548981114672922008-10-20T23:03:00.000-05:002008-10-20T23:03:00.000-05:00vigilante: I bet your memoir would be fascinating....vigilante: I bet your memoir would be fascinating.<BR/>sagacious: I've met many fast talkers. I stop them and ask them if they want to have a conversation or do they want to give me a sermon. Then I say, "If you want to give a sermon, save it for the church. If you want to have a conversation, I'm here. Right now, you're giving a sermon, and I don't like it." I learned that from working with a lot of ministers and priests. It's self-centered, disrespectful, and arrogant. I let them know that I've a done a few things in life too. And, if they don't want to hear my story, I don't want to hear theirs. By the way, thanks for your insightful comments on my blog. I really appreciate it.Mac Daddy Tribute Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01483912561779369669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-54565422896144321622008-10-20T21:57:00.000-05:002008-10-20T21:57:00.000-05:00Daddy, your writing takes me places I know you did...Daddy, your writing takes me places I know you didn't intend, and places where I never would have dreamed to find myself connecting dots which I never would have recognized as related nor foundational in terms of my life. I will spare you from my autobiographical trivia. But I'll bookmark this column for use when I next turn to my memoirs which my sons have been pressuring me to work on instead of my light weight blogging. I'll want to come back to this, also, because I never came close to reading James Baldwin as perceptively as you do.Vigilantehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07640246609540057997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-34096372374484662012008-10-20T21:22:00.000-05:002008-10-20T21:22:00.000-05:00Daddy, Interesting observations. Of course people...Daddy, Interesting observations. Of course people approach people in many different ways depending upon the situation and the person.<BR/>I can only imagine some of the responses a person of color would elicit from some people. <BR/>How did you respond to the fast talkers and the others?SagaciousHillbillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09511441325695460501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-37469853973761657332008-10-20T14:58:00.000-05:002008-10-20T14:58:00.000-05:00verna: when I worked in both public and one privat...verna: when I worked in both public and one private school, I met numerous progressive teachers. Most were not only great teachers, they were very progressive in their views.<BR/>"instead of calling them the core, let's call them the fringe, because that's what they are. A marginalized, pitiful fringe of decent society that will eventually die off."<BR/>sagacious: The phrase "ingrained thoughts" really resonates with me. A lot of whites really don't know how racist they are. And they don't know that blacks know it. But they do. They can see it in their eyes and elsewhere on their faces and the language of their body. For example, I used to work with a lady who, because she feared black men, would talk faster around me and other black men. Another white woman, who was very arrogant (I hate arrogant people), would talk louder and more slowly, when I was around. When I became the manager of the department, they both quit rather than be bossed by me.<BR/><BR/>I also like the word "fringe" over the word "core." Thanks.Mac Daddy Tribute Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01483912561779369669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-88440266913158032662008-10-20T14:33:00.000-05:002008-10-20T14:33:00.000-05:00Great post Daddy and you highlighted one of the gr...Great post Daddy and you highlighted one of the great Americans who still doesn't get the attention he deserves.<BR/>Nobody said it like Baldwin.<BR/><BR/>Yes, we need to know our history. That doesn't make us guilty of anything or complicit, it simply makes us better people, aware of how others might view the world and more in touch with the totality of society.<BR/><BR/>I'm a racist. I have initial reactions when I see a person based upon their race. It's not something that happens consciously, it just happens. It doesn't get in the way of my interactions and it doesn't cause me to treat anyone different from anyone else, but nonetheless, those ingrained thoughts occur when I see people. I was raised by very white people in a very white world in the 50s and 60s. Blacks, Japanese, Native Americans, everybody different was treated differently right there before my eyes. Sometimes I wonder how the hell I escaped.<BR/><BR/>My children on the other hand don't seem to have those reactions.<BR/><BR/>No, like other posters have sdaid, I fear that core of white society wil never change, but what we can do is instead of calling them the core, let's call them the fringe, because that's what they are. A marginalized, pitiful fringe of decent society that will eventually die off. Maybe it'll take a hundred years, but they'll be gone eventually and will continue to become weaker and more pitiful over time.SagaciousHillbillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09511441325695460501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-53355439091473298742008-10-19T23:14:00.000-05:002008-10-19T23:14:00.000-05:00It seems to me that racists will never change unle...It seems to me that racists will never change unless the social institutions that teach racism are transformed, and new generations take the lead with new attitudes. I strongly believe that we must educate children about racism in schools, and clearly, this is not happening. In order for this to happen our country would have to confront the fact that like most of society, there are a lot of teachers who are probably perpetuators of the status quo (which would mean racism in many cases). Teacher training would need to change; the professional mission of teachers would need to be re-written to include educating children to practice kindness, inclusion, and to become peacemakers. Clearly, these changes *could* happen, but certainly not in an environment that pays lip service to "leaving no child behind" in core subjects (while actually leaving them behind in many cases), forcing out educational activities aimed at critical thinking, appreciating diversity, art, beauty, and learning to resolve conflict constructively. <BR/><BR/>Don't get me wrong -- I'll bet there are already teachers who confront racism in South Georgia who have been fired or put in their place by school boards / parents. After all, teachers have the level of respect far below those in business, law, medicine, nursing etc. Or they may still be fighting. But it is a lonely and sometimes precarious position to be in, going against the grain to change a system or culture. <BR/><BR/>We need major educational reform in this country. We need to be as concerned about social and emotional development of children as we are about their math and reading skills. We need teachers who are instruments of social justice, and not merely perpetuators of a racist system. And above all, we need to ensure that there are livable-wage jobs so children do not have to experience hunger or homelessness. <BR/><BR/>This would be a start. <BR/><BR/>Madmike: Keep up the quiet fight to change hearts / minds. Or consider moving north? Take care, <BR/>VernaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-79005055840536279512008-10-19T21:57:00.000-05:002008-10-19T21:57:00.000-05:00kid: Glad you found my blog. Look forward to you c...kid: Glad you found my blog. Look forward to you coming again.<BR/>anon: I'm sorry to hear this, but, frankly, I'm not surprised. But I'm hoping that you plenty of friends and support. Thanks for sharing this story.<BR/>rainywalker: I hear you. What strikes me about what you said is the social isolation of these racist except for the ones who are just like them. How stifling. But things are moving real fast; and time will pass them by. I'm reminded of Robert Kennedy who spoke about time moving so quickly that, in 40 years, a black person could very well be president of the United States. Well, it's 40 years later.<BR/>one drop: Most folks just call me daddy. I got the name from working black male youth, some of whom were gangbangers. First they called me "Mr. Mac." After they got to know me better, they called me "MacDaddy." Later, they shortened it to "The daddy" or "daddy." On the last day I worked with them as a group, they hung around my car but pretended not to notice as I was getting in the car. But one of them said, "Hey, daddy, be strong." That's how I got the name for my blog. To some of them, I was the closest thing to a father to them. <BR/>madmike: Yes, I know this group. I was born in Alabama and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. And I've had a few "conversations" with the type you're talking about. I can understand you wanting to move. Meanwhile, stay in touch. Wishing you well. Love your blog, by the way.<BR/>kit: It means a lot that you connected with this post. I appreciate you.Mac Daddy Tribute Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01483912561779369669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-70640195685391186352008-10-19T18:30:00.000-05:002008-10-19T18:30:00.000-05:00MacDaddy, this was so deep that I had to read it t...MacDaddy, this was so deep that I had to read it twice. It was that good. Thank you.Kit (Keep It Trill)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03027769872237001801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-70086177422479209532008-10-19T13:22:00.000-05:002008-10-19T13:22:00.000-05:00Dear MacDaddy....I believe with another of your re...Dear MacDaddy....I believe with another of your readers that white racism is alive and well in this country; I also believe that when we elect President Obama that another small step...actually a huge step...will be taken to eradicate this painful history. I WANT deperately to believe that ultimately the American people are capable of change....November 4th will tell....Let's keep hoping and praying.....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-69683349965349931212008-10-19T10:43:00.000-05:002008-10-19T10:43:00.000-05:00I live in South Georgia. I haven't lived here all ...I live in South Georgia. I haven't lived here all my life, only a few years. I moved here for practical reasons. If I knew when I made that decision what I know now, I would have done something different.<BR/><BR/>I have lived all over the country, but never in a place that is so filled with hate toward not only blacks but to anyone that is not just like many of the locals; racist, redneck, ignorant, and sometimes downright cruel.<BR/><BR/>I have two neighbors (I live in the country) and both would never ever vote for Obama because he is black, although that is not the word they use. Despite my pleas for understanding the issues and putting the past behind us, i.e. segregation, racial hatred and oppression and etc. they are immovable objects and it is solely because of race and this ridiculous rumor propagated by the Right that Senator Obama is a Muslim, which should not make any difference any more than his race should make a difference.<BR/><BR/>Finally this all makes me very, very sad. I think I need to move. This is not the place where I want to live. <BR/><BR/>In conclusion I love your blog by the way. I found you on Google and was thrilled to see that you list my place on your blogs. Thanks! I am honored.Kentucky Rainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16753739401363847764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-79805561657284997182008-10-19T10:41:00.000-05:002008-10-19T10:41:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Kentucky Rainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16753739401363847764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-31439885450555911562008-10-19T10:39:00.000-05:002008-10-19T10:39:00.000-05:00Hey anonymous check out Paddy Party Irish betting...Hey anonymous check out Paddy Party Irish betting.They're paying off for Barack already.kidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15403016215102685806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-71633778737185640962008-10-19T10:37:00.000-05:002008-10-19T10:37:00.000-05:00Hmmmm, should I call you "Mr. Daddy?" Sounds kinda...Hmmmm, should I call you "Mr. Daddy?" Sounds kinda kinky, really, but so be it.<BR/><BR/>Excellent post, and I agree that Baldwin has quite a bit to say to white Americans, if we were inclined to listen. I wrote along these lines a while back at Too Sense:<BR/><BR/>http://halfricanrevolution.blogspot.com/2008/03/memo-to-my-white-brothers-and-sisters.html<BR/><BR/>"Don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that being white automatically makes one individually guilty of the crimes of the Bourbons, or the sins of the Klan. But we are connected to the events of the past. Our prosperity has grown directly from those events.<BR/><BR/>How much of the material wealth of the white community is connected to slavery? ALL OF IT. Yes. ALL OF IT. How so? Because the American colonies would have failed economically without slavery. The Virginia Company only became profitable with the cultivation of tobacco, and that required large amounts of labor. Slave labor. Profits from Tobacco kept the colonies afloat. Our political and cultural history is similarly tied to slavery, because the first law passed by the Virginia Colony's General Assembly related to the price of Tobacco, and the first Thanksgiving was a celebration of a good tobacco crop. Without slavery, no tobacco. without tobacco, no colonial economy. Without a colonial economy, no America.<BR/>...<BR/>America was born on the back of slavery. America expanded by the labor of slaves. The American export economy depended upon slaves (and, after the Civil War, continued to depend upon sharecroppers, who were former slaves). The wealth and power accumulated by the white community, the advantages enjoyed by the white community, all of it can be traced back to slavery. The house of white economic security, white privilege, was built on a foundation laid by slave labor.<BR/><BR/>Senator Obama cannot change that fact. He cannot undo hundreds of years of economic history. He cannot change social history. American wealth is not innocent wealth, and naming streets after slain civil rights leaders cannot make it so. The darker past cannot be eradicated by a brighter future.<BR/><BR/>So what are we to do? Are we confined by the sins of those who came before us? I don't believe so, any more than I believe that babies come into the world bearing the stain of Adam's sin. Many of us in the modern era did not commit the crimes of which I speak (I can't apply this to the remaining members of the pre-integration community, to those who fought for or agreed with segregation). But we must look at the objective historical record, and we must acknowledge the extent to which the legacy of slavery pervades our community. The indirect benefits we have received from slavery continue to matter, and we must accept that fact. The untold billions of dollars of accumulated capital derived from slavery continue to matter, and we must accept that fact. The hearts of our most cherished political and civic institutions were poisoned by slavery from the start, and we must admit that corruption. In short, we must see the past for what it is, not what we wish it to be. We cannot lock hands, sing "Kumbaya," and magically break free of the shadow of injustice. We must face the shadow, and own the shadow, for only in doing so do we have any hope of overcoming the shadow.<BR/><BR/>No innocence without repentence. No repentence without self-awareness. No self-awareness without fearless, clear-eyed acceptance of the past. Obama can't change that. Jackson can't change that. Martin, and Malcolm, and Medgar, and all of the other martyrs of civil rights couldn't change that. The task is ours, and ours alone to carry out, with no proxies, and no shortcuts."One Drophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00595350723609487252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-52370727321778149802008-10-19T09:47:00.000-05:002008-10-19T09:47:00.000-05:00Many of the whites you talk about here get their i...Many of the whites you talk about here get their information from each other, they do not read books. Some have never read a book in their life and many elderly in the hills never learned to read. They pass on information like an underground grapevine. They are stuck in a cycle that continues generation after generation and its hard to break out. I'm not making excuses for anyone I've just watched it all my life and they do not see things like we do. They look around at their friends and family, think the same, so they believe everyone thinks that way. They do not have open minds that except new ideas because their knowledge level may or may not be limited. They talk rasism around their own and occasionally let something slip in front of people that do not agree with them. I have brought up this subject many times and always end up hitting a brick wall, since all they have are their life experiences to make decisions on or have a conversation. This leaves them with limited knowledge, so they likely fall back on guilt when they hear the truth.rainywalkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13445164335609548931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-4596587012907550642008-10-19T09:38:00.000-05:002008-10-19T09:38:00.000-05:00Mr. MacDaddy, I have less faith than you have that...Mr. MacDaddy, I have less faith than you have that white racist will change. I've read Baldwin. They haven't and never will. I'm a white guy with an African American wife. I'm not welcomed at family gatherings. I know they will never change. Sorry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737268075572482842.post-34398491968737320832008-10-19T09:24:00.000-05:002008-10-19T09:24:00.000-05:00Man as much as I bump into you on other blogs, I f...Man as much as I bump into you on other blogs, I feel bad that I didn't come here.As Spike Lee said"I likes,I likes". I'm glad you put up a "good" photo of Levi Stubbs.Later.kidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15403016215102685806noreply@blogger.com