How racist are you? Take this test.

https://theestablishment.co/notallwhitepeople-the-quiz-28411eb909d5#.hdqgwzvlk

I've written many times on MOL how I think that pretty much everyone in America has a tendency towards racism. The socializing mechanisms in this country kind of make it impossible to not be. The media bombards us with racism, kind of all the time.

What makes a difference between people is that some people consciously try to override those tendencies, so that their outward behavior is less racist than their innermost thoughts. Some of these people are quite good at it, and make their non-racism second nature. Other people struggle with it.

And other people don't even bother. These folks are problematic.

Test is below.

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If you still think there’s no way you’re at all racist as a White person, here’s a quick quiz. The questions aren’t exhaustive and nobody is scoring you but you. So be honest with yourself and ask yourself if you can say “No”
to all the following:

● Have you ever presumed that a Black person was less qualified for a skilled job than a White person?
● Have you ever defended accusations of racism by invoking Black friends?
● Have you ever laughed or poked fun at a characteristically Black name like LaTisha or Daquan?
● Have you ever considered a Black friend “not really Black”?
● Have you ever joked that you were Blacker than your Black friend because you engaged in more stereotypically Black aesthetics (clothes, slang, music)?
● Have the terms “welfare” or “poverty” automatically brought up images of Black people in your mind?
● Have you passed by stories of missing Black kids while paying rapt attention to a missing White girl?
● Have you ever thought or suggested that a Black person was exaggerating their experience of racism?
● Have most of your Black friends been people whose families and friends you know little to nothing about?
● Have you ever caught yourself agreeing with the sentiment that Blacks ARE more criminal than Whites?
● Have you ever felt more unsafe around a group of Black kids than around a group of White kids in the same circumstance?
● Have you ever dismissed movies with predominantly Black casts as “Black movies” and not of general interest?
● Have you ever laughed at a Black stereotype?
● Have you ever been surprised that a Black person was eloquent?
● Have you ever looked at a cop shooting of an unarmed Black person and thought “Not my problem?”
● Have you ever wished that Black people would “speak properly?”
● Have you ever presumed that you were smarter than a Black person without evidence?
● Have you ever pointed to Obama as evidence of a post-racial society?
● Have you ever assumed that a Black person got into a good school or job just because of affirmative action?
● Have you ever told a Black person that if they’d just stop talking about race, it wouldn’t be so much of an issue?
● Have you ever cringed at a family member dating a Black person?
● Have you ever sat through offensive racist jokes about Black people and said nothing or laughed along?
● Have you ever found yourself thinking of Africa as a country?
● Have you ever insisted on your colorblindness?
● Have you ever felt the need to explain how racism works to a Black person?
● Have you ever thought of Black history as separate or tangential to American history?
● Have you ever affected/mimed Black mannerisms in order to greet a new Black person?
● Have you ever responded to a Black person discussing the damage inflicted on them by racism and answered “NotAllWhitePeople?”
● Have you found yourself concerned with proving that you pass this test?

You probably didn’t get through this without saying “Yes” to at least one of these things, and that’s okay. It doesn’t make you a bad person, it just shows that we are all affected by anti-Black attitudes and teachings in America. If you did get through this without saying yes, remember that it’s not an exhaustive list and getting all nos doesn’t make you immune to anti-Blackness.

Did you ever "not get" the music of a Black genius unless it was filtered through the voice of a white singer?

I see your point, but I'm not sure. Certainly I've heard white people appropriate black music without me ever hearing the black artist first. But I don't think that's the same thing.

annielou said:

Did you ever "not get" the music of a Black genius unless it was filtered through the voice of a white singer?

Was it u who said: "I can't think of one song by Prince that I can't do without." Well that's fine, a matter of taste I guess.

But then: " ( I happen to love O'Connor's cover of Nothing Compares 2 U - but for that I really have to give Sinead 90% of the credit for what makes that song so great.)"

Really? 90%?

(start of major thread drift into musical tastes as I become defensive against a misplaced attack.)

Prince is totally a matter of taste. I don't get him. I freely admit it. I don't get punk either.  Or, apparently, Power Pop. Shoot me. .

I happen to be a huge Sinead O'Connor fan. I have every one of her albums up through about 2012. Hell, I didn't even know it was a cover til years after I heard the song. That's how much Prince was off my musical radar.

I'm the first to admit to my own racist tendencies. I've done it here often. But you're wrong on this one. I don't happen to like any of Prince's music very much. Totally a taste issue.

And on the order of "some of my best friends are black", my earliest musical hero was Louis Armstrong when I was like 10.

And yes - 90%. The melody and lyrics are fine, but it's her performance and voice that makes that song. And the arrangement. I find no passion in the Prince version. Sorry.

Would you be happier if had I used a lower percentage? It's called hyperbole.

And not for nothing - Prince's genius was not his singing ability. (I find his singing voice kind of nasal actually. ) Sinead's is. That's why I'm a fan.

Is this a long enough diatribe on the subject?

But actually, I find this question quite interesting, as a statement about you though. It's interesting that that post of mine sticks out for you. A completely innocuous post, and for which you have absolutely no background knowledge of my history with either artist, or general listening habits, yet you take that statement as an example of unconscious racism.

Fascinating.

Now, here's an example of racism from me. Based on this post, I assume you're black, because I just can't imagine a white person ever reacting to my post as you did, as it requires an extra level of sensitivity that we white folk generally don't have. Or that I rarely see anyway.

No answer is needed or expected on that point.

(as I write this, I'm listening to Prince's version, just to give it another chance. Nope. ick.)

annielou
said:

Was it u who said: "I can't think of one song by Prince that I can't do without." Well that's fine, a matter of taste I guess.

But then: " ( I happen to love O'Connor's cover of Nothing Compares 2 U - but for that I really have to give Sinead 90% of the credit for what makes that song so great.)"

Really? 90%?

You have really gone completely off the rails between your crazy daily political nonsense and now this rant. I once again respectfully suggest you get yourself some help.

Now, on to today's nuttiness- I vividly remember your ridiculous Prince post as well and how silly it seemed that you could not recognize his genius and in the same breath talked of Sinnead's lol. I am not Black. There you go.  I'll add that the fact that you even try to figure out or make any assumptions of race on a message board is pretty illustrative of your racism. It never even crosses my mind to care what race a poster is.

How introspective are you? Take this test.

● Have you ever acknowledged a personal deficiency that you weren't the first to admit?

I can always count on a certain level of nonsense when you post.

Explain to me please, the nature of Prince's genius. I'm not doubting he had any, btw. Just interested in your take. Cause I'm kinda guessing your knowledge of him is about this deep. (holding fi9ngers a mm apart)

But maybe you can convince me.

conandrob240 said:

You have really gone completely off the rails between your crazy daily political nonsense and now this rant. I once again respectfully suggest you get yourself some help.

Now, on to today's nuttiness- I vividly remember your ridiculous Prince post as well and how silly it seemed that you could not recognize his genius and in the same breath talked of Sinnead's lol. I am not Black. There you go. I'll add that the fact that you even try to figure out or make any assumptions of race on a message board is pretty illustrative of your racism. It never even crosses my mind to care what race a poster is.

Yes.

Doesn't everyone?

DaveSchmidt said:

How introspective are you? Take this test.

● Have you ever acknowledged a personal deficiency that you weren't the first to admit?

sorry, I'm bored so I must tear apart your post.

conandrob240 said:

You have really gone completely off the rails between your crazy daily political nonsense and now this rant. I once again respectfully suggest you get yourself some help.

While I admit I take non-normative positions (though hardly that unusual in this climate) you have never explained why my posts are "crazy". So you're just kinda name-calling,. Childish.

I'm all ears, however, if you want to actually substantively critique any of my political posts. That's kind of why I write them.

Now, on to today's nuttiness- I vividly remember your ridiculous Prince post as well and how silly it seemed that you could not recognize his genius and in the same breath talked of Sinnead's lol.

Note that I never said he was not a genius. Perhaps that's what you think I said. I just said I didn't see it, and while I don't remember precisely, I'm sure I actually expressed regret that I didn't get him. I'm a music lover. And I would love to be able to appreciate Prince's gifts. But I can't and I don't. Dunno why. Not my cup o-tea. (Of course, I bother to explain why I don't care for him, so I'm not exactly saying he just sucks.)

And then you go on to disparage Sinead O'Connor - as if liking Sinead's version of a song over someone else's is some sort of catastrophic moral or intellectual or artistic failing.

Are ya kidding me?: You make me laugh.

I am not Black. There you go. I'll add that the fact that you even try to figure out or make any assumptions of race on a message board is pretty illustrative of your racism. It never even crosses my mind to care what race a poster is.

This one's great. You characterize a statement of mine as "illustrative of (my) racism."

That must have taken some massive insight on your part, seeing as how I prefaced my statement with

"Now, here's an example of racism from me:"

Kinda gives away the game, ya know?

You're a regular brain trust you are.

drummerboy said:

sorry, I'm bored so I must tear apart your post.

You couldn't have found a movie to watch instead?

I'm confused. are annielou and conandrob240 the same person? Or has one given his/her proxy to the other? It's mysterious.

An observation.

DB came on here to acknowledge persistent, subtle, sometimes unconscious ways that racism pervades our society.

Rather than opening a dialogue of any productive sort, he was immediately attacked as a racist.

How are we to discuss race at all under these conditions? Isn't this exactly what the right decries as "PC" ?

Just seems like there is a hair trigger that stifles all discussion and then any learning that may result.

If comments like annielou's are considered attacks that trigger a "diatribe on the subject," rather than reasonable challenges to the way we think (however much they may sting or we end up rejecting them), then I agree dialogue can be stunted.

The quiz is actually very good. To return to the spirit of its intention, I believe it is important to acknowledge that there are certain opinions that do hit a nerve. As to whether or not that reaction is valid is, in itself, an important exploration when discussing subtle forms of racism.

just my 2 cents, but if I tried to start a discussion and the first response is a suggestion that I'm racist because I don't like a particular black artist's song but only a white person's cover of it, it would annoy me too.

But to get back to the original question, imho any white person who is being honest with him/herself would have to admit to at least a few of those attitudes in the quiz. We'd all be better off if we could acknowledge our prejudices and try to minimize or push back on them.

Ok got it. Given up on him.

by the same logic, I can't be racist because I think Hendrix's version of "All Along The Watchtower" blows away Dylan's.

You must have excelled in philosophy!

ml1 said:

by the same logic, I can't be racist because I think Hendrix's version of "All Along The Watchtower" blows away Dylan's.

And if I asked why you assigned Dylan only 10 percent of the credit, and you responded in the spirit of DB, I might also question whether you started the discussion as a productive give-and-take or as simply an affirmation of your own musical awareness.

+10

jimmurphy said:

An observation.

DB came on here to acknowledge persistent, subtle, sometimes unconscious ways that racism pervades our society.

Rather than opening a dialogue of any productive sort, he was immediately attacked as a racist.

How are we to discuss race at all under these conditions? Isn't this exactly what the right decries as "PC" ?

Just seems like there is a hair trigger that stifles all discussion and then any learning that may result.

I thought you tried to assume good faith.

DaveSchmidt said:

ml1 said:

by the same logic, I can't be racist because I think Hendrix's version of "All Along The Watchtower" blows away Dylan's.

And if I asked why you assigned Dylan only 10 percent of the credit, and you responded in the spirit of DB, I might also question whether you started the discussion as a productive give-and-take or as simply an affirmation of your own musical awareness.

I can't figure out if I'm being criticized here or not.

Did Dave Schmidt accuse me of starting this thread to affirm my musical awareness?

What?

ml1 said:

by the same logic, I can't be racist because I think Hendrix's version of "All Along The Watchtower" blows away Dylan's.

No, you couldn't because Dylan agrees.

ml1 said:

I thought you tried to assume good faith.

DaveSchmidt said:

And if I asked why you assigned Dylan only 10 percent of the credit ...

Faith.

and you responded in the spirit of DB ...

drummerboy said:

I can't figure out if I'm being criticized here or not.

That depends on whether or not your parody of affronted wokeness was intentional.

you are increasingly talking over my head I think.

what is a "parody of affronted wokeness"? I guess it must have been unintentional, since I did not consciously parody anything and I don't know what you mean by wokeness.

Say what you mean man!

btw - I think Sinead's tearing up the Pope was about as brave an act I've seen a performer ever do.

Most people don't even know why she did it.

DaveSchmidt said:

drummerboy said:

I can't figure out if I'm being criticized here or not.

That depends on whether or not your parody of affronted wokeness was intentional.

drummerboy said:

you are increasingly talking over my head I think.

A regular brain trust contains several people. Maybe conandrob will let you borrow one.

If that fails, you could consider it this way: You wear your pride in your enlightenment on your sleeve. When someone pricks it a little, you spend the first half of your response indignantly defending something the pricker said needed no defense, then the rest playing the hypersensitivity card. That's textbook "I'm too woke to take this from you."

fine.I shall strive to meet your standards in the future.

DaveSchmidt said:

If that fails, you could consider it this way: You wear your pride in your enlightenment on your sleeve. When someone pricks it a little, you spend the first half of your response indignantly defending something the pricker said needed no defense, then the rest playing the hypersensitivity card. That's textbook "I'm too woke to take this from you."