Racism, etc.

[LARSSON at VAX1.Mankato.MSUS.EDU]

Diana comments:
"And before everyone dumps on me, let me say that I am               
sexist, and racist, of course, because I was raised in a culture that is.
Why do we waste all this time on parading around pretending not to be
affected by our socialization?  Let's acknowledge it and move on. Right
now there's a brouhaha at my bible belt university because one famously
racist fraternity (according to my husband who is a bona fide Southerner)
wrote *gasp* racist and sexist things in the "memory book" of a pledge.
It's pretty funny to watch to them scramble to refute the obvious but
the sad part is that we're prevented from real dialogue by yet again
making it a "you're wrong" no "you're wrong" issue."

I agree, but then to speak of "racism" at all becomes simply tautological.
Maybe better to bring back old words like "biased," "bigoted" or just plain
"stupid."

We've had a few incidents like that here in the Northland ourselves.  A
couple of years ago, at a Halloween celebration in nearby New Ulm (home of
the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame as well as of polka mavens like Whoopie John
and the Five Fat Dutchmen) some people dressed up like Aunt Jemima and her
husband, with a golliwog doll as a child.  Judges thought it was a hoot and
gave it a prize.  When objections ensued, a lot of people got quite self-
righteously indignant that their tolerance should be challenged.

Then, I just read in today'
s paper that in Superior, WI (Twin Port to Duluth, MN), a woman came to a
party at a historically-preserved mansion in blackface and read the
original version of "Ten Little Indians" (aka "Ten Little Niggers).  She too
won a prize!

So it goes.

Don Larsson, Mankato State U (MN)