You know how I can tell these idiots have never spent time in a black or Hispanic neighborhood? Besides the obvious, of course, these nuts couldn't tell you the difference between the black American, Ethiopian, Liberian, and Senegalese folks in my old part of West Philly, and Lord help them when they confused a Dominican for an Ecuadorian. They really aren't all the same! Same way anymore white guy who couldn't point to Galway on a map will gas on about how they're just as Irish as their great-granddad who came through Ellis Island in 18-whatever. I doubt that guy wants to be told he's the same as the Dutch.
Very interesting: "No one complained about the erasure of 'white identity,' and white performers were literally slathering their faces with black greasepaint. Of course, they were mocking Black people and lampooning what they considered Black culture." In a few rare cases, Black artists put on whiteface makeup during the minstrel era. Guess how it went?!
"Jeremy Carl and Elon Musk both want an ethnically “purer” but altogether duller world."
stealing from Kill Six Billion Demons again, I stare off goggle-eyed and whisper "Ah yes, the Circle. Undending, unbroken, eternal, infertile, pure..."
(note: the guy who said that was not one of the good guys)
"Once again, the “food ways” at a white rural Southern church and a Black rural Southern church are not that different. In my experience, those food ways are equally delicious and take the same exit for Type 2 Diabetes."
Big step up from upper Midwest white churches. I've eaten things at church potlucks that would make Cthulhu think twice.
Excellent breakdown as always, Stephen. As a teenager in the 60s, I worshipped the Beatles (still do), and it was from reading a teen magazine interview with John Lennon about influences on their music that I was introduced to such Black “girl” groups as the Shirelles and the Chiffons. (George Harrison, after meeting the Supremes, famously wondered how “three Black chicks from Detroit could be so square.”) Soul/funk has been second only to the Beatles for me ever since. The point being, without the influence of Black culture on American music, we’d still be stuck with Pat Boone and Peggy Lee.
When they asked him what he meant by “white food” I would have veered off course and asked what some of his favorite meals are. Chances are there’s a whole lot of influences in his diet alone that belie “white peoples food” at which point I could launch into their history and of the people who brought them here. He’d have to agree that all these influences make our world so very delicious. Why would he want to stop that being a guy who looks like he never passed up a good meal.
There are so many people who cosign what Carl says and it makes me sick. I shouldn't take this personally, but I do.
It is why I talk about "presumption of belonging" as well as the racial and ethnic cleansing the pricktator openly promised (and people enthusiastically voted for.)
Sorry Mexicans keep peeing on your unseasoned potato salad, Carl.
Memo to MAGA snowflakes: if you you feel your "white identity" is being threatened by brown people, then the issue is with your weak belief system, and not with "those people."
Listen, I hate modern country music and think it's an omnipresent earsore, but am I calling for it to be outlawed because I can't relate to it? Am I forcing the most boring white people to season their goddamn food or act happier in church (or, I don't know, actually live by the teachings of that nice Jewish socialist Jesus Christ)? None of this basic white shit is going away, and if less people are choosing it in favor of something more interesting, it's still gonna be there because boring people will always be out there to show us we can choose something better. And also, why do I have to recognize St. Patrick's Day every year if I'm not Irish? But you know what? This kraut has Oktoberfest. IT'S NEVER GOING AWAY. Omg Stephen wtf.
Also, their definition of "white" culture is sheer nonsense and historically ignorant. There is no "Anglo/Scots-Irish" culture.
Anglo refers to the waves of tribes from what is now Germany (Anglo-Saxon) who invaded the tribe there at the time, the Britons. The Britons at the time of the Germanic Tribal invasion had already been invaded by the Romans, whose soldiers were a mix of many different ethnic groups from all corners of the Roman Empire — such as modern-day Spain and other parts of Europe, as well as North Africa and the Middle East.
Then the Normans took over England from the Anglo-Saxons in 1066 — a bunch of French speakers descended from Vikings who invaded and settled in northern France (hence Normandy). French was the language of the rulers and nobles in England for centuries.
Scots-Irish is a particular relic of the "plantations" established in Northern Ireland, mainly under James I, to give better land to the noisy and troublesome Protestant Scots who wanted spoils when James became King of England. Being noisy and troublesome, many lit out for the colonies in North America, where many of their descendants are still noisy and troublesome (cf JD Vance).
Their "white culture" is a weird mix of Victorian and early 20th-century culture, attempting to justify the British Empire and WWI, with a major dose of eugenics, crappy 20th C US foodways, Lawrence Welk, and 1950s US sitcoms, with a longing to look like an Olympic athlete from Scandinavia.
Ironically the best known and most iconic 1950s sitcom is "I Love Lucy," featuring a Cuban-American bandleader as one of its stars - Desi Arnaz Sr. But the racists today would call him white, whereas CBS was worried about showing a TV couple with a white American wife and a brown not-American husband. Never mind that Desi was a naturalized American citizen and Lucy and Desi were married in real life. However, most Americans weren't as bigoted as CBS feared.
I honestly thought that this entire trajectory of Lucille Ball's life was one reason she championed that weird science fiction series that Desilu produced: 'Star Trek' , which broke so many TV taboos.
What a weak and fragile thing it must be to be only in white "culture"! How can one feel pride in oneself unless all others are suppressed? Just as the schoolyard bully draws joy and strength from domination and humiliation of others, the white supremacist must always portray false strength while fearing the revelation of his own weakness.
The great strength of America has always derived from the mingling of many cultures, many aspirations, many life experiences. I feel immensely enriched by the contributions of musical traditions from Mexico, Africa, Brazil. I'm amazed by the throat singers of Mongolia and the complex rhythms of Nigeria. How can we not celebrate food influences from China, Thailand, and Japan?
How dull would it be without the vibrant input from other cultures who see America as a place to both celebrate their own traditions and become part of the American tradition?
It's perfectly stated from our OG national motto: E Pluribus Unum, "From Many, One"
This is the reason I much prefer the "Stone Soup" metaphor for America. instead of "The Melting Pot"
A Stone Soup still contains the myriad different flavors of the many and is greater than the sum of it's parts whereas all you ever get out of a Melting Pot is...pot metal, an uncertain, ever-changing alloy of unknown strength suitable for only the cheapest of uses.
What these idiots don’t get is that while there’s nothing wrong per se with being proud to be white (you shouldn’t be ashamed of your race) the term “white pride” has been tainted by white supremacists who didn’t want to be just proud of their race but wanted to dominate nonwhite races. It’s sort of like how there’s nothing wrong with an actor portraying a character of another race (it’s acting!) but blackface has a history that makes it understandably verboten among normal people.
What’s really stupid is this idea of whites being erased. They’re not being kicked out, murdered, sterilized or forced to procreate with nonwhites. We’re just seeing the natural (and I’d say desirable, as it indicates a de-Balkanization of our racial groups) result of interracial marriages and immigration (also desirable as it indicates we have for now a place people want to come to—note that there isn’t a massive influx of people to Russia). But these bigots are upset at the sight of more nonwhites than they’d like (and worse—nonwhites who show them no deference!) and rather than say that out loud (which sounds stupid but also pathetic) they build up this idea that whites are being not just oppressed but erased.
Personally, I think we need a lot more focus on the melting pot because it’s a far more beneficial worldview—cultural influences are natural and desirable (any truly “pure” culture must exist in total isolation and gains none of the benefits of the rest of the world—we stand on the long benefits of constant sharing and collaboration). It’s also one of the reasons our society is so much richer than any competitor. It’s also one figures the dumbasses would reject that.
Well, "whiteness" only really exists as a contrast to "Blackness." Otherwise, a French person did not think they shared some common cultural link with the Brits or later the Italians or Germans. I get nationalism to a degree -- pride of German, British, French, or Italian heritage, but pride of what's ultimately skin color is bizarre.
Yeah I guess for a white person who doesn’t really have an ethnicity to call on, they’d just call themselves white. Which, if they want to celebrate that, sure, but if you go around yelling “white pride!” just don’t pretend there’s no historical context that makes people think you’re starting up the KKK.
Elon's concern with "our" English-Scotts-Irish heritage concerns me.
In addition to influences from the "British Isles", do we now have to celebrate/consecrate/commemorate Turfbuilder?
Elon is an idiot. I'm generally against deportation, but if you were only going to deport one...
You know how I can tell these idiots have never spent time in a black or Hispanic neighborhood? Besides the obvious, of course, these nuts couldn't tell you the difference between the black American, Ethiopian, Liberian, and Senegalese folks in my old part of West Philly, and Lord help them when they confused a Dominican for an Ecuadorian. They really aren't all the same! Same way anymore white guy who couldn't point to Galway on a map will gas on about how they're just as Irish as their great-granddad who came through Ellis Island in 18-whatever. I doubt that guy wants to be told he's the same as the Dutch.
Very interesting: "No one complained about the erasure of 'white identity,' and white performers were literally slathering their faces with black greasepaint. Of course, they were mocking Black people and lampooning what they considered Black culture." In a few rare cases, Black artists put on whiteface makeup during the minstrel era. Guess how it went?!
"Jeremy Carl and Elon Musk both want an ethnically “purer” but altogether duller world."
stealing from Kill Six Billion Demons again, I stare off goggle-eyed and whisper "Ah yes, the Circle. Undending, unbroken, eternal, infertile, pure..."
(note: the guy who said that was not one of the good guys)
"Once again, the “food ways” at a white rural Southern church and a Black rural Southern church are not that different. In my experience, those food ways are equally delicious and take the same exit for Type 2 Diabetes."
Big step up from upper Midwest white churches. I've eaten things at church potlucks that would make Cthulhu think twice.
“Scotch-Irish military culture”
What Stormfront sorcery is this?
The Donna Reed clip is priceless. Who knew she was so far ahead of her time? 😄
Donna Reed was woke!
Who knew!
Excellent breakdown as always, Stephen. As a teenager in the 60s, I worshipped the Beatles (still do), and it was from reading a teen magazine interview with John Lennon about influences on their music that I was introduced to such Black “girl” groups as the Shirelles and the Chiffons. (George Harrison, after meeting the Supremes, famously wondered how “three Black chicks from Detroit could be so square.”) Soul/funk has been second only to the Beatles for me ever since. The point being, without the influence of Black culture on American music, we’d still be stuck with Pat Boone and Peggy Lee.
I’ll take Peggy Lee over the Beatles at this point.
Blasphemer!
Different strokes for different folks.
When they asked him what he meant by “white food” I would have veered off course and asked what some of his favorite meals are. Chances are there’s a whole lot of influences in his diet alone that belie “white peoples food” at which point I could launch into their history and of the people who brought them here. He’d have to agree that all these influences make our world so very delicious. Why would he want to stop that being a guy who looks like he never passed up a good meal.
He'd just scream "Fake history!" at you.
There are so many people who cosign what Carl says and it makes me sick. I shouldn't take this personally, but I do.
It is why I talk about "presumption of belonging" as well as the racial and ethnic cleansing the pricktator openly promised (and people enthusiastically voted for.)
They are dumb, hateful, ugly and deeply insecure.
Sorry Mexicans keep peeing on your unseasoned potato salad, Carl.
Memo to MAGA snowflakes: if you you feel your "white identity" is being threatened by brown people, then the issue is with your weak belief system, and not with "those people."
Listen, I hate modern country music and think it's an omnipresent earsore, but am I calling for it to be outlawed because I can't relate to it? Am I forcing the most boring white people to season their goddamn food or act happier in church (or, I don't know, actually live by the teachings of that nice Jewish socialist Jesus Christ)? None of this basic white shit is going away, and if less people are choosing it in favor of something more interesting, it's still gonna be there because boring people will always be out there to show us we can choose something better. And also, why do I have to recognize St. Patrick's Day every year if I'm not Irish? But you know what? This kraut has Oktoberfest. IT'S NEVER GOING AWAY. Omg Stephen wtf.
It's funny, also, because the roots of country music and blues are closely linked. They then drifted into different directions due to segregation.
Calling racists fragile is perfect, because they are fragile.
We should test that theory more often:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b1aRop-UbU
Also, their definition of "white" culture is sheer nonsense and historically ignorant. There is no "Anglo/Scots-Irish" culture.
Anglo refers to the waves of tribes from what is now Germany (Anglo-Saxon) who invaded the tribe there at the time, the Britons. The Britons at the time of the Germanic Tribal invasion had already been invaded by the Romans, whose soldiers were a mix of many different ethnic groups from all corners of the Roman Empire — such as modern-day Spain and other parts of Europe, as well as North Africa and the Middle East.
Then the Normans took over England from the Anglo-Saxons in 1066 — a bunch of French speakers descended from Vikings who invaded and settled in northern France (hence Normandy). French was the language of the rulers and nobles in England for centuries.
Scots-Irish is a particular relic of the "plantations" established in Northern Ireland, mainly under James I, to give better land to the noisy and troublesome Protestant Scots who wanted spoils when James became King of England. Being noisy and troublesome, many lit out for the colonies in North America, where many of their descendants are still noisy and troublesome (cf JD Vance).
Their "white culture" is a weird mix of Victorian and early 20th-century culture, attempting to justify the British Empire and WWI, with a major dose of eugenics, crappy 20th C US foodways, Lawrence Welk, and 1950s US sitcoms, with a longing to look like an Olympic athlete from Scandinavia.
Ironically the best known and most iconic 1950s sitcom is "I Love Lucy," featuring a Cuban-American bandleader as one of its stars - Desi Arnaz Sr. But the racists today would call him white, whereas CBS was worried about showing a TV couple with a white American wife and a brown not-American husband. Never mind that Desi was a naturalized American citizen and Lucy and Desi were married in real life. However, most Americans weren't as bigoted as CBS feared.
I honestly thought that this entire trajectory of Lucille Ball's life was one reason she championed that weird science fiction series that Desilu produced: 'Star Trek' , which broke so many TV taboos.
Excellent synopsis!
What a weak and fragile thing it must be to be only in white "culture"! How can one feel pride in oneself unless all others are suppressed? Just as the schoolyard bully draws joy and strength from domination and humiliation of others, the white supremacist must always portray false strength while fearing the revelation of his own weakness.
The great strength of America has always derived from the mingling of many cultures, many aspirations, many life experiences. I feel immensely enriched by the contributions of musical traditions from Mexico, Africa, Brazil. I'm amazed by the throat singers of Mongolia and the complex rhythms of Nigeria. How can we not celebrate food influences from China, Thailand, and Japan?
How dull would it be without the vibrant input from other cultures who see America as a place to both celebrate their own traditions and become part of the American tradition?
It's perfectly stated from our OG national motto: E Pluribus Unum, "From Many, One"
This is the reason I much prefer the "Stone Soup" metaphor for America. instead of "The Melting Pot"
A Stone Soup still contains the myriad different flavors of the many and is greater than the sum of it's parts whereas all you ever get out of a Melting Pot is...pot metal, an uncertain, ever-changing alloy of unknown strength suitable for only the cheapest of uses.
So. Agree!!
What these idiots don’t get is that while there’s nothing wrong per se with being proud to be white (you shouldn’t be ashamed of your race) the term “white pride” has been tainted by white supremacists who didn’t want to be just proud of their race but wanted to dominate nonwhite races. It’s sort of like how there’s nothing wrong with an actor portraying a character of another race (it’s acting!) but blackface has a history that makes it understandably verboten among normal people.
What’s really stupid is this idea of whites being erased. They’re not being kicked out, murdered, sterilized or forced to procreate with nonwhites. We’re just seeing the natural (and I’d say desirable, as it indicates a de-Balkanization of our racial groups) result of interracial marriages and immigration (also desirable as it indicates we have for now a place people want to come to—note that there isn’t a massive influx of people to Russia). But these bigots are upset at the sight of more nonwhites than they’d like (and worse—nonwhites who show them no deference!) and rather than say that out loud (which sounds stupid but also pathetic) they build up this idea that whites are being not just oppressed but erased.
Personally, I think we need a lot more focus on the melting pot because it’s a far more beneficial worldview—cultural influences are natural and desirable (any truly “pure” culture must exist in total isolation and gains none of the benefits of the rest of the world—we stand on the long benefits of constant sharing and collaboration). It’s also one of the reasons our society is so much richer than any competitor. It’s also one figures the dumbasses would reject that.
Well, "whiteness" only really exists as a contrast to "Blackness." Otherwise, a French person did not think they shared some common cultural link with the Brits or later the Italians or Germans. I get nationalism to a degree -- pride of German, British, French, or Italian heritage, but pride of what's ultimately skin color is bizarre.
Yeah I guess for a white person who doesn’t really have an ethnicity to call on, they’d just call themselves white. Which, if they want to celebrate that, sure, but if you go around yelling “white pride!” just don’t pretend there’s no historical context that makes people think you’re starting up the KKK.