Now this Microaggression is funny
Does one microaggression justify another?
The video, at least.
A follow up to:
- Microaggression Mania: McGill U. student leader apologizes for .gif of Obama kicking open door
- Passive Microaggression
Language warning.
Bonus Questions: Isn’t calling her a dumb bitch a sexist microaggression? Does one microaggression justify another?
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Trump card:
Another racist white bitch speaks:
“There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery. Then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved… After all we have been through. Just to think we can’t walk down our own streets, how humiliating.”
—Jesse Jackson (“Boo!!”)
Another reason why Jackson has no right to speak for any black man, except himself.
I really wish Professor Jacobson would leave this ‘micro-aggression’ thing alone before it gains too much notoriety.
It’ll be the most sought after Liberal Arts Degree in short order.
Two Microaggressive Racist’s walk into a bar . . .
The video is funny for how fake it is.
What white woman is going to be afraid of a black man wearing a suit and tie?
Why wasn’t he sagging and wearing a hoodie? Of course, that would be a whole different story now, wouldn’t it?
When you see black youths playing the knockout game or looting a store in a flash mob … they aren’t wearing business suits.
Our brains are naturally wired to detect potential dangers in our environment. They’ve served us quite well in that regard.
As a retired accountant, who spent much of my adult life in a suit and tie – not counting the years I spent in uniform – I must say, i’ve never made any attempt to frighten or startle any white; but I’ve still received that attitude of automatic suspicion whenever I’ve been alone with one unfamiliar with me.
– I must say, i’ve never made any attempt to frighten or startle any white
Any white…what?
I thought this was one of the funniest video’s I’ve seen in a few weeks. It’s so easy to see that it has a target audience, and that target wasn’t in Texas or any other 2nd Amendment state. My guess is New England and the Eastern Corridor all the way to Florida.
What would have happened if the lady had a concealed carry permit, and pulled out a Glock 9mm or a S&W 357 from the purses weapons holster? LOL The little bad-ass black dude would have pooped his britches. Then the video could have been titled: “You Never Know – Reasons To Be Courteous” Let’s ask Trayvon if there’s any wisdom in acting courteous, OK?
Racists making video’s about racism, they’re always good for a laugh.
Perhaps that is because those of us with some experience in the world of business know how scary accountants can be. And ones wearing suits are the scariest of all.
So you’ve dealt with IRS agents, huh? That would be my experience as well.
“whenever”? As in every time? Somehow I doubt it.
Some women are nervous about being alone with men of any color in some situations. Some people are timid, and people they encounter might interpret their normal defensiveness as being directed at them particularly. It’s easy to misread what other people are thinking about you.
A lot of white people are always worrying that black people they encounter in daily life will automatically assume they’re racist, or take offense at some expression or gesture or comment that had no ill will behind it. White people may therefore make a point of trying to allay any suspicion of racism, and then wonder if black people will think they’re just being patronizing or phoney.
I often hear black people say to white people, “You don’t know what it’s like to be black.” Fair enough, but black people don’t know what it’s like to be white, either. For one thing, black people probably don’t know what it’s like to be automatically assumed to be at fault for any tension or turbulence in race relations.
Accountant, you don’t have any reservations, whatsoever, in the presence of and alone in an inescapable environment, about ANY stranger? Regardless of dress, color, size, shape, whatever? Normal personal bubble space is an arm’s length in all directions. I don’t care who walks into an elevator where it is only me, I step away. Sometimes, if the cologne is overwhelming, I even put my hand over my mouth and nose as that would be better than woofing the cookies on the stranger.
Interestingly, your comment does not state your color but everyone is responding as if black. Who knows, could be your point is you are white and the withdrawal from whites happens to you, too??
Exactly, Canusee. I pay careful attention to my surroundings. I have gotten off elevators when I was a single passenger when a lone man got on. I do look at how said person is dressed and what kind of businesses the building houses. I was in a county building once when two young women, all tatted up, flying colors that could have been gang related, got on. I got off and waited for the next car. And I won’t use the stairwell in any public building.
As an undergrad whose college was in a predominantly white neighborhood, and who would often walk two hours to get home—always been a walker—I listened to my sister when she said be careful how you’re walking cuz white boys like to do strange crap and call it fun. So, my eyes were always peeled for the young who were not conservatively dressed.
Regardless of race, clothing is a signal that, rightly or wrongly, puts you at ease. A jacketed black guy in an elevator a figure of fear? Bogus. The kind of black guy who dresses like that is aware how far he’s come—unless he’s an athletic thug—and is the last person to be feared.
Well, the example in this video is the guy was to be feared as he is so wired with insecurity and internal aggression that the women instinctively knew to pull inward to put an invisible wall up. This naturally releases chemicals in her, preparing for an attack upon her; which there was one.
It’s not about insecurity. You have to experience it. Show this vid to a guy who wears a yarmulke in some countries, some cities, and it will resonate with him.
Hi Luke… I have to disagree. About 10 years ago someone I worked with (19 year old son of the company VP) was in a traffic accident. He thought he could get cocky with the driver of the other vehicle… middle-aged guy in a suit. He tried to intimidate the guy, was threatening… the 19 year old punk ended up in the ICU for 4 days. Not only did he get his ass kicked by the guy in a suit, but he learned an important life lesson. Just because someone is wearing a suit, does not mean they aren’t dangerous.
I want to testify that young lady would act just that way when a 6’4″ 200-and-mumble-mumble pound old Viking-looking guy walks into the elevator.
(sigh…)
You mean she went to Wellesley?
I get the same from all the wimmins…
(double sigh…)
Rags, My most common quote from any new female friend:
“You know, when I first met you, I was scared to death. You look like you just walked off The Vikings[or whatever current Hollywood depiction of healthy Anglo-Saxons]set.”
Black, white, sky blue pink, they all tremble before me.
Does that ‘bother’ me? Why should it? I smile with the knowledge, if they need help, they will get it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gzVf3ooaA0
barf 🙁
“Does one microaggression justify another?”
Depends on the aggressor’s race. In this case the black guy gets a pass because of RACISM.
/s
Perhaps that’s the reason all the Libs were angry with Zimmerman, he didn’t give Trayvon a ‘pass’ because of his ‘race’. Eh?
Have you ever seen a dog ‘passing’ a peach pit? Legs quivering, eye’s bugged out, muscles straining… Yup, Trayvon got his pass for his actions….and then he passed into a different realm of understanding. The dog learns not to eat peaches again – Trayvon is beyond learning.
I don’t see what’s so funny in this video – a clearly woman hating black racist acts out. Ha-ha (spit!)
Almost as scary as all those Brazilian elevator videos.
If she had any sense she’d move to the back and to the side while reaching into her purse to grip, just in case, the handle of her interpersonal conflict resolution device.
Unless she’s an Democrat who believes that the police s/b called so that they can “handle” the situation and that people shouldn’t take protective action.
Yep, she’ll soon learn that the police always arrive on time – to draw the chalk lines.
Juan Williams admitted to being nervous seeing Muslims on a plane. I’m not sure what terms PBS used about him (as opposed to “stupid white bitch”) before they fired him for his microaggression.
As am I. In the course of getting around, I’ve seen Muslims on a plane with sufficient spare seats, leave their seats and move into that terrorist formation thing—two front, two middle, two back. Worried? Hell, yes.
Obviously the 2008 Presidential election proves that claims of racism trump claims of sexism. Just ask Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin.
Umm no . That does not read true at all.
“She” has height , weight , muscle mass & arm span as an advantage..
He certainly has teeth.
Althouse, too, shows aggression towards this new, exciting career path-
http://althouse.blogspot.com/2014/02/microaggression-alert.html
(I can’t wait for micro-aggression to sweep through Sesame Street and 3rd grade Common Core math)
Please note how the narrator managed to jump straight to the conclusion that the woman in the elevator was guilty of this new “crime” of thought. Perhaps the woman had been subjected to a real act of aggression in the immediate past, like armed robbery or assault. Behavior is a social cue, a body language that should be treated as a communication. If I go into an elevator and the *sole* other person there shifts away from me and holds her purse tightly, that is my social cue that she is afraid of me, and my proper response is to smile and nod while attempting not to elevate her discomfort, push the button, wait quietly while not staring at her, and exit when my floor shows up. In a verbal sense, she has said, “I am uncomfortable around you” and my response is “I understand your discomfort. I am not a danger, and will take this extra effort to assure you of such. Goodbye.” Shouting “Boo” at her is just body language for “Please mace me and call the police.”
You bring up a great point.
We don’t know the past experiences of the people we see. We can only assume we know what makes them uncomfortable.
(For example, a woman may have been abused as a child and is afraid of ANY stranger, or fears physical contact with people. She rides in elevators in great anxiety – and would react to ANYONE the same way. Skin color is irrelevant to this person’s behavior.)
Why is it that people of color seem to always jump to the conclusion that it is the color of their skin that a person is reacting to, rather than any other possible reason?
If everything is about skin color/race to a person…..is that not racism?
Audi alteram partem. Look at it from the other side.
Here he is, a small (compared to her) black guy, a well dressed and buttoned down and trench coat wearing guy, gets into an elevator with this tall almost masculine looking white chick and she grabs her bag. That’s an insult to him. How many times has it happened to him? This time, given her appearance in re height, weight, size, could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. He’s had enough. Does he have to whistle classical music like Shelby Steele to convince her he’s harmless?
Is she reacting to his race or his sex? He doesn’t know. He thinks it’s his race because that’s how a lot of other people react to others of his race in other circumstances. He’s not dressed like the others, he’s likely thinking. That alone tells him that she sees his color before she sees his clothing. So if he doesn’t know, he likely concludes race rather than sex.
He likely thinks he’s earned the right to be treated differently because the clothing should tell his story. Her reaction tells him that that’s not enough, and he likely wonders what will be enough. So, it’s possible he thinks, you’re showing you’re afraid of me? I’ll give you something to fear. So, he speaks out his anger, to which she seems unresponsive, then the kicker, “BOO!”
His intent? Likely to teach her to look at people and not just go with mis- and preconceptions.
My dearest friend dresses exactly like this guy. Three piece suits. Trench coats. I can just see him in the elevator shaking his head slightly at this woman’s reaction.
One las thing, this elevator is an either an east coast or west coast liberal area.
I’m pretty sure this is a parody making fun of people who take such crazy notions seriously.
It has to be, right?
Authors do a good job of not giving away whether they are serious or joking.
Maybe she just thinks he’s an asshole?
He certainly proved her correct.
What’s remarkable is how the guy promotes the notion that the woman is inviting — i.e. deserving of — a violent attack because of a reflexive (and defensive) action that hurts nothing but his ego.
Maybe that’s one reason why we’re seeing the “knockout game”: some black youths have somehow been persuaded that whatever subtle (or imaginary) slights they feel they’ve received from white people justify violent and sometimes lethal assaults on random white people.
I know the perfect attorney to handle these microaggression cases.
http://assets-s3.usmagazine.com/uploads/assets/articles/50937-austin-powers-star-verne-troyer-writing-racy-tell-all/1333053635_verne-troyer-article.jpg
Not many Whites would be afraid of a Black guy dressed that well.
However many would be cautious of a White guy with saggy pants, neck and hand tattoos — but probably even more would be worried about an African-American dressed the same way — and no wonder: from 1980 to 2008, 60% of felony murders were committed by Blacks, who made up less than 13% of the population.
http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/htus8008.pdf
U.S. Department of Justice,
Homicide Trends in the United States
Page 12
Most people fold their arms as automatic protective defensive move when with strangers, which means for women their purses will be pulled closer as the arms cross. Most people do not like to converse with strangers and folded arms shuts people out and limits the chances of conversation being initiated by another. This has nothing to do with race. On another note, with all the statistics and police reports validating there is a serious situation of blacks being aggressive to older whites, including women, I make no apologies for being cautious and will not be giving off signals of weakness. I make no apologies for profiling. That is NOT racist. Anyone had to take a defensive driving course to get rid of a ticket or for company you drive for? The same principles apply to Life. Drive/Live offensively so you are prepared to drive/react defensively. Amen to profiling. It saves lives. Don’t talk to strangers is not just a childhood caution.
Men in the midst of a full blown short-man’s complex episode are some of the most aggressive people. A short man, of any color, coming into an elevator with a aura of hostility, where I am the only other person would have me exiting right then and there.
So as a WASP at age 65, when I enter an elevator and encounter the same reaction from a woman of any color, then that action should be considered racist? I hate to tell this to the little black guy, but what the woman did is a normal response. Now, I really hate to tell this to the black guy, but whites don’t really care about you. We are not being racist as you don’t even register on the radar and we don’t really think about you existence. I think that is something that these people who perceive racism in every action need to know. But the black guy in the video did confirm the fact that he is being overly aggressive and his tendency to violence is excessive.
Next lib scientists in academe will announce the discovery of racist sub-atomic particles, then seek federal funding for research into the new science Quantum Racism.
While it might be more stereotypical to have the guy dressed in bagging pants and a hoodie – that is one funny cartoon. He did say she was a dumb one.
I once had an experience in an empty parking garage. After work, I was walking a few yards behind a woman. She heard me, turned around and ran to her car at the sight of me. I felt bad but did not blame her. The worlds is a dangerous place.
I always try to give women extra space whenever possible for their comfort.
PS: my avatar is a cleaned up version of how I actually look. I never claimed to be as pretty as Edmond O’Brien.
Silly video.
As a woman I am always careful and aware of my surroundings when I am alone. I would be nervous if any man, however he was dressed, got onto an elevator alone with me.
I once left a meeting that I knew would extend past dark. A male colleague walked with me out to the parking lot where he got into his car located in an unlit area. My car was right under the parking lot light. Accident? No, planning and situational awareness. I’ll bet my colleague never gave a second’s thought to where he parked.
I am forever grateful to a good male friend in college who taught me – well, he finally had to show me, I was a little cocky back then – that even at my physical best I was no match for the upper body strength of most any male my size or larger. I was quite fit and confident I could take care of myself and he had a hard time convincing me be more careful until he gripped me in an embrace and said, “Now break free.” I couldn’t. I was really taken aback by how much stronger he was than me – I was the athlete, not him. It was lesson I have never forgotten. (And yes, I could’ve broken free by hurting him – maybe – but you don’t do that to friends and he was able to make his point.)