Re: [-empyre-] Fwd: ayo should go byo

["Katherine Moriwaki" <kaki@kakirine.com>]

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Michael Arnold Mages <magesm@mindspring.com>
Reply-To: soft_skinned_space <empyre@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au>
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 15:16:39 -0600 (MDT)

>However, it seems to me that there is not a great amount of thoughtful >discussion (in non-academic fora) about how race is a part of social >discourse. Is it fear of giving offense that mutes considered >conversation?

I think it has both to do with that, and because of the "heroes and holidays" approach to race... many people tend to avoid thinking about race and racism because it does not "apply" to them. I liked damali's suggestion for a net.art project, subscribing people to a black facts list to see how long it takes for people to unsubscribe. how long *would* people stay on such a list? 



---------- Original Message ------------------------
From: Michael Arnold Mages <magesm@mindspring.com>
Reply-To: soft_skinned_space <empyre@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au>
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 15:16:39 -0600 (MDT)


>By having this service where human 
>beings are rented out, you are making blakc people seem like an 
>exotic delicatessent for white people.  Blacks are made into an 
>exihibit.  

I think the most interesting thing in this entire response is that this respondent has "gotten it" without realizing that they "got it".  The shame of it is, that this line of thought was not followed on with "Hmmm... Where else have I seen blacks made into an 'exotic delicatessen' for whites?"

Which leads me to another question--and this may be a grotesque generalization--it seems that this month has been fairly light; but damali's site gets >5 emails a day expressing (inarticulate) outrage, hostility, etcetera... It seems to me that those with polemic views have no problem sharing them. However, it seems to me that there is not a great amount of thoughtful discussion (in non-academic fora) about how race is a part of social discourse. Is it fear of giving offense that mutes considered conversation?

-Michael




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