Sidetracked

 Easily distracted from my goals. Read two more Kindle books after finishing The Black Friend. Still have scribbled notes.

When I finished the book, I questioned if I was a white supremacist. Long ago I once questioned myself: maybe the husband (long ex now) was right. Maybe n*g* (you know the rest) were inferior to white people.

I grew up with and knew too many Negroes, blacks, Afro/Americans, African/Americans to agree with the ex. Nah, neither could I ever be a supremacist. But because he is Black and I am considered white, I am loathe to criticize him. I doubt the book will stop white racists from being racists. It might lead some white kids to become racists.

Frederick Joseph does not approve of The White Savior, even though a man used his White Privilege to stop him from being arrested for shoplifting. That was nice that you got me out of trouble, but we do not want your help? He talks about White Saviors using feeding homeless as a photo op. I do not know if homeless being served by white celebrity are all Black. White people are homeless too. Would he feel President Obama helping prepare meals, serve at a Food Bank, simply a photo op; A Black Savior?

He mentioned whites who go to predominantly black communities abroad as being Opportunist White Saviors. I do not recall seeing a photo of Jimmy Carter in his Carter Foundation work overseas. I think I may have seen him building houses for humanity. Ok White People Thou Shalt Not Use Your Privilege to help the disadvantaged. I wonder if Jon Bon Jovi's "pay what you can afford" soup kitchen exclusively serves whites? Or Blacks? Or a diverse population? 

White kids go to furniture stores to chill? Maybe in his neck of NYC they do. I have never seen teens hanging out for hours in furniture store; In a mall maybe, but they would have been asked to leave sitting on or laying on beds. Talk about judging an entire "race" by skin color.

I have never watched Sex & The City. Have watched Living Single. I watched A Different World always on lookout for actor Mary Alice.(Smith.) I agree there is no "reverse racism." Joseph is plenty bigoted. The way he lectures he sounds like he thinks he is superior to other ethnic groups as a whole. That makes him a racist. 

"You probably think yoga was started by a white woman in California." No, I thought it was started by an Indian guru in New Jersey. Sarcasm. I would think it is of Hindu origins. Just more stereotypes. As if all white woman in CA do yoga? Or lead Yoga groups? 

"Historically off-limits to non-community members." Thou shalt not practice Yoga? Or Kung Fu? Or wear green on St. Patrick's day? Or eat lasagna? White peeps thou shalt not taste sushi, as ordered by Frederick Joseph. 

He talks about being forced to live up to white people's standards, so maybe this is a big get even? I do not know that Negroes were forced to straighten their hair, to conform to white standards. That changed; but I notice a lot of Black ladies on TV shows or movies straighten their hair or are wearing wigs with long, flowing hair styles. Where did all the naturals and Afros go?

I think everyone has the right to choose their own hairstyles. It is disturbing when Native American child is told to cut off his culture's natural braids. Or the biracial student not being allowed to attend graduation due to his cornrow hairstyle. Michelle Obama said she did not wear braids while First Lady because it might be too upsetting for white folks. Yes, many White Folks do have standards they expect others to follow.