Another Modern Victim of Racism

[BlackShanglan]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/29/people.isaiahwashington.ap/index.html

This poor man. If not for racism, he might actually have been lead to confront the fact that he's a homophobic, agressively unpleasant jackass. Instead, he's reduced to repeating vile racial stereotypes of himself while externalizing every problem that he's managed to create. Such is the legacy of hatred.

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington said racism was a factor in his firing from the hit ABC series after he twice used an anti-gay slur.

Washington, who initially used the epithet during an onset clash with a co-star, told Newsweek magazine that "someone heard the booming voice of a black man and got really scared and that was the beginning of the end for me."

He tried to make amends by expressing remorse and volunteering to enter a counseling program to understand how the confrontation got out of hand, he told Newsweek.

"My mistake was believing that I would get the support from my network and all of my cast mates across the board. My mistake was believing I could correct a wrong with honesty and sincerity," he said in the interview posted online Thursday.

"My mistake was thinking black people get second chances. I was wrong on all fronts," he said.

His unwillingness to act like a submissive black at work was part of the problem, Washington said.

"Well, it didn't help me on the set that I was a black man who wasn't a mush-mouth Negro walking around with his head in his hands all the time. I didn't speak like I'd just left the plantation and that can be a problem for people sometime," he said.

"I had a person in human resources tell me after this thing played out that 'some people' were afraid of me around the studio. I asked her why, because I'm a 6-foot-1, black man with dark skin and who doesn't go around saying 'Yessah, massa sir' and 'No sir, massa' to everyone?

"It's nuts when your presence alone can just scare people, and that made me a prime candidate to take the heat in a dysfunctional family," he said.

ABC declined comment Thursday. In its one public statement regarding Washington, issued in January, the network said his actions were "unacceptable."

Washington, who used the slur against co-star T.R. Knight during a confrontation with Patrick Dempsey, repeated the word backstage at the Golden Globes in January in denying the first incident. A public apology to Knight and others followed.

 

[Boxlicker101]

This is interesting. A bigot accusing others of bigotry.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Proof that foot-in-mouth disease is colorblind.

 

[Recidiva]

Poor dude.

I guess he's homeless now.

 

[CeriseNoire]

This is interesting. A bigot accusing others of bigotry.

It's not so unusual. A lot easier than admitting there's something wrong with oneself.

 

[BlackShanglan]

I give him bonus points for also working in the "dysfunctional family" buzzphrase. It's not every person who could manage that sort of rhetorical leap. I hope he stretched first.

 

[Recidiva]

This is interesting. A bigot accusing others of bigotry.

I'm afraid that's what most bigots do. It's pretty rare that a sane person can't separate racism from your average high-level of assholery you come in contact with.

 

[CeriseNoire]

"I had a person in human resources tell me after this thing played out that 'some people' were afraid of me around the studio. I asked her why, because I'm a 6-foot-1, black man with dark skin and who doesn't go around saying 'Yessah, massa sir' and 'No sir, massa' to everyone?"

And here I thought 'some people' might be afraid because he used a term that let them know he considered them worthless

 

[Vermilion]

OK...
Do the attitudes Washington talks about actually exist *anywhere* except in Uncle Tom's Cabin these days? I mean I'm in the UK, I have no idea what racism is really like in the States, but the whole 'yes Massa' thing seems a tad overblown to me... And I think I'd find an angry, shouting 6' man pretty intimidating no matter his colour.

Seems a bit silly to be openly homophobic in the acting business though... isn;t that like being a mud-phobic rugby player?

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[Recidiva]

OK...
Do the attitudes Washington talks about actually exist *anywhere* except in Uncle Tom's Cabin these days? I mean I'm in the UK, I have no idea what racism is really like in the States, but the whole 'yes Massa' thing seems a tad overblown to me... And I think I'd find an angry, shouting 6' man pretty intimidating no matter his colour.

Seems a bit silly to be openly homophobic in the acting business though... isn;t that like being a mud-phobic rugby player?

x
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I'm afraid I can't take them seriously. 200 years or so ago my ancestors weren't doing too well either. And I've lost touch with my oppressors, I have to say.

Fucking British.

 

[Vermilion]

I'm afraid I can't take them seriously. 200 years or so ago my ancestors weren't doing too well either. And I've lost touch with my oppressors, I have to say.

Fucking British.

Um... why fucking British? I don;t understand your point...

 

[Recidiva]

Um... why fucking British? I don;t understand your point...

I'm pretty sure the British oppressed my ancestors. But again, I'm fine with it now.

I think forgiveness is not conducive to racism.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Recidiva
I'm afraid I can't take them seriously. 200 years or so ago my ancestors weren't doing too well either. And I've lost touch with my oppressors, I have to say.

Fucking British.

Um... why fucking British? I don;t understand your point...

If your ancestors had come from Ireland, or many other places in the world 200 years ago, you would. The British may have been the most rapacious conquerors in history.

 

[BlackShanglan]

"I had a person in human resources tell me after this thing played out that 'some people' were afraid of me around the studio. I asked her why, because I'm a 6-foot-1, black man with dark skin and who doesn't go around saying 'Yessah, massa sir' and 'No sir, massa' to everyone?"

And here I thought 'some people' might be afraid because he used a term that let them know he considered them worthless

That or the tendency to respond to criticism with aggressive accusations of racism.

But yes, there are still racists. I've heard from enough of them. It's easy to forget that when one's family and friends are not of that persuasion, but then we tend to select like-minded people for our social circles. Of course, one of the ugly realities of racism is that it not only crushes innocent people, but it also enables idiots like this one. It's nasty stuff all around.

 

[Recidiva]

Yes, that's my point exactly.

Scots-Irish-German.

Of course, there were the Huns and the Viking hordes. SO much oppression.

 

[Vermilion]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Recidiva
I'm afraid I can't take them seriously. 200 years or so ago my ancestors weren't doing too well either. And I've lost touch with my oppressors, I have to say.

Fucking British.




If your ancestors had come from Ireland, or many other places in the world 200 years ago, you would. The British may have been the most rapacious conquerors in history.

My ancestors were Polish Jews.

I was just a bit lost in the non-sequitur, that's all. I was asking about whether the kind of racist/slave attitudes Washington outlined did still exist in the States, because I am in no position (here in the UK) to know. Could someone tell me please?

 

[Recidiva]

My ancestors were Polish Jews.

I was just a bit lost in the non-sequitur, that's all. I was asking about whether the kind of racist/slave attitudes Washington outlined did still exist in the States, because I am in no position (here in the UK) to know. Could someone tell me please?

Sorry, I was being facetious and trying to make an acute point that turned obtuse.

There's no real standard for attitudes. There's infinite variety. Pick one that suits you is where it stands.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Poor dude.

I guess he's homeless now.

Seeing Ryver Tam in your avatar, and seeing you say that, it is such a Ryver thing to say

 

[carsonshepherd]

My ancestors were Polish Jews.

I was just a bit lost in the non-sequitur, that's all. I was asking about whether the kind of racist/slave attitudes Washington outlined did still exist in the States, because I am in no position (here in the UK) to know. Could someone tell me please?

Yes.

It's still here.

Don't believe anyone who claims it's not.

 

[Recidiva]

Seeing Ryver Tam in your avatar, and seeing you say that, it is such a Ryver thing to say

It really does suit me. It warns people that I'm completely crazy.

Wash: Little River just gets more colorful by the moment. What'll she do next?
Zoë: Either blow us all up or rub soup in our hair. It's a toss-up.
Wash: I hope she does the soup thing. It's always a hoot, and we don't all die from it.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Yes.

It's still here.

Don't believe anyone who claims it's not.

Not in the Hollywood studios, however.

 

[Vermilion]

Sorry, I was being facetious and trying to make an acute point that turned obtuse.

There's no real standard for attitudes. There's infinite variety. Pick one that suits you is where it stands.

That's fair enough. I was just wondering

Last (and only) time I was in the states was when I was 12 and staying in a old people complex with my grandparents... t'was mostly old, white people... not muchy chance to observe racist attitudes
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[Recidiva]

That's fair enough. I was just wondering

Last (and only) time I was in the states was when I was 12 and staying in a old people complex with my grandparents... t'was mostly old, white people... not muchy chance to observe racist attitudes
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Half my family is from the North. I grew up in New Jersey in a suburban place where racism only happend on TV in a history context.

However, half my family is from New Orleans. That's the perfect place to see old, white people exhibiting racist attitudes. I was very often deeply offended by my elders (who I was supposed to respect...) and their racist attitudes.

There are places where it's very prevalent. There are places where it's not.

I've spent quite a bit of time in the theater, which tends to be deeply liberal and inhabited by all manner of racial and gender variety. You're much more likely to be drummed out of a play for being a racist because it affects sales and perception.

Behind the scenes you may have individuals doing whatever...but anyone who becomes the slightest bit controversial (and believe me, gay is not controversial in the theater) are dumped for ticket sale bump.

 

[unpredictablebijou]

My ancestors were Polish Jews.

I was just a bit lost in the non-sequitur, that's all. I was asking about whether the kind of racist/slave attitudes Washington outlined did still exist in the States, because I am in no position (here in the UK) to know. Could someone tell me please?

I think you may have just seen a nice thumbnail sketch of racism in the united states right here.

What I've noticed is that most of us don't have a damn thing to complain about in our ACTUAL interactions with any racial group. So we get into lovely debates about what our ancestors did to one another, and take that as license to continue to pay attention to skin color, ancestry and other meaningless characteristics.

Most of it is quite imaginary and can be easily ignored, UNLESS one has a need to create some sort of Other to despise and blame. In the States, if you want racism you can find it, but most of it is fantasized, born out of defensive misinterpretation much like Washington's assertions.

I live in deep cowboy redneck country. The bar I go to is a typical redneck, Bud Lite, pool-table dive, but has representatives from every color and ancestry getting along just fine. The only trouble I ever got into in that bar, (over race, anyway) is the night that I was doing a fundraiser for the Humane Society and a (black) man (who was very drunk) told me I was racist because we never did any fundraising for the NAACP. Wow man. It was such a stretch I couldn't even get offended. Laughing was a bad idea, I'll admit it, but my grrrls had me covered and we smoothed it all over.

In the U.S. it's very easy to ignore race and ancestry and just interact with other humans. Unless, that is, someone decides to point out our various differences.

Scuse me, I just noticed that there are a buncha monks over there at Lindisfarne. They have some stuff I want, and when they're praying they really don't have their weapons handy. Nutty, huh? Gotta go...

Proud of my Viking ancestry, but not enough to make a goddamn issue of it,
bijou

 

[cloudy]

I think you may have just seen a nice thumbnail sketch of racism in the united states right here.

What I've noticed is that most of us don't have a damn thing to complain about in our ACTUAL interactions with any racial group. So we get into lovely debates about what our ancestors did to one another, and take that as license to continue to pay attention to skin color, ancestry and other meaningless characteristics.

Most of it is quite imaginary and can be easily ignored, UNLESS one has a need to create some sort of Other to despise and blame. In the States, if you want racism you can find it, but most of it is fantasized, born out of defensive misinterpretation much like Washington's assertions.

Bullshit.

It may make you feel better to think that racism is imaginary, and you can live in your comfortable little imaginary world all you want to, but it does exist, and it's far more pervasive in the real world.

Viking ancestry...well, that explains it, doesn't it? You'll never be watched in stores because you "might steal," never have racial epithets yelled at you from passing cars, never be railroaded in the court system because you're "just another drunk indian."

I'd love to let you walk a mile in my shoes, but then, you could hardly keep your little vision of things alive if you did. Reality would destroy your complacency, and we can't have that, now, can we?

re Washington: I detest when people scream "racism" to cover up their own idiocy, or deflect attention from what they, themselves, have done. It only makes life harder for those who truly want to see an end to bigotry.