If you're reading this, I love you.
It finally hit me why I hate arguing about things on the internet. More often than not, it's a "logic" argument, that completely ignores the underlying concepts.
Just because "transgender" is a thing, doesn't mean "trans-racial" is a thing. One could make a sound logical argument for it, but any deeper understanding of the underlying concepts of race and gender would nullify said argument.
That said, the whole Rachel Dolezal thing is fascinating and hilarious. I know plenty of people who have been right up on that "I love black folks so much, I want to be one" line, but without really making the final step that she did. To me, what it highlights more than anything is how completely twisted this country is about race, and how amazingly inclusive Black culture is. I've known so many people of all sorts of races and backgrounds who were de facto members of Black families and communities. The Irony is that this woman was following the White Supremacist idea that you have to "match" to fit in, and not the culturally Black idea that you just have to show up and maybe make a decent potato salad every once in a while.
In a more serious note, the friend that I was arguing with about racial issues last time I posted on here passed away yesterday. And despite my bitching about his debate tactics, was someone I cared about and respected. Strangely enough, he was one of the few people I always said "I Love You" to. Even that last spat I went out of my way to remind him that the only reason I wasted my time arguing with him was because he was someone who I had a lot of respect for. And as usual the conversation ended with a laugh and an "I love you, man". I have much closer friends, and our relationship wasn't one that I relied on emotionally. But it feels good that the last time we spoke, I was able to tell him exactly how much I loved and respected him. I really hope his other friends and family have something resembling that sort of closure.
Just because "transgender" is a thing, doesn't mean "trans-racial" is a thing. One could make a sound logical argument for it, but any deeper understanding of the underlying concepts of race and gender would nullify said argument.
That said, the whole Rachel Dolezal thing is fascinating and hilarious. I know plenty of people who have been right up on that "I love black folks so much, I want to be one" line, but without really making the final step that she did. To me, what it highlights more than anything is how completely twisted this country is about race, and how amazingly inclusive Black culture is. I've known so many people of all sorts of races and backgrounds who were de facto members of Black families and communities. The Irony is that this woman was following the White Supremacist idea that you have to "match" to fit in, and not the culturally Black idea that you just have to show up and maybe make a decent potato salad every once in a while.
In a more serious note, the friend that I was arguing with about racial issues last time I posted on here passed away yesterday. And despite my bitching about his debate tactics, was someone I cared about and respected. Strangely enough, he was one of the few people I always said "I Love You" to. Even that last spat I went out of my way to remind him that the only reason I wasted my time arguing with him was because he was someone who I had a lot of respect for. And as usual the conversation ended with a laugh and an "I love you, man". I have much closer friends, and our relationship wasn't one that I relied on emotionally. But it feels good that the last time we spoke, I was able to tell him exactly how much I loved and respected him. I really hope his other friends and family have something resembling that sort of closure.