The Etymology of Reverse

[bana05]

This is my first time doing a post for International Blogging against Racism Week, and Lord if these last weeks haven't given me more to talk about than normal!

When I was a sophomore in college I took a class called Race, Ethnicity, and Politics in the United States. The core question of the class was whether the racial/ethnic hierarchy was built

Comments

[madelf]

I love this post.

"Reverse racism" has to be one of the most annoying things to ever pop up, as if white people generally are so damn oppressed by the icky minorities. It pops up in so many conversations, too - everything from affirmative action to immigration to television channels and college admission.

Sorry - one of those topics that gets me all riled up and ready to rant.

[bana05]

No, it's worse than that. It's basically not really giving a damn about it until ti affects them, which is why they use "reverse", because when something is "reversed" the automatically inclination is to restore it...the status quo, the same status quo that makes shitting on PoC normal and "business as usual". They don't like the "walk a mile in my shoes" thing; hell, they can't even tie up the laces before they want out; but you know, in the hierarchy of things, they shouldn't have to wear them. And the white folks who do are "trash".

[madelf]

No, I know what you mean. I just got off on a tangent because this sort of attitude in particular is something I've been exposed to constantly my entire life, so it's become something that just gets my hackles up. And it definitely has the blatant meaning that things should "go back to how they were", that people (PoC in particular) need to stay in their place.

[bana05]

Including the president of the united states, who is, actually, in "his place" but folk don't like that place...they want him in the "usual" place, obv.

[bana05]

Thank you. I linked to your post about PoC and feelings, because everything about that post was on point and related to my thoughts here. It's almost as if it's not just merely a dismissal, it's not even considered a possibility that PoC feelings are just as valid and relevant, and in many cases more so, that non-PoC feelings, especially when it comes to racism. But not being the "center of the universe" isn't "the norm", and so the minute that crack shows itself for the derailing to happen, it's jumped all over. You broke it down and it was much appreciated (esp when I got the "you should lay off race/complain about other things" comment for my Martha rant just the other day...girlie was slow to be commenting).

[illariy]

Thank you for this great post and the detailed analysis. *bookmarks* :-)

[bana05]

Hi, welcome and thank you for reading!