So I'm just finishing my lunch and I came across this video on the wonderful world of youtube. It's different racist Disney clips put into one video. To me, the video made so much sense but to others, I guess not. It definitely reminds me of how much of Berkeley bubble I'm in. The comments about how its not racist or how "this is racism back then" or "people are too sensitive" or "thin-skinned" reflect the attitudes people have about race in the present.
First, people commenting on this video and saying that "people of color just complain too much", need to realize that one, they probably had the privilege to never really experience race in their life. They never had offensive names such as "chink", "nigga", or "beaner" called at them. And their race never hindered them from getting the same life chances. If they have been called these things, many don't understand how they are racialized because it is something they choose to push out of their minds.
Secondly, by saying "this is racism back then" assumes that there isn't racism now and as we all SHOULD now, that's not true. RACISM IS REAL. Just because certain legislations do not explicitly TALK about race anymore, the policies are still inherently racist. For example, look at the way the census is conducted. It has racial categories, but theres so many groups excluded, not recognized, lumped together, etc. I'm sorry but I am not just Asian. I am, one, Asian-American and two, a VIETNAMESE-American. There are differences.
Lastly, I hate it when people say "but I'm liberal so I'm not racist". People need to realize that being liberal doesn't equate to a racially conscious mind. There are liberals who will go and try to help out us poor "colored folks" but that just reflects upon the idea that white liberals believe that they are inherently more superior than us "poor" people of colorful. Furthermore, being a "liberal" is a political stance, not always the level of consciousness one may have. That's why I get scared of calling myself a liberal. My politics is not about being on one side of a spectrum but a philosophy I carry with me throughout my life. We need to rethink the way we label ourselves.
So, please. To these so-called non-racists, accept the fact that race is real, that it definitely appears in everyday cartoons you watch, and that you may be a liberal but you are not racially and socially conscious as you may think. Watch it. And accept that others may feel offended by these clips because they are just trying to complain, because their life experiences has led them to be ultra aware of how they are portrayed. Thank you.
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