It seems to me that this guy was giving you "a backhanded compliment." Certainly I would say it was racist for him to say "thank you young man you are a credit to your race"
I guess this elderly gentleman was still living in the past and is inneed of a rapid update.
I have to disagree with most of the people here and go with boomerang. My uncle actually uses the phrase "You are a credit to your race" no matter who he's talking to, intending 'the human race' and not white, black, etc.. So - I'm white and I've gotten that kind of compliment.
However you took it or how anyone is analyzing it, well, I believe it was meant as a compliment no matter who he said it to. I wouldn't go to lengths to turn it into anything else and label the man a racist.
It IS a comment best left unresponded, though Sofia's was superb.
In the politically correct world we live in every thing said is analyzed and searched for hidden meanings. It has almost come to the point that when someone greets us with a good morning salutation we think. We wonder what he meant by that? Sounds a little like paranoia.
Well, I do not think that the elderly gentleman meant to insult CerealKiller, but the compliment sounded ambivalent. It is like to claim that Albert Einstein was a smart person in spite of his being a Jew.
It makes me think of the phrase --almost always meant ironically now, but, presumably at one time, not--- "that's mighty white of you."
Don't know the history of the phrase, but it has always disturbed me.
YES, Greyfan. Haven't heard that one in ages. Now that I think of it, we used to use it ironically (back in college, back in the Dark Ages).
It would be fun to start a thread called "Are you a credit to your race?" to see what people come up with. Have a feeling it would be very, very funny.
CerealKiller
Quote:I'm sure this man had no clue what race I am by looking at me. The only thing he could've known is that I'm non-white, which isn't entirely true.
Is it possible that he had no idea that you were anything other than white. Or is it apparent that you are not or of as you seem to indicate of mixed race. And indeed it was just an expression
Hi Gautam, I wouldn't insult your intelligence by saying that britain is a non racist country, and the recent attacks on asians in Lancashire were a complete disgrace, but I think overall things are better than in the sixties.
Steissd, Ilike the einstein/jew analogy.
Kev,
Dunno abt the 60's really, but yeah the situation must have improved. And I am not saying that all of UK is bad. However, racism in UK does exist - while it might not be "in yr face" kind most of the time, it is there, subtle - but there.
steissd
Quote:It is like to claim that Albert Einstein was a smart person in spite of his being a Jew.
Not so, the above statement was meant to insult. The gentleman's remark was not. And in fact is only an insult if you choose to interpret it as such. Your statement needs no interpretation.
Gautam,
The problem has escalated recently due to the british national party who are in my view not much better than nazis, it was because they made political strides in Oldham in Lancashire that started the attacks on the asian community by mindless yobboes.
I concede that is easy for me to say that things arn't as bad as they used to be because I'm white, but for example in the sixties, to have people with brown skin in jobs like the police, lawyers,magistrates,stockbrokers, t.v.newsreaders actors/acresses, athletes, high flying businessmen etc.,was something that whites simply couldn't conceive of, so things seem to be a little better. Perhaps acouple of generations from now.........
au1929 wrote:CerealKiller
Quote:I'm sure this man had no clue what race I am by looking at me. The only thing he could've known is that I'm non-white, which isn't entirely true.
Is it possible that he had no idea that you were anything other than white. Or is it apparent that you are not or of as you seem to indicate of mixed race. And indeed it was just an expression
No. My mother is a full blood Native American (black) my father was white, so of course naturally everybody thinks I'm hispanic.
The Narragansetts only number between 2500-5000 people nationally so he couldn't have known I am Native. I think he thought I was black or hispanic. It happened so quickly I didn't even react or realize what he said until 5 minutes later.
Again I take no offense to his statements because they weren't mean spirited or a put down, I just found them unusual and wanted to get other peoples take on them. I sense racial undertones in his compliment but attribute it to the way he was raised.
Thank you all for your insiteful comments and warm welcome.
A credit to my Race: Do you consider this racist
When I was young and still developing my schematic view of society my great Grandmother made this comment interference to a black entertainer, Afro American, Negro, or simply more so PC a fellow hominid.
Implying that his talents were atypical and not prevalent in his race. A race of which had a greater tendency of talents that were better suited to excel in socially deviant behavior. That was my take on the comment when I was five, in the 60's.
Reply to Topic
Belated welcome, Cereal. I hope you remember Sofia's come-back for next time. I'll try to remember it if I ever get that kind of compliment, which I doubt. And I agree with the others who say that it's better to focus on the intent behind the guy's words, rather than the exact words themselves. Cheers.
@CerealKiller,
Racism is natural and unavoidable whether we like it or not. All we can do its tame it and educate ourselves. We need to expand our notion of group into a larger more abstract settling ground. Its not always easy. The best argument against racism is that genetic diversity is good for the species in the long run. Since the great pre historic extinction of humans we are in desperate need of diversity. If nothing else keep that in mind.
@Fil Albuquerque,
If there's one thing that living in Korea for almost 20 years has taught me, it's that skin color, ethnicity, native language, culture, etc, tell you next to nothing about a person's character. Maybe it suggests some predispositions, but that's distinct from character.
No....we are talking about the human race, correct?
@CerealKiller,
1 - Yes it was a racist remark!
2 - We all are naturally racist, tribal, and biased to some extent! We all tend to generalize and over simplify our experiences!
3 - I am sure the gentleman in question was well intended but his kind of racist behaviour, the uncounscious kind, is one of the more harmfull, precisely because by not being aware of it there is no possibility for self correction.
(Mobil)
