This is the personal weblog of Aakash Raut, established Sept. 2002. It will cover current affairs, worldwide & national topics, local & university events, and provide insight and commentary on contemporary issues and the news from his perspective. Enjoy!
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One major obstacle I experience, insofar as blogging in the past few years, is that I feel I can't blog on a whim, and feel like I need to clear a backlog of planned posts. Anyway: I think I should overcome that; maybe I need to reboot this blog again - or just get over this hindrance!
The next (or prior) few entries will be commentary linked to MTV's controversial documentary "White People." posted by Aakash at 9:14 PM
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This series of blog posts involves MTV's recent "White People" documentary, which was the buzz in the Twitterverse. This post provides a few thoughts on the film.
- I actually have somewhat mixed feelings on this. I concur with those criticizing this film for its motives and divisive setup.
- I don't agree with the liberal agenda that the film - and its accompanying materials - are trying to push. And I don't like the overemphasis on race - I think Morgan Freeman and Frederick Douglass had it right. Wrongful focus on "white privilege," "racism," "diversity," and "multiculturalism" - and on past injustices - can actually breed resentment against minorities, inflame tensions, and further divide us. I remember being annoyed when I was at UIUC, seeing flyers on the topic of "White Privilege."
- However: The material accompanying the film did get me thinking (at least a little bit) about subtle, beneath the surface, advantages and disadvantages that come with one's race. My trip to NYC showed me that I am often being looked at (literally and figuratively) differently, because of my race. I don't know how different my social, political, and civic life would have been, had I been white.
- However: I don't feel comfortable tackling these topics, and I question the need to make young white people "uncomfortable" (one of the purposes of the film), by focusing on these issues that divide us. And, as reflected by the overwhelming negative comment posts I've seen about this film, there are legitimate grievances that white Americans have, insofar as the "diversity" movement and so-called "reverse" discrimination (discrimination is discrimination!).
One more thing: I hope someone fact-checks the documentary's claim that whites are 40% more likely to get private scholarships than people of color. I suspect this is a misleading claim.
One more more thing: It would not be in anyone's interest if whites became a minorityin the United States. This could inflame racial tensions, and cause other problems as well.
Others' thoughts on this:
.@MTV doing a fine job of creating yet another racial divide #WhitePeople all in the name of ratings.
My friend's above FB post was posted independently of anything else, and didn't necessarily have anything to do with the scene from the film discussed above.
Slurs and Supastars What can we still say?
Can someone provide a list of terms that are now off-limits?
Is "ghetto," used as an adjective or adverb, now a slur?
Remember this, from high school? (or from kindergarten, for some of you young'ns)
Update: But what is this? Lol. :-)
And see my entry below, for another word that's now causing controversy. (What are we still allowed to say?)
One more thing, in my series of blog entries sparked by the MTV documentary: Is "thug" now a racial slur? If so, against whom?
Something I learned from dad, when I used that term: It's actually from India.
In case I ever get into trouble for using this word... I want to preempt that right now, by clarifying that I'm not using it in a racial sense. I've used it before to describe Bosnians (who are Muslim, but white), and to describe the President currently on the dime.