So, I'm very sure that many have seen the oh so wonderful argument that Azealia Banks tweeted a few nights back. As an Indian I took quite a large offence to it as she simply labelled us to "curry scented bitches" - whatever that means.
Anyways, whilst scrolling through the tweets directed to her I noticed that many said that she was in fact not racist. Honestly? She just dumbed my country to a terrible stereotype (a new one to be exact) and suddenly she's not racist? This got me thinking - why do people think that one person of colour can't be racist to another?
Yes, as we fight to be seen as equals amongst whites in this system dominated by the Eurocentric view - how can you not be racist? This system has enforced stereotypes to the point that they are not questioned. This system has made it difficult for people to even get jobs based on their skin colour or named. Recently, when talking with my white friend she asked if a person of colour could be racist to another. It's a no brainer, you can. Even if you don't mean any harm you can still end up being racist to someone.
Her argument was - how can you be racist when you all carry the same struggle? Same struggle? Each race has a different struggle - caused by the European view in place - but it's still a different struggle. Because we know how it feels to live in a system that doesn't benefit us does not allow us to simply pass off our racism towards one another. Racism is a system that manages to snatch away various parts of us all.
My friend then said that her, quote, "my indian friend said the 'N-word' to our african friend, he didn't care", end quote. It struck me, once again, that racism is embedded in us to the point that it is acceptable. Just because one person excuses it does not mean the same for another. In fact, just because one friend is fine with you calling them certain words does not excuse the hardships and struggles that race has faced. I've even heard people say the 'N-word' when singing songs and saying "it's part of the song!". Yes, it is but it is also very simple to not say it when singing the song.
What I'm trying to get at is that my friend's of certain races don't mind me saying certain words that the rest of their race will find offensive. Some will take the opportunity and say it, thankfully thanks to being educated (and still learning) I've seen how bad these connotations can really be.
So, leading back to this twitter feud I saw tweets alongs the lines of "But, they're P.O.C - it doesn't matter if she says that. he'll understand" or simply "it's just a joke." I don't know about you but when she went on quite a rant and even livestreamed it then it's not just a joke. She was very racist and while she was at it she even invented stereotypes that I didn't even know existed. It's going to be interesting being called a curry scented bitch.
Very true! I think people get confused between ideas like "reverse racism" of POC towards white people (which totally doesn't exist) and racism of POC towards another POC group using the dominant racist ideologies of our Eurocentric society, which is racist and unfortunately really common.
ReplyDeleteI think probably the better term would be prejudice. That POC's can be prejudice to other POC's. Just because of how racism is dealing with the idea of power and retaining dominance over another through racism. But yeah, being prejudice against another is definitely a thing. I couldn't help but laugh when I read about how your friend said the N-word but another friend was okay with it. Goes right back to that cultural appropriation bingo lol.
ReplyDeleteI think Bonbon makes a good point above. This is an interesting discussion about prejudice that is worth having but the actual power to be 'racist' to one another comes back to an act of 'domination' that is pretty unique to white people. There seems to be some assumption about solidarity or shared experience of people of colour that does little for those involved. It also acts like an umbrella over so many unique and varied experiences of both racisms and of just life. If there is anything shared, or common is should be seen and made useful from the inside, not labeled from outside. It seems to me that this reflects Eurocentric treatment of the 'other' and while the white voice has the power to define, it has the power to turn people against each other. The topic of friends non-white being fine with casual racism and that somehow permitting it is absurd but happens all the time! I'm still trying to think of a way to defuse this when it happens without stepping into 'whitesplaining' territory.
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