tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73414989726016796342024-03-04T20:45:02.271-08:00Unspoken Truths Of The American Ethnic LandscapeAmericans tend to be masters of euphemism. This is especially true in regard to exploring issues of an ethnic or racial dimension. This blog seeks to nudge debate toward honesty and openness in a manner that is not intended to offend; but offend it likely will.The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-48882783437014489752014-04-20T12:56:00.001-07:002014-04-20T12:56:20.527-07:00The True Causes of Black Failure<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NvFG6jH_ocY" width="459"></iframe>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-83501387828628905272013-12-22T09:43:00.000-08:002013-12-22T09:43:16.611-08:00<div class="widget storyContent article widget-editable viziwyg-section-1024 inpage-widget-8939454 articleContent">
<span class="storyTop ">
A top PR exec has sparked outrage after she reportedly sent a racist tweet shortly before boarding a plane to Africa.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9019643.ece/ALTERNATES/w88h52/v2-justine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9019643.ece/ALTERNATES/w88h52/v2-justine.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="widget ad google widget-editable viziwyg-section-1024 inpage-widget-7757805 googlead verticalgooglead clearBoth" id="googleadInpage">
<a href="https://www.google.com/url?ct=abg&q=https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/request.py%3Fcontact%3Dabg_afc%26url%3Dhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/top-pr-exec-under-fire-for-sending-racist-tweet-before-flying-to-africa-9019644.html%26gl%3DBF%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dca-pub-5964551156905038%26ai0%3DCB8nZRCK3UpTeNImK7gbVtoCIB9HctaMCkaPB0HKh_ZfkPRABIN3qsRQoA1DF7fi2-v____8BYNcGoAG70MLoA8gBAakCLo31SmZnuz6oAwGqBNEBT9BP3QoI-2eQIy6lhI_Di6qxQYVHq1wtval0HvKltPwwhBIVPe6VMeHT8cofyNNKMcZFab8C6TQw20BNzPe-7iKS6-dSbNAqFoK7zEKD2-ugg-o93WCTmFjBFW9KClNrdbsHXAjKY7f5mv6fZOUTLwJIth4JTw1HxeqAkm0KM4LKwRdU1WbMpCwaVSdgdON5KQTQ2IgPjsdGZtQoGao-j8Wprjq8TjQYRwy_nC4KBv9cOYgTFXplc6feuVZL3g73GyL2UTxZ_s2Y1jJ2mHDLIPSIBgGAB62vvRc%26ai1%3DCt6usRCK3UpTeNImK7gbVtoCIB-q7iu0B8NaU2hGwvLTTKBACIN3qsRQoA1DppaP7A2DXBqABhLuX7wPIAQGpAhEPqD-C8LY-qAMBqgTRAU_QX_4VCPhnkCMupYSPw4uqsUGFR6tcLb2pdB7ypbT8MIQSFT3ulTHh0_HKH8jTSjHGRWm_Auk0MNtATcz3vu4ikuvnUmzQKhaCu8xCg9vroIPqPd1gk5hYwRVvSgpTa3W7B1wIymO3-Zr-n2TlEy8CSLYeCU8NR8XqgJJtCjOCysEXVNVmzKQsGlUnYHTjeSkE0NiID47HRmbUKBmqPo_Fqa46vE40GEcMv5xlDgHAXDmIExV6ZXOn3rlWS94O9xsi9lE8Wf7NmNYydphflmXtiAYBgAfkxOgQ%26ai2%3DCiCeKRCK3UpTeNImK7gbVtoCIB8L1tr4Ewt-x7CHAjbcBEAMg3eqxFCgDUIDlltP7_____wFg1wagAfvjof8DyAEBqAMBqgTQAU_Qf6ERCPlnkCMupYSPw4uqsUGFR6tcLb2pdB7ypbT8MIQSFT3ulTHh0_HKH8jTSjHGRWm_Auk0MNtATcz3vu4ikuvnUmzQKhaCu8xCg9vroIPqPd1gk5hYwRVvSgpTa3W7B1wIymO3-Zr-n2TlEy8CSLYeCU8NR8XqgJJtCjOCysEXVNVmzKQsGlUnYHTjeSkE0NiID47HRmbUKBmqPo_Fqa46vE40GEcMv5xNP0PKXDmIExV6ZXOn3rlWS94O9xsi9lE8Wf7NmNYydph6h6mIBgGAB-2bXg&usg=AFQjCNFofQD6yK50aOlZefxpVkVpxY18hw" style="color: #125581;" target="_blank"></a></div>
<div class="body ">
The tweet, sent from the account of Justine Sacco, read: “Going to Africa. Hope I don't get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!”<br />
Ms
Sacco is the director of corporate communications at IAC, a company
which owns a number of popular websites including OKCupid, The Daily
Beast, Vimeo and Tinder.<br />
The Twitter account has since been
deleted after having no activity for a number of hours, supposedly while
she was on the flight.<br />
<br />
In response to the furour, IAC has removed
Ms Sacco’s details from its corporate website, but not commented on her
employment status. Many Twitter users have called on the company to
fire Ms Sacco following the comments.<br />
“This is an outrageous,
offensive comment that does not reflect the views and values of IAC,”
the firm said in a statement on Friday.<br />
<br />
“Unfortunately, the
employee in question is unreachable on an international flight, but this
is a very serious matter and we are taking appropriate action.”<br />
By
Friday evening the Twitter hashtag #HasJustineLandedYet was trending on
the social media site, with many speculating what would happen when she
realised the backlash she had received.<br />
Many Twitter uses also pointed to the ironic fact that Ms Sacco works in public relations for an Internet company.<br />
<br />
David
Cohn wrote: “Is that tweet real? You work in PR. You shld know better
RT @JustineSacco “Going to Africa. Hope I don't get AIDS. Just kidding.
I'm white!””<br />
While another commented: “@JustineSacco Let me know how fast it takes your white ass to get fired.”<br />
The tweet isn’t the latest in a string controversial comments Ms Sacco has made on the site.<br />
Hours
before, she had called London the home of “cucumber sandwiches” and
“bad teeth,” while she has previously tweeted “I like animals, but when
it’s this cold out I’ll skin one myself for the fur” - at the animal
rights group PETA.<br />
<br />
In January Ms Sacco tweeted: “I can’t be fired for things I say while intoxicated right?”<br />
</div>
The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-50795245343483408752013-12-17T23:04:00.001-08:002013-12-17T23:04:04.676-08:00The Light Skin/Dark Skin Debate Among Black Teens<br />
One of the deepest sicknesses afflicting African Americans is the obsession with skin tone and colorism.<br />
This video is a window into that mentality.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/n5D9uesphR8" width="480"></iframe>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-30219299962616451212013-07-21T06:03:00.000-07:002013-07-21T06:03:50.953-07:00George Zimmerman Was Appropriately Acquitted!Now that the dust is beginning to settle around the Trayvon Martin legal case in Florida, it's time to reflect on the reality of the situation. While I hate the fact that Zimmerman went out of his way to confront Trayvon against the direction of the police dispatcher, I still believe the jury in this case was bound by the restrictions of Florida law. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/hottopics/files/2012/03/trayvon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://blog.timesunion.com/hottopics/files/2012/03/trayvon.jpg" width="400" /></a>Trayvon did not do himself any favors by brutally attacking Zimmerman and therein lies the reason Zimmerman was aquitted under the theory of self-defense. Had Trayvon not chosen to physically attack Zimmerman. Had Trayvon not mounted him in MMA style and pounded his head in the concrete. Had Trayvon simply remained calm and non-violent he would likely be alive today, and if not, Zimmerman would be serving his first month in state prison.<br />
<br />
Zimmerman's legal troubles are not over however. The US Department of Justice is still reviewing the facts to determine if Zimmerman's racially-tinged decision to stalk Trayvon amount to a hate crime so don't be surprised if he is indicted federally.<br />
<br />
The Martin family will also go after Zimmerman civilly to try and recover the hundreds of thousands of donated dollars for Zimmerman's legal expenses.<br />
<br />
The most appalling element of this incident is the press coverage. The press seems to be inciting and polarizing public opinion for the sake of ratings without giving due to all of the key facts in the case. Hatred, distrust and hurt feelings abound as a result.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for the next chapter folks because this ain't over by any stretch.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-36071952609300047242013-07-14T03:30:00.001-07:002013-07-14T03:30:26.022-07:00The Black Man's Guide 2 Understanding The Black Woman<div style="text-align: left;">For those of you who are not familiar with Shahrazad Ali, she wrote a very controvesial book in the early 1990's that was ahead of its time in insight. Black men praised the book; black women excoriated it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Today, many black women have taken a second look and realize that the relationship dynamics Ali wrote and spoke of are true.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Please have a look at her lecture to see what I mean. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/egR2HOQdiuI" width="459"></iframe></div>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-60406269208223020162013-06-26T00:05:00.003-07:002013-06-26T00:05:24.711-07:00A Little Fun With Paula Deen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Most of us are aware that Paula Deen has been recently critisized for admitting to making racist remarks during a deposition. Well, I don't know if she is really racist or not, but you just have to see this video parody!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/wdrvNeuc7jY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-7852727147618878642013-06-22T14:23:00.001-07:002013-06-22T14:23:10.579-07:00In Defense Of Black People Who "Act White."This is some wise commentary by Mr Vee who explains why well-spoken black Americans are criticized for "acting white." Only a sick and dysfunctional people would do that.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RzVys7RDQ0I" width="459"></iframe><br />
The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-60637542590632042642013-01-12T08:04:00.001-08:002013-01-12T08:04:53.322-08:00White Anger And The "New Niggers"It is axiomatic that bad economic times bring out the worst in people. The below video shows an angry white man who provokes and vents his frustration on an immigrant store clerk. It appears the dispute arose from the fact that the clerk refused to sell beer to the white man. The white man resents this and give holy racial hell to the immigrant clerk.<br />
<br />
This is sad to see but indicative of how SOME whites attempt to provoke minorities then invoke the state as revenge. This immigrant did not fall for the trick, but I have seen many African Americans fall for it and pay with their freedom (and their lives in some cases).<br />
<br />
If there is any wonder why I cannot stand the thought of ever moving back to the USA, it is people like this white guy and the camera man too. <br />
<br />
<object height="374" width="448"><param name="movie" value="http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/e/16711680/wshh6P2T3nWOn00dMH8H"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<embed src="http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/e/16711680/wshh6P2T3nWOn00dMH8H" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" width="448" height="374"></embed></object>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-85460187944815424602012-07-20T20:48:00.000-07:002012-07-20T20:48:14.406-07:00The White Female Presumption of Interest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4nFf2MOUauf_nv4mqh4dy4fhfoGZLljjS7OWaLwT-Wu0fTsdILaFa0Z4GrXWOltbVFuHOsnHzfS5ee07g2L27kA01Xw0FPlX5kGeEOFjBsD1oEstNfteE3TzKAVsnjS3epiJP5MwH9JV/s1600/dutchman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4nFf2MOUauf_nv4mqh4dy4fhfoGZLljjS7OWaLwT-Wu0fTsdILaFa0Z4GrXWOltbVFuHOsnHzfS5ee07g2L27kA01Xw0FPlX5kGeEOFjBsD1oEstNfteE3TzKAVsnjS3epiJP5MwH9JV/s200/dutchman.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Most ethnic men in America, especially African American ones, have wondered why white women (no matter how unattractive) presume if they like a man, the man will like her in return. It's as if these women completely disregard the fact that we men have particular preferences in women that they do not embody. It also is if whiteness trumps any and all other characteristics that men evaluate in women.<br />
<br />
Women thinking highly of themselves is quite appropriate, but what gets me is the anger, resentment, and surprise that these women feel when they are rebuffed romantically. On a few occasions, white women have felt the need to explain to me that they "just [asked] me out" as if I was not smart enough to discern that on my own.<br />
<br />
I'm sure the American social hierarchy plays a role in white women's minds wherein they think those below them ought to be honored to accept their interest. That's not how it works however. <br />
<br />
So women, when a guy who happens not to be white is not showing any romanitic inclination towards you, don't call him gay, lazy, or too dumb to realize your value and worth, he just ain't into you!The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-80981614379138174792012-06-17T07:37:00.000-07:002012-06-17T07:37:47.583-07:00There Are White Men and Poor White Trash White Men<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.framingthedialogue.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/rich-man-poor-man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" pca="true" src="http://www.framingthedialogue.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/rich-man-poor-man.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
Most of us have heard white men declare the cliche that there are black people and then there are n..gers. <br />
<br />
Let's turn the tables for a moment and declare that there are normal white men and there are Poor White Trash White Men. Poor White Trash White Men sometimes have wealth and the outward appearance of success, but their personal characteristics mark them as unmistakable Trash.<br />
Normal white men do not:<br /><br />-Obsess over the women black men choose for themselves, especially when these women happen to be non-black. Black men could care less what women white men choose, but Poor White Trash White Men whine and cry and obsess about black men and their women.<br />
<br />-Become jealous and resentful of black men more educated and successful than themselves. Normal white men realize that men different than themselves can be both above and below them in ability and success. Poor White Trash White Men operate under the assumption that they dwell at the top of the social pyramid, even when they may actually dwell at the bottom.<br />
<br />
-Criticize our President due to his misguided policies and decisions, and not by claiming is a Muslim, was born in Africa, is a socialist ideologue in disguise. Normal white men can think critically and appeal to reason. Poor White Trash White Men fall prey to emotion and bigotry against our President.<br />
<br />
-Consider themselves "better" than others simply because of their skin color. Being better then another involves better ACTIONS, better DECISIONS, and better LIVING, not just a mythic believe that one's skin color entitles them to better treatment and quality of life than others.<br />
<br />
<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Sadly, Poor White Trash White men are growing in number and may soon numerically overtake normal white men in this country. That is the result of a poor economy, an abysmal educational system, and general decline of America. As more and more white men sink to the level of trash, this country sinks closer and closer to its demise.The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-66152600476742136252012-06-01T12:03:00.001-07:002012-06-01T12:03:23.515-07:00Feminism and Nazism: Similar UnderpinningsI fully appreciate the horror that existed in Nazi Germany. No one will deny or diminish that in any way. However, the social scourge that is feminism has some similar philosophical underpinnings that we all need to be aware of if we are to prevent it from further destroying our United States.<br />
<br />
I ask you to watch this with an open mind.....<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gokRExaPs7Q?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-74159872370016745372012-05-20T03:23:00.000-07:002012-05-20T03:30:06.173-07:00Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Marries Asian Woman (Oh My!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pursuitist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Facebooks-Mark-Zuckerberg-marries-Priscilla-Chan-e1337477523386.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" kba="true" src="http://pursuitist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Facebooks-Mark-Zuckerberg-marries-Priscilla-Chan-e1337477523386.png" width="320" /></a></div>
The symbolism is striking, as well as telling. The young billionaire who heads up Facebook is known for what is to be the next big thing. Whether it be in the area of social networking or social trending, he has a knack for eschewing the outmoded, and profiting from the overlooked.<br />
<br />
"So what's the big deal; he married an Asian," you might ask. The deal is the fact that his choice of wife is not the typical white American women underscores the new reality that white women are essentially being surpassed in the marketplace of romance. This is not to say that white women are innately bad, it just means that they are now becoming passe with their behavior and expectations. The men's rights movement has long held that white women of the Anglosphere tend to be exploitative of male wealth, entitlement-oriented, opportunistic and simply not worth all the trouble.<br />
<br />
I applaud Zuckerberg for his open-mindedness and his ability to ignore convention. May he enjoy his life with his lovely bride, and may other wealthy men follow his lead!<br />
<br />The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-37273217708014085092012-04-17T22:01:00.001-07:002012-04-17T22:01:02.964-07:00Racial Mockery By Feminists In SwedenThe feminist movement has a particular disdain for Africans who persist in practising female genital mutilation. As a means to espress their displeasure in Sweden, a cake was made so pieces of cake could be cut away in the manner done in Africa.<br />
Notice the glee in the faces of the femininsts while they mock Africans and their practice that runs afould of feminist orthodoxy.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rCK6zvWEN_Q?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-34825778934629172982012-02-07T02:12:00.000-08:002012-02-07T02:12:49.273-08:00When "Being White" Doesn't Help<h1 id="" style="font-weight: normal;"><span id=""><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://imagemacros.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/hard_being_white.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://imagemacros.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/hard_being_white.png" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">W.E.B. Dubois once said that even working white people benefited from the "the psychological wages" of membership in a dominant race. There is, however, more to the story of class in white America than dominance. The hardship and success of upward mobility has created a myth about white American class structure that obscures our truth.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">TV shows like "Gossip Girl" make it seem as though most white Americans are simply privileged. Yet, according to U.S. Census data, almost 22 million white people live in poverty. An analysis of reported incomes suggests that people in that income bracket, as well as those with higher incomes, identify with being middle class. In a series of interviews about class status with white Americans, most are</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">uncomfortable being seen as poor or wealthy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Further, many don't know what class status they inhabit. Despite the hard work that once ensured upward mobility, many white families have seen stagnant income growth. Others have accrued wealth without anything even resembling a work ethic. When members of different cultural groups marry, diverse traditions of class meet at the kitchen table. Siblings, parents and children can occupy different financial statuses. Some identify with class backgrounds from childhood more than their own.</span><br />
<aside> <div class="aside"> <div class="related"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div></aside> <span style="font-size: small;">Behaviors like how to speak, dress, move and gesticulate define class as much as income in white America. On a visit to Westport, Connecticut, I overheard residents complain about a guy who could afford a big house filling the driveway with fixer-upper cars perched on cement blocks. He had the money but not the class.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Gene Bailly, a retired professional living in Vermont who was raised in South Carolina, felt identified with his culture of poverty despite comparative financial success. He explained, "Even though I worked as an administrator at Columbia University and was pursuing a graduate degree, I behaved and understood the behaviors of others through the lens of a kid growing up in the cotton mills."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">My father-in-law, Sam Schatsky, grew up poor on Manhattan's Lower East Side but become a manager of an arts supply store, proudly raising a family in a New York City suburb. The direct line from ethnic immigrant to a thriving member of the so-called melting pot is no longer typical. So many white Americans have more than one socio-economic affiliation and their connection to each has been a circuitous path rather than a straight line. Lifestyles and values interact with incomes to create a class structure that is more kaleidoscope than pie chart.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Aren't all of us part long-skirted immigrant grandmother, part someone who longs to work with his or her hands, part kid dreaming of becoming a firefighter or part parent working too hard to achieve a secure financial future? Further, those of us who now enjoy an easier standard of living sometimes find the concept of class alien. We have been so self-guided, self-driven, self-educated and self-blaming that we no longer consider ourselves members of any group. Many succeed economically, but falter emotionally, having lost family support and friendships in the quest to fulfill an ambition.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Some relatives and friends still feel angry that I moved on, not realizing how much it hurts to leave home and disconnect from loved ones to fulfill yearning dreams. A young woman who attended a prestigious private high school on scholarship expressed similar feelings when recalling what happened when her mom volunteered for the new school's fundraiser: "I watched her pick up her coat and leave while the other moms stayed for the event. She couldn't afford a ticket."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Newly acquired class status brings the fear of losing it, and the worry about how loss would affect family and community. Even though the median net worth of white Americans is just more than $81,000, economic insecurity is at a record high of 20.5%. Especially in these times, it seems like anyone's financial architecture could crumble without warning.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Jeanne Egan, a marketing consultant in New Jersey, who comes from an Irish-American working class family, explains, "I got here on my own and I'm still on my own even though I have a supportive and loving partner. But the minute I stop making my new life happen economically is the minute status can slip away."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Sadly, white racism is legendary. Yet tensions between the classes also occur. Some white people aim to buttress their self-worth by enacting superiority over other white people derogatorily termed, "white trash." Bailly, the son of the teenage cotton mill workers, revealed "even though I was in the top 15 or 20 of my high school class of 200, the guidance counselor never once suggested my going to college because I was the kid of mill workers and he didn't see us as college material."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Scott Lenz started working at age 14 and eventually graduated with a bachelor's of business administration in economics from a college he could afford. He was hired as a corporate logistics manager. When his job performance evaluations indicated he qualified for a promotion to the financial department, he was denied because "I didn't have the markers of the right background."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The assumption that white people should be able to "make it" in the style of Horatio Alger, despite economic stickiness at the higher and lower income brackets, also contributes to class tension. Is the wealth of those who work in finance a new standard that renders others less worthy? Even successful people perceive that they have failed, making excuses for what used to be considered triumphs. Doctors, artists, small business owners and teachers, as well as those performing the maintenance tasks that support a functional society, bristle at being undervalued. The fundamental respect traditionally granted to everyone's contributions, including those still building their lives, has waned.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Charles S. Smith, a 30-year-old custodian working the night shift at a Tucson middle school, keeps trying to afford to complete college. He feels stung when people assume he is an immigrant because of the job he holds. "People come up to me while I'm at work and start speaking foreign languages to me," he said, "as if they can't believe that a regular white American could be doing such a job."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Kelly Washburn, a strategy and communications consultant in New York, lost her job during the "Great Recession." Comparing her life to how hard it was for her widowed mother to raise a family, she now feels the expectation that "anyone can make it" denies a piece of reality. She said, "We can't, by definition, all be exceptional. We can't all transcend the statistics." Yet we relentlessly demand it of our selves. We trudge forward in pursuit of the same things that motivate most Americans: healthy meals, an excellent education, travel, a decent place to live, and a few good clothes. But those things now cost more money than most people have.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The real secret of class in white America is that whiteness is like our own Frankenstein. We built a giant creature of spectacle and entitlement that has taken on a life of its own, requiring more of our resources to feed it. But no matter what their class status, no white American is ever quite that white.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The opinions expressed are solely those of Susan Bodnar.</span></span></h1>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-32104368660050560862012-01-15T19:08:00.000-08:002012-01-15T19:08:21.755-08:00How Black Women Kill the Self-Esteem of Their Children<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sfZ0CctLpsE?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" width="480" frameborder="0" height="270"></iframe>This video is a must see if the damage that black women do to children is to be understood.The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-64286108182580268132011-10-03T18:58:00.000-07:002011-10-03T18:58:16.474-07:00Open Letter To Amanda Knox<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nationalturk.com/en/wp-content/flagallery/amanda-knox/amanda-knox-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://www.nationalturk.com/en/wp-content/flagallery/amanda-knox/amanda-knox-03.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Thatta girl Amanda! When life gets difficult and you are facing a life sentence, find a random black guy to blame for your misdeeds. Just like you blamed the murder on African businessman Patrick Lumumba before he was able to prove his innocence via alibi.<br />
<br />
And if that doesn't work, play the sympathy card in front of a jury. You played that jury like a fiddle, and now you are free.<br />
<br />
Who cares if you really committed this crime? The important thing was your legal team discrediting the police investigation, your manipulating the jury with your looks and demographic status, and your getting released by any means necessary.<br />
<br />
Way to go! I hope you and Casey Anthony start a reality show together!!!!!!!!!!!The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-3197926059415945152011-08-28T17:50:00.000-07:002011-08-28T17:50:07.322-07:00Redneck Throws A McDonald's Cup At Me From A Pick-Up Truck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/5697445482_e354a5480d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/5697445482_e354a5480d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It has been 3 weeks since my return to the USA. While my return has been remarkably pleasant for the most part, today there was an incident that reminded me that the proverbial 10% bigot rule still holds true.<br />
<br />
I am in Orlando, Florida which is a medium sized city with a majority minority population. While I was jogging today just after sundown, noticed a full McDonald's cup wizz past me. I then saw a beat-up pick-up truck speed by with two occupants inside.<br />
<br />
My impulse was to run and catch up to the truck at the red light. But I then realized that this is America. The goobers in the truck might have a gun and being a black man, the eternal redneck excuse the blackie having attacked them first was a possibility.<br />
<br />
I the cup did not hit me, and I decided that these rednecks likely are miserable and wanted to spread their misery to someone else.<br />
<br />
The larger issue is that this type of thing is bound to be on the increase in America. The economy has abandoned menial laborers like these two and that, coupled with a President of African descent is bubbling over in some of these people.<br />
<br />
As Gerald Celente says, "When people have nothing to lose, they 'lose it'."The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-58799058410844553332011-08-24T10:58:00.000-07:002011-08-24T10:58:35.971-07:00The Movie "The Help" and the Perpetuation of Racial Stigma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I took one look at the movie poster for The Help and I knew that it was not a movie I would view.<br />
<br />
Hollywood has the tendency to make these period movies depicting blacks as subservient, yet noble figures who have no control over their circumstances. The Green Mile, Driving Miss Daisy, Mississippi Burning, etc all fit that description.<br />
<br />
The controversial Tariq Elite viewed the film. Ordinarily, I do not agree with Tariq on most things, but he is spot on with his analysis of this film.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span id="goog_854722833"></span><span id="goog_854722834"></span><a href="http://macklessonsradio.com/index/episode-302-tariq-elite-s-review-of-the-help-">Tariq "Elite" Nasheed on the movie "The Help."</a></div>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-3071630913969118692011-06-18T07:55:00.000-07:002011-06-18T07:55:48.727-07:00The Damage One Ignorant Negro Can DoThis is a powerful scene from A Soldier's Story.<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VrA0GxM7ogQ?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-36832237508367571742011-02-25T10:51:00.000-08:002011-02-25T10:51:27.503-08:00Kate Middleton Outshines The Future King<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20110224&t=2&i=345697940&w=&fh=&fw=&ll=600&pl=390&r=2011-02-24T163807Z_01_BTRE71N1A7M00_RTROPTP_0_BRITAIN-ROYALS" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="352" width="450" src="http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20110224&t=2&i=345697940&w=&fh=&fw=&ll=600&pl=390&r=2011-02-24T163807Z_01_BTRE71N1A7M00_RTROPTP_0_BRITAIN-ROYALS" /></a></div><br />
For purposes of this website, females constitute a virtual ethnicity with all the rights and privileges thereto. Feminism wanted it that way, and that's the way it is.<br />
<br />
Well, does it strike anyone else as odd that the future king is in the background of "commoner" Kate Middleton? Many noted this same phenomenon with Princess Diana outshining Prince Charles, but the it is surprising that the polite and photogenic Prince William is being made into second fiddle to his wife-to-be.<br />
<br />
This is a symptom of femo-supremacy at it's finest. The woman was made by the man, but she is considered more newsworthy than he. A good woman would position herself in the background as the supporter of the future monarch. I hope Prince William remains a good sport with all this or we may see a splitting of the two after some time.The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-33886512522841936962010-12-27T18:27:00.000-08:002010-12-27T18:27:18.972-08:00FUNNY. White People Aren't Afraid of Black People<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jtdeLwRh_BI?fs=1" width="425" frameborder="0" height="344"></iframe><br /><br />This is a funny video that hopefully skewers a common stereotype. Enjoy....The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-92164967665779489432010-08-11T14:07:00.000-07:002010-08-11T14:07:18.122-07:00Black Female AggressionThis video is a disturbing example of what is becoming increasingly common among lower class black females. Warning, this is a difficult video to watch.<br /><br />One has to wonder if this is what treatment their children receive as well.<br /><br /><object style="background-image: url("http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/bavx0BG17n8/hqdefault.jpg");" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bavx0BG17n8&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bavx0BG17n8&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-60270823659052417602010-06-19T10:33:00.000-07:002010-06-19T10:33:18.880-07:00The Curious Case of Racism In Puerto Rico<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline/images/2008/06/09/20080609puertoricanrparade10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline/images/2008/06/09/20080609puertoricanrparade10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>After living and working in PR for some years, I am still always perplexed when a friendly Puerto Rican brings up the issue of racism and how it does not exist in PR. Perhaps this is an attempt to try to portray PR in its best light, or it could be wishful thinking. Whatever the case, it could not be further from the truth.<br />
<br />
So what accounts for this disconnect of whether PR is racist or not? I believe most PR have an overly simplistic notion of what constitutes racism. Sure, the KKK does not exist in PR, there is no history of lynching, and the mixed population of people get along relatively peacefully.<br />
<br />
But what the Puerto Rican misses is that its variant of anti-black racism is WORSE than that of the US mainland. How could I say that, you ask? Well, racial discrimination is an everyday phenomenon in PR. This finally was brought to light by Reggaeton star Tego Calderon who hails from Loiza, PR, the town most associated with black Puerto Ricans. Calderon wrote that racism is worse in PR because it is universally denied.<br />
<br />
This denial comes in the form of Black Puerto Ricans claiming there is no racism, yet they consider themselves white on self-identification forms. It comes in the form of Black Puerto Ricans claiming there is no racism, yet they usually do not even consider attending university in PR as it "is just not for them." It comes in the form of Black Puerto Ricans claiming there is no racism, yet they know that the highest paying professions and most lucrative jobs are reserved for "Los Finos," or the white elite Puerto Ricans.<br />
<br />
One other fallacy in Puerto Rico is the "We are all Puerto Ricans, whatever our color so we have not racism here." This may be true, but most Americans consider themselves "all Americans" regardless of color, but that does not preclude the existence of racism there. The family of all Puerto Ricans still has a color caste system that treats people differently according to color, regardless of their status as a Puerto Rican.<br />
<br />
Yet another fallacy from the island is "Puerto Ricans are not racist because most of us have some level of black blood." How ridiculous is that notion? Adolf Hitler is said to have Jewish ancestors, yet he was more anti-Jewish than any other person in history. Further, many white Americans have native American and even African blood, but that never stopped them from killing natives or discriminating against blacks over the years.<br />
<br />
<br />
From a personal standpoint, a friend of mine came to Puerto Rico as a manager of a pretty big organization. His status as an African American was a bone of contention when he began instituting changes in an under-performing institution. He was resisted tooth and nail, falsely accused of managerial misconduct, and even stereotyped as creating fear in the office. After a tumultuous year, my friend had enough documented evidence to begin firing people and replacing them with high performers with integrity. But his ordeal of insubordination from a few subordinates was based on his skin color as most whites in PR could not handle a black person in a position of authority over them.<br />
<br />
<br />
Finally, when a PR gentleman proudly boasted to me how PR has no racism, I asked him, "Could a black Puerto Rican ever be elected Governor of PR?" He thought for a moment, and said, "Probably not, I see your point."<br />
<br />
<br />
So for all of the racist history of the US mainland, African Americans are well represented in the middle and upper classes, attend university in the thousands and increasingly obtain advanced degrees. They have multi-millionaires who are not associated with sports or entertainment, and even the current President of the USA is African American. In contrast, black PR languish in isolation on the island and they are shunned from partaking in the means of social mobility reserved for non-blacks there.<br />
<br />
There is indeed racism in Puerto Rico, and it is high time to stop the charade down there. Having said that, black Puerto Ricans themselves have the onus of stopping the denial and starting the move to educate themselves and build institutions that increase their progress. Until that happens, they will remain the ridiculed demographic group that does not realize that the joke is on them. The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-85860507840561798392010-05-16T13:20:00.000-07:002010-05-16T13:21:17.192-07:00Racial Baggage and Traveling Abroad<object style="background-image: url("http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/X6PmkCq2tUs/hqdefault.jpg");" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/X6PmkCq2tUs&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X6PmkCq2tUs&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <br />
The eloquent "eN" of YouTube fame speaks here on the sad but prevalent tendancy for some African-Americans to refrain from traveling abroad for fear of being mistreated on account of their race. True incidents of rudeness do occur, but they are grossly outnumbered by positive interactions that make other Americans envious of the attention.The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7341498972601679634.post-65258542409720424712010-05-04T18:45:00.000-07:002010-05-04T18:45:09.793-07:00Behold, The Typical American Girl<object style="background-image: url("http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/7orF4cMxAiM/hqdefault.jpg");" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7orF4cMxAiM&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7orF4cMxAiM&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>The Contrarian Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06993934957491498835noreply@blogger.com1