Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story

I admire those who can make an ugly story poetically  positive.  I believe in balance. Below is a single story that is widely believed in social media.  What follows is a delayed response from me telling another single story that was not well received by online friends.

Here is a single story:

If negroes wouldn’t act so black they might not get shot. This negro deserved a bullet in the head. Then there’s the angry negro crowd that will support this criminal behavior. That’s why the rest of the civilized world despises negroes. A negro has never, in the history of mankind, accomplished anything without the help of the white devils. These savages add nothing to a civilized society. Only one solution …mandatory birth control for all darkies.

Me:

Some of your comment here are not only offensive but show the level of your ignorance and the decadence of your white cutlure.  I do believe most criminality and dirt originates from the white speciies.  What do you think?

William Martin:

I don’t know which comments you’re referring to, because I don’t see any posted here on G+. As far as ‘criminality and dirt’ originating from the ‘white species’…I don’t even know how to begin to respond. I’ve never considered different ethnic groups or races as a different ‘species’ and I really don’t understand how doing so can be constructive in ending aspects of racism.

I also think looking back on a video 20 years old doesn’t necessarily reflect an accuracy in current overall feelings and beliefs. Particularly when I cannot help but have my cynical side wonder who benefits from accentuating points that everyone is already aware of. Undoubtedly, Oprah stood to gain from the subject matter of the video. Her accumulation of wealth and power in comparison to her philanthropic endeavors are a clear indication of this.  Undoubtedly, the white kid who did the study had a preconception as to what the end results of his purely unscientific study would be. And, of course, he stood to gain by it as well via national televised exposure.

I’m not saying that your points aren’t valid or are untrue. I just think that attacking each other in various ways and with pejorative terms isn’t the answer. I think increasing awareness is important, but that rising above the combatants is also important in isolating their offensiveness without becoming a party to it. 

I understand awareness. I understand empathy and working for change. I even understand anger. 

What I don’t understand is how escalating hatred, race baiting, and targeted offensiveness can possibly be a solution to racism, social-economic differences, or any other malaise that humanity suffers from

Me:

Joe, I call it venting.  For so long, I  bit my tongue because I am a physician and felt compelled to  maintain an air of professionalism.   After Tuft Medical Center that air went out the door.   Now I do not care about that image but I do care about my culture.

How often do you hear the word nigga/nigger? Daily
How often do you hear the word cracker?  infrequently

Now who escalates the hatred and race baiting? White people

How often are unarmed black children murdered by armed white men?  Too often

I think it is time for white people to be held accountable for their actions.  Whenever a black person attempts to do that she is labelled evil or hateful or playing the race-card.

Look at Donald Sperling, notice the silence of the  wealthy elites?   Many agree with him in private….I hear he will be  the Republican Tea Party nominee for president of the US.  These elites know in 2 years they can rewrite history and make Donald boy into another Ronald Reagan.