ARE WE BEING "STUPIDLY SENSITIVE" WHEN IT COMES TO RACISM?
By Fiona
@FionaRubi (81)
July 23, 2021 12:00pm CST
I haven't been here for quite sometime, so I decided to log in and see how 'My Lot' world is doing and the first post I see is about a biscuit/cookie being renamed because it's name has been deemed racist and how that action is "stupidly sensitive."
I did not want to comment on that post but my itchy fingers wouldn't let me. Infact I have gone back and forth on that post, deleting and editing a gazillion times.
But here is the thing. When it comes to injustice, there is no such thing as "stupidly sensitive." The word "Negro" in whatever context, whether it's a compliment in your country or the name for a dark chocolate cookie is disgusting. It is racist and it only waters down the atrocities the black man faced and continues to face to date. Lest we forget, these are human beings, who were taken into slavery, all their dignity stripped, they were raped and killed, chained and drowned and labelled "Negro" because they were not considered human beings.
Just because it did not happen to you, doesn't mean it never happened. But please, don't take away from the struggle slaves faced because you are upset that a chocolate cookie was renamed so it doesn't contain the word "Negro."
2 people like this
6 responses
@Vikingswest1 (6305)
• United States
23 Jul 21
Name changes are the feel good measure to try to correct past injustices.
But it's just lip service.
If action were taken to stop the slave trade in Libya, THAT would be much more beneficial.
3 people like this
@FionaRubi (81)
•
23 Jul 21
I actually agree with this. It is lip service but it's actually acknowledging that something wrong was done.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6305)
• United States
23 Jul 21
@FionaRubi
Changing names to correct injustices is being stupidly sensitive.
Stopping blacks from buying and selling other blacks would be progress.
3 people like this
@marguicha (215492)
• Chile
23 Jul 21
@Vikingswest1 Right you are. Specially since a cookie has no Race but a color.
2 people like this
@marguicha (215492)
• Chile
23 Jul 21
In Latin America and in Spanish the word means something else. And the cookie was made for us, people from South America as the word is in Spanish. I can say prodly that my chilhood nickname was Negra or Negrita. It was an endearment term in a country that NEVER had slaves.
3 people like this
@kaylachan (57727)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
23 Jul 21
You're entitled to your own personal opinion, but you're making a big deal over a color. The world is trying to evolve so you offend less people. However, the sad reality is, no matter what you do, there's going to be something that offends you. Asking people not to say it around you is one thing, but changing caulture just because a handful of people might get sensitive, and upset.... overkill.
2 people like this
@choijungeun (2520)
• Hangzhou, China
23 Jul 21
There're many discriminations in my life,money,skin or power.I don't take care about them,but i hate the discrimination of the dissidence the most.Because people have the different political points,they're discriminated by others,and be persecuted by the Red Nazi,some of them become the political pariahs because their dissidence.
Surely,Racism,Nazi or Communism are all very evil,they deprived the freedom and equal chance from people to chase their dream.We never should allow any discrimination happen to anyone.As long as people do their best to chase their dream and not harm other,no one should be discriminated
@sabtraversa (12952)
• Italy
23 Jul 21
I chose to not discuss about the right to use some words, nor decide if a term is offensive. It's up to those involved to decide. I'm not involved, so I just listen.
That said, I've never heard of these cookies and know nothing about them, why they had that name and so on.
I know that many people have that word as family name and they often give their name to their businesses and products. This might not be the case. However, I don't know if it's wise to expect these families to erase their history and ancestry (that can be traced back to the Middle Ages) because of past transatlantic slave trade (which occurred way later). That's a delicate matter.
2 people like this
@marguicha (215492)
• Chile
23 Jul 21
The name of the cookie alluded to a color, not to a race. I refuse to stop using the word negro/negra in Spanish because in the US (where they did have slaves) is not politiclly correct. Or so they say. I think that it is less politically correct that there are poor people in a very rich country.
3 people like this
@marguicha (215492)
• Chile
24 Jul 21
@sabtraversa The country in made in my country by a Swiss company (Nestlé). You know giant companies make different foods for different countries and they use different names. I suppose that when the cookie came out (in my childhood) the company only thought that Negrita was a term of endearment. In Spanish we don´t have one word for the color and another to offend Black people. We just have the word negro and negra just as you do in Italian because they come from Latin. I imagine the word "black" in English does not have a Latin root.
1 person likes this
@sabtraversa (12952)
• Italy
23 Jul 21
@marguicha Thanks for the info. Where does the cookie come from?
Of course, it doesn't make much sense to change the name on a global level just because of a country. They can change the name there, especially if it affects sales, but continue using the original name elsewhere.
1 person likes this
@YuleimaVzla (1505)
• Maracaibo, Venezuela
25 Jul 21
It refers to color not racism, I am Venezuelan and Latina. In my country that women call you black along with other beautiful details is flattering. In other words, with respect to the cookie, it was the color because it was chocolate. If it was made for Latinos where the black word is acceptable and normal (Cuba, Argentina, Venezuela, Puerto Ric, Santo Domingo, etc.), why remove the name? Trying that your idea is the only one that is worth without understanding other cultures is also intolerant. Respectfully.
@YuleimaVzla (1505)
• Maracaibo, Venezuela
25 Jul 21
@FionaRubi Indeed, I have no problems because in our culture, we don't just see people of color with beauty. The bill is 50 bolivares and has the official name of "NEGRO PRIMERO", in honor of a person of color who was so nicknamed and was important for our independence. Here we do not insist on talking about slavery and humiliation. But of tribute and recognition.
@FionaRubi (81)
•
25 Jul 21
Respectfully, My only concern is that we fail to recognize or at least acknowledge that even if it's just a color, it infact has been used to dehumanize an entire race....but how can you understand when you have probably never faced discrimination based on the color of your skin.
