Test question racist?

[chris1gill]

I'm also from New England and i'm amiliar with the stereotype

Thanks Jenny, I think I must be a bit sheltered! Either that or I'm just looking through my rose tinted glasses, I like to do that I've been caught on more than one occassion

 

[Poohgirl]

I'm under 40, well schooled, politically aware, from New England, and I'm aware of this connotation. And about lawn jockeys as well..

Could someone please tell this under 40, well schooled, politically aware, from New England, unaware of the african american/watermellon connotation, op, what is the issue is with the darn lawn jockey???? Because I'm begining to feel a little inferior here

 

[Crankyshank]

Could someone please tell this under 40, well schooled, politically aware, from New England, unaware of the african american/watermellon connotation, op, what is the issue is with the darn lawn jockey???? Because I'm begining to feel a little inferior here

can't help you with the why unfortunately. i never got that part - I did know lawn jockeys were used in the underground railroad (houses of "helpers" had one). I never got why they were considered racist

 

[DVCLiz]

Good heavens, how hard is it to figure out a lawn jockey? A figure painted in blackface waiting to be handed the reins of a horse-drawn carriage assumes that he will then lead the horse to the barn and take care of it, which in turn implies that he is a slave.

Where have you people been??????

 

[grlpwrd]

Well said. I'm astonished at how many people on this thread profess ignorance of this ugly stereotype, or try to make it something other than what it is.

Or how some people are saying we're being sensitive or overreacting. Even a recent post by Robin mentioning how she was treated (a fellow guest assumed she was a housekeeper) had posts about how she was just being sensitive or making it more than it is. ...

I know Bellevue and I know there is not much diversity at all. I lived in the next city over (Kirkland) and it's the same there, too. It doesn't surprise me. I think FreshTressa mentioned "fake nice." That's the perfect way to put it. Racism is shrouded there, but it's still there.

That is one reason why we moved. I want my children to live in a world filled with diversity.

One more thing... Please, people, don't tell an AA person or any minority how they should feel. You don't know what it's like to be a victim of racism.

 

[Crankyshank]

Good heavens, how hard is it to figure out a lawn jockey? A figure painted in blackface waiting to be handed the reins of a horse-drawn carriage assumes that he will then lead the horse to the barn and take care of it, which in turn implies that he is a slave.

Where have you people been??????

Gee I don't know - maybe learning how the first lawn jockey was commissioned by George Washington to honor a groomsman that died holding the reigns of his horses during the Revolution.

Maybe learning about how the jockeys were used to guide runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad.

At least that's where I've been

 

[JoyG]

can't help you with the why unfortunately. i never got that part - I did know lawn jockeys were used in the underground railroad (houses of "helpers" had one). I never got why they were considered racist

Exaggerated racial features...really dark skin with big red lips. Only a handful of models used to make all lawn jockeys implying that all black people look the same.

 

[Crankyshank]

Exaggerated racial features...really dark skin with big red lips. Only a handful of models used to make all lawn jockeys implying that all black people look the same.

Ah I getcha
Around here the lawn jockey features are not exaggerated at all. They all look the same but I took that because they were copies of the original one which was created for positive reasons. I've never seen an exaggerated one before. There's actually more white lawn jockeys around here on the rare occasion you seem them

 

[DVCLiz]

Gee I don't know - maybe learning how the first lawn jockey was commissioned by George Washington to honor a groomsman that died holding the reigns of his horses during the Revolution.

Maybe learning about how the jockeys were used to guide runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad.

At least that's where I've been

Lawn jockeys, besides being tacky, are stereotypical representations of a black person's inferior status, and to put one on your lawn in today's society, after we all should have learned SOMETHING during the last 100 years or so, is at the very least misguided. I think it's also racist. I don't think you could find me one person in the whole United States with a lawn jockey who would honestly say, "I have that to commemorate the Revolutionary War figure and to honor the memory of the Underground Railroad."

Now a garden gnome...

 

[Crankyshank]

Whoa there. You're the one that got on the attack with the snippy "where have you people been". I just merely provided the information I learned about them thus telling you "where I've been" to not get the racist connotation. Thanks Joy for answering me nicely.


I don't even have a freaking lawn jockey. I just answered your question. I have no idea why people put things in their yard. The people I know with lawn jockeys either are/were associated with horse racing and their jockey is white or others were inherited with their house and never took them down and others probably collect them for whatever reason. Like I mentioned before the exaggerated ones are not found here. I've never in my life seen one.


Hey - I'd be willing to bet a large percentage of people have no idea why they existed or the positive aspects of their past.

 

[ducklite]

I don't necessarily think it's racist. However, the watermelon/African American association is an old and well-known stereotype. Condoleezza is an unusual name. Probably the only Condoleezza most people have ever heard of is Condoleeza Rice, who is African American.

It's certainly not very PC to have a watermelon reference in a question with that name, but that doesn't mean there were necessarily bad intentions there. Could be innocent, could be intentional. Probably not very smart on the teacher's part, either way.

I agree. Had it been a teacher named Nancy or an apple or bowling ball, it wouldn't have batted an eyelash.

I'm not entirely convinced the teacher involved was as innocent as they are proclaiming, but I think unless there have been other incidents, the teacher must be given the benefit of the doubt.

Anne

 

[dis ms.]

for those of you who dont get it, it woudl be the same deal reversed if the question read " George W. is holding his golf club over a federal building..." illustrating the stereotype of rich white guys like to golf... there are stereo types about everyone, some of them ugly, some not, eating watermelon is not the worst thing that could be said about someone!

Sorry, but I don't think you "get it". That's not the same thing. I don't see any negative connotation about rich white guys golfing (then again, I live in good old wholesome Iowa and might just be ignorant to things that offend rich white guys).

Wow! To use a the word watermelon in the same sentence with someone who is black, is wrong??????? That is reallllly sad. So if a black person wants to buy a "watermelon" at store should they fire the cashier if she says," Do you want your watermelon in a bag." Give me a break! Everyone needs to get of their high horse!

Yeah, that's a great argument.

I'd be less worried about my child being offended by the question and more concerned that her professor is obviously so clueless.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I'd be less worried about my child being offended by the question and more concerned that her professor is obviously so clueless.

I agree. I also think it's a pretty safe bet that the teacher knew exactly what she was doing too.

 

[DVCLiz]

Well, I'm sorry I sounded snippy - using "gee, I don't know" and that shrugging smilie doesn't exactly sound sincere, either.

I guess my point is - it honestly never occurred to me that there are people who don't know that these images - of lawn jockeys, watermelon, etc. are racially charged and considered offensive. I guess I was wrong about that!!

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

Sorry, but I don't think you "get it". That's not the same thing. I don't see any negative connotation about rich white guys golfing (then again, I live in good old wholesome Iowa and might just be ignorant to things that offend rich white guys).



Yeah, that's a great argument.

I'd be less worried about my child being offended by the question and more concerned that her professor is obviously so clueless.

My argument may sound real stupid but so does the whole topic. When everything we say has to be picked apart for racial innuendos that becomes ridiculious! I take offense to nothing. The reason we as a society can't move on is because we make an issues out of everything. We should put more focus on fighting bigger issues. Reading into a math problem is not going to solve anything. All it will do is create more problems. Point taken by this post. I wonder if we should keep a list near by so we don't say anything that may sound offensive. Chicken,ribs,watermelon. These could be fighting words??

 

[brerrabbit]

I read an article on this and apparently the question had been around a while and in its original version was a play on the comedian Gallagher. He was the guy who smashed things during his shoe, like watermelons with a huge wooden mallet. The original question read "Gallagher is at the top of a tall building holding a watermelon. If he threw it over the side at a velocity of x then use the formula below to calculate how long it would take to hit the ground." Apparently the college instructor substituted Condolleza and made the building a federal building. Maybe his students were to young to know who Gallagher was.

 

[WIcruizer]

That's easy for you to say. Nothing is offensive, just shrug it off. Maybe if you were black and were called a "water mellon eatin N***" you would be more sensitive to this. My god, it's not the WORD watermelon that's racist. It's how it is used, and what is menat by the context.

 

[WIcruizer]

Then why did the teacher apologize and request sensitivity training? And why did she substitute Condi Rice, a recognizeable black woman. There's no rocket science involved here. The teacher thought it was a clever joke, and she got caught.

 

[va32h]

[

The reason we as a society can't move on is because we make an issues out of everything.

The reason we can't move on is because no matter what Condoleezza Rice accomplishes or achieves in life - too many people are going to look at her and see just another

"water mellon eatin N***"

.

Reading into a math problem is not going to solve anything.

Recognizing that racism has simply moved to more subtle and insidious methods is a step toward solving it.

All it will do is create more problems.

For those who want to maintain the status quo.

 

[JulieEck]

Well I for one had absolutely NO idea about negative connotations with watermelons/fried chicken and blacks. Man, I thought Fried Chicken was a southern thing. I've lived in GA since 2nd grade and NC before that for 2 years. I happen to like watermelon and fried chicken and I'm white. I guess I'm just a clueless Georgia girl.

I also had never heard of a lawn jockey until this thread. When I read the first post that mentioned that, I thought "What in the heck is a lawn jockey?"

I have two college degrees, but I guess I missed the classes that are supposed to teach us this stuff. I have learned a lot from this thread today though. I guess I've always been naive. I was flabbergasted after reading the OP's first post. After reading more, I get it I guess. I've just never heard of it before or seen any of the images you guys are talking about. Isn't it great that some people are clueless like me? I mean wouldn't that mean that I can't possibly be racist because I don't know how to be? Does that make sense? I'm 34 if that makes a difference. I just think that as time goes by, racism should be going away, yet it seems to be as rampant as ever.

One danger I think I face is possibly saying something that is racist or not PC, but not meaning it that way. I honestly wouldn't know.