| The answer is "no." White people should not be scared | | | | I felt it would be more appropriate and enlightening if |
| to give Black people compliments. However, one | | | | our fellow travelling Black female were to respond first. |
| probably wants to "think before speaking." | | | | Actually, I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. |
| The reality is that there are many White people that | | | | This lady didn't need any prodding and was very quick |
| are scared or apprehensive to give a Black person a | | | | to respond. She said that it was good that he didn't |
| compliment for fear that they may say the wrong | | | | make the compliment because he probably would |
| thing. In today's politically correct environment, society | | | | have offended her. The primary problem with his |
| as a whole doesn't want to offend others. This is | | | | potential compliment was that he included the lady's |
| especially true for Whites given the recent backlash | | | | skin color. |
| felt by some well known Whites who have made | | | | She asked him if he would have made the same |
| comments about Blacks that resulted in a great deal | | | | statement to a White lady in regards to her jewelry |
| of negative press and counter comments. | | | | and how great it looked with her skin color. He said no... |
| Two such examples were the comments made by Bill | | | | he wouldn't say that to someone White. Next she said, |
| O'Reilly (host of "The O'Reilly Factor" on Fox News) | | | | then why would you say it to someone Black. She |
| reference Sylvia's Restaurant (Black patroned and | | | | explained that the Black person would probably feel |
| owned) in Harlem and Senator Joe Biden's comments | | | | that she was being slighted in someway given that she |
| about Senator Barack Obama when asked what he | | | | probably realized that he more than likely would not |
| thought of him. Neither Bill O'Reilly nor Senator Joe | | | | have made the same comment to a White lady. In |
| Biden was quite prepared for the negative responses | | | | other words, "Beauty is beauty." If he were simply to |
| they would receive from the Black Community. To | | | | say, "Wow, your jewelry looks great" that would be |
| make matters worse, both men have stated that they | | | | fine and would not be offensive. |
| absolutely meant no offense by their comments. | | | | Let's look at the earlier example I used reference |
| Given the media attention of the backlash, is it any | | | | Senator Joe Biden and Senator Barack Obama. When |
| wonder that White people are scared or apprehensive | | | | questioned about what he thought of Senator Obama, |
| to give Black people a compliment? This fear was | | | | Senator Biden basically said that he thought Barack |
| recently demonstrated to me by a White man who | | | | was clean cut, nice looking, and articulate. Now, here is |
| recently sat next to me on an airplane. Ironically, sitting | | | | how a great number of Blacks viewed the comment. |
| next to him on the other side was a Black female. All | | | | "What?" "All Presidential Candidates should be clean |
| three of us were very friendly and felt very | | | | cut and articulate!" Why would Barack be any |
| comfortable with each other. We were a Human Oreo | | | | different? As a result, a comment that was probably |
| Cookie. Given the comfort level experienced by the | | | | meant to be a compliment was viewed as insulting and |
| three of us, the man in the middle decided to relate to | | | | offensive. |
| the lady and me a story and then ask a question that | | | | Needless to say, our White traveling buddy was glad |
| had been bothering him. | | | | that he didn't give what he thought was a compliment |
| He began by telling us that he recently saw a Black | | | | which could have caused an unintended negative |
| lady in a store whose jewelry and skin color, in | | | | reaction. Another way to say it may be, if it's not good |
| combination, were very striking and beautiful to look at. | | | | for the goose (White people), than it's probably not |
| He wanted to give her a compliment about how | | | | good for the gander (Black people.) Simpler stated... if |
| beautiful the combination was but he was afraid that | | | | you wouldn't say it to a White person, than you |
| somehow he would offend her in some way, shape, | | | | probably shouldn't say it to a Black person. |
| or form. He wanted to know from us if it would have | | | | We all just have to "think before speaking..." |
| been ok to give the lady a compliment. | | | | Copyright (c) 2007 Knowledge Driven & Moore |
| Although, I immediately wanted to answer his question, | | | | LLC. All Rights Reserved. |