Post by smarywills on Nov 5, 2006 15:40:37 GMT -5
In my opinion, MORE THAN ANY OTHER RACE, Black people are very easily distinguished from one another. African Americans have such a wide variety of facial features, skin tones, hair textures, hair styles, etc. that a person would have to go completely out of their way to be routinely unable to distinguish one Black person from another.
African Americans are damn near studied and are routinely imitated because of the creativity we bring with to our style of dress, manner of walking, behaviors, etc. Even in our “professional clothes,” many African Americans are still able to rock our own personalities and to maintain our personal swagger. Only a Black person can turn a wild Saturday night burgundy weave hairstyle into complete professionalism by Monday morning. Yes, the wild burgundy weave will be swept into a neat up-do hairstyle, bun or sophisticated ponytail. What’s the saying? “Let me do me!” And, many of us do—professionally.
Unfortunately, Blacks are often viewed and treated as an INTERCHANGEABLE GROUP OF PEOPLE who aren’t worth knowing—or remembering—on an individual basis.
A racist considers particular groups of people beneath them, as unimportant, as worthless, etc. A racist in the workplace is not going to trip off of having to remember the names and faces of Black or other so-called minority workers. A racist sees a minority as an annoyance or, best case scenario, but still offensive, as something to tolerate. But, the minority worker is still essentially invisible to the racist because the racist sees a person without value. The racist sees someone to use, but only when absolutely necessary. A racist doesn’t mind using Black workers as labor because even “massa” did that on the plantation. To a racist, that’s all Blacks are—labor. So, if they have to work with you, they will. They will treat Blacks as labor—like an ox or a mule. THESE ANIMALS DO NOT NEED TO BE CALLED BY NAME!!
What better way to show disrespect and contempt for another person, than by demonstrating that you can’t even remember them?
And, I don’t want to hear anything about…maybe it was just an honest mistake? That’s a load of crap. We each learn to identify other humans BY NAME as infants and toddlers. We learn that PEOPLE AND THINGS HAVE NAMES, such as Mommy, Daddy, ball, bottle, doggie, etc. So, don’t tell me a full grown human being can’t remember the face and name of someone they work with EVERY DAY!!
I have been called by the names of Black women in other departments that I did not look like. And, whose names were significantly different than mine. And, they were called by my name and by other Black women’s names—that they didn’t look like.
White people don’t have a problem letting you know that you mispronounced or misspelled their name. They will correct you on the spot—even in email. Blacks shouldn’t accept anything else, but being properly identified for who we are. Don’t laugh it off…it’s not a joke. You live and die by your name.
This is just another issue for Blacks in the workplace. How do you deal with being mistaken for Black coworkers?
S. Mary Wills
theblackfactor.blogspot.com
African Americans are damn near studied and are routinely imitated because of the creativity we bring with to our style of dress, manner of walking, behaviors, etc. Even in our “professional clothes,” many African Americans are still able to rock our own personalities and to maintain our personal swagger. Only a Black person can turn a wild Saturday night burgundy weave hairstyle into complete professionalism by Monday morning. Yes, the wild burgundy weave will be swept into a neat up-do hairstyle, bun or sophisticated ponytail. What’s the saying? “Let me do me!” And, many of us do—professionally.
Unfortunately, Blacks are often viewed and treated as an INTERCHANGEABLE GROUP OF PEOPLE who aren’t worth knowing—or remembering—on an individual basis.
A racist considers particular groups of people beneath them, as unimportant, as worthless, etc. A racist in the workplace is not going to trip off of having to remember the names and faces of Black or other so-called minority workers. A racist sees a minority as an annoyance or, best case scenario, but still offensive, as something to tolerate. But, the minority worker is still essentially invisible to the racist because the racist sees a person without value. The racist sees someone to use, but only when absolutely necessary. A racist doesn’t mind using Black workers as labor because even “massa” did that on the plantation. To a racist, that’s all Blacks are—labor. So, if they have to work with you, they will. They will treat Blacks as labor—like an ox or a mule. THESE ANIMALS DO NOT NEED TO BE CALLED BY NAME!!
What better way to show disrespect and contempt for another person, than by demonstrating that you can’t even remember them?
And, I don’t want to hear anything about…maybe it was just an honest mistake? That’s a load of crap. We each learn to identify other humans BY NAME as infants and toddlers. We learn that PEOPLE AND THINGS HAVE NAMES, such as Mommy, Daddy, ball, bottle, doggie, etc. So, don’t tell me a full grown human being can’t remember the face and name of someone they work with EVERY DAY!!
I have been called by the names of Black women in other departments that I did not look like. And, whose names were significantly different than mine. And, they were called by my name and by other Black women’s names—that they didn’t look like.
White people don’t have a problem letting you know that you mispronounced or misspelled their name. They will correct you on the spot—even in email. Blacks shouldn’t accept anything else, but being properly identified for who we are. Don’t laugh it off…it’s not a joke. You live and die by your name.
This is just another issue for Blacks in the workplace. How do you deal with being mistaken for Black coworkers?
S. Mary Wills
theblackfactor.blogspot.com