Re: One humanity, all in the same boat

From: Olga Bourlin (fauxever@sprynet.com)
Date: Tue Dec 25 2001 - 02:01:08 MST


From: "Barbara Lamar" <altamira@texas.net>

> > As for "absolute colorblindedness" - hmmm, I'm not really sure what that
> > means, and I'm doubly unsure what the consequences of a
> > "colorblind" policy
> > may be.
>
> I didn't interpret Eliezer's post as meaning that one would literally not
be
> aware of color. One would be aware of it, as one might be aware that a
> person has a dimple in her chin. But color would not generally be a field
> used for sorting people into groups.

Actually, I kind of thought that's what Eliezer meant, too, but I wanted to
explore some possible repercussions.

I wish the word "colorblind" were not tainted by some bigoted conservative
politicians and lobbyists who use it to work against liberalizing laws that
would lead to more progress in bridging the gap of the haves and the have
nots in the USA.

> > Colorblind? I don't know. I keep seeing this cartoon in my head of
two
> > people at a party ... I didn't even *NOTICE*
>
> Why is that such an outrageous idea? I'd be willing to bet it happens from
> time to time with Internet friendships. It's interesting to note that one
> can usually tell after a while whether an Internet acquaintance is male or
> female. But I've never been able to determine the color of someone's skin
> without meeting them in person or seeing a photo. Maybe this means that
sex
> is a valid field to sort on but skin color isn't?

Patch of Blue, movie made in 1965, with Sidney Poitier (of course) and
Elizabeth Hartman. She was blind. He was a kind, intelligent dreamboat of
a man who was superimposed against her bigoted, alcoholic and abusive
mother. She falls for him, not knowing he was black.

Being unaware of a person's "color" (as on the phone; internet; radio, and
the like) is not outrageous, but understandable. It's difficult to guess
what a radio announcer may look like, for instance. But (I'm only
projecting) if I were a black person and met someone at a party who later in
the evening told me he didn't even notice I was black would make me wonder
... hey, what's wrong with being black, anyway? what is he trying to tell
me? is the cat blind? why is he protesting so much? I mean, one usually
notices the color of someone else's hair - so noticing that someone may be
Asian or something like that would simply be an observation of a superficial
physical characteristic (not an assumption about a particular person's
character, intelligence, etc.).

I do understand what Eliezer was getting at (what his intent was), and I do
appreciate his message. I only wish we were all further down on the road
obliterating the notion of "races." I would like nothing more than to
forget the whole business, but that's unrealistic when there's still so much
injustice.

Olga



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