Sunday, November 22, 2009

Yes...why do I attract all these idiots???

Here's another good conversation I had this evening.

I want it to be known that I'm not a very politically-correct person. I feel that America has become an oversensitive place where people or more worried about feelings and not offending people than being correct, truthful, or just easy-going.

For example, I'm well aware Phil Lynott is half-white, half-black. However, in the course of many casual conversations I have with people, especially ones not that familiar with Lynott or Lizzy, I might say something like 'Lynott was a black-irishman', or 'Lynott was one of the few successful black rock stars', or something like that. By saying this, I'm not denying his half-whiteness, I'm just choosing to accentuate his "blackness", because it makes him more unique. It's technically not dishonest, at least in my mind, because I've always considered a person black if they are 25%, 50%, or 100% black. I don't mean it like I'm a racist. I have black friends, and they've told me they don't mind being called 'black' as opposed to African-American. Some even prefer it. Even the technically bi-racial ones don't mind. I also do it because it's just simple, easy, and to be honest, no one really gives a fuck anyway. But of course, there's always one or two pedantic assholes that want to make a big deal out of something like that. In my mind, making a big deal about someone's race is just pointless anyway, and it's probably half the reason we still have racial problems today, because people just care too much about pointless bullshit such as skin color and being overly PC about it. I like Phil Lynott because what he wrote and sang about, not because of what color he is.

Anyway here is the conversation. Any thoughts about this would be appreciated.

OBAMAisHalfCaste (2 hours ago)
blacksabfan Phil was ~Half Caste~ NOT Black you oviously have never irelands one cultural society..Biracial and Black is different..All biracials are White people with a little more melanin and Tanned skin.Thers white people who go 2 shades darker than phil and Obama when they in hot sunny countries like Spain Africa and Brazil..And heres another suprize (Bob Marley) wasnt black either he was ~Half White~

blacksabfan (1 hour ago)
If someone is visibly black, I call them black. I'm not one to be technical about it. I'm not really into the PC technicalities. I don't care if it's 25%, 50% or 100%. There is nothing factually incorrect about saying Phil Lynott was black. He was. I never said he was 100% black. To be honest I don't even care, I just know he is one of my favorite musicians.

OBAMAisHalfCaste (49 minutes ago)
Well then you are very Dumb and Dull .You cant just labelle peoples ethnicity just because you want them to be something that they are not and never will be.. Phil was White to he was just as much White as he was Black . He belongs to both race groups

blacksabfan (31 minutes ago)
Black and Half-Caste isn't ethnicity. That's race. Ethnicity is Irish, German etc. I mean if you're going to call me dumb and then make a gross error like that, you probably should just stop talking. My point is that in popular culture, if you're part black, you get called black. Right or wrong, that's how it goes. I think everyone that is a fan of Phil Lynott is aware he's not completely black. It's not insulting the man...Phil called himself black. It's an observation that's simplified. If it makes you feel better, if I was writing a term paper on the subject, I would make his racial origin very clear, but in casual conversation I'm going to call him a black irishman. Comphrende?

OBAMAisHalfCaste (18 minutes ago)
Well then you would just be hypocrting yourself writing his real racial background down but then speaking a Lie to ..What is that its nonsence..Listen dude .Phil was Biracial not Black as you already know so give him respect and other biracials respect by calling them that.How would you feel if someone called you Yellow or purple when your not No you are wrong im not here to insult but to bring the truth of god to your eyes..In Africa he is White i have been there and all Biracials are lebeled as White its wrong..And yes most labele them as Black to.But why follow there stupidity and lower yourselfs to there dumbness

blacksabfan (13 minutes ago)
First off, I wouldn't give a shit if someone called me yellow or purple or whatever. I'm more concerned about my accomplishments, which is why I feel stupid arguing about this. Lynott's accomplishments are being belittled because of your hellbent obsession with proving that he's biracial, something that I've never once denied. Secondly, you keep combining race and ethnicity as if they are interchangable. They are not.
Do not comment anymore or you will be banned. End of discussion.
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The fucker then chose to comment on my channel, and I chose to comment back on his, saying that his obsession seemed a bit unhealthy, and that perhaps he could be doing something more important with his life than worrying about whether or not someone is correctly classifying a person's race. Of course, he deleted my comments on his channel, because they might be seen by a person with a brain and they might use some common sense in determining that this guy is a little psychotic. I also made the point that people might take him more seriously if he typed comments without 50 typing errors in them...but what the hell do I know?

His biggest mistake however is that he chooses to use race and ethnicity as if they are interchangible terms. They are not. Race is black, white, hispanic, pacific islander, native american...etc. To be very un-PC about this...race is your color. Ethnicity, on the other hand, has to do with sharing traits through a common heritage. Irish, German, Czech, English, Scottish would be mine. Jews are an ethnic group. Ethnic groups share traits, be it linguistic, cultural, behavioral, religious, etc, and race is just one factor in that. Race can be a common trait within an ethnic group, but it in itself is NOT ethnicity. Phil Lynott was half-black and that is his race, but his ethnicity is wholly Irish. Even though Phil's dad was from British Guyana, I would claim that Phil shares none of ethnic traits associated with Guyana (whatever they are). I really don't see how that can be debated. Likewise there's a lot of white people in South Africa who are in fact African, but they sure as hell aren't black. So they aren't the same.

Basicially I know me going around calling Phil Lynott black is not as accurate as saying he's biracial, and maybe I'm technically wrong, but I'm also saying that I don't really give a fuck and that I understand the truth and just don't see a need to get overly technical about it. I certainly don't feel like calling him black is insulting. (Besides, I can't call him African-American, he's neither from Africa or America). Phil called himself black. Black Boys on the Corner? I'll be damned if he wasn't writing about himself as a kid. Phil knew he was biracial, but had no problem being called black. I view it the same way.

2 comments:

  1. I call Phil a black man because I don't think there were many black dudes knocking about Dublin in the 50's and 60's. Of course he was black... he had an afro and had looooong legs. I don't see many irishmen looking like that.

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  2. I'd never even heard the word or biracial before today. I never heard of a labelle either! I wouldn;t have even botherd conversing with him as far as you did!
    There were very few black guys in Dublin when Phil was growing up, correct. It actually helped his popularity here because he was unique at the time, a black guy with a Dub accent. I wouldn't pick between him being Irish or black, he's both. I was very surprised at his level of interest in Celtic mythology, thats not well known outside of his fanbase.

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