Mirror, mirror...

[beandelphiki]

White people in blackfolk have been severely chastised in the past for speaking up too much - I know this, in fact just watched the last mini-drama go down, and suddenly, my own post-count in that community has jumped.

What the hell? I wish I could crawl inside my brain and figure out what's going on in there, because it almost seems like I'm tempting the fates. (Or the tempers and patience of the folks there. Whichever.)

I can't believe that I have sat back and sat on it for so many months, and RIGHT after someone gets smacked for being too noisy, I start opening my mouth.

I mean - what am I doin'?


Ironically, I am SO FRUSTRATED with most of the white people in that community right now. Do they EVER stop wandering in with their you're not allowed to hate my benevolent white ass shit?


[Completely random] Every time I try to go to the bookstore, I try to look up bell hooks on the computer there, and I can never remember who I am trying to look up. Why can I only remember things when I DON'T need/want to? I could cry. [/random]

Comments

[mhw.livejournal.com]

What are bell hooks?

I have a tiny notebook (one of the old paper things, not a spiffy silicon gadget) that I use for just such "I never remember" things. I know people look at me weird for doing it, but it's the best aid-and-adaptation I've found for my very scrappy memory. And no, I don't always remember to write things in there, or indeed to look in it when I ought to, but I'm happy with a 60% solution :)

As to your post there: I don't think you're wimpy. I have a lot of respect for you.

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

What are bell hooks?

*tee hees* bell hooks.

I have one of those tiny notebooks too, although my success rate with it is arond 30%, I think. I also use electronic post-it notes, and am TRYING to use a wall calendar. Overall, though, my best method is to write on my hand and arm, since I can't lose those. Unfortunately, my boss insists I wash it off. (Which makes sense, but ahh!)

First time I tried to use a little notebook, I lost it the DAY I started using it. I panicked and decided that was a Bad Omen, and that it would Never Ever Work Again, but someone in the adults_add comm has kicked my ass and reminded me that we too easily give up on organizational methods that fail ONCE.

I'm hoping I get better with that little notebook.

As to your post there: I don't think you're wimpy. I have a lot of respect for you.

Aw, thank you! But I really am a wimp. I hate internet fights, they make me sick to my stomach.

[siegeengine.livejournal.com]

was going to ask the hooks question myself...
awesome.

you definitely have broader horizons than most.
most definitely.

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

Eh, I haven't REALLY read much by her yet - I've not even finished one of her books. I just keep hearing that she's great.

[mhw.livejournal.com]

I'm going to get her stuff out of our local library, and if they don't have it I'm going to get them to buy it. It sounds like she really needs to be read by a lot of people.

[mhw.livejournal.com]

*tee hees* bell hooks.

*blush* Ah. Thank you! I had an idea that they were kind of little loops of wire for hanging Christmas tree ornaments, for some reason...

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

Heh, it's cool. The lack of capitalization on an unknown name has to be confusing.

Actually, I can totally see why you thought that! Apparently, it's not her real name either, so I wonder how she came up with it.

[mhw.livejournal.com]

From the bio on the site you posted a link to:

She explained to Rebecca Carroll for Elle (December 1994) that one of her great-grandmothers, a Native American, was named bell hooks and that her own use of the name is "about celebrating female legacies." The lower-case spelling hooks prefers, she said, is "about ego: What's in a name? It is the substance in my books, not who is writing them, that is important."

[mhw.livejournal.com]

Overall, though, my best method is to write on my hand and arm, since I can't lose those. Unfortunately, my boss insists I wash it off. (Which makes sense, but ahh!)

I just had a weird thought. You know those UV security pens you can get for marking banknotes and other things in case of theft? Well, you can also get little key-chain UV LED lights. I carry one on my keychain, along with a little red laser that's very useful for pointing to things that I can't get to...

Well, if you wrote your armnotes with a UV pen they wouldn't show up until you lit them with UV light, right? and your boss wouldn't see them and hassle you to wash them off.

Creative or crazy? You decide :)

[siegeengine.livejournal.com]

man, man... no argument whatsoever about your post there. You were clear and what you said deserved and even demanded to be said. A little too hesitant on the release, I might say, though I know you know that. Don't hold back when you're as right as you were there. That bonehead totally walked into that one and didn't even notice. What stupid blind arrogance to totally miss the emotion and intent of the original poster's commentary, and to come back with a phraseology that states that, essentially, there shouldn't be any criticism because, for lack of a better term after being up for more than 2 days with no sleep, it offends their own personal baby Jesus.

...

anyway, I make sense if you stay up for about 50 hours straight.

kudos, and stop hiding

the thing about internet fights and flame wars, and I think this might be what upsets your digestion, is that most often the person you are flaming is a royal f*ing braindead idiot. That does present a problem if the intent of your rant is to actually change that particular person's opinion, because their minimal cranial capacity does not lend itself to intelligent discussion. Instead, they will merely send back weak, nothing attacks that make no sense and completely miss your point, all the while insisting and acting as if they are totally kicking your ass.

The point of the flame war, though, is not to educate the ineducable... but to sway the opinion of onlookers away from idiocy and towards rational clear thought. The danger of letting stupid statements go unchecked is that there is a subclass of individuals who actually will not realize that said statements are not worth the paper they aren't written on, and they'll actually sway some opinion. When they are justifiably flamed and therefore shown to be the slackjawed, drooling bastards that they are, racist or no, then their opinions will cease to hold any water in the subset of public opinion that is actually paying any attention at all.

...

did I mention I've been up for somewhere between 48 and 60 hours? and that I worked several shifts during that time?

I don't prequalify most of my statements, see. Instead, I wait until I've said them and then I undermine myself before anyone else actually gets a chance to.

I never said I was perfect, or anything.

[mhw.livejournal.com]

most often the person you are flaming is a royal f*ing braindead idiot.

And stupidity on the 'net is an inexhaustible resource :(

*sigh*

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

No, your post makes total sense, and it's awesome. You're right, they ALWAYS act like they're kicking your ass. Although I have to explain...most of the reason that I held back was that it is the BLACKFOLK comm, and I am white. You know? Maybe it's something some people appreciate me saying, but on the other hand, that's a lot of noise to be making. And I'm sure that there are not very many black people in that community who don't "get it."

Still...if she gets yelled at enough, she MIGHT clue in that she's doing something wrong. MIGHT.

And actually, this one didn't hurt my digestion too much. It was fun. Go see our last exhange. Pure kiddie-pool fun.

And check out recent, developments, especially toward the bottom.

I'm just sitting back now and watching them roast her. *offers popcorn*