Black Expo

[Nuzzolese]

My town does this thing each year called The Black Expo. It's for local black businesses to showcase their goods and set up a stall at the civic center. It's supposed to share awareness amongst the black community.

I hate this, and I think it's really racist. It's not a cultural celebration like a Greek Festival . It has nothing to do with African culture or heritage. Even if it did, they would have to include all parts of African culture - including Egyptians who I don't think many people consider to be black. It's just a skin color thing. And how is it fair to other local businesses that they can't get that kind of exposure just because their owner isn't black?

If there was a white expo, you better believe people would be complaining. But this whole notion of identifying a community's black skinned residents as being one unified "community" is totally accepted. Why? Why create these distinctions? What is a "black" business anyway?

[funk63]

sigh.. dont get me started.

[Nuzzolese]

please get started?

[Waus]

I think that's a big part of the problem with "racial tension" as we see it now. It's not so much a 'race' issue as it is a culture one, in my opinion.

People say "black" and it's totally ambiguous. "Black," like, hip-hop/rap culture? African heritage culture? Maybe something more abstract, like a nubian community idea?

No one knows - and what's worse, no one addresses it. Being of one race or another does not automatically mean you're a part of the culture associated with that race.

[Nuzzolese]

I know! And when people make it a business advantage type of thing, then I think it gets really unfair because businesses are about making money. They shouldn't be distinguishing themselves along those lines because then it makes it seem like those distinctions define their only preferred customers.

[b i o n i c]

many black people would say that black is a culture, no less than greeks or irish or jewish, etc

[Waus]

many black people would say that black is a culture, no less than greeks or irish or jewish, etc

That's what I'm arguing against. I don't think there is one definitive "Black" culture - or if there has to be, then it includes so many elements it lacks a clear identity.

[b i o n i c]

italian people would say the same thing about italians, so i guess there is just no such thing as culture

[Waus]

italian people would say the same thing about italians, so i guess there is just no such thing as culture

I think there is no such thing today as a culture that is defined by a race.

[Nuzzolese]

Then what is black culture? Is it the combined cultures that come from the entire continent of Africa? Is it only an American culture?

[AceFace]

see, that's the difference. if it were an "african" expo or something, then it would make more sense than labeling it "black". there's plenty of cultures mixed within the black race.

i'd attend an Irish expo b/c i'm of irish decent, but i wouldn't attend a "white" expo b/c i'd automatically think that was wrong to call it that.

[Nuzzolese]

I suspect that the only thing the businesses featured at the Black Expo will have in common is the skin color of their owners and customers. If this were an Italian Expo, I'm pretty sure most visitors would expect the businesses and events and stalls to feature things associated with Italy. At the black expo, all they seem to be claiming to promote is black skin.

How is it a culture to look a certain way? Is blonde a culture? You could argue that blondes get treated a certain way, that they have specific needs. Let's have the Blonde Expo! Just as stupid.

[Nuzzolese]

No matter what, no one would ever dare to challenge the black expo. I, myself, would not speak up on my own against something like this. I just know that I feel like I'm not allowed to. I feel like I'm supposed to just accept it. It's totally accepted that people can create an event like this, or a network, or an exclusive club, and base it around race - only if that race is black.

[Dorothy Wood]

I think originally these sort of things started because black business owners probably needed a network and maybe weren't getting a fair shake. but now it seems kind of dated.

I dunno, it's kind of like when a gay publication came to interview my gay boss and gay coworker about their artwork, and another coworker (a straight woman) was like, "hey! why can't I have an interview?" and my boss said, "because you can have everything else".

which was a little dated as well (and pretty inaccurate), but sort of gives a clue to the kind of "us vs. them" mentality that any minority group might have. I will say most everything in media and american culture used to be suited to straight white people, so people different from that audience had to create their own culture.

at this point, we have a black president, everyone loves Ellen, there are people of different races and ages all over the t.v. and in the movies...so things like the black expo aren't really necessary anymore, and pretty antiquated.

you should protest!

[adam_f]

God, I hate white people.

[Freebasser]

Black Expo is a good name for a gangsta rap outfit.

[Nuzzolese]

But especially if you could combine it into one word and put the emphasis on the second syllable; bleh-KEX-po.

[b i o n i c]

that sounds like blax-po

not all black people are po! you fucking racist asshole!

[AceFace]

God, I hate white people.
God, i love all kinds of people.

[Lyman Zerga]

God, i love all kinds of people.

thats pretty weak i must say

[Myu-to]

At our library I saw that February is African-American History month, what happened to Black History month?

Oh well, once again the white man is screwing over the black man.

[Pres Zount]

I seriously thought you were in Japan for some reason.

[AceFace]

thats pretty weak i must say
i do love all kinds of races and cultures. i think they're amazing and i can learn from all of them.

i don't really see what's weak about that.

[b i o n i c]

she meant you shoulda used the word adore rather than love(y)

[jabumbo]

i'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the blonde expo might be a little more stupid....

[Nuzzolese]

Perhaps, but they would have more fun.

[jabumbo]

on a semi-related note:


i get a kick/laugh out of companies that get to distinguish themselves as minority or women owned.

in my field of work, this generally leads to a slight advantage since any project that has ties to any government funding is required to have a certain percentage of the work done by said labeled companies.

but its just funny since a fair portion of these companies are fronted by someone in that minority category, but said person doesn't really do any of the work. so while the idea might be nice, the actual effectiveness kind of goes down the drain

[Lyman Zerga]

i do love all kinds of races and cultures. i think they're amazing and i can learn from all of them.

i don't really see what's weak about that.

your no sense of humor might be weak :confused:
and some cutures are quite shit actually, unless you think stoning women is cool

she meant you shoulda used the word adore rather than love(y)

absolutely wrong, with that silly ass comment ill hate you for always and longer

[jabumbo]

getting stoned with women is pretty cool (y)

[Helvete]

There was an item on the local news about a youth worker who had his dreadlocks shaved off to raise money for charity helping 'black men reach their full potential'. I was kinda like 'wtf'. Just sounded weird.

Oh yeah, viva la black people.

[AceFace]

your no sense of humor might be weak :confused:
and some cutures are quite shit actually, unless you think stoning women is cool



absolutely wrong, with that silly ass comment ill hate you for always and longer
nope. my sense of humour is just fine, thanks.

[Lyman Zerga]

nope. my sense of humour is just fine, thanks.

that comment didnt really proof it but ill give you another chance sometime