Organization for Black Whoever

I recently received an email regarding a meeting of NOBCChE (National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers)

My reply to the sender was, "Okay, I'd like to start by saying I am an undergraduate biochemist, and I have no African heritage that I know about. I don't know your credentials or anything about you, but I'd like to ask you two questions. How do you think people would react to a National Organization for the Professional Advancement of White Chemists and Chemical Engineers? I suspect that it would be seen as racially exclusive, and that some would try to apply Neo-Nazi or racist motivation to the organization. Why is it acceptable for "black" people to have an exclusive club for the betterment of their "color"?"

My argument is that one can not say there is "equality" while maintaining that there is an injustice or inequality that requires correction. Either "black" people are equal and require homogeneous treatment, or those same people aren't equal to everyone else and require special assistance or privilege. Some might say that there is a history of prejudice against "black" people, but I don't find this an acceptable reason in 2011 to continue an exclusive self-serving "color club."

I decided to start this thread to get opinions. Do you find organizations for the betterment of a certain color to be acceptable? Why or why not? Is there a double standard today that makes a "pro-black" organization acceptable and a "pro-white" organization racist?

Lets put the stereotypes for front.

Whites, steal but within the laws (also see extortion)
Blacks, steal under the laws (also see felony)
Yellow, find a way between the laws to make millions (also see China)
Brown, answer phones.
Red, run a casino taking all the money from the filthy rich white folks.

If you wanna stereotype get it right =P

reply to post by MeesterB


No it don't.Why is it that because there is an organization for black advancement it bothers you.I don't think anyone will object to the creation of an association for white advancement.Stop putting words on anybody's mouth and do it already.Tired of the color related thread.

"until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently dicredited and abandoned;

until there are no longer first class and second class citizens of any nation;

until the colour of a man's skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes;

until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all, without regard to race;

until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but fleeting illusions, to be pursued but never attained." H.I.M Haile Selassie I

This is actually a big issue in South Africa.
Our negotiated settlement in 1994 promised a non-sexist, non-racist society.

Yet, there are all kinds of "blacks only" organizations.

In 2008 there was an incident when white journalists were barred at the door of a meeting of The Forum of Black Journalists. Several of their black colleagues staged a walk-out in solidarity.
www.businessday.co.za...

The issue was reported to our Human Rights Commission.
Unlike their hard-handedness with white exclusivity, the Commission proposed a public debate.

It is a blatant double standard, although the academic reasoning is that whites were advantaged for so long that blacks are justified in forming organizations to equal the playing fields.

But one should be careful.
Some "black organizations" and forums do allow white members who agree with their objectives.
Some may be quite welcoming.
So I'd definitely do some research on any black organization before immediately assuming they are prejudiced.

No, it isn't right imo.

it's a racial money making scheme to "promote your own race"
and
It's segregation at it's worst.

If all these silly different color organizations got together to promote ALL colors in one HUGE organization.. much more would get done with greater harmony.

I'm so tired of reading BLACK or WHITE.
it saddens me to know that in my lifetime racial division has gone from bad, to better and now it's seeming to get worse again...

the world needs to grow up.

b

.

I totally agree. If we are all equal, then why on Earth do you need organizations such as this? Has anyone founded a National Association for the Advancement of White People? I wonder how Mr. Jackson, and other individuals with similar positions, would respond to that.

EDIT:
I just looked it up, and there is an organization with that name, although they are white supremacists...go figure.
I would go so far as to say that people like Jesse Jackson are probably racist. I have seen him do things, and others as well, that goes way beyond attempting to advance colored people. And if we are both equal, wouldn't advancing colored people, as in NAACP, be promoting black supremacy?

On Brad Meltzer's Decoded the other day, during the Mt. Rushmore episode, they interviewed the KKK leader, and he basically said something along the lines of the following:

We don't, or I don't, (not sure how he worded it) agree with racial segregation or past clan actions, and the group is simply one that promotes white heritage, because we are proud of it.

That sounds more along the lines of what we are discussing, as it would be similar to the groups comprised of black Americans. The big difference with that group though is that they will never shake their reputation or what they stand for. I think the guy was just attempting to not sound like a complete racist idiot. You can't hold the position he does without being racist.

Thanks for the opinions. I should've posted it at a more reasonable hour to get more replies, but thanks all for your input.