On Racism and Stuff White People Like

February 21, 2008

Floyd shorthair

As a white person with a white dog maybe I should offended by the post at Stuff White People Like about dogs:

“A lot of cultures love dogs - be it for entertainment, labor, or other. But white people love dogs on an entirely different level.” [...]
“If white people are ever talking about their dogs, it is essential that you reassure them that their dogs are absolutely special and unique. That they are being properly cared for, and that treating like children is the only way to care for a pet. Under no circumstance EVER should you say anything that is derogatory towards dogs, critical of spoiling dogs, or that they are not full members of society who deserve the same rights as humans. Doing any of these three things will completely destroy all relationships you might have had with a white person.”

And to be honest, I am offended. Check out the comments and you’ll see it’s not just satire; there’s real racism (and other isms) there:

“Most of the yippy, tiny dogs I’ve seen are Asian-owned. I would assume they are pets as they don’t have enough meat on them to qualify as dinner.” - comment #7

“I take offense to that link to Korean cuisine!” - comment #10

“ya’ll have some ghetto ass dog parks” - comment #20

“If White people could they’d fuck and marry thier damn dogs.” - comment #45

And I won’t even repeat comment #50.

Moreover, I get very angry when I see animals dragged into these conversations.

The main point of that particular Stuff White People Like article is an assertion that humans are superior to animals. That is the article’s thesis. That article is NOT satirical anti-racism framed as “reverse racism” to make the point that many white people who think they’re not racist are, in fact, racist. The website’s intention might well be satirical anti-racism, but this particular article doesn’t show it. The point of that article is to say, ‘Stop caring about dogs.’

A much better article would have been:

Stuff White People Like: Claiming Their Dog Is Racist

Despite the fact that dogs are basically colorblind, white people claim their dogs are racist.

If a white person’s dog barks at you the white person often responds something like, “Sorry about that. Fifi is racist. I’m not… I have friends who are… what ethnicity are you? But Fifi had a bad experience with a… dark… person and she’s just never been the same. Now she’s racist.”

If white people are ever talking about their dogs’ reactions to various people, it is essential that you reassure them that their dogs are the only ones who are racist, not them. Never point out the nonverbal cues a white person gives that signal fear or anxiety to their dog.

Under no circumstance EVER should you say anything that suggests their dogs’ racism is nonexistent or that the dogs’ racism is a learned behavior from their owners. Never point out that repeated, pleasant contact with various, kind humans will help break a white person’s dog of any real or perceived racism. Doing these three things will completely destroy all relationships you might have had with a white person.

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Posted by Elaine Vigneault | Filed Under Animals, Philosophy and Guidance, Racism, The World 

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3 Trackbacks to “On Racism and Stuff White People Like”

  1. Weekly Digest: February 22, 2008 : Elaine Vigneault on February 22nd, 2008 6:14 pm

    [...] On Racism and Stuff White People Like [...]

  2. Smite Me! [.net] » Blog Archive » Friday Activist Vlogging: Stuff Honkies Heart on April 25th, 2008 6:17 pm

    [...] is inspired by the site Stuff White People Like and, more specifically, Elaine’s series of posts on their posts on veganism, dog-love and other so-called white yuppie concerns. Because, like, only [...]

  3. Smite Me! [.net] » Blog Archive » Even God hates Hillary Clinton. on May 19th, 2008 11:29 am

    [...] of uber-expensive faux meat products. (Beans and rice, anyone?) See, for example, here, here and here. God, on the other paw, hates us all. His ghostwriter (because, let’s be honest, ain’t [...]

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