I really can’t help but get the impression that Jill’s original post and comments like Hestia’s imply that working at 7-11 or Dunkin Donuts is something about which a person — Indian or not — should be embarrassed.

You just don’t get it. It’s not that owning a 7-11 is bad, it’s that when he looks at some random Indian guy his first thought is “convenience store owner”. Perhaps you’d understand if he’d shaken hands with a Jewish guy and them made a comment about how important bankers are to the local ecomony, or if he’d shaken hands with aq black guy and then said something about the revenue pro basketball brings to the state.

Not only that, but programs like Saturday Night Live are terribly racist, as many of their characters and sketches can be accused of creating this us-vs.-them dichotomy for singling out persons of various ethnicities, religious affiliations, etc., and putting them in the position of “other” for comedic purposes.

Ah, I see what the problem is. You’re totally immune to context. It’s a common affliction

Making patronizing sounding statements to a voter, well let’s just say if I were the voter I’d be turned off. Even if anyone here thinks he is on moral safe ground, just pragmatically he should learn not to go around spouting race stereotypes (particularly when addressing the races in question) because it will lose him votes. Maybe he will learn that lesson soon. Hope the good people of Connecticut are in a teaching kinda mood.

Nope. Despite your uncommon experience, it remains the case that people rarely complain about those stereotypes that predicate relatively desirable things upon them — that is, the stereotypes that they like.

How many black men confide in you about their private concerns?

“Black men are well-hung” may work great if you’re a black man sporting eleven inches. If you’re a black man with smaller equipment, and people who believe in racist stereotypes expect you to bring something hefty to the party, how do you think it feels to know you’re not going to live up to their ever-so-fun racist stereotypes? Does that seem like a real confidence-builder?

(Oh, but I guess the fact that he can dance makes it all better.)

I’m with Anna: The racism isn’t in what Biden said, exactly, but in the fact that he said it in the first place.

It’s nice to believe that “In Delaware, most 7-11s and Dunkin’ Donuts are run by people of Indian descent” is a value-neutral statement, but it really isn’t. We live in a country that routinely puts minorities in the position of “other,” and that’s exactly what this quote does. He creates an unnecessary us-vs.-them dichotomy that can easily be read as offensive by a whole lot of people.

How on earth does Biden’s comment “create an unnecessary us-vs.-them dichotomy”? By that logic, any categorical proposition in which the subject class is any sort of group of persons whatsoever creates such a dichotomy and is, I guess, tinged with racism . . . which is ridiculous.

Not only that, but programs like Saturday Night Live are terribly racist, as many of their characters and sketches can be accused of creating this us-vs.-them dichotomy for singling out persons of various ethnicities, religious affiliations, etc., and putting them in the position of “other” for comedic purposes.

And the implications, of course, go on and on.

In that light, Biden’s comment seems even worse. To compliment Indian-Americans, he refers to their work in 7-11s and Dunkin’ Donuts. Lovely.

What’s wrong with working in a 7-11 or Dunkin’ Donuts? Surely you’re not implying that these are careers to be looked down upon.

~~~

KnifeGhost,

By that analogy, the problem isn’t him making the connection from “Banana Republic employee” to “gay”, but from “gay” to “Banana Republic employee”.

As long as Biden’s comment can be interpreted as I’ve interpreted it (“In Delaware, most 7-11s and Dunkin’ Donuts are run by people of Indian descent”), I don’t see any significant difference in the analogy.

~~~

QLH,

Well, I have. Does my anecdotal evidence trump yours?

Nope. Despite your uncommon experience, it remains the case that people rarely complain about those stereotypes that predicate relatively desirable things upon them — that is, the stereotypes that they like.

For instance, I’ve yet to hear a black man COMPLAIN about (1) the “they’ve got bigger penises” stereotype or (2) the “they’re better dancers than us white folk” stereotype, etc.

And I have also. Two against one?

I guess Biden has figured that everyone that was around when he was exposed for plagarism is dead or deaf by now. I’m not.

That he would have the gall to step up and see himself fit to be president seems indicative of that sick egomaniac state one must be in to actually desire to run for president.

For instance, I’ve yet to hear a black man COMPLAIN about (1) the “they’ve got bigger penises” stereotype or (2) the “they’re better dancers than us white folk” stereotype, etc.

Well, I have. Does my anecdotal evidence trump yours?

Plus, he’s right about the 7-11’s, at least the ones that I frequent. Not Dunkin Donuts though.

What you know about donuts? I thought you hated those things.