Black Looks

Please submit more brains less shit!!

Hey, one of the things that annoyed me when I first turned vegan was the racism & general cluelessness I found in a lot of vegan spots online. A few months ago I started the Vegans of Color blog w/some friends to address that stuff. If you’d ever like to post there, just let me know. And good luck!

Hello, longtime reader here who loves this website. First, I want to say I’m always sad to see the amount of disrespect your comment sections often contain. Your blog is amazing especially in its variety. It must be a source of strength and inspiration to many whether they post comments or not.

I also want to suggest that you temper the Soya eating with other sources of protein, because there are some health concerns around Soya (pertaining to its phyto-estrogen levels), and it is also a major component in huge agro-business (unless you are careful where you buy it from).

some of the health discussion is here (of course take it with your own critical mind): http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/index.html

also there are some nice food blogs out there. this one has many vegan recipes (and links to some other sites): http://www.mostlyeating.com/

Thanks for the info! This is really helpful. I finally took the plunge and declared myself a vegetarian.

I am pondering whether or not to be vegan – so this post came at the right time. Keep up all your amazing writing.

you’re claiming that you found racism in vegan help websites? Let me guess: The websites didn’t cater specifically to black people, so it’s racist.

You set up your own little website, only for black vegans. IS IT NECESSARY TO BRING RACE INTO EVERYTHING? A vegan is a vegan is a vegan, the skin color doesn’t matter. when you read the articles about veganism on the other sites, what did you think? “Oh, i can’t read these articles because they were written by a white person! I’ll start my own site since race is a primary concern of most vegans. If only black people had a way to be vegans like white people…”

there, i took out the first and last sentences. why do you have to discriminate against my comments? Because I’m white?

Sokari, this announcement makes me absurdly, geekily happy. Of course, I’m always happy when somebody goes vegan, since it works out so well for all concerned (the vegan, the animals, the environment, etc., etc.) But this is like finding out that you and a comrade have the same favorite novel or that the person you see on the bus everyday comes from your hometown. An unexpected connection, that’s it. I’ve been reading Black Looks for… a long time and am so appreciative of your interconnected perspective. And now vegan too? Happy day.

But, Rook: Take a breath. Stop typing for a minute and think about what it is about something like a Vegans of Color blog that leads you to feel so angry. Quit venting that anger at people of color. (If you’re angry that I said this, come over to my blog and vent at me.) Try to realize that, as long as real racial differences in power and privilege exist, race really does inflect everything. You don’t see it because your own comfort within your white skin requires you not to see it. But you feel uncomfortable anyway. You want to know, “why do they see the world so differently than I do?” Something is nagging at you about this. That’s good. But let it motivate you to educate yourself about race and racism rather than lashing out at those who see different things than you because they are standing in a different place.

What bothers me is when racial issues are invented. It is appalling that racial issues are happening all over the world. REAL racism. Minorities being hanged in the streets. No representation for non-Muslims in Iran. Genocide. That’s REAL racism. That’s what the world should work to get rid of.

This is INVENTED racism. The fact that you’re actively seeking things that might be considered even the tiniest bit racist is what is making me angry. Take this quote, for example:

“Back near the beginning of this blog, I wrote about how Vegetarian Journal exotified Asian foods & seemed, in doing so, to be writing from a viewpoint that centered non-Asian — probably white — American experience & culture.”

Yes. From what I can gather about this quote, it is your opinion that everyone should abandon their own culture in order to not potentially offend anyone? That is first class bullshit.

Then there’s the article about Resident Evil 5 (http://www.blacklooks.org/2007/07/resident_evil_5.html) which you claim has strong racist undertones. I think the people who already commented in that thread before you closed it off say more about it than I can in this little blurb.

I heard about a book called “The Race Card: How Bluffing About Bias Makes Race Relations Worse” that you should definitely check out.

Yes, race is a pervasive force in our society, and it is a shame. But, if you could please explain to me, how did the vegan websites make you feel ashamed of being black? Isn’t it discriminating against white vegans who would like some of the advice on your site considered racism?

The solution to racism isn’t setting up two camps. I think Brown v. The Board of Education made that abundantly clear 50 years ago. The solution is in tearing down walls, not matching the walls that you perceive the “opposition” has put up.

When I said “is it because I’m white?” i was making a point. I have no problem with black people, or people of any different color, nationality, or religion. I really don’t. What I can’t stand, on the other hand, is people like you, who try to blame everything on race and pick out tiny little details of things that happen every day and try to make yourself sound like a victim. I’m not saying that you’ve never been a victim of racism; I’m saying that you aren’t constantly being victimized. You’re making up racism all around you.

Here’s something else: At my school, there are scholarship offers for black people, women, Asians, Jews, the Irish, even tall people. Any kind of minority gets special treatment. What would happen if I decided to award a $250 dollar scholarship to a white, blond haired, blue eyed protestant male, and the applicant had to have all of those qualities? I would be instantly branded as a racist. And that is absolute bullshit.

Stop looking for it; there’s certainly enough that you don’t have to make it up to find it.

What is with the tiny type? I can barely read this – Can’t you make this larger print? I am glad you are an out loud vegan – seems a lot of us finally made it – i am wearing out my shoes too – i am not rich, have nothing to prove and an animal suffered and died so I will wear them out and then try to buy more ethically

Rook, all I have to say to you is to suggest you do some background reading. Maybe start off w/White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. I’m not going to engage w/you further, although if my blog has gotten someone who expresses opinions like yours steamed, then I guess we’re doing something right.

Virginia–yeah, I am wearing out my leather shoes too (& wool sweaters). Totally a money thing, & also a less-stuff-in-the-landfill thing (tho’ I know I could possibly find someone to buy some of my stuff).