Overt Racism Written off in a Covert Unapologetic Manner

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

So if pointing out anti-white racism, such as the Joe Louis fist, makes me a racist in you mind, it certainly does not follow in reality, and how I live my life. You are indeed an idiot.

I'm curious about what you think is "racist" about the Joe Louis fist? Other than the fact that its a big black fist and it is scary to you?

[Wesley Mouch]

I'm curious about what you think is "racist" about the Joe Louis fist? Other than the fact that its a big black fist and it is scary to you?

I like the fist. I like the fist.

You have to admit that to place a giant black fist at the single most central public spot says something.

And if you were white in the 80s in Detroit, it reinforced the message coming from loudly from Mayor Young. You were not wanted. You were encouraged to leave. Your kids were going to be bussed to an inner-city school. Your civic voice was taken from you. At City Hall, black staff was promoted. White staff was ignored or replaced. Your neighborhood crime rate was going up. House values sinking.

Now its easy to say that all of this was deserved. I accept that. But if you want to understand why whites say the fist as part of a larger message, you can think of it like a 'micro-aggression'. If I recall correctly, the arrival of the fist was not announced as a Joe Louis tribute at first. It just showed up. I could be wrong about that, but that's how I remembered its impact. It was a shocking symbol delivered by the bigoted CAY.

The fist had a message. It was 'get out'.

I respected Mayor Young in many ways. And I like the fist.

[canuck]

I like the fist. I like the fist.

You have to admit that to place a giant black fist at the single most central public spot says something.

And if you were white in the 80s in Detroit, it reinforced the message coming from loudly from Mayor Young. You were not wanted. You were encouraged to leave. Your kids were going to be bussed to an inner-city school. Your civic voice was taken from you. At City Hall, black staff was promoted. White staff was ignored or replaced. Your neighborhood crime rate was going up. House values sinking.

Now its easy to say that all of this was deserved. I accept that. But if you want to understand why whites say the fist as part of a larger message, you can think of it like a 'micro-aggression'. If I recall correctly, the arrival of the fist was not announced as a Joe Louis tribute at first. It just showed up. I could be wrong about that, but that's how I remembered its impact. It was a shocking symbol delivered by the bigoted CAY.

The fist had a message. It was 'get out'.

I respected Mayor Young in many ways. And I like the fist.

I don't doubt that a lot of what you say has some truth to it. It may be worth looking at all the symbols of warrior dominance that dot the United States and comprise mainly white generals and soldiers in monuments far and wide. I think that the big Black fist can be taken as a symbol of resistance, of violence, even self-inflicted if you will, all these posibilities are manifest. I like the fist too, it wasn't meant to be subtle, it certainly says something about Detroit, and the struggle for dignity that hasn't always been solved by kind words and polite gestures.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Funny how insecure whites see a sculpture commissioned by Sports Illustrated and made by a Mexican-American artist as simply a "black power" statement.

[sumas]

The sculture was meant to be upright. Powers that were, mostly afro american feared it would appear like a "black" power statement.

Frankly it looks silly dangling. It was only meant to commerate a Detroit athlete.

Funny I don't feel remotely like an insecure white person. But you apparently live on the "West Coast" so please continue to give us your opinions on race relations in the city you no longer live in.

[Wesley Mouch]

Funny how insecure whites see a sculpture commissioned by Sports Illustrated and made by a Mexican-American artist as simply a "black power" statement.

The road to understanding and compassion is not littered with justifications for rude and insensitive behavior.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. And sometimes a black fist just a sports monument.

No sport monuments to Hank Greenburg or Ty Cobb were placed at Woodward and Jefferson.

It was not just a coincidence that a Black Nationalist symbol was chosen for the JL tribute.

Art is almost always a message. Whites were insecure in the 80s. And they got the message.

[oladub]

Funny how insecure whites see a sculpture commissioned by Sports Illustrated and made by a Mexican-American artist as simply a "black power" statement.

I didn't know that but the Diego Rivera mural at the Art Institute also characterized Detroit as did the Eminen Chrysler Superbowl ad, and the fist. I also remember a late sixties article about a Rolling Stones tour in Ramparts magazine describing the unwashed masses at the Stones' Detroit concert. It emphasized that crowd's flaming enthusiasm and how that crowd was "real" as opposed to more trendy crowds in some other places. That was a mostly white crowd. So, to me, the fist is just another but consistent take on Detroit and not just black Detroit. That same Detroit lacking finesse not only knocked out Schmeling in front of Hitler, it spun on its heals to become THE "arsenal of democracy" to help knock out Hitler for good measure. I'm a Detroit expatriate too, white, but also relate to that fist.

[Richard]

So when viewing art or symbols each person will have a different view as to what it means to them,maybe even impacted by thier upbringing or some event that occurred to have thier views.

But I guess that is what this country is about,we may not like or agree with others views but to start drawing the lines on what who can say and believe in it shows we have learned little from the past.

[G-DDT]

There's no mistaking what the man meant by displaying a noose and a confederate flag, and then said the noose represented a friend who killed himself. Should I build a giant hypodermic needle to put on my front lawn?