White’s Only
“The difference is the technique that you use and they have special technique for cutting black people’s hair. Just like there’s a special technique for cutting white people’s hair. I don’t have the training, I don’t have the experience, I don’t have the knowledge and the technique used in cutting black people’s hair.” – Herbert Ledger
Hey Mr. Ledger, if you’re turning down enough business to persuade you to place a sign out like that, don’t you think you should learn that special technique? Also, you may want to switch that “S” in your sign around. It makes you look like a jack-ass.
Hmm, the backwards S must be for emphasis. I love this guys portrait! Personally, I’d like to know more about his friend, the one capable of cutting “black people’s hair.”
I’m going to play Devil’s advocate here and ask what this guy has done that’s so wrong. Perhaps he’s a racist, but perhaps he isn’t. There isn’t enough information in that brief article to know for sure. What is certain, however, is that what he’s saying about cutting hair – and his hair-cutting abilities, presumably – is basically true. (I said BASICALLY.) It’s not as though he’s angrily chasing black people away from his shop – according to the article, he simply refers them to a barber shop across the street.
Sure, he’s behind the times a bit, but if he’s doing enough business within the confines of his existing skill set to live happily and comfortably, is he obligated to expand that skill set? Randy, if you turned down a job offer because you didn’t have the skills to complete the task and ALSO because you had ample opportunity to take on jobs that you already knew how to do, I don’t think it would be right for me to criticize you. Let’s also say that the guy you’re turning down is black and the others are white – could you be called a racist for not going out and learning the necessary skills to accomodate the black guy? Hell, you’d probably be too busy working on those other jobs to do that.
Finally, you can’t hang the guy because of a backwards “S”. A quick glance at your post reveals multiple errors, so nobody’s perfect. I’m sure my comment has errors too.
Again, this guy just might be a horrible racist. But, based on what little we know, I’d say this has been blown out of proportion. I’m not looking for an argument here (it’s really not an important enough issue to get into an epic debate over, right?), I just don’t understand the outrage.
Quite simply, it’s a tasteless gesture. There are much better ways of communicating an ineptitude. Also, I think the backwards “S” best illustrates good ‘ole American irony. It’s more funny than offensive, but then again I have a sick sense of humor.
I never said he was a racist. Some of his best friends are probably black (kidding)…
I think that if he’s turning away enough people to put up the sign he’d be better off (as a business man) to learn how to cut black people’s hair. He’s certainly not obligated to do so. In my mind, it just makes sense.
I’m not “outraged.” I just thought the whole thing was pretty funny.
Ok. I just mistook your sarcastic tone for anger instead of humor. I’ll agree that ol’ Herb could stand to hire a good PR man.
I guess my comment could be redirected towards the “appalled” person who called this story in to the news station.
I understand how it could have been misconstrued. Just proof of how poor the written word is in conveying emotion. Or maybe it’s just me.
The racial issue inherit in the barber’s claim, of not being able to cut Black peoples’ hair, is that it is a gross generalization. All black people do not have the same type of hair, just as all whites do not have the same type of hair. Maybe he truly does have a problem cutting a certain type of hair, but saying “I can’t cut black peoples’ hair” is the barber’s equivalent to saying “they all look the same to me.” It is at least gross ignorance, but more likely it stems from the barber’s sentiments of racial generalization and his resulting feelings of discomfort working on his stereotypical black person. In my mind, gross ignorance of other races, racial generalization and generalized discomfort working with members of a certain race are all forms of racism. There is no excuse for advertising such foolish insensitivity.
I wonder how many heads he got to shave after he put that sign up…hmmm…..
“In my mind, gross ignorance of other races, racial generalization and generalized discomfort working with members of a certain race are all forms of racism.”
Jeff, I believe this is more or less the thesis statement of your comments. Let’s look at the three forms of racism which you’ve listed.
“Gross ignorance of other races” – As far as we know, nothing this guy has said or done reflects a gross ignorance of black people in general. He is merely ignorant respective to the techniques used in cutting and styling the type of hair that a black person TYPICALLY has.
“Racial generalization” – There is no question that if you or I went to a market in Rwanda or China, we’d stand out in the crowd. There clearly are physical differences between the different races. Genetic research has shown that all races are essentially identical, aside from the obvious physical differences. There is nothing wrong with taking note of such differences because they are real. As I stressed in my first comment, it is BASICALLY accurate to say that your average black person has a completely different hair type than you average white person. This is a generalization, but a totally benign one. In short, there is a difference between a racial generalization and a racist generalization.
“Generalized discomfort working with members of a certain race” – If working with a particular group requires skills that one does not possess, of course there will be “discomfort.” It’s always uncomfortable when someone has no idea what the hell they’re doing but they’re trying to do it anyway. For example, let’s say you know a couple black musicians who need a bass player to complete their band. You agree to audition, only to find out that they play funk music (a style TYPICALLY performed by black musicians) and are looking for a guy who can slap-and-pop (a style invented and TYPICALLY used by black bassists). You inform them of your inability to play in that style and refer then to a buddy of your who has the requisite skillz. (Again, that’s “skillz.”) In this scenario, does your “generalized discomfort working with members of a certain race” make you a racist?
Again, we all agree that the sign is in poor taste, but that doesn’t make Leger a racist.
I wouldn’t call this guy a racist based solely on this story. I prefer to reserve the word “racist” to individuals that believe a certain race is inherently superior or inferior to others. He may have race based prejudices but I wouldn’t go as far as to call him a racist. That’s just me though.
Tony, don’t you know Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame invented slap bass? Come on! Oh, and Elvis along with The Beatles invented rock-n-roll…
“Hey Mr. Leger, you wouldn’t happen to have any old bed sheets lying around, would ya’? Preferably white…”
I didn’t call him a racist! I said that he shows an example of several “forms of racism.” Someone who unintentionally practices a form of racism is not always racist. If that were true we would all be racists.
It seemed you we’re calling him a racist because you claimed he was guilty of multiple forms of racism. I’ll take another crack at it by revising my last sentence:
“We all agree that the sign is in poor taste, but that doesn’t mean that Leger has done anything wrong.”
Nevermind, he’s a racist.. HA!
I knew it!