Of Twinkies and Oreos: What it means to be “Ethnic” in “White” America

Flopping Aces ^ | 10-29-14 | Wordsmith

[Starman417]

A few years ago, I relayed the following experience:

Multiculturalists would tell the four year-old boy in the photo that he was being white-washed. They would tell the 40 year old blogger hammering this post out on his keyboard, that he is a twinkie: White on the inside, yellow on the out. If I were black, maybe I’d be an Uncle Tom and a sellout. I spent 6 years of my college time living with two of my teammates, who were brothers. They also happened to be middle-class black, from Alburqurque. One day, a student asked Greg, the younger brother, if he had been to any ASU meetings, lately. He replied that, “Yeah, we’ve been out there; we compete there sometimes.” (My roommates and I were on the gymnastics team- the older brother, Chainey, eventually making the ’96 U.S. Olympic Team). The guy who asked Greg the question just shook his head and thought my roommate was so out of touch because Greg thought he meant had he been to Arizona State University; but what he really was asking is, had Greg attended any African Student Union group meetings.

Those two former roommates are now very successful doctors, upper middle class, in solid marriages with beautiful children.

In wake of the recent Bleacher Report that charged some in the Seahawks locker room didn't think quarterback Russell Wilson was "black enough", his teammates have denied that allegation. In addition, outspoken Charles Barkley weighed into the controversy:

The fact that Wilson’s “blackness” was even questioned struck a nerve with former NBA star Charles Barkley, who was asked about the situation on a Philadelphia radio show last week.

“There are a lot of black people who are unintelligent, who don’t have success––it’s best to knock a successful black person down if they’re intelligent, they speak well, they do well in school, and they’re successful,” Barkley said on WIP Radio last Thursday.

The Basketball Hall of Famer elaborated on those comments Monday at a media day for TNT’s Inside the NBA.

“What I said was, it’s a dirty secret in the black community unless you’re a thug or got a criminal record or just a jackass, some people don’t think you’re black enough,” Barkley said. “It’s a dirty little secret in our community. I want black kids [to know] we can be strong, intelligent. We just tell kids if you’re doing good in school, you’re acting white. If you speak intelligently, you’re acting white. That’s bull[expletive]. That’s one of the reasons we as a group, us black people, are struggling. We don’t have great respect for each other.”

Barkley said that he hadn’t gone on the show prepared to speak on the topic, but that the hosts brought it up in conjunction with the Wilson story.

“The question was asked. I talked about it in my last book. One of the problems in our black community is us, not white folks, other black folks. It just happened to come up because the Russell Wilson thing just broke. It’s not something I hadn’t said before. I don’t know why people took it national last week. You don’t have to be a thug or unintelligent. You’re supposed to do great academically. You’re supposed to speak correctly. You don’t have to have street cred. I tell people, ‘We’re the only group where if you have a criminal record it makes you more black.’ It’s ridiculous.”

Barkley is sticking by those statements, despite taking heat. Interestingly, criticism for his statements also comes from a conservative perspective as well:

[SatinDoll]

That, my dear GeronL, is a very good question.

I suspect my great-grandmother is a Melungeon, which would mean she is not descended from African slaves.

Don’t know what a Melungeon is? Go look it up on Wikipedia.

Note: According to the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, a 1950 dissertation by Edward Price, a cultural geographer, proposed that Melungeons were families descended from free people of color, and mixed-race unions in colonial Virginia with Native Americans.

[Disambiguator]

Here’s a question: what does it mean to be ethnically white in white America?

[GeronL]

That is also interesting.

And another thing that makes “reparations” impossible. I suspect that most black ancestors came to America after slavery ended.

[xrmusn]

Please tell me I’m not the only one who clicked on this thinking it would be about snack foods
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I am surprised that ANYONE who follows this forum and participates and pays attention to Politics would be surprised that it is anything BUT about the subject it is about.

[Disambiguator]

I actually object to the term “ethnic,” as it’s used in such a way that it makes white people out to be non-ethnic. The hell I say! I’m proud of my mixed German and Anglo ancestry. I can drink beer and Scotch whisky and wear plaid with the best of them.

[Trillian]

I’ve heard of the term oreo before, but not twinkie for people.
That’s what I get for skipping a couple of meals today ;)

[xrmusn]

I’ve heard of the term oreo before, but not twinkie for people.
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Oreo ‘common’ however ‘twinkie’ kind of new BUT don’t forget the “Twinkie Defense” when that guy shot Harvey Milk in SF a few years back....seems his defense was he was loading up on twinkies etc etc...

Also, now that Milk is ‘mentioned’ I think ‘twink or twinkie’ is a term ‘Milk’s’ kind use for newbies....

Not that there is anything wrong with that...(Thanks JS)