[DiSaidSo]

Sign addressed to 'whites' stirs up Irving tensions

06:37 PM CST on Sunday, October 30, 2005

By CAROL CAVAZOS / WFAA-TV

A sign placed in an Irving homeowner's lawn that encourages "whites" to attend an upcoming city retreat has generated a buzz in the area.

The sign has also created tension in the community with a growing Hispanic population.

Nancy Wilson put up the sign a few days ago, and it's still placed in her lawn.

She said the sign was placed in her lawn to encourage people to attend a retreat she wants residents to go to that she said is a three day planning and vision meeting for the city of Irving.

But a lot of residents have found the sign's specific call for white participants unnerving.

The white poster board sign reads "Whites - Be there to be sure we are heard! Nov. 3-5."

Then, her phone number is placed on the bottom.

Wilson said she would like more than whites to attend the meeting, but she also said she didn't feel it was wrong to specifically address the white community in her message.

"You can say the word Latino until the cows come home, but I say it [whites] once and you would have thought I'd put the Ku Klux Klan on there...," Wilson said.


E-mail ccavazosz@wfaa.com

When I first saw the headline and the picture on the front page of our local news station's website, I was really embarrassed. But you know... I think she may have a point with that last statement. If it had addressed blacks or Latinos, would there be an uproar? Probably not. I bet no one would've even noticed.

[Ciberblade]

Is it racism? Most certainly...by addressing any one race, you exclude others based solely on race. But the understanding is the obvious double standard. 'Racism' only applies to light tan peoples (from here on called whites). It is evident in programs, cartoons, and the corresponding reports. For instance...when famous musical types join together in order to raise relief money to be given only to dark tan peoples (from here on called blacks). The little coverage was neutral or positive...as if this is 'normal' -- yet reverse the roles and it is a danger to this country. Just look at the Boondocks cartoon I edited and the reaction -- the double standard has been institutionalized. We must all break the mold if we are to see true equality!

[DiSaidSo]

Where is this Boondocks cartoon you speak of?

[Ciberblade]

Originally Posted by DiSaidSo

Where is this Boondocks cartoon you speak of?

Let me look

[valis]

I would say so. By favoring one race over another, or even calling one race over another, in my book at least, that classifies as racism. I also feel that if it specified latino, black, polka dot, or plaid, that would also classify as racism.

[Ciberblade]

Originally Posted by DiSaidSo

Where is this Boondocks cartoon you speak of?

Found it

Link

[DiSaidSo]

I don't get it. Why would it be funny either way?

[Ciberblade]

Originally Posted by DiSaidSo

I don't get it. Why would it be funny either way?

Plenty of thoughts on that....read the thread (143 posts)

[DiSaidSo]

Originally Posted by Ciberblade

Plenty of thoughts on that....read the thread (143 posts)

Dangit, Ciber! You want me to read someone else's thread???

[poochee]

I vote yes.

All residents should be included in the planning of a community.

[DiSaidSo]

Well, this woman was upset that in the community newsletter, the retreat was billed as a Hispanic community caucus put on by a Hispanic city council member. She felt that whites were being excluded! Hence the sign... I got that nugget from the report that was on TV.

[LuckyStrike]

Have Jesse Jackson and/or Al Sharpton made their appearance in Irving yet?

She said the sign was placed in her lawn to encourage people to attend a retreat she wants residents to go to that she said is a three day planning and vision meeting for the city of Irving.

Sounds like it is a planning meeting that would effect all of the citizens of Irving.

Well, this woman was upset that in the community newsletter, the retreat was billed as a Hispanic community caucus put on by a Hispanic city council member. She felt that whites were being excluded! Hence the sign... I got that nugget from the report that was on TV.

Sounds like she had reason to think that whites were being excluded from city planning that would effect all of the citizens of Irving.

What if you were to edit the story to switch races? Would the sign cause an uproar? Are whites the minority in the city of Irving?

The woman probably has nothing against Hispanics, I bet some of her best friends are Hispanic.

Stir,stir,stir

[poochee]

Originally Posted by DiSaidSo

Well, this woman was upset that in the community newsletter, the retreat was billed as a Hispanic community caucus put on by a Hispanic city council member. She felt that whites were being excluded! Hence the sign... I got that nugget from the report that was on TV.

The plot thickens. Maybe she should have made a better sign?

How about..."Whites are also invited."

[DiSaidSo]

Originally Posted by LuckyStrike

Sounds like it is a planning meeting that would effect all of the citizens of Irving.

I believe the article outlined that she doesn't care who shows... but she thought that whites should show up and have their say.

Originally Posted by LuckyStrike

What if you were to edit the story to switch races? Would the sign cause an uproar? Are whites the minority in the city of Irving?

Irving is about 31% Hispanic... and growing. I think she felt excluded and that the Hispanics were consistently getting "their way." Whatever that means....

According to the TV story, the REAL issue is how many Hispanic businesses paint their buildings. But it's the sign that is causing the ruckus.

As I said in my first post... if it were asking another race to show up and be heard, no one would so much as blink an eye....

[angelize56]

Di.....from Wikipedia:

The racial makeup of the city is 64.20% White, 10.22% African American, 0.65% Native American, 8.24% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 13.36% from other races, and 3.20% from two or more races. 31.23% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving,_Texas

Odds are pretty good white folk would have turned out anyways! And there are twice as many white folk in town than Hispanic folk. I think her sign is racist myself!