Comments on: “I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me”: The Intra-Group Gaze of Race and Identity

By: Haoran

Haoran — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:26:47 +0000

If you’re thinking about race issues, it’s worth considering Linsanity as well.

Why was Linsanity such a big deal? Because here, finally, was a successful American-Chinese basketballer that the significantly large American-Chinese population could associate with. Yes, Yao Ming was cool, but he was a product of Communist China. Jeremy Lin is a classic product of aspirational, over-achieving Chinese immigrants just like thousands of other aspirational Chinese diaspora (in America, in Australia, in the UK…).

The point is this: the race question isn’t so much about a group, but about perception and association. If I, a fan, can identify with a particular sports-person–because he’s the same race as me, because he went to the same college as me, because she’s the same gender as me, because he votes the same as me, because he’s the same religion as me (also see Tebow-ing)–then that becomes a powerful bond.

All of this is irrespective of a person’s actual self-identification, which, as you’ve identified, is properly found in Christ. And the reality of sports is that a statistically large percentage of fans aren’t going to be Christian.

By: Thabiti Anyabwile

Thabiti Anyabwile — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:30:19 +0000

That’s crazy, right?! And everybody today is like “Rockwell who?” I tripped afresh on the “hee-hee’s” in this video. Crazy!

By: Pete Scribner

Pete Scribner — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 15:59:21 +0000

Since you brought it up…How cool is it that if you’re Rockwell, you can talk about the time Michael Jackson was your background vocalist?!!

By: K

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 02:17:19 +0000

I would add to clarify John’s comment above: The point is not merely that “the Christian worldview allows a man to be a glorious image of God regardless of his race”, but rather that Christianity shows that we are imaging God very much *through*, in part, our “race”. Our heritage, background, culture, community, appearance, shared experience: these are not spurious detractors from that glory, but very much part of it. And all of these aspects of our personhood are subsumed under our being in Christ.

By: Pastor Moe

Pastor Moe — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 03:52:11 +0000

AWESOME POST BROTHER… You said it all here

“But in any event, the entire episode makes it clear that only Christians have a sufficiently powerful answer to the dilemmas of race. ”

THE ONLY PROBLEM IS…WE DO NOT USE THE ANSWER OURSELVES.

So until we learn to PUT THE GREAT COMMISSION IN ACTION and get racism out of the church pews with our __________ [fill in the ethnic blank]churches, our argument to the culture on this topic is invalid.

By: taco

taco — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 02:09:30 +0000

So glad you commented on this Thabiti.

By: T.Newbell

T.Newbell — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 21:28:07 +0000

Thank you for this and praying for your sermon!!

By: LG

LG — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:55:49 +0000

Good stuff, brother. I’ve thought about the “gaze” issue when it comes to men and women, and have even started and discarded several drafts of an article I’ve had percolating about the male gaze and how Christians need to recognize it, but I’ll admit I’ve never thought about a “white gaze.” Lots to ponder. Thanks for explaining a tough concept with clarity and grace.

By: John

John — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:45:21 +0000

Thank you for addressing this. What ever happened to judging a man by the content of his character instead of the color of his skin? RG3 has my respect as a ball player and a person, and I am saddened by the ignorance and shame of Rob Parker’s comments. I have written to ESPN expressing my chagrin. But in the broad scheme of things you are dead right – it is the Christian worldview that allows a man to be a glorious image of God regardless of his race (or ethnicity).