Being an Uncle Tom is a good thing.

[dt43]

Serious question. I hear the n word around my way all the time, but never "uncle tom." Is it just as bad as ******?

"Uncle Tom" isn't really considered a slur, it's more like an insult to someone's character.

It's like calling someone a "brownnoser" or a "kiss-***" but with a racial context.

 

[melo0115]

I.E. Tom the character from The Boondocks show. Along with Uncle Ruckus!!

 

[am1x90xnike]

After I read that book I felt the same way. Tom was just a good dude, he wasn't a "model" slave, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten beaten to death. He didn't snitch when Ms. Casey and old girl dipped. He didn't beat that girl because he knew it wasn't right. I mean he's no George, but he for damn sure ain't the bad guy. The idea is that he didn't "rebel" openly like everyone believes slaves should have (me included, F. that George all day, atleast in my mind). Uncle Tom was just a good dude. I think more people should be required to read that book. Changed my whole perspective about race in America.

 

[lordofcastamere]

I.E. Tom the character from The Boondocks show. Along with Uncle Ruckus!!

The Tom character from UNcle Ruckus doesn't necessarily love white people, he represents a black man that doesn't necessarily fit into black stereotypes and catches heat for it. It's more of a criticism on black ignorance than a shot at uncle toms. Uncle Ruckus is just some other level lol.

 

[lordofcastamere]

I.E. Tom the character from The Boondocks show. Along with Uncle Ruckus!!

The Tom character from UNcle Ruckus doesn't necessarily love white people, he represents a black man that doesn't necessarily fit into black stereotypes and catches heat for it. It's more of a criticism on black ignorance than a shot at uncle toms. Uncle Ruckus is just some other level lol.

 

[mr marcus]

Nothing wrong with being who you are to detach stereotypes placed amongst you...as a black male white folks is gonna assume the worst off gate cause they're ignorant like that


So many times they come at me one way and then when they see how I carry myself they change tunes I live in a very southern conservative state so I'm speaking from experiences here...I'm pretty sure liberal states are much better

Edit: Hell Africans place the same stereotypes on African American males so its not really a white thing...just people in general.

 

[AZwildcats]

Down here, my Mexican friends describe other Mexicans who distinguish themselves as Spanish (white), or suck up to whites as "Tio Tomas's". Its taken on a very derogatory meaning over the years. 

 I think every minority group in this country has their own versions of an Uncle Tom, and nowhere is it seen as a good thing. 

^^^ Ironically, Im an African male that is often confused as an African-American male, and all those stereotypes get thrown on me too. Best of both worlds 

 

[fuzzyrobot]

Nothing wrong with being who you are to detach stereotypes placed amongst you...as a black male white folks is gonna assume the worst off gate cause they're ignorant like that


So many times they come at me one way and then when they see how I carry myself they change tunes I live in a very southern conservative state so I'm speaking from experiences here...I'm pretty sure liberal states are much better

Edit: Hell Africans place the same stereotypes on African American males so its not really a white thing...just people in general.

I was about to point out the irony in your post, but I see you caught yourself in the edit.

 

[Betonblck]

OP should actually read the book and then come back to this thread.

 

[ohmygosher]

a rose by any other name....

Oh zee irony.

How did this get overlooked?

 

[Peep Game]

Welp, looks like Fantastic4our just dropped a Sambo Suplex on your thread OP

 

[superantigen]

Being an "Uncle Tom" IS NOT a good thing. Though, I can see how some would postulate otherwise, given the ascribed nature of the character in question. I'd expand on it, but Fantastic4our has already provided good and sufficient criticism.



...

 

[an dee 51o]

OP should actually read the book and then come back to this thread.

Right? I looked at the title of this thread and automatically

Than I read the contents of the OP and

After I read that book I felt the same way. Tom was just a good dude, he wasn't a "model" slave, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten beaten to death. He didn't snitch when Ms. Casey and old girl dipped. He didn't beat that girl because he knew it wasn't right. I mean he's no George, but he for damn sure ain't the bad guy. The idea is that he didn't "rebel" openly like everyone believes slaves should have (me included, F. that George all day, atleast in my mind). Uncle Tom was just a good dude. I think more people should be required to read that book. Changed my whole perspective about race in America.

The point isn't that he's a bad guy, it's that he's a slave that was ok being a slave. It's not ok to be a slave.

 

[am1x90xnike]

I think

Right? I looked at the title of this thread and automatically

Than I read the contents of the OP and



The point isn't that he's a bad guy, it's that he's a slave that was ok being a slave. It's not ok to be a slave.

I think u should reread the book. He wasn't ok being a slave. He spoke about his freedom throughout the whole book. He just wast a fighter or a runaway. Despite what we talk in 2013, there would have been a lot more sambos than uncle toms. Stowe said it herself 'give a man under the boot of a tyrant the opportunity to be a tyrant, and he will become a tyrant' we talk tough in 2013 but reality most black people would have been slaves, n not have ran away or fought back. It's hard for me to imagine a whole population being slaves because they wanted to, fear and cruelty are powerful things n the fact that Tom had some integrity means a lot to me. In my heart I'd prefer to be George, but in my mind I'm not so arrogant to think I would have been that strong, I just don't know and fortunately this is an academic exercise so ill never have to know.

 

[an dee 51o]

I think

Right? I looked at the title of this thread and automatically

Than I read the contents of the OP and

The point isn't that he's a bad guy, it's that he's a slave that was ok being a slave. It's not ok to be a slave.

I think u should reread the book. He wasn't ok being a slave. He spoke about his freedom throughout the whole book. He just wast a fighter or a runaway. Despite what we talk in 2013, there would have been a lot more sambos than uncle toms. Stowe said it herself 'give a man under the boot of a tyrant the opportunity to be a tyrant, and he will become a tyrant' we talk tough in 2013 but reality most black people would have been slaves, n not have ran away or fought back. It's hard for me to imagine a whole population being slaves because they wanted to, fear and cruelty are powerful things n the fact that Tom had some integrity means a lot to me. In my heart I'd prefer to be George, but in my mind I'm not so arrogant to think I would have been that strong, I just don't know and fortunately this is an academic exercise so ill never have to know.

What most people think or do isn't a concern of mine. Again, I'm not saying he was a villain of any kind. An Uncle Tom to me is someone, ANYONE, who is ok with being stepped on.

 

[am1x90xnike]

I

What most people think or do isn't a concern of mine. Again, I'm not saying he was a villain of any kind. An Uncle Tom to me is someone, ANYONE, who is ok with being stepped on.

I get what the term has become, but the Og character was nothing if the sort. He worked hard, passively aggressively fighting his personal battles. Tom was more Ghandi to me than a patsy for whites. He loved his first family, loved his second. He had power over LeGree, no matter what Legrer couldn't break his spirit, couldn't make him say 'Toby'. being 'stepped on' to me is giving up ur integrity to please another person, even in his horrid condition he never did that. I agree with op, we should use a different term. I prefer to use Jim Crow, cuz he literally shucked and jived for the white man. All us blacks got is sports n entertainment right?

Sidenote, I'm glad we are talking about this book. Once again EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!!!

 

[pepper]

"Uncle Tom" isn't really considered a slur, it's more like an insult to someone's character.

It's like calling someone a "brownnoser" or a "kiss-***" but with a racial context.

exactly.

 

[fantastic4our]

I
I get what the term has become, but the Og character was nothing if the sort. He worked hard, passively aggressively fighting his personal battles. Tom was more Ghandi to me than a patsy for whites. He loved his first family, loved his second. He had power over LeGree, no matter what Legrer couldn't break his spirit, couldn't make him say 'Toby'. being 'stepped on' to me is giving up ur integrity to please another person, even in his horrid condition he never did that. I agree with op, we should use a different term. I prefer to use Jim Crow, cuz he literally shucked and jived for the white man. All us blacks got is sports n entertainment right?

Sidenote, I'm glad we are talking about this book. Once again EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!!!

What is your race? I ask because I'm trying to figure out how one couldn't see how self serving it is to champion a character that is hard working and loyal in relation to his captor. "Oh his original owner was nice to him!"

 

[am1x90xnike]

What is your race? I ask because I'm trying to figure out how one couldn't see how self serving it is to champion a character that is hard working and loyal in relation to his captor. "Oh his original owner was nice to him!"

I'm black. Uncle Tom was a man of integrity. I respect that. It's arrogance to think u would have runaway, because most people didn't. We all have idealized versions of ourselves. The fact that Tom never lost himself is worthy of respect, especially when most people, then n now would drop their morals at a chance for a better life. It is the rare man who can face his oppressors as a human being. I'm starting to doubt if most people have actually read the book. It completely shook my values as a Blackman, completely revised my understanding of slavery.

Also, Tom never did what he did for an easier life, in fact most of the things he did made his life harder, he stood for something, something greater than the bonds which were thrust upon his wrists.

 

[lordofcastamere]

Being an "Uncle Tom" IS NOT a good thing. Though, I can see how some would postulate otherwise, given the ascribed nature of the character in question. I'd expand on it, but Fantastic4our has already provided good and sufficient criticism.



...

The word uncle Tom gets thrown around very loosely. It is often an insult from one black man to another black man he disagrees with on some racial issues. The word uncle Tom rarely looks at the individual as a whole. It's a lot like the nword in some ways. A man could get called an uncle Tom for marrying a white woman when he does a lot of humanitarian work for black people. In my experience many people who throw that word around are extremely ignorant.

 

[sreggie101]

Being an "Uncle Tom" IS NOT a good thing. Though, I can see how some would postulate otherwise, given the ascribed nature of the character in question. I'd expand on it, but Fantastic4our has already provided good and sufficient criticism.



...

The word uncle Tom gets thrown around very loosely. It is often an insult from one black man to another black man he disagrees with on some racial issues. The word uncle Tom rarely looks at the individual as a whole. It's a lot like the nword in some ways. A man could get called an uncle Tom for marrying a white woman when he does a lot of humanitarian work for black people. In my experience many people who throw that word around are extremely ignorant.

I.E. Tom the character from The Boondocks show. Along with Uncle Ruckus!!

The Tom character from UNcle Ruckus doesn't necessarily love white people, he represents a black man that doesn't necessarily fit into black stereotypes and catches heat for it. It's more of a criticism on black ignorance than a shot at uncle toms. Uncle Ruckus is just some other level lol.

strong posts...

 

[Jordan8]

"Half Knowledge Is Worse Than Ignorance"

 

[kickstart]

All these years I thought it was some type of insult, but it really isn't.
http://076dd0a50e0c1255009e-bd4b8aabaca29897bc751dfaf75b290c.r40.cf1.rackcdn.com/images/files/000/006/087/original/original.0[/img

Sambo is anyone who snitches informs or selling out his race
The novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a part of the ammunition that led to the Civil War. Now through an elaborate mischaracterization the term Uncle Tom is now a negative term towards black men. In the book Uncle Tom:

1. Helps a sick black slave with her cotton bag
2. Refuses to snitch on runaway slaves
3. Helps saves a drowning white child
4. Made into Christ figure by being whipped to death by two black Sambo’s

The term Uncle tom is not appropriate label for someone who is white on the inside and black on the outside and sells out his race by placing his personal gains with whites ahead of the rights and gains of his people. The real villain was another black slave named Sambo. Sambo was childlike and musical and totally committed to the white master and used every opportunity to undermine the other slaves.][/quote]


[quote="Wr, post: 18495101"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3pEIFZRJr8[/quote]

:lol

 

[fresh out dabox]

no! but being youself is a wonderful thing

 

[championboyz7]

sucks that black folk have to go thru that. why can't someone just move forward in life without being a sell out? crabs in a barrel man

there ARE people who suffer from self-hatred and will put down there own race to advance themselves or to detach themselves from the negative stereotypes.

there are also people who just know how to network and speak properly. there is a difference. one of those IS an Uncle Tom.....or Sambo now that I've learned this new information