Event organized to enlighten those behind Philly Mag's 'Being White in Philly' piece
Organizers hope Philadelphians of all races will turn out next week for an event at Love Park called "Being in Philly." The gathering, scheduled for 4 p.m. on March 20, is in response to a controversial Philadelphia magazine cover story called "Being White In Philly." In the piece, based on anonymous interviews, Ron Huber makes the claim that white people are afraid to talk about race for fear of being called racist.
Event organized to enlighten those behind Philly Mag's 'Being White in Philly' piece
Jenice Armstrong, Daily News Columnist
UPDATE: The Being in Philly event has been postponed due to possibily inclement weather.
Organizers hope Philadelphians of all races will turn out next week for an event at Love Park called “Being in Philly.” The gathering, scheduled for 4 p.m. on March 20, is in response to a controversial Philadelphia magazine cover story called “Being White In Philly.” In the piece, based on anonymous interviews, Robert Huber makes the claim that white people are afraid to talk about race for fear of being called racist.
The article has a lot of problems, many of them well documented already. But the first-day-of-spring event isn’t so much to address the issue of bad journalism but to present another view of what’s happening in Philly.
“The goal is to have an intellectual dialogue and discourse that promotes a positive outcome and interactive cultural understanding,” Chris Norris, a lead organizer, told me last week.
Organizers also hope to bring Huber, the author of ‘Being White in Philly,’ to Love Park to introduce him around.
“To introduce him to organizations like Rising Sons and to introduce him to the Black Male Engagement Project that the Knight Foundation is spending millions and millions of dollars on to change the narrative in this city and Baltimore and Detroit. To introduce him to people like Gregory Walker (founder of the Brothers Network)…Gregory Corbin and Solomon Jones. That’s the goal. Not to make him feel scared, to make him feel like there’s going to be an angry black mob waiting for him. That there’s going to be intellectual black men waiting with open arms to embrace him because, hey, he needs a hug. “
Organizers hope Philly mag will respond by writing some sort of piece of follow up to Huber’s piece.
“We want to encourage Philly magazine to write a part 2 (called) being a Philadelphian. Not being white. Not being black. But being a Philadelphian. That’s really important,” pointed out Rashaun Williams, 18, a Temple University sociology and history major who's helping organize the gathering.
In addition to all that, organizers say there will be free musical performances and a water ice giveaway. Editors at Philly mag also have been invited.
- Ok so let's look at the Duke case... no not that one how about the Brawley case in NY... not that one either...There are SOOOOO many claims of racism that I get tired of hearing it, maybe that's why I tend to ignore them. I tend to think that if there were as many cases as claimed our courts would be jammed with these cases.
— jimday - She was an obvious idiot, using stupid folks to justify your point is not helping your argument. I agree there are many false claims of racism but there are also legitimate issues that many whites like to ignore. (HTML deleted) — daphillytarheel
- However, there are not only racists here in Philly on all sides, but also cultural bigots. In other words, people who share the same race with the very people they stereotype, both blacks and whites.— TR3
- Not only are the liberal social welfare policies failing miserably across America, the liberals running our cities into the ground, their mouthpieces in the media maintain they cannot even be questioned about it. Very tolerant and open-minded, huh? We might as well pack it in.— tr88
- so move already. there are plenty of conservative parts of the states you would be much more comfortable in. Oklahoma City is supposed to be prospering and it has not been run into the ground. they even have a good basketball team. liberals live in the northeast corridor.
- "That there’s going to be intellectual black men waiting with open arms to embrace him" The intellectual brotha is not the problem in Philly.— jimday
- The Philly Mag audience is a white suburban gated community crowd. It most certainly isn't a white Philadelphian audience. The whites in Philly like it here, despite our brutally corrupt local and state governments (and corruption is an equal opportunity sport--see, Fumo, V. and Asher, R.). Whether we be the liberals of the Northwest or, shall we say, "more conservative" types in the Northeast, hipsters in Fishtown or the combination of yuppies and empty nesters in Center City, 95% of us are here by choice. And believe me, from the constant comments here, there is no fear of raising the race card from either side. So let's pipe down the hatred, and leave it for those who actually read Philly Mag out on the Main Line. And let's put up some candidates for City Council who promise not to be corrupt.— Palestra Jon
- I'd like to see Huber write a part 2 called "what it's like when the liberal thought police come for you".— tr88
- the fact that the article got so much criticism pretty much proved his point.— theeman1
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I dunno about too many Hispanic folks attending this one. A black cop punched a Puerto Rican lady's teeth in and got away with it because the judge was white. I think being Hispanic in Philly has its challenges. Don't you, Miss. Jenice?— Tyrone Biggums Jr.- That incident was neither black nor white, but BLUE. Judge's wife is a Philly police officer. This is the real story of Philly -- poor white and black folks squabbling over crumbs while those in power take full advantage.
phunnyphilly.wordpress.com— InNane - "The article has a lot of problems, many of them well documented already. But the first-day-of-spring event isn’t so much to address the issue of bad journalism but to present another view of what’s happening in Philly." That's sure some fine journalism there.
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I would be leery that one of those people would steal my purse or run me over with a skateboard. I'll pass and wait for the civil disobedience issues on the ten o'clock news.- Ill say it.... Black culture in America is severely dysfunctional.... So quit blaming me.— Gimmemyfreestuff
- gimmemyfreestuff...you were so close. just didn't need to include 'black' in your statement.— snowboardwcu
Read more from Jenice Armstrong at Earth to Philly, the Daily News blog on anything and everything "Green."
Reach Jenice at armstrj@phillynews.com.
