Dank eines bewundernswerten Forschungsprojekts und Seminars einer bewundernswerten Person bin ich nach längerer Zeit mal wieder auf die Thematik der "whitness" in den USA gestoßen worden, freue mich tierich über meine wiederholte Lektüre James Baldwins, und kann mich nicht enthalten, auf ein Blog mit dem zunächst irritierenden Titel "things white people like" aufmerksam zu machen, welches über hier am Rand verlinktes Blog "Posthegemony" den Weg in meine kleine Welt gefunden hat. Zum Schamkomplex, keine Fremdsprache zu beherrschen, heißt es dort:

When you hear a white person say that they speak your native language, you will probably think it’s a good idea to start talking to them in said language. WRONG! Instead you should say something like “you speak (insert language)?” to which they will reply “a little” in your native tongue. If you just leave it here, the white person will feel fantastic for the rest of the day. If you push it any further and speak quickly, the white person will just look at you with a blank stare. Within a minute you will notice that blank stare has shifted from confusion to contempt. You have shamed them and your chance for friendship is ruined forever.

Finally, though they won’t admit it, white people do not believe that learning English is difficult. This is because if it were true, then that would mean that their housekeeper, gardener, mother-in-law (if they are an elite white person) are smarter than them. Needless to say, this realization would destroy their entire universe.

He he heut benutz ich keine Silbe html, although I actually do speak it, aber Ihr könnt ja alle selbst googeln und rumschauen...
Mein persönlicher Soundtrack dazu: Funkadelic - Sending Shockwaves Throughout the World.