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Cynthetiq · 06-02-2008, 10:06 AM

Quote:

View: ‘Black Guy’ booth livens up Corvallis Saturday market
Source: Corvallis Gazette-Times
posted with the TFP thread generator

‘Black Guy’ booth livens up Corvallis Saturday market
‘Black Guy’ booth livens up Corvallis Saturday market
By KYLE ODEGARD
Corvallis Gazette-Times
The booths at the Saturday Corvallis Farmers’ Market have a wild mix of fresh produce, tasty food, plants and flowers.

But this week, a table just outside the bazaar offered something more bizarre — “Meet a Black Guy.”

Those who participated in the free service could chat with 21-year-old Corvallis resident Jeff Oliver, and get pictures taken with him.

“It’s a statement about diversity in Corvallis. It’s not a very diverse place,” said Oliver, a lifelong Oregonian. He hoped to promote understanding, break stereotypes and perhaps even provide a comedic moment for hundreds of people strolling along the riverfront.

The booth drew a mixed reaction, however.

“I think this is hysterical. The entire market’s great,” said Jeremy Stand of the Bronx, who was in Corvallis to visit family. Oregon, in general, is a pretty Caucasian place, he said.

“It’s a clever way of engaging people with dialogue about the need for more diversity in the community. It kind of caught me by surprise,” said Annette Mills, who moved to Corvallis more than a year ago.

Sherry Littlefield of Corvallis said the booth was unnecessary. She and friend Ron Naasko said they have black friends, and would be voting for Barack Obama for president.

“I guess I don’t care what color people are. Either you’re a jerk or you’re not,” Littlefield said.

“I think it’s degrading. It’s a little bit low class,” Naasko said. He added that he wouldn’t set up a booth saying for people to meet someone in a wheelchair, like him.

The idea for “Meet a Black Guy” came from Sean Brown, a Linn-Benton Community College student and a co-worker of Oliver’s at the Darkside Cinema.

About 50 people signed up to receive e-mail from Oliver and Brown, including their free photos, and several others stopped by the booth, some asking pointed questions of the duo.

Brown didn’t know if he and Oliver would be back next week. But if they are, a sign also will say, “Meet a Jewish white guy,” Brown said.

“There’s a lot of churches here. Not a lot of temples.”

I am not offended at all by this, but I'm more or less curious about it than anything else. A friend of mine who moved from NYC to OR a year or so ago was flabbergasted when I sent this to him, he lives about 1 hour from Corvallis and his heritage is from the Caribbean and relates to being mixed Spanish/Black.

Personally, when asked questions about being Filipino, I demure answering them. Mostly because I'm not really Filipino at all. Sometimes I get annoyed because I don't feel like I represent it well at all. I was born and raised as an American with some exposure to the Filipino culture.

As far as religion is concerned. I have no issue with that, I'm well versed in the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church having been raised and taught in parochial schools. I even at one point in time thought of joining the Seminary and joining the preisthood. I can answer numerous questions about the Church, doctrines, past and present, and back in the day could even still remember particular scripture and passages. I don't think that I would misrepresent them since I was well indoctrinated from a young child.

I also don't mind being asked questions, and have run booths, and tables before. I currently do volunteering with LifeBeat, The Music Industry Fights Aids tables, so I'm not shy.

Would you sit in a < insert your heritage here > booth and field questions about your heritage and/or religion/belief system? Why or why not?