--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was on a panel with light skinned…" description: "\"I was on a panel with light skinned Blacks and a famous gay science fiction writer, who were complaining about how Blacks are against gays and light sk..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/ishmael-reed-7430_complaining_i-was-on-a-panel-with-light-skinned-blac_2415685.jpg" --- # I was on a panel with light skinned Blacks and a famous… ![“I was on a panel with light skinned Blacks and a famous gay science fiction writer, who were complaining about how Blacks are against gays and light skinned Blacks and how intolerant Blacks are of different groups. My position was that Blacks were among the most humanistic, tolerant groups in the…” quote by Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/ishmael-reed-7430_complaining_i-was-on-a-panel-with-light-skinned-blac_2415685.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/ishmael-reed-7430_complaining_i-was-on-a-panel-with-light-skinned-blac_2415685.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/ishmael-reed-7430_complaining_i-was-on-a-panel-with-light-skinned-blac_2415685.jpg) > “I was on a panel with light skinned Blacks and a famous gay science fiction writer, who were complaining about how Blacks are against gays and light skinned Blacks and how intolerant Blacks are of different groups. My position was that Blacks were among the most humanistic, tolerant groups in the country and that across the street from my house in Oakland was one inhabited by White gays.” [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that Black communities are generally tolerant and humanistic, countering claims of widespread intolerance toward LGBTQ+ groups within them. **In simple terms:** Blacks are often tolerant, contrary to some complaints. Key Takeaway Recognize and highlight the diversity and acceptance within Black communities. Themes tolerance humanism racial dynamics LGBTQ+ issues Mood reflective hopeful Type analytical controversial When to use this quote - community dialogues - diversity training - intergroup relations - media representation Key Concepts social cohesion intersectionality stereotype challenge Questions to Reflect On - How do personal experiences shape perceptions of group tolerance? - What evidence supports or refutes the claim of broad Black tolerance? A Different Perspective This view may overlook specific incidents of prejudice and the complexity of intra‑community attitudes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blacks Gays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blacks-gays-5841958/) [Blacks Humanistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blacks-humanistic-6097339/) [Blacks Intolerant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blacks-intolerant-6097338/) [Complaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaining/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fiction writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-writers/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Humanistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanistic/) [Intolerant Blacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intolerant-blacks-6097337/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Oakland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oakland/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Tolerant Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerant-groups-6097340/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) ## Related quotes > [I love blacks and gays and latinos, as long as they don't live next door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mojo-nixon/i-love-blacks-and-gays-and-latinos-as-long-as-they-don-t-live-next/) [Mojo Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mojo-nixon/) > [I love and collect contemporary art and go to all the art fairs. I love Damien Hirst and Matthew Barney. I grew up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouriel-roubini/i-love-and-collect-contemporary-art-and-go-to-all-the-art-fairs-i/) [Nouriel Roubini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouriel-roubini/) > [To find out what we presently are and where we are going, we must know what we have been and what others have done;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-mumford-jones/to-find-out-what-we-presently-are-and-where-we-are-going-we-must-know/) [Howard Mumford Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-mumford-jones/) > [If you read my books, especially the Star Trek books and the Quest for Tomorrow books, you'll see in them the core theme of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/if-you-read-my-books-especially-the-star-trek-books-and-the-quest-for/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [But basically what I like are the possibilities, and the fantasy element of the show. Not science fantasy so much, but fantasy, the humanistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-stevens/but-basically-what-i-like-are-the-possibilities-and-the-fantasy/) [Fisher Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-stevens/) > [Nothing is more clear than that Christ cannot be explained by any humanistic system. He does not fit into any theory of natural evolution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loraine-boettner/nothing-is-more-clear-than-that-christ-cannot-be-explained-by-any/) [Loraine Boettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loraine-boettner/) > [Nursing encompasses an art, a humanistic orientation, a feeling for the value of the individual, and an intuitive sense of ethics, and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrtle-aydelotte/nursing-encompasses-an-art-a-humanistic-orientation-a-feeling-for-the/) [Myrtle Aydelotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrtle-aydelotte/) > [James Baldwin is one of the greatest, North American writers of the second half of the Twentieth Century. A prolific writer and a brilliant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/james-baldwin-is-one-of-the-greatest-north-american-writers-of-the/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [Well, I just wanted to be a person. I just wanted them to keep writing me as humanistic as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-stevens/well-i-just-wanted-to-be-a-person-i-just-wanted-them-to-keep-writing/) [Fisher Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-stevens/) > [I always get into arguments with people who want to retain the old values in painting - the humanistic values that they always find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/i-always-get-into-arguments-with-people-who-want-to-retain-the-old/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [“They say, love God, for it is the greatest virtue. I say, love humans, for there is no greater virtue, no greater religion, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/they-say-love-god-for-it-is-the-greatest-virtue-i-say-love-humans-for/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [If I had a worldview, and I don't know if I do,but if I did, it's one that's intensely humanistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/if-i-had-a-worldview-and-i-don-t-know-if-i-do-but-if-i-did-it-s-one-2/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [Humanistic law aims at saving man and remaking society. For Humanism, salvation is an act of the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/humanistic-law-aims-at-saving-man-and-remaking-society-for-humanism/) [R.J. Rushdoony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-rushdoony/) > [ If I had a worldview, and I don’t know if I do, but if I did, it’s one that’s intensely humanistic. \[That worldview\] is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/if-i-had-a-worldview-and-i-don-t-know-if-i-do-but-if-i-did-it-s-one/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [In my normal way of doing things, there's a little bit of 'going native' that takes place, where you're in a world long enough,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-theroux/in-my-normal-way-of-doing-things-there-s-a-little-bit-of-going-native/) [Louis Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-theroux/) ## More by Ishmael Reed > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Richard Price, who has made a fortune writing fake ghetto books, says he takes a cab into the ghetto, transcribes Black speech for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/richard-price-who-has-made-a-fortune-writing-fake-ghetto-books-says/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Free enterprise is not a bad idea and has produced art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/free-enterprise-is-not-a-bad-idea-and-has-produced-art/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [When I say Afro-American aesthetic, I'm not just talking about the United States, I'm talking about the Americas. People in the Latin countries read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/when-i-say-afro-american-aesthetic-i-m-not-just-talking-about-the/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Tea Party members go to meetings on Medicare scooters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/tea-party-members-go-to-meetings-on-medicare-scooters/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Given all of the anti-Muslim propaganda that's being disseminated by The American Nazi media, you have to be careful. It can stress you out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/given-all-of-the-anti-muslim-propaganda-that-s-being-disseminated-by/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Multicultural is not a description of a category of American writing-it is a definition of all American writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/multicultural-is-not-a-description-of-a-category-of-american-writing/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Writing has made me a better man. It has put me in contact with those fleeting moments which prove the existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/writing-has-made-me-a-better-man-it-has-put-me-in-contact-with-those/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [In Crash, you've got a pathological cop who at the end justifies police brutality. He tells the naïve, young cop that you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/in-crash-you-ve-got-a-pathological-cop-who-at-the-end-justifies/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I get most my information about what's happening in the United States from reports and studies, which are often in conflict with what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/i-get-most-my-information-about-what-s-happening-in-the-united-states/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [ How does the \[New York\] Times treat White pathology? They reported an epidemic of heroin addiction in the Philadelphia suburbs. which included emergency admissions… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/how-does-the-new-york-times-treat-white-pathology-they-reported-an/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I asked Joe Weixlmann why he would print a death threat like that in light of the fact that there are all of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/i-asked-joe-weixlmann-why-he-would-print-a-death-threat-like-that-in/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I'm beginning to believe that Killer Illiteracy ought to rank near heart disease and cancer as one of the leading causes of deathamong Americans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/i-m-beginning-to-believe-that-killer-illiteracy-ought-to-rank-near/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Writing poetry is the hard manual labor of the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/writing-poetry-is-the-hard-manual-labor-of-the-imagination/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Few white citizens are acquainted with blacks other than those projected by the media and the so--called educational system, whichis nothing more than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/few-white-citizens-are-acquainted-with-blacks-other-than-those/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) [Explore all 91 Ishmael Reed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) ## More Complaining quotes > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You shouldn't get to live in society and give nothing back. People complain about their taxes, yet they do nothing for the community. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/you-shouldn-t-get-to-live-in-society-and-give-nothing-back-people/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Once the war began, the government could do anything 'necessary' to win it; so it was with the 'final solution of the Jewish problem,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/once-the-war-began-the-government-could-do-anything-necessary-to-win/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [I'll tell you that the dog whistle politics is badly missing the mark. Because, you know, as I've been speaking about it, sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naheed-nenshi/i-ll-tell-you-that-the-dog-whistle-politics-is-badly-missing-the-mark/) [Naheed Nenshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naheed-nenshi/) [Browse all 1,994 Complaining quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaining/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was on a panel with light skinned Blacks and a famous gay science fiction writer, who were complaining about how Blacks are against gays and light skinned Blacks and how intolerant Blacks are of different groups. 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