If Truth Be Told...or...Not-So-Veiled Racism In America

Rikter8

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You know... I have a feeling, that once the Stargate opens...(and at one point it will), that most of the greed, hate, and discontent will quickly change.

As my one friend put it... Suddenly.. we aren't 'Blacks/Whites/Hispanics/Asians/Gays/etc" ...now we are "the Human race".
Hopefully respect will change.

Mabee that's what the Mayan Calendar is showing us - An end to the Era we've grown accustomed to.

Out with the old - in with the new I say.
 

marleyisalegend

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Just what would be wrong with refering to someone as "that tall black guy?"

It all depends on context.

You just answered your own question, context. Some people say "black" to identify, when others say it, you can just hear the disgust in their voice as they say "that black guy" or "why do black people...."

I've never gone up to a white person and said "why do white people bomb things?" because I know that the behavior doesn't apply to the entire race, yet people as "why do black people" questions as if we all behave the same way and any given black person is the spokesman for the whole race.

The truth is, the system of institutional racism is still alive and kicking today so to reduce any implication of racism as "someone playing victim and playing the race card" is simplistic and basically stupid. There ARE people who play the race card, and there are many who's race is played against them.
 

FRE

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Although racism is still alive, I think that most of us whites (with obvious exceptions) are committed to equality, although many people who are committed to equality lack adequate understanding. Actually, the situation is so complex that I doubt that anyone has a total understanding of it.

Even the term "racism" doesn't mean the same thing to everyone, and there are different aspects to it. Part of racism is the psychological damage done to blacks resulting from generations of Jim Crow laws and attitudes; the results can be passed on from generation to generation. Another part is the negative attitudes that some whites have towards blacks, regardless of how well blacks perform. Although both of these aspects are important, I suspect that the former aspect is more important, no doubt depending to some degree on the local environment.

Before the civil rights movement which became effective during the 1950s, it was widely assumed by people committed to equality that racial problems would be immediately solved if racist laws were eliminated and if whites stopped behaving like racists. The full extent of the psychological damage done to blacks was not widely recognized, and even those of us who do recognize it do not know what we can do about it.

It's understandable that black youth often have a very negative attitude towards whites; that greatly limits what whites can to to help solve the problem. For example, in general it would not work well for a white man to mentor a black teenager; that would have to be done by a black man and, unfortunately, it seems that there are not enough black men who are in a position to do so.

Although many of us recognize that there is a problem, we feel helpless to do anything about it.
 

FRE

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AMEN. I'm still learning all the different ways to say "biracial" and apparently people are still buying that misleading "African American" bullshit.

It's a mistake to assume that all blacks are African - American. For example, there are Melanesians on south Pacific islands (Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, etc.) who would pass for African, but they are not and it's unclear from where they originated. Decendants of a Melanesian who migrated to the U.S. from Fiji certaily would not be properly classified as African - American.

I'm hoping that eventually classifying people by race will go away.
 

mista geechee

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Although racism is still alive, I think that most of us whites (with obvious exceptions) are committed to equality, although many people who are committed to equality lack adequate understanding. Actually, the situation is so complex that I doubt that anyone has a total understanding of it.

Even the term "racism" doesn't mean the same thing to everyone, and there are different aspects to it. Part of racism is the psychological damage done to blacks resulting from generations of Jim Crow laws and attitudes; the results can be passed on from generation to generation. Another part is the negative attitudes that some whites have towards blacks, regardless of how well blacks perform. Although both of these aspects are important, I suspect that the former aspect is more important, no doubt depending to some degree on the local environment.

Before the civil rights movement which became effective during the 1950s, it was widely assumed by people committed to equality that racial problems would be immediately solved if racist laws were eliminated and if whites stopped behaving like racists. The full extent of the psychological damage done to blacks was not widely recognized, and even those of us who do recognize it do not know what we can do about it.

It's understandable that black youth often have a very negative attitude towards whites; that greatly limits what whites can to to help solve the problem. For example, in general it would not work well for a white man to mentor a black teenager; that would have to be done by a black man and, unfortunately, it seems that there are not enough black men who are in a position to do so.

Although many of us recognize that there is a problem, we feel helpless to do anything about it.

Exactly. It's a vicious cycle and both sides are guilty. It's easy to say that the yougner generation is in a position to start to break the cycle but that's been said a zillion times to the infinite power. Saying it won't get it done. Luckily, as generations go by, bigots and ethnocentrists are becomg fewer and further in between.

In 3 or 4 thousand years, assuming we make it that far, we will probably all be the same color. Then we'll be descriminating by height.
 

B_New End

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It's always good to have a variety of people in a poll.
Otherwise, it can get lop sided as you say.

The Race factor is fading away, however it's these Touting rights groups that are wedging a divide and keeping it pryed open for special benefits and funding.

It's becoming more and more clear that certain blacks in this country are always complaining how bad they have it, and want the world to give them what they need. (I.E. King Racist Jessee Jackson).
The more time goes on, and less people care about the Race Card, the more apparent it becomes.

On the other hand, There are the majority of the black population where the race factor is dissappearing. "The world owes me" mentality is dissapearing, where it once lived.
It's now "If I don't put forth effort like the rest of the world, then I won't be successful". - They need to teach this mentality more in school.

If little Jimmy or Peggie Sue doesn't work hard and EARN their way, then Jimmy and Peggie will be SOL. Instead, Jimmy and Peggy learn from parents ways of sucking on the system because they don't have to work.

I work with 500 or so engineers on a daily basis. There's about 150 or so african american engineers, and the rest is a mix from all over the world. In this mix, are some pretty Hillbilly type people, and it VERY RARELY comes up where we identify a person as "That tall black guy" or "That fat asian guy". It's more - "The tall guy that works up in this area".
Race doesn't come into the conversation - and it SHOULDNT.

The only reason I didn't want Obama is because he would only shove a wedge in the ever closing racial divide. And, if you look at his track record so far, with the Reverend and all that.... It's casting a negative light. He puts on his Mask to appease the masses, and then turns and puts on his other mask to appease certain groups.
Every politician does it...just not as blatant as this.

When I'm on a hot project for the customer, I dont care what color or race you are. If you can't back up the resume you were hired under to get the job done...then get the hell out.

Meh, whats wrong with describing a black guy as black?
If you say the tall blond guy, you are a hairist.

Also, I really get annoyed when people knee-jerk talk about welfare when talking about black people. Per capita, it is almost the same with white people.

marleyisalegend said:
I've never gone up to a white person and said "why do white people bomb things?"

But its a great way to start a comedy routine.


transformer_99 said:
"When Obama beats Hillary Clinton, it'll be a historic event in our American history, it'll mark the first time a black man beat a white woman and didn't go to jail for it."

LOL!!

Most conservatives I know, when speaking in private, are pretty fucking racist, and they dont even know it, and they try to qualify it first by saying, "now I aint racist, but.... "

.....

.....



Now I ain't racist, but I fucking love racist humor. I love the really, really bad stuff. :biggrin1:
 

B_New End

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On the topic of veiled racism, I think it is still most manifest by Hollywood and TV movies, and box office and critical reviews of them. They many times use black stereotypes, and get away with it.

Like the big black dumb guy in The Green Mile. Total stereotype played to tug the heartstrings of a white audience. Note the lead, had to be white, although the story was essentially about a black man.

This racism abounds, in many Hollywood movies... 7 years in Tibet and the last Samuri.... and good god, try watching some 90's movies with black supporting actors... fucking terrible.

I have never seen crash, but from friends whose opinions on race I trust, it was a bunch of self congratulatory bullshit, pitting quite extreme racists against each other, so the audience could walk out and say "Glad I am not a racist..."
 

Supersized

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a good way to "close the racial divide" would be first to stop talking about it...
its hard to treat people equally when all they do is whine about being a minority and constantly remind you about it.

Uncut, would it kill you to say something respectful and postive for once in your life? I have been so burned by racism that I had a nervous breakdown when I was 28. We still have a ways to go no matter how far we have come.
 

ballsaplenty2156

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Why is it racism is always used to denote white people? Are black voters, giving Obama their vote because he truly is the best man, black or white, to lead this country?
If Barack Obama were white would he deserve your vote? If John McCain were black would the vote go for him?
Racism is not a trait identifiable only to Caucasians. Look deep into your heart and ask yourself if Barack Obama laid claim only to the "white" side of his racial makeup, would you still push to get this man elected?
 

B_New End

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Why is it racism is always used to denote white people? Are black voters, giving Obama their vote because he truly is the best man, black or white, to lead this country?
If Barack Obama were white would he deserve your vote? If John McCain were black would the vote go for him?
Racism is not a trait identifiable only to Caucasians. Look deep into your heart and ask yourself if Barack Obama laid claim only to the "white" side of his racial makeup, would you still push to get this man elected?

Wow, you just disacovered the Atlantic Ocean!!

Of course black people can be racist. Black people are human too.
 

b.c.

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Why is it racism is always used to denote white people? Are black voters, giving Obama their vote because he truly is the best man, black or white, to lead this country?
If Barack Obama were white would he deserve your vote? If John McCain were black would the vote go for him?
Racism is not a trait identifiable only to Caucasians. Look deep into your heart and ask yourself if Barack Obama laid claim only to the "white" side of his racial makeup, would you still push to get this man elected?

To answer your first question, yes there are black racists.

As to whether we TRULY believe Obama is the best man running, incredible as it may seem, ABSOLUTELY. Many (if not most) of his supporters (black AND white) believe that.

If he were white would he deserve our vote?? We've BEEN voting for them, eh??

As to your question regarding would we support McCain if he were black. Some might. But no, I (and I suspect many blacks) would not be voting for a black man who supported a conservative agenda. In fact he'd probably garner even greater contempt.

And for your final question...what's the point of it? Are you asking if Obama only recognized his white heritage and denied his black one what would we think??

a. What would anyone think?
b. Why would he do that??
c. Would you think better of him if he did??
 

earllogjam

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Why is it racism is always used to denote white people? Are black voters, giving Obama their vote because he truly is the best man, black or white, to lead this country?
If Barack Obama were white would he deserve your vote? If John McCain were black would the vote go for him?
Racism is not a trait identifiable only to Caucasians. Look deep into your heart and ask yourself if Barack Obama laid claim only to the "white" side of his racial makeup, would you still push to get this man elected?

Knee jerk reaction - Barak Obama is NOT black, he is multiracial. He has NEVER defined himself as a Black candidate simply because he is not. Get it right.

He was born from a white mother and a Kenyan father. His father abandoned the family when he was a child and he was raised in Hawaii and Indonesia by his white mother and white grandmother outside of any Black community. He is NOT ethnically BLACK. The only thing he shares with people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton is the color of his skin.

It is too bad many many people can't see past skin color including the people on the Left. The only connection he has with the Black community is with his wife who IS ethnically Black and grew up in a Black community on the South Side of Chicago.