Discussions about race makes us all cringe at some time or another, but it is nothing that we should shy away from. We are more similar than we are different.
I am going to go out on a limb here and defend Whatadork. Because their statement was prefaced by race, I believe that their statement was misunderstood. They were making as statement about preference and not a statement about race. I had this discussion with a friend a number of years ago.
Asians consist of a race of billions over people over a huge continent. So when most Americans speak of Asians, they usually think of people of Chinese descent (stereotypically). However, there are other people that consist of that demography. President Bush made this mistake when he had the female President from the Philippines for a visit I believe that is who the foreign dignitary was. He made a comment about having an Asian person in the kitchen that was a really good cook or something that was culinary and improper to say to the leader of another country. I am only mentioning Asians because I it was mentioned in the post. I have had conversations with many friends and family members about their racial preferences concerning all races over the years. When I left the country, my grandmother told me, "Don't come back with a wife that doesn't look like you." After she explained what she meant, the explanation was not needed because I was not going to come back with a woman any way.
Now, personally I have grown to appreciate men of all races. I want my black book to look like roll call at the United Nations. However, I understand people who do not have such a broad point of view. In discussing race, some of us have a tendency to be hypersensitive to the issue. I am not accusing anyone who posted anything of being hypersensitive, but you do see people in the media who look for a reason to scream Racist! This happened recently at work when an African American male was not backed up by a Caucasian female for doing something that is not traditional but is permitted. He started spouting militant anti-Caucasian sentiments and one of my female co-workers (African American) told him to calm down and things were not as he perceived them. She let him know that it had nothing to do with race.
Race is a big issue now because we have an African American President. I do not think that any of us were really ready for the ongoing effect that criticism of the current POTUS would have on our collective minds. This week is a case in point. The POTUS is going to give a speech to school children next week. However, you have good church going Southern individuals who are threatening to keep their children from school. It is these areas of the country where race has become a big issue. African Americans see individuals not rising to their better selves when confronted with the reality that an African American is POTUS. Never mind that they have been living decades with the scars of racism, but to see things like Barrack the Magic Negro and the like continually adds salt to the wound.
I am not giving license of anyone from any race to be disrespectful to any race. However, I am only bringing to light a certain perspective that has not been talked about much. That is why seemingly you go to other parts of the country where traditional racial divides seem to be present, reoccurring, or overtly manifested. African Americans have seen POTUS repeatedly attacked on racial levels for over a year. If anyone is entitled to pull the race card it is truly him. However, he continually rises to a higher level. Well, maybe not in the case of the college professor he did kind of loose his cool there. Impartial investigation should have been done before he rendered judgment.
Bill Maher said something that was really funny. He said something like, who would have thought that white men with guns would lose their minds when a black man became President. That was funny to me because we so often forget our history as Americans. However, I believe that some people know what they are doing in the media the right wing fanatical media.
Remember the riots that happened in LA where a Caucasian male was dragged from his truck and beaten by a group of African American males. The same kind of atmosphere is being established here if continual attacks happen by the right wing media and their ilk birthers, keep your kids out of school for a presidential speech day, death panels, what religion is he, etc. These people do not understand that the more that they try and make this biracial man not look like an American, the more that they alienate and anger a lot of people (Americans) who are like him which is a large part of the population.
Hence, that is why you have the apathy that one poster was a recipient of while visiting the south. I am not saying that it is right. However, it is hard to rise to a higher level when you constantly have people putting a person that looks like you down every day. If I was with the poster, I would addressed the apathy being leveled towards him. Like some others, I am not in a part of the country where feelings toward POTUS are not negative and we do not have issues with race. I work and live in a community where it is racial nirvana.
We have people from all races that date, marry, and have biracial children. I am happy to see all of the love and diversity but there are some people who choose not to date outside of their race as a matter of personal preference. I know some personally. They have not come to this conclusion out of a lack of not attempting to be in relationships with individuals from other races, but after they have been in these relationships they did not feel fulfilled in them. I dont knock them and they do not knock me.
I know that I have posted many things that should have been in other threads but there has been a lot said. One more thing, racism does not only happen in the south. However, that is where a lot of the media attention is concentrated on and where a lot of the stories are coming from recently.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/us/04school.html
http://www.dakotavoice.com/2009/09/...ids-home-from-president-obamas-school-speech/
South Dakota is not a really racist state. However, the way that some of the citizens treat Native Americans there I would want a large human rights office in Rapid City or Deadwood. I just recently learned what a holocaust Pine Ridge was.
Not to be a total downer the poster who started this thread was bold and intelligent enough to start a dialog. Isnt that what always saves the day in Sci-Fi movies when humanity is about to come to an end? Meaningful dialog always trumps solitary misunderstanding. I am not an oracle or authority, so please keep posting!!!!
:duh:
