Racism bedevils Texas town

Principessa

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Bedevils? Poor choice of words. Apparently the town and the company involved are merely annoyed rather than outraged. :angryfire2:

I know racism is everywhere including northern states. Yet the most disturbing crimes often happen in Texas. Is this because Texas is the 2nd largest state and therefore just more likely to have more crime in general? Does Texas just breed racist people or do the criminally racist flock to Texas because they know they will fit in?

Racism bedevils Texas town

Allegations of discrimination in plant are latest flare-up in Paris
By Howard Witt

HOUSTON — Only a few weeks ago, race relations had reached such a low point in the troubled east Texas town of Paris that federal Justice Department mediators were called in to try to bring together black and white citizens, but the public meeting quickly dissolved into rancor. Now fresh racial tensions are erupting inside one of the town's biggest employers, the Turner Industries pipe fabrication plant, where black employees charge that hangman's nooses, Confederate flags and racist graffiti have been appearing throughout the workplace for months. One worker, Karl Mitchell, took pictures of the offensive symbols in early February and filed a formal complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last week. Other African-American employees assert that they've repeatedly complained about the racist symbols to their bosses, only to be ignored or told to keep quiet. "Somebody had to step forward," said Mitchell, who also alleges a pattern of wage and promotion discrimination at the plant stretching back nearly two years. "They are so wide-open with [the racist displays] and so certain that African-Americans aren't going to say anything about it."
*SNIP*
Officials at Turner Industries' headquarters in Baton Rouge, La., say they only learned of the discrimination allegations last week, when photographs of the racist symbols began circulating on the Internet. They say a noose and other inflammatory depictions and graffiti have been removed and a company investigation has been launched."All of us in management find all of that offensive," said John Fenner, the company's corporate general counsel. "We do not condone any displays of this type. I can promise you that in the event we uncover that any of our people participated in the display of any of those matters, they may very well lose their jobs." *SNIP*
 

MarkLondon

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I prefer the Webster's definition, under the Wordnet one on that page:

1. To throw into utter disorder and confusion, as if by the agency of evil spirits; to bring under diabolical influence; to torment.

Seems to fit this situation better.

Forgive my ignorace of north american history, but wasn't Texas originally founded outside of the Union? Is that why it's the "Lone Star State"?
 

Principessa

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I prefer the Webster's definition, under the Wordnet one on that page:

1. To throw into utter disorder and confusion, as if by the agency of evil spirits; to bring under diabolical influence; to torment.

Seems to fit this situation better.

Forgive my ignorace of north american history, but wasn't Texas originally founded outside of the Union? Is that why it's the "Lone Star State"?
Not to worry most Americans don't know much about our history or geography either. :redface: Wikipedia has a lengthy but probably accurate version of Texas history.

Yes, you are correct they were briefly their own republic and did try to secede. There are times I wish they had been allowed to do so. :rolleyes: Texas is the only state I have ever visited where the state flag flies larger and higher than the stars and stripes. :mad:

I may be wrong, but I think the phrase, "Don't mess with Texas!" originates from this incident: 28 October 1835 -- Jim Bowie, James Fannin and 90 Texans defeated 450 Mexicans at the Battle of Concepcion, near San Antonio.
The Texas History Timeline (Key Events in Early Texas) gives pretty accurate info as I remember it from my school days, in a more easy to read format.

 

Florida Boy

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I can't be sure what it is about Texas. I used to live there. Most of the racial incidents in Texas and in neighboring Louisiana occur in smaller towns. Smaller towns have a history, of necessity, of not being very progressive. It was these people that are largely responsible for the last eight years. Part of that problem may be the lack of on the ground input from the outside. It is very easy to ignore a television and believe that is not the real world.

Just a thought.
 

whatireallywant

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Not to worry most Americans don't know much about our history or geography either. :redface: Wikipedia has a lengthy but probably accurate version of Texas history.

Yes, you are correct they were briefly their own republic and did try to secede. There are times I wish they had been allowed to do so. :rolleyes: Texas is the only state I have ever visited where the state flag flies larger and higher than the stars and stripes. :mad:

I may be wrong, but I think the phrase, "Don't mess with Texas!" originates from this incident: 28 October 1835 -- Jim Bowie, James Fannin and 90 Texans defeated 450 Mexicans at the Battle of Concepcion, near San Antonio.
The Texas History Timeline (Key Events in Early Texas) gives pretty accurate info as I remember it from my school days, in a more easy to read format.


The phrase "Don't mess with Texas" is actually from an anti-littering campaign. :smile:

I can't be sure what it is about Texas. I used to live there. Most of the racial incidents in Texas and in neighboring Louisiana occur in smaller towns. Smaller towns have a history, of necessity, of not being very progressive. It was these people that are largely responsible for the last eight years. Part of that problem may be the lack of on the ground input from the outside. It is very easy to ignore a television and believe that is not the real world.

Just a thought.

Very true... I come from a small town in Indiana and it was VERY racist. I now live in a big city in Texas and while there is SOME racism here, it doesn't seem to be quite as bad as in the smaller towns, I don't think. (At least among the people I've known and seen here...)
 

HazelGod

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Poor choice of words.

I know racism is everywhere including northern states. Yet the most disturbing crimes often happen in Texas. Is this because Texas is the 2nd largest state and therefore just more likely to have more crime in general? Does Texas just breed racist people or do the criminally racist flock to Texas because they know they will fit in?

You could write a book on poor choice of words. :rolleyes:

I understand that you're black and might feel some personal outrage at these events. But I'm Texan, and I'm having a really difficult time distinguishing your obnoxiously prejudiced behavior from that of the people you're ranting about.

Take a step back and re-read your commentary. If you ever hope to make any claim of decency, you owe some people an apology.

I may be wrong, but I think the phrase, "Don't mess with Texas!" originates from this incident...

Shockingly, you are wrong. That slogan was created by a local PR/ad firm here for the TX Dept. of Transportation's anti-littering campaigns..
 

MalakingTiti

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I am a New Yorker, and although there are plenty of racists here, somehow we all manage to still get along. No Klan that I know of though. I guess their punk asses wouldn't dare try marching down Broadway, since if they did, it would be the last time they marched anywhere. WORD!
 

B_Nick4444

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East Texas is, culturally, part of the Deep South

unlike the rest of the State, which is culturally Texan

where you will find people getting along under that identity (the incidents described in the article, would never occur in the rest of the State)

even so, because it is Texas, it is not anywhere as dire as some might think, even given these sensationalistic articles:

"... one can't deny that racial prejudice still exists in East Texas ... Given these facts, you might be surprised by what I say next -- that race relations in East Texas, as they play out day to day, are far from seething; that they are actually open, respectful, and even cordial. ..."

http://books.google.com/books?id=vU...6eTvDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result

see also:

http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&q=race+relations+in+Texas&btnG=Google+Search
 
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midlifebear

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University of Texas, Austin, 1982: I vividly remember during my first week at UT sitting in a conference room waiting for the Dean of the College of Anthropology to show up to his own staff meeting. His bleach-blonde secretary sat next on my left and after a bit of small talk whispered into my ear one of the most offensive racists excuses for a joke I'd ever heard, repeating the infamous "N" word several times.

I simply turned to her and said, "That's interesting Fran. I think Glenda (the African-American advisor for UT's Black Student Union who was sitting on my right) would really enjoy you sharing that with her." Of course, Glenda perked right up and eventually figured out what Fran had said to me. Fran had been telling the "joke" all morning to the other non-black staff and faculty.

Never in my life, and I'd lived in some rather odd places up until then, had anyone felt that it was perfectly OK to use racist slurs when speaking to me simply because they perceived me to be "white." But sadly I found it common for white Texans of every stripe (especially those who knew better) to automatically use the infamous "N" word privately among exclusively white groups in Texas.

Fuck Texas!


CODA: Texas is STILL, by definition, officially a Republic despite the fact you hear "The Great State of Texas!" screamed about. It's a Republic in the same way Massachusetts is a Common Wealth.
 

B_Nick4444

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in fact, Texas escaped the extremism of the civil rights movement of the sixties and seventies, precisely because the racial animosity that existed in the rest of the country was absent there (as long as we're digging up the past)
 

B_cigarbabe

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Great story MLB.
I never wanted to visit Texas for that reason and the ridiculous drug laws
and I don't even drink or do drugs.
I just love it when people mistake me for white and say racist comments to me.
I always let them finish and then I lay into them about what a complete scumbag they are. When they ask why would I take up for those "niggers" I say
"I am one of those "niggers" asshole!
White people never can tell in person that I'm not white.
What digging up the past Nick4444?
There has been very little improvement in race relations towards minorities in this country even today.
Yes it is vaguely better than in the 1930's-1968 but not by much. I imagine Texas has it's segregated neighborhoods just like anywhere else and people tend to stay to their own.
I seriously doubt you have whites moving into predominately
{historically and otherwise} black area's even in Texas.
C.B.:saevil:
 
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Principessa

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You could write a book on poor choice of words. :rolleyes:

I understand that you're black and might feel some personal outrage at these events. But I'm Texan, and I'm having a really difficult time distinguishing your obnoxiously prejudiced behavior from that of the people you're ranting about.

Take a step back and re-read your commentary. If you ever hope to make any claim of decency, you owe some people an apology.
Since you often go out of your way to 'pick at' and belittle my posts and are Texan to boot I am not surprised you disagree with me.

As for your assumption that my opinion/rant somehow makes me indecent Pffftt! :yuck: I'm not apologizing for my opinion.



Shockingly, you are wrong. That slogan was created by a local PR/ad firm here for the TX Dept. of Transportation's anti-littering campaigns..

[/quote]

I stand corrected. What a silly slogan for a litter campaign.:confused:
 

lonly31

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well i live across the lake from jasper tx were the guy was drug . it was a bad thing to happen , the tv and papers have everyone to beleave it was racist but for the home town people know it was over different things but most people played it . but there is also other things that happened that you didnt hear about . the black guy that beat his white boss to death with a pipe wrench , and robbed him . it was nothing more then robbery , i say that the guys need to die for what they did no matter the reason it was a bad way to die . most of our southeast tx towns are good towns , my school was 70% black and 30% white but there was never any kind of racist any thing we got along fine . if we got in fights it was a fight . there is to much finger pointed at things being racist when its not thats why we cant get on with life and help one another in this time of need . the world needs to stop and help one another and stop blamming each other of stupid stuff .
 
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