U.S. Poll: Racism Goes Stealth

[socoken]

Everybody is prejudiced. Maybe not Racist, per se, but unfairly biassed against some other natural feature of the people they live around (or don't live around).

It is in each and every one of us, and we'd all do well to aknowledge that. Rather than pointing fingers at each other and saying "you're racist," "no, you're racist," "nuh-uh, you are," we should all accept that WE are racist and start doing something to change ourselves.

I've known many people, gay, black, hispanic, female, etc, who think they can't be prejudiced because they, themselves are minorities. WRONG. Many gay people are homophobic, still others are heterophobic. Some blacks and hispanics i know are HIGHLY racist. And who amongst us has never met a misogynistic woman? All of these people i know who hate themselves also hate everybody else.

We all oppress ourselves before we oppress anyone else. Surprisingly, when we stop oppressing ourselves, we also stop oppressing others.

Well put!:grinning-smiley-003

 

[b.c.]

Racism had gone stealth some time ago. Just around about the time we started hearing "Republicanesque" styled buzz words (of usually no more than three words) such as "the race card" and "reverse discrimination" and the like.

That's because the conservative elements in this society has always been quite adept at turning what would normally be viewed as a positive attribute into a negative. How else can a war hero find himself almost apologetic for having had the distinction? How else can the term "bleeding heart" (a particularly Christian image) be turned by those same so-called Christians into a derogatory term (as in "bleeding heart liberal)? And, to get back to the point, how else can a charge of racism become a "race card".

Of course the purpose of the rhetoric is to disarm and trivialize genuine issues relating to racism and racial relations, while at the same time absolving those racists among us of all guilt.

Thus, In this newspeak/newthought, people being discriminated against become in fact the aggressor, merely by raising the issue and inflicting upon the populace our "VICTIMHOOD" (to quote a Shelby term). Well, pardon the fuck out of us for noticing even.

When "victims" (if I may) are made to feel apologetic for bringing it up (or for being one)... when racism is rationalized to the point where we conclude it's ok to be one... that's when racism goes stealth, I think.

 

[LeeEJ]

Oh my God! There's still racism?? CNN did a story on it?

Does this mean that it's.... news???

Golly gee, what are we going to hear next? That we breathe air, and that water is wet?
:tongue:

It's really hard to NOT have some racist feelings when you see racial stereotypes personified so often. But, anyway...

I was watching Univision one afternoon, and noticed a distinct difference between the show's hosts (woo hoo, hot Hispanic chicks) and the audience members. The hosts appeared taller, longer, and definitely more handsome & beautiful (in TV/photogenic terms), while the people in the audience were shorter and rounder in shape. Not just in weight, but if the hosts' main facial forms were ovals, the audience's were more like circles.

I mentioned this to a Hispanic neighbor of mine, and she said that, yes, there is a definite cultural divide in Central America & Mexico. The people that tend to look like the show's hosts are almost always upper class, and they wouldn't think of marrying into the rounder, lower-class people.

Another tangent: Has everyone seen, or at least heard the music to, the Broadway musical Avenue Q? There's a song in it titled, "Everybody's A Little Bit Racist". Hilarious and enlightening all at once.

 

[D_Bob_Crotchitch]

Not all states allow the Indian tribes to have casinos. It's illegal in Texas. Saying they have reservations to live on is ridiculous. The bureau of Indian affairs mismanages the indian property and even helped them be defrauded of the oil royalities. Yes you have x number of acres to live on but your way of life was taken away. Also, it all belonged to you in the first place. Right now, Congress is trying to get the Cherokee nation to settle claims for a few billion dollars. They are entitled to hundreds of billions of dollars. This is the american form of apartheid.

 

[Shelby]

Racism had gone stealth some time ago. Just around about the time we started hearing "Republicanesque" styled buzz words (of usually no more than three words) such as "the race card" and "reverse discrimination" and the like.

That's because the conservative elements in this society has always been quite adept at turning what would normally be viewed as a positive attribute into a negative. How else can a war hero find himself almost apologetic for having had the distinction? How else can the term "bleeding heart" (a particularly Christian image) be turned by those same so-called Christians into a derogatory term (as in "bleeding heart liberal)? And, to get back to the point, how else can a charge of racism become a "race card".

Of course the purpose of the rhetoric is to disarm and trivialize genuine issues relating to racism and racial relations, while at the same time absolving those racists among us of all guilt.

Thus, In this newspeak/newthought, people being discriminated against become in fact the aggressor, merely by raising the issue and inflicting upon the populace our "VICTIMHOOD" (to quote a Shelby term). Well, pardon the fuck out of us for noticing even.

When "victims" (if I may) are made to feel apologetic for bringing it up (or for being one)... when racism is rationalized to the point where we conclude it's ok to be one... that's when racism goes stealth, I think.

"bringing it up" ain't the best way out imo. I think it perpetuates it.

With all my heart I want racism to just go away. And I think it gradually is. I'm from Mississippi and I love my black brothers and sisters.

"Noticing even"... there was once a time for it. That time has passed. Now's the time to show up. Like Asians. Leaders need to lead. Whiners need to go away.

 

[D_Bob_Crotchitch]

Sigh, if you study your history, you will find the democratic party controlled the south. They owned the slaves. The Republicans fought to free them. Then, nobody gave a damn about them. Nobody really reached out to them until Eleanor Roosevelt did it. She pretended to be speaking for her husband. They couldn't refute her claims or the public would find out he wasn't well enough to be holding office. It still took their needing black votes to reach out to them. George Wallace refused to allow blacks admission to the University of Alabama. Kennedy sent in the military to ensure their admission. Later, Wallace wooed black voters to get the votes. It's all a crock when people start pointing fingers.

It's up to me and you to make a change one person at a time.

 

[AlteredEgo]

It also seem to be worse in the South

It's not worse it the south. Southerners are just more open about it. Northerners are undercover haters.

 

[Shelby]

It's up to me and you to make a change one person at a time.

Right on Hootie.

 

[SpeedoGuy]

If you really want to see the culture of victimhood in full flower spend some time looking at conservative blog sites or listening to AM talk radio.

 

[madame_zora]

"bringing it up" ain't the best way out imo. I think it perpetuates it.

With all my heart I want racism to just go away. And I think it gradually is. I'm from Mississippi and I love my black brothers and sisters.

"Noticing even"... there was once a time for it. That time has passed. Now's the time to show up. Like asians. Leaders need to lead. Whiners need to be denigrated.

It's a simple issue of responsibility. No one's just talking about slavery anymore, it's the systematic and STILL pervasive less-than-acceptable status that blacks have been subject to ever since. If it was just something that existed 100 years ago, I'd agree with you, but it's not- far from it.

"Bringing it up" requires that we deal with it, and who really wants to do that? White people might just have to admit that they've had an easier ride on the backs of their black sisters and brothers that they "love and consider equals", who STILL occupy the majority of the lesser paying jobs, who STILL have less opportunity for equal housing, STILL are seen as criminals by white ppl if they're walking down the street, STILL can't hail a cab in NY. Why SHOULDN'T these issues be "brought up"?

Oh yeah, let's just be fucktards and say it's all about slavery, and I never owned slaves......weak argument, Shelby, and one unworthy of one as bright as you.

 

[naughty]

Mme Z,

Why are you not teaching in some university helping to set them minds of some of our young straight? Your brilliance never ceases to amaze me. I am glad to see you on and posting today....

It's a simple issue of responsibility. No one's just talking about slavery anymore, it's the systematic and STILL pervasive less-than-acceptable status that blacks have been subject to ever since. If it was just something that existed 100 years ago, I'd agree with you, but it's not- far from it.

"Bringing it up" requires that we deal with it, and who really wants to do that? White people might just have to admit that they've had an easier ride on the backs of their black sisters and brothers that they "love and consider equals", who STILL occupy the majority of the lesser paying jobs, who STILL have less opportunity for equal housing, STILL are seen as criminals by white ppl if they're walking down the street, STILL can't hail a cab in NY. Why SHOULDN'T these issues be "brought up"?

Oh yeah, let's just be fucktards and say it's all about slavery, and I never owned slaves......weak argument, Shelby, and one unworthy of one as bright as you.

 

[viking1]

It's not worse it the south. Southerners are just more open about it. Northerners are undercover haters.

I won't argue that as it is probably correct. I just know a lot more about the South after living south the Mason Dixon line for so long.

I also agree that ignoring racism won't make it go away.

 

[B_josiah852]

Y'all go ahead and keep on sticking with Du Bois.

I choose to hang with Booker T.

Booker T and the MG's ? Oh dam. Just gave my age away. lol

 

[Shelby]

OK then answer me this. Why have some minority cultures managed to do so relatively well here and others have not?

The man (me) has tried to hold 'em all down as best he could from what I can tell.

I think it's because some refuse to be 'victims' while others cling to the concept.

QUIT BEING VICTIMS!

 

[Shelby]

Booker T and the MG's ? Oh dam. Just gave my age away. lol

Green Onions on the B3.

Sweetness.

 

[B_spiker067]

Not all states allow the Indian tribes to have casinos. It's illegal in Texas. Saying they have reservations to live on is ridiculous. The bureau of Indian affairs mismanages the indian property and even helped them be defrauded of the oil royalities. Yes you have x number of acres to live on but your way of life was taken away. Also, it all belonged to you in the first place. Right now, Congress is trying to get the Cherokee nation to settle claims for a few billion dollars. They are entitled to hundreds of billions of dollars. This is the american form of apartheid.

Don't get me wrong Hootie I'm a half breed spic myself and probably can say I've felt overt racism 3 or 4 times and at those times I didn't care cause I was way smarter than the fucker(s) who would put me down and could kill them and get away with it if I had to (not that I would) as creepy as that may sound. But the savageness of racism is about life and death, tribe versus tribe.

I personally feel that there is a respect or sense of place that Nations can imbue to the people. I think that if I had to live Indian or Black I would probably find it easier to live Indian within the context of this society as you would probably have to admit.

And yes I know about the stealing from the Indians to this day and yes in this country they have a better chance of getting heard/reparations than the Armenians in Turkey would.

Peace,
Spiker

P.S. The good thing is that I believe, despite the survey, that racism is an anachronism that will die with GenX'ers as a really significant issue.

 

[madame_zora]

Mme Z,

Why are you not teaching in some university helping to set them minds of some of our young straight? Your brilliance never ceases to amaze me. I am glad to see you on and posting today....

Haha, I'm one of the lucky ones, Kim. As much as I'd like to accept the praise you would heap on me, the truth is, I've just gotten to see a lot for myself.

Being "other" in the race category has allowed me to be somewhat on the outside of the black vs. white thing my whole life. As a manager in the sales industry, I saw how few females, blacks, and "others" were employed in my industry, but how well they did, given half a chance. It was greed on my part, as well as a desire to set the record straight. I lived on overrides, mind you, and I wanted to make money.

So, I told my higher-ups that I would take a chance on some people with a strong desire to succeed- even some with criminal records, because (in my estimation) they were at a place in their lives where they wanted something more. I had been there myself when I joined that company, and it changed my life to be given a real opportunity. What we found was that there are more people in the world than just white men, and many of these people preferred to talk to someone more like themselves. I had a track record of some very successful sales teams, of which I am still very proud.

I feel I have a right to my strong opinions, because I HAVE put my (own) money where my mouth is, and got impressive results. Discrimination is stupid, and it cuts into your own money. Think of it that way, if you're too selfish to see it as just the right thing to do.

I still had more white men in my offices than anyone else, because I'd always hire from who applied. The difference is, I didn't just throw the applications from others in the "g" file, like most of my fellow managers did.
Racism's over? Oh, just fuck right off!

 

[D_Bob_Crotchitch]

If you want to change the situation, you need to look to the leaders of the past. The NAACP had the right idea. Get an education. You can't raise yourself or your family up without a good paying job. You need an education.
Stop playing in school, partying, doing drugs. I see all these children throw away their opportunities for the party life. It isn't just blacks or whites, I see teens of all backgrounds doing it. sheesh. We had a teenage girl here have to give up a full college scholarship. It was a track scholarship. She told the counselor she couldn't go to college. Her mother said she had to have a baby to bring in another check. It's just mind boggling. Another woman was half-way through nursing school, receiving good grades, and quit when Clinton got elected. She said she had been going to school because she thought the Republicans were going to abolish welfare. It just blows my mind. I see all this first hand on a daily basis. It would blow your mind if you went with me every day for a year.

 

[madame_zora]

OK then answer me this. Why have some minority cultures managed to do so relatively well here and others have not?

The man (me) has tried to hold 'em all down as best he could from what I can tell.

I think it's because some refuse to be 'victims' while others cling to the concept.

QUIT BEING VICTIMS!

You know, we went through a thing once on here about race and perception, I don't remember exactly how it started, but I do remember we took a test where we had to look at faces, and identify which ones we liked more.

Races such as Eastern Indians, who are more caucasian looking, do better because they are better accepted. Well, that's a small part of it. Also, we are only getting the higher-caste Indians here- basically the cream of the crop, because that's who can afford to come. I suspect the same is true of many of the better accepted foreigners anymore.

There was a time when we were the land of "bring us your tired, your hungry, your poor", and THAT'S who founded this great nation. Many of the white people who first settled here were exactly that, many came as indentured servants, Blacks came as slaves, Chinese came basically as slaves too. Cultural differences have largely affected how those injustices were dealth with, and it seems Africans don't feel like just shutting up and taking it up the ass, like the Chinese decided to do. Also, the Chinese and Japanese were integrated better into society after WWII, after we humiliated ourselves with our concentration camps. They are "whiter looking", but somebody still has to be the nigger, right? It's just easier to pick on the darkest-skinned people, because they're easier to identify. It's also easier to blame them for their lack of integration, because it then relieves us of the pressure of having to admit to our own lack of kindness.
We act like they're given equal opportunity, even though study after study shows this is simply not true, then ask "Why haven't you caught up yet?"

Stupid, Shelby- really stupid. Yes, YOU are holding people down by not accepting the fact that their lives are not the same as yours. Everyone who thinks this way is STILL part of the problem.

 

[B_spiker067]

If you want to change the situation, you need to look to the leaders of the past. The NAACP had the right idea. Get an education. You can't raise yourself or your family up without a good ...

<tongue in cheek>
And finally you got to the nub of the issue, it won't be so much the blacks against the whites, but the smart against the dumb, on a world order, who collude via the internet to get rid of the useless polluters (stolen, paraphrased eugenics phrase). It will be wickedly smart Chinese, Indians, Germans, Swedes, Namimbians(?sp). et al against the rest. That will definitely be something to write some sci-fi around for a future date a few decades down the road.
</tongue in cheek>

Would you genetically enhance your progeny?