Black. White.

[ylexot]

Here's my take on the current state of racism based on what I have seen and heard. Keep in mind that what I have experienced may not be indicative of the situation everywhere in America.

Yes, there is racism in "white America". However, it is not as prevalent as I believe "black America" thinks that it is. I have heard racist comments made. I have seen skinheads. But those comments and those people are very few in number...maybe numbering around 50 people and/or comments in my lifetime (31 years). Interestingly, most racist comments that I have heard come about while talking about Affirmative Action, Black History Month, and the Black Student Union (when I was in college). Believe it or not, these "black-centric" programs and groups are actually hurting race relations. And it's not because the "whites are trying to hold back the blacks". It's because equality is "nothing-centric". "Black-centric" creates division.

On the flip side, I believe that "black America" actually teaches their children that "white America" is racist. If they are taught that whites are racist, when they meet a white person (who, most likely isn't racist) and don't experience the overt racism that was the norm long ago, they begin to look at the less and less overt until every small thing that is percieved to be "wrong" is somehow linked to racism. Thus, racial hypersensitivity.

 

[just.me]

It's all pink on the inside.

You hope.

Thanks for lightening the mood here.....it had turned rather ugly.....

 

[mainman]

I watched last night, I think its a joke.... I wonder how the families were picked...

The white dude just don't get it.. The experiment is to see how you are treated if you are of a different race, he is in black makeup acting white...

The black dude, anything a whitey does around him is racist, he is a paranoid freak....

 

[just.me]

I watched last night, I think its a joke.... I wonder how the families were picked...

The white dude just don't get it.. The experiment is to see how you are treated if you are of a different race, he is in black makeup acting white...

The black dude, anything a whitey does around him is racist, he is a paranoid freak....

Yep, I agree about the men - both of them irritate me, they are both so smug - although the white girl is really into it, and doing well from what I saw...didn't see all of it last night, BF stared at basketball all evening...

 

[DoWhat]

Interestingly, most racist comments that I have heard come about while talking about Affirmative Action, Black History Month, and the Black Student Union (when I was in college). Believe it or not, these "black-centric" programs and groups are actually hurting race relations. And it's not because the "whites are trying to hold back the blacks". It's because equality is "nothing-centric". "Black-centric" creates division.

 

[mAlice]

On the flip side, I believe that "black America" actually teaches their children that "white America" is racist. If they are taught that whites are racist, when they meet a white person (who, most likely isn't racist) and don't experience the overt racism that was the norm long ago, they begin to look at the less and less overt until every small thing that is percieved to be "wrong" is somehow linked to racism. Thus, racial hypersensitivity.

I believe this to be true.


I'd like to add, that I never personally experienced racism before I came here. At least, nothing that I was aware of. Maybe I was just oblivious. However, when I arrived here I experienced plenty of racism...from the black community.

 

[kwillia]

I believe this to be true.


I'd like to add, that I never personally experienced racism before I came here. At least, nothing that I was aware of. Maybe I was just oblivious. However, when I arrived here I experienced plenty of racism...from the black community.

This is true for me... I moved from PG county many years back. I didn't notice racism until we moved here. I have seen from both races, but I have seen far more racial attacks from the black community towards others than the other way around. Sadly, many of those experiences came from elementary school age children and there is no doubt in my mind they are being brought up to react that way.

 

[mAlice]

This is true for me... I moved from PG county many years back. I didn't notice racism until we moved here. I have seen from both races, but I have seen far more racial attacks from the black community towards others than the other way around. Sadly, many of those experiences came from elementary school age children and there is no doubt in my mind they are being brought up to react that way.

All of my experiences have been with adults, they must be the same adults that are teaching their children to hate.

 

[ylexot]

I believe this to be true.


I'd like to add, that I never personally experienced racism before I came here. At least, nothing that I was aware of. Maybe I was just oblivious. However, when I arrived here I experienced plenty of racism...from the black community.

Yeah, I forgot to mention that I have heard several racist comments from black people as well. An interesting note on the racists comments that I have heard...racist comments that I have heard from whites were in private. Racist comments that I have heard from blacks were in public. Not sure if that makes any difference, but it is intersting to note.

 

[vraiblonde]

racist comments that I have heard from whites were in private. Racist comments that I have heard from blacks were in public.

That's because racism by whites against blacks is considered socially unacceptable, whereas blacks have no such taboo.

 

[kwillia]

All of my experiences have been with adults, they must be the same adults that are teaching their children to hate.

Some of my experiences with racists children happened when I was a child, but others are more recent and stem from my involvement at my children's school. I'll never forget the time I chaperoned a field trip and the little black boy assigned to my group informed me, "My daddy said I don't have to listen to no white people." I was stunned. I told him that my group was the fun group and if he wanted to remain with us he had to follow the rules just like everyone else. He didn't give me any problems at all that day, but I was pizzed his dad was chosing to raise his son that way.

 

[carolinagirl]

As a white woman married to a black man and with three bi-racial children, I can understand both points of view. Vrai and Elaine you don't consider race in you things that you do everyday because you could care less about a person's color. From what I know about you on this board, it is about how someone treats you and what's on the inside that counts and that is great. I believe that like me you all make comments or observations about people that are sometimes stereotypical, but not because you're racist, but because there do happen to be stereotypical traits of each race. On the other hand, I can understand Lexi, because even though she may not think of you all as being racist, certain comments or actions still cut like a knife. And when you or your loved ones have been openly discriminated against you tend to start to wonder in future situations why a person treated you differently. Personally, I have witnessed people discriminate against my husband and it hurts me as much as it hurts him.

I did not watch the show, but have seen previews and excerpts of certain things and I believe people have gotten it right with the action of both fathers. And yes, some white men are naive to the "undercover" racist acts or overtones and some black men do find or at least look for racist actions in everything a white person does. But the fact is, racism does still exist and what makes it even harder to swallow for the people being discriminated against is the fact that it can be subtle and not as blatant as before the Civil Rights Movement, thereby, leave those in majority saying to them "you're just trying to find something". My family has never had an incident of blatant racism, but we have subtle incidents of racism. An example of subtle racism that we have experience would be if I have gone to a store and went in alone before my husband. As a white woman, I get a warm, friendly greeting, all the bells and whistles of how are you the smiles the hand shakes, blah blah blah. Then, 10 minutes later my husband joins me and there is an immediate cooling reaction. It is not my imagination, I have felt the difference and I believe what Lexi is trying to say is that it is not that she is necessarily looking for a difference in the way she is treated, but you can feel a difference with people who are not comfortable with another race. I know for myself, I have never been on constant standby for the racists to come out of the woodwork and treat me and my family different, but I am in constant awareness of my surroundings, because racists do still exist. I have not taught my children to BEWARE of racists, but as bi-racial children who will be seen by some as black; it is mine and my husband's duty as parents to make them aware of certain things. He11, my 14 year old was floored a month or so ago when a black girlfriend of hers mentioned the KKK was still around today. She asked me if they still dress up and burn crosses and such. I told her yes, but I don't engrain in her mind that they are everywhere even if they aren't dressed up. To me it is much the same as a parent teaching their children about child molesters, no not everyone is a child molester, but even the nice man next door or the pastor at your church could be and there are certain precautions everyone must take.
On the flip side, not every action is racist. Take the money situation with Lexi. Alot of black people have been told over the years that this is a racist act. Black people have taken it as a sign of disrespect and yes it was done back in the day to black people as a sign of disrespect. But, what alot of people don't know is that in certain cultures (i.e. Asian) putting money directly into a person's hand thereby touching them is also a sign of disrespect.

I think to bottom line is white people should be more sensitive to the fact that black as well as other minorities have been treated unfairly and continue to be treated differently and black people should understand that there are those of us who believe that they were treated unfairly and barbarically for years but don't look at they color of their skin, but at the content of their character, which is what the Greatest Civil Rights leader of all times wanted. They should judge each of us individually without assumptions.

On an end note, I heard a very good speaker recently that made a good point about the difference in the race relations in America that seem to keep going in circles and the race relations in South Africa since the end of Apartheid. In America, we tend to say to the black people, "Oh, that happened so long ago, get over it, I wasn't there, move on already." This of course brings a negative reaction out of black people. In South Africa, the white people have openly said when asked about Apartheid, "Oh yeah, that was a horrible time, people were treated awful, we are embarrassed, but we've moved on." And the black people have embraced that also. I think in America, we tended to brush stuff under the rug and made all the social programs to feel warm and fuzzy and make amends, when what we should do as a nation is say what an awful and embarrassing time it was for all of us, now let's move forward together!

 

[mAlice]

On an end note, I heard a very good speaker recently that made a good point about the difference in the race relations in America that seem to keep going in circles and the race relations in South Africa since the end of Apartheid. In America, we tend to say to the black people, "Oh, that happened so long ago, get over it, I wasn't there, move on already." This of course brings a negative reaction out of black people. In South Africa, the white people have openly said when asked about Apartheid, "Oh yeah, that was a horrible time, people were treated awful, we are embarrassed, but we've moved on." And the black people have embraced that also. I think in America, we tended to brush stuff under the rug and made all the social programs to feel warm and fuzzy and make amends, when what we should do as a nation is say what an awful and embarrassing time it was for all of us, now let's move forward together!

The reason we're saying "get over it" is because we're tired of having it rubbed in our faces and told that we owe something, or being blamed for something that we had no control over. We're accused of crimes that our "ancestors" committed, when many of us were persecuted as well. Personnally, I'm sick of it. White men did not create slavery. It has been around since the beginning of time. The black community wants to blame the white community for enslaving their ancestors, when they were enslaving each other in Africa before white men ever arrived.

So, while I appreciate your comment, it doesn't change my attitude or beliefs.

 

[Larry Gude]

I don't really care how any of you...

...actually feel about race. Your feelings, like your faith, are yours and yours alone.

What I do care about is that our nation, like it or not, says that we, the people of the United States of America, believe we are all created equal and that we are ALL endowered with certain inalienable rights, chief among them life, liberty and the persuit of happiness.

Our founding documents, our mission statement if you will, goes in to detail as to individual rights.

All of the problems begin and end when we screw with this perfect document.

At first, we tried to get around it by claiming blacks were property, not human beings, therefore exempt from their rights.

It took us 87 years to settle that one and validate the documents all over again. Almost right away, we tried to invalidate them again by instituting violations of black peoples second amendment rights to keep and bear arms.

Yes indeedy folks, if you are pro gun control you are no different than a segregationist because the violation of that Constitutional right started and is rooted in fear of black people attaining full citizenship. Bad ideas never get better with age; they only become institutionalized, like slavery.

So, there it is; as long as we all recognize each others basic humanity and inalienable rights, we're all good because the papers, as long as we honor and respect them, account for any and all violations of individual rights.

It doesn't say we have to like each other. It doesn't say we have to love each other. We can actively hate each other, one individual to another of any background, race or creed or religion but we can NOT violate one anothers rights. We can also, one individual to another, like or love each other. That's the beauty of it all, the idea; indivdual freedom, individual rights.

All our problems today are rooted in the un-Constitutionality of our social programs that create longterm dependence for many blacks and poor people of all backgrounds and our violationg of peoples rights to defend themselves.

In both cases, it debilitates people. It makes them subjects, not citizens. There is no right to equal outcome and no right to fairness as defined by what is taken from one and given to another based on what one has and the other does not. This is a recipe for rivalry, resentment and hostility. It is the root of the problems we do have.

Now, in the mean time a great many blacks, a great many people of all backgrounds, simply go about there business each day, persuing happiness as they define it, as long as they are violating no one elses rights, secure in the ideas of our land.

There will always be people who simply hate that which is not them. Hell, there's plenty of people who hate that which IS them.

As long as we honor and respect our founding documents, we're good to go. That's the true battleground.

 

[DoWhat]

when what we should do as a nation is say what an awful and embarrassing time it was for all of us, now let's move forward together!

UFB
It is called history, the past.

 

[mAlice]

UFB
It is called history, the past.

Thank you. All nations have had embarrassing moments. I had no part of it. Why should I be embarrassed by it?

 

[carolinagirl]

The reason we're saying "get over it" is because we're tired of having it rubbed in our faces and told that we owe something, or being blamed for something that we had no control over. We're accused of crimes that our "ancestors" committed, when many of us were persecuted as well. Personnally, I'm sick of it. White men did not create slavery. It has been around since the beginning of time. The black community wants to blame the white community for enslaving their ancestors, when they were enslaving each other in Africa before white men ever arrived.

So, while I appreciate your comment, it doesn't change my attitude or beliefs.

My post wasn't to change anyone's attitude or belief's it is simply my observtions and opinions and frankly I agree with you to a certain point. I do believe certain people still use the slavery card as a crutch for them not succeeding in life. The saying "the white man is trying to hold me down" is an example of that. Yes, there are white people that would hire a white person over a black person based solely on color. But I say, why would you let one such incident hold you back. If you do, you are only allowing that person to succeed in holding you back, because there are plenty of white people that will hire you without regard to your color. However, if as a person of color you experience that situation several times, how do not get discouraged. Personally, I sympathize with people in that situation because even though the person doing the hiring is not a slave owner, he is acting of what s/he has been taught and how s/he was raised. So, is it right to tell the black person to get over slavery, but allow the white people to contiue their ancestors beliefs/actions that blacks should not equal?

 

[carolinagirl]

UFB
It is called history, the past.

It is history, but racism still continues to this day. Maybe not through you, but through others, therefore it is also our present and unfortunately our future. Trying to minimize it by saying I wasn't there or it is the past is a slap in the face to minorities.

 

[mAlice]

My post wasn't to change anyone's attitude or belief's it is simply my observtions and opinions and frankly I agree with you to a certain point. I do believe certain people still use the slavery card as a crutch for them not succeeding in life. The saying "the white man is trying to hold me down" is an example of that. Yes, there are white people that would hire a white person over a black person based solely on color. But I say, why would you let one such incident hold you back. If you do, you are only allowing that person to succeed in holding you back, because there are plenty of white people that will hire you without regard to your color. However, if as a person of color you experience that situation several times, how do not get discouraged. Personally, I sympathize with people in that situation because even though the person doing the hiring is not a slave owner, he is acting of what s/he has been taught and how s/he was raised. So, is it right to tell the black person to get over slavery, but allow the white people to contiue their ancestors beliefs/actions that blacks should not equal?

This is still Are you suggesting that black people don't do the exact same thing? There are plenty of black owned companies out there. I know, I've worked for them. I've also been turned down by them. I had a boss that moved on several years back. His replacement was a black woman. She fired me. No reason, no explanation. Never a complaint from the customer, or anyone.

 

[mAlice]

It is history, but racism still continues to this day. Maybe not through you, but through others, therefore it is also our present and unfortunately our future. Trying to minimize it by saying I wasn't there or it is the past is a slap in the face to minorities.

But it's okay to slap the face of a white person?