Racism

Before you read this know that you have no idea what color I am. I could be a man of Asian descent, I could be a white man whose ancestors came from Europe, I could be a proud black man whose ancestors were victims of the slave trade, perhaps Native American, or I could be Arabic in decent…. So before you comment after this post – know that your words could be construed a hypocritical if you call me racist for my views.

Racism is a horrible concept that is born in the minds of the fearful. To dislike someone because of their skin tone is a horrible thing. People cannot help how they are born, or who they are born to.

It seems that recently people have begun to merge political and religious ideas with race. To say you are against the current administration means you are raciest. To say you are a Republican or conservative means you are a bigot. To say you are a Democrat or liberal means you are a socialist, promoting a minority at expense of another race.

This mentality can be seen and heard around the world, from every media outlet – conservative and liberal alike; each spewing their own political agendas, and enraging the masses. Even AboveTopSecret.com has been victim of this ignorant mentality.

I would like to take a moment to explain two different concepts: racism and prejudice.

Racism: A deeply held conviction against another race, simply because of a person’s skin tone. This idea is often born from the idea that one race is superior to another.

Prejudice: A deeply held conviction against another race, formed from the perceived need of self-preservation. This idea is often born from multiple negative experiences with another race.

So to better explain, racism is to hate someone simply because of their skin. No other reason is necessary. No explanation needed. Racism is simple hate for the sake of hating.

Prejudice, which is what most people are to a degree, is a learned thought pattern. If I lived in China town in New York City, and I constantly got beat up every day by Chinese teenagers, then I might form a prejudice against all Chinese. In essence you from a self-preservation mindset, which is also called prejudice.

Now that I’ve explained the difference between the two – think about how your prejudice might influence your mindset. Just because a small group of people hurt you, doesn’t mean an entire race will hurt you.

For example: the current African American shooting of Michael Brown. The officer involved deserves to have a day in court – but our pre-conceived notions of prejudice make us feel like a personal attack has been performed that was entirely race related. Is this true? Suppose the officer thought, “Here is a black kid.… Let’s kill him!”? I’m doubtful that’s the way it played out. But that is probably the conclusion, obviously, that many of us jumped to. This prejudice is further fueled by the media. The media are not our friends. The media is a tool used by the social elite to divide us.

Another example: In my home town there is an award every year for the African American Citizen of the Year. What do you suppose would happen if the whites had a White Citizen of the Year award? There would be hell to pay. This is a double standard, and prejudice mentality that needs to be stopped. It doesn’t matter your skin tone – there just needs to be a Citizen of the Year, no race involved.

In closing I want to say, the next time you find yourself in a political or religious debate – don’t assume the person you are speaking to is motivated by race. We all have our own prejudices – deny it if you will, but we do.

But the great thing about a learned behavior: we can rise above it. We are all brothers and sisters of this world. Focus on loving all of humanity, than hating. Stop turning conversations into race arguments. Stop fueling the hate that spawns racism.

We are all a family, blacks, whites, yellows, reds, browns, creams, etc. family can sometimes argue – but then reconcile and come back together.

I believe we can mend the damage of hate. I believe in humanity.

Let me guess. You're a white guy.

originally posted by: BerenstEiner
Let me guess. You're a white guy.

You know - it's funny. If you take the time to read my post you will discover that I might have given away my race on accident.... Just saying.

originally posted by: BerenstEiner
Let me guess. You're a white guy.

I have to ask what you based that conclusion on?
So I don't blame you for leaping to conclusions, if in fact you do have something to base it on?

Me personally - I grew up in a very racist family.

They had reason to dislike many other races, but each reason was as flawed as the one before it.

In a way, they helped me to see the ignorance of racism.

What cracks me up is the fact that everyone claims to be unbiased, yet how many friggin forms do we have to fill out to identify what race we are. Oh, right. It's for "statistical purposes". And what exactly are we getting out of these statistics? Oh yeah, racism.

Alas...

He's black, I'm basing it off of some of the words he used to describe what his heritage could be....

a reply to: MentorsRiddle

This mentality can be seen and heard around the world, from every media outlet – conservative and liberal alike; each spewing their own political agendas, and enraging the masses. Even AboveTopSecret.com has been victim of this ignorant mentality.

I have noticed it on the Ferguson threads, subtle little jabs like calling the protesters animals and thugs or refering to the people as "the blacks" and making jokes about the knockout game. You are on the button, ats is not immune to this behavior.

I find it somewhat amusing how most of these racist-political-media scandal problems arise in the USA, the country that is supposedly the most multicultural in the world. What does this say about forcing multiculturalism across other countries?

Of course, I understand the history behind it and why you, as a nation, are so obsessed with racism, or better yet, anti-racism (which can turn into racism just as well... or at the least, political gain).

It's just funny when a country that has so many issues with racism dictates, terms to other countries and bashes a regime like Nazi Germany for being so racist, when in fact the USA was just as bad back then, and still hasn't sorted this problem.

originally posted by: Odyssian
Of course, I understand the history behind it and why you, as a nation, are so obsessed with racism, or better yet, anti-racism (which can turn into racism just as well... or at the least, political gain).

This, my friend, is the root cause of much racial strife in this country.

originally posted by: sosobad
a reply to: MentorsRiddle

This mentality can be seen and heard around the world, from every media outlet – conservative and liberal alike; each spewing their own political agendas, and enraging the masses. Even AboveTopSecret.com has been victim of this ignorant mentality.

I have noticed it on the Ferguson threads, subtle little jabs like calling the protesters animals and thugs or refering to the people as "the blacks" and making jokes about the knockout game. You are on the button, ats is not immune to that behavior.

What's wrong with saying "the blacks"? We also say " the whites" too.

All of a sudden "black" is bad now?

a reply to: BerenstEiner

When it is posted along with calling them thugs or animals the intent is quite clear.

Why not just refer to them as people? A human being like yourself.

I think what SoSoBad is trying to point out is that the racial element is alive and well.

He is not saying he is racist, or saying black is a bad word. He is just pointing out facts...

a reply to: jrflipjr

I couldn't possibly agree more. We have a leadership and political class (and if one person gets partisan, I'll scream a bunny scream that'll shatter glass! heh) which spends an ungodly amount of time telling society that we are post-racial, we are enlightened and we even carry the lessons learned from the past.

Like you note, after we listen to the blow-hard of the moment telling us all about this post-racial society on a waiting room television, we can rise to our number being called to turn in our clipboard of information for whatever brought us to a Government or official office .....having dutifully self-identified our race, which isn't supposed to matter, as required on almost every official form a U.S. printer makes today.

A "post-racial" society seems HYPER-Racial to me at times, and generally because we're so Race-phobic in even discussing it? The tensions from that alone feed into the maelstrom which occasionally busts out, whether we like it or not.

There is racism in my city because Cubans, Mexicans, White People, and Indians(natives) do not know how to behave in public. It goes for everybody.

We all hate eachother. But, if you make it big. We will root for you till the day you die.

Albuquerque is a funny place.

Culturism... not Racism... is the primary force in play today.

This should be obvious by the clear fact that there are people of all races mixed in all walks and positions of life now.

People are responding to CULTURE. BEHAVIOR. MANNERISMS. If you come in acting like a "thug" whether you are wearing a badge or a backwards baseball cap... you will be looked at like a "thug". If you come in acting like a respectful friendly person you'll pretty much be left alone or welcomed.

We've not developed a language to communicate on these terms though... so people fall into the trap of "The cop shot him because he was black" rather than "The cop shot him because he was a acting like a threatening thug" (not referring to a specific event... just the mindset). Or on the flip side... "he hates me because I'm white" versus "he hates me because I'm trying to control him".

We don't want to deal with it as a CULTURE issue because Culture is something you can be held accountable for. The example of being beaten up by Chinese kids. Most people's reaction is to not want to go where that *culture* is prevalent... but will continue to work with the Chinese person at their office, or get their meal from a Chinese cook, etc.

We're dealing with clashes of cultures... but have barely evolved our method of communicating about it.

Culture is something you choose. Something you can change. Thus why people would rather believe they are hated because they are black, smart, wear a badge, etc.

Clashes of cultures. Races are already intermingling everywhere... with the key element being that the people who have done so adapted to the culture they were entering. Whether it's a white person going to help improve inner city conditions or a black person trying to be CEO of a company. Whether it's a male wanting to work in child care or a woman wanting to be president.

a reply to: MentorsRiddle

This ...

"Racism: A deeply held conviction against another race, simply because of a person’s skin tone. This idea is often born from the idea that one race is superior to another. "

Works both ways.

I Have seen / been a victim of it to varying degrees in different countries. ( including my own lol ! )

I grew up and went to school with people from different geographical backgrounds.

I got to learn a lot about different cultures from my friends; who were the sons and daughters of " new Australians ".
European, Middle Eastern, Asians - even Poms !

Not to overlook the the ancient culture that is the Australian Aborigine, of which there are many people
with many different stories.

Old wounds take a long time to heal.

We as a human race have got to understand - as our Mothers have always said ...

" Stop picking the scab ! "

( mental image ? )

a reply to: Timely

Very true words.

The name of the police officer has been released.
He is black.
He is the President of the Ethical Society of Police.

A link to the thread about it:
ATS Thread

originally posted by: butcherguy
The name of the police officer has been released.
He is black.
He is the President of the Ethical Society of Police.

A link to the thread about it:
ATS Thread

I guess that means a lot of people have some things to think about.