Racism and Understanding

Oh, sylvrshadow. Thank you SO much for that beautiful post!

I'm glad I disobeyed my mother when she told me not to play with the black girls, or I might be a very different person today.

I cried when I read your story about the cab (still not quite over that) and I laughed at the Michael Jackson reference.

I so appreciate you understanding the woman's ignorance. Some people REALLY don't know any better.

You have voted sylvrshadow for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have used all of your votes for this month.

posted by sylvrshadow

Hi All. I am pleasantly surprised to see a thread such as this not reduced to personal attacks or angry rhetoric. I have so many stories about first hand accounts of racism, but I will only list a few so that I can make a statement about what I think racism really is. Just my opinion of course!

Age 8
I remember the look of disgust the [white school] nurse gave me as I had my hair checked. I thought it was because she thought I had lice in my hair, but then I realized she did it to all of the black children. [1980 in TX by my calculations.]

Ages 9 & 10
Two new girls of Japanese descent joined our class. I was excited to get to know them because I never had friends who were Asian. We had a great first week getting to know each other. Then the next Monday they told me they couldn’t play with me anymore. When I asked why, they told me because their parents told them black people were not nice and not to be trusted . .

I am sadly surprised. I thought race prejudice was a white man’s disease? I was in Japan in 1954 and I did not find any race based discrimination. Yes, I’m white, but I’ve always been attuned to racism. Blame that on my mother. She tolerated no racism in her house.

Age 14
I moved from TX to GA . . my high school was mixed black and white but walking on opposite sides of the hall, sitting separately at lunch and in class, and riding separate busses. It was unforced segregation, and the students PREFERRED it that way.

Students are children. Adults must teach children. When a child’s preferences are harmful to the child and to society, the adult must instruct the child how to overcome or avoid that undesirable habit. And re-enforce that leaning experience. As in any other learning exercise. We are not born with habits, we learn or acquire habits. Habits can be changed, if there is a will to do it.

Ages 15-17
I enrolled in Advance Placement classes to help prepare me for college. I wanted to be a veterinarian. I was the only black person in my classes. Apparently only white people took those classes and if you signed up for AP classes well, then [your black friends said] you were trying to be white. (I know it doesn’t make much sense?) So, all my friends were white. I was told by white people who knew me that I wasn’t really black, I was different. Try as I might I could never get them to understand that I really was black, and that outside of Conyers, GA, there were other black people who were as "different" as I was. I don’t think it ever really sank in.

Age 19
I attended Tuskegee University, a historically black college . . It’s a new experience going to a school where everyone is black. No one thinks I "talk white" or "act white." Everyone is from everywhere . . only a few people had extreme views about white people and unfortunately one of them was my history professor.

I became a thorn in my professor’s side. . I challenged his "facts" about how black people are the "root race" and how all great ideas are originally those of black people. I research on my own and I was still able to shed light on many of his untrue “facts."

In the professor’s defense, I also believe all humans originated in Africa. And began black. And I’ve read a bit about Timbuktu. The Holy Bible relates a story about Sheba (Ethiopia). But I’m thinking 3-7 million years ago. As in Lucy. But getting more current, I recently heard an interesting result of DNA studies. There is a severe constriction in the “rate” of mutations in our human Genome.

At the risk of repeating, about 75,000 years ago the world wide human population was reduced to perhaps 15,000 - 20,000 individuals. This is also the origin of the story about the real Eve some 20 years ago. It said all humans living today are descended from one woman. She was not the only woman alive then but the descendants of all the other women died away. Leaving EVE to be our common mother.

This DNA anomaly is coincidental with Sumatra’s Toba Caldera, the largest volcano in the last 2 million years. It erupted about 75,000 years ago and involved a chunk of earth 18 miles wide, 60 miles long and 1 mile deep. About 1,100 cubic miles of earth hurled into the atmosphere. Still not even close to the quantity of ejecta from Mexico‘s KT Boundary meteor that ended the Cretaceous period with a mass extinction. Toba nevertheless severely effected the climate for perhaps a decade. It killed off most humans as well as many plants and other animals, according to many scholars.

There is a similar but slightly smaller caldera at Yellowstone National Park that is a bit “past due” to explode. 600,000 years ago, the last time it erupted, it covered the US from the Rockies to the Mississippi Valley, Montana to Oklahoma. If it repeated that eruption tomorrow, it would kill 15 million people outright, 75 million people in a few weeks and 200 million more people before its effects were finally remitted by Mother Nature. Only the very rich and high politicos are likely to survive. Us ordinary mortals will “meet our Maker.”

Age 24
Now married and living in Wash DC. [1995] I am 8 months pregnant and having strange pains. With my husband at work, I have to go alone to my doctors hospital . . To get there I take the Metro train part way and then hail a cab the rest of the way. As I waited at the bus stop for a cab, my pains grew worse. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw a cab coming. The driver slows down, looks at me and then speeds up to pick up a man 20 feet in front of me. Yes, this man was white.

But the white man was not pregnant. You were visibly pregnant. I have some empathy with the cabbie provided his decision was based on your pregnancy rather than on your color. It is possible he did not want to risk being at the delivery of a baby. I’m older than you, Ms S/S, and I can tell you the delivery room is the last place I want to be. Sorry about that.

I was shocked and started crying hysterically, worried about my baby . . a man waves down a cab going the opposite direction. The driver turns and stops, asking where he would go. The man replies that he would go to the closest hospital and then he ushers me into the cab. This man happened to be white. But more, the cab driver apologized for the other cab driver’s behavior and then personally took me inside the hospital and made sure I was alright before leaving. He refused to take the money I owed him for the cab ride.

I applaud the second cabbie.

Age 26
I now work as a vet tech intern at an animal hospital in Bowie MD. I feel like I have joined a new family. I noticed the woman who is the office manager, has been sending some rather strange statements my way in a couple of our conversations.

Follows several racially insensitive remarks that may or may not be purposeful. I’d guess the remarks are probably a not so subtle way of establishing her O/M pecking order. With Ms S/S at the bottom.

Ms S/S summarizes:

“Well, those are a few of the experiences that I have had in my 36 years of life. Based on my experiences and my viewpoint on life in general, I look at racism a bit differently.

Then racism only exists based on an individuals fears, mis-understanding, and the inability of that person to educate themselves about others who they see as being different. There exists cultural differences between all people, even people of the same race. I am ME before I am any label, and I find that I evolve as a person every day. I am by no means perfect, and I am guilty of exhibiting viewpoints that are prejudiced, biased, judgmental, or racist. I make no excuses for that, but I am hopeful that I learn to be less of those things everyday. It is my hope that we all will.” [Edited by Don W]

Agreed.

[edit on 4/13/2007 by donwhite]

Originally posted by donwhite
I thought race prejudice was a white man’s disease?

donwhite, several of us white people have been telling you different for a year (at least) now. I'm sorry you didn't take our word for it, but glad that sylvrshadow's story convinced you otherwise.

But the white man was not pregnant. You were visibly pregnant. I have some empathy with the cabbie provided his decision was based on your pregnancy rather than on your color.

Why would you empathize with a man who refused to help a visibly pregnant women for his own selfish reasons???

donwhite, your commentary continues to surprise me.

Originally posted by donwhite
Wow! OK on not living here. You’re right, I engaged in hyperbole. Well, its not too important now, anyway. I am not aware of what you describe as multi-cultural but I think I know what you mean by the context. I had no intent of referring to non-US of A types. Yes on variations. Is that a double negative on purpose?

Thats okay Don.. though imo it doesn't matter if you are reffering exclusively to american whites anyway. It's still a racist sentiment.. and, again.. racism isn't just an american issue.

I always wanted to visit Australia, but I never had the time and money at the same time. My closest connection to Australians was my brief sojourn with the 77 Squadron RAAF, at Kimpo AB, Korea, in late 1953. They flew Glouster Meteors. I visited their mess several times for a good sample of beer.

The beer has to be cold here though. Count yourself in for an aussie ATS meetup if can manage to time it right.

posted by Benevolent Heretic

posted by donwhite: I thought race prejudice was a white man’s disease?

donwhite, your commentary continues to surprise me. several of us white people have been telling you different for a year (at least) now. I'm sorry you didn't take our word for it, but glad that sylvrshadow's story convinced you otherwise. [Edited by Don W]

I dunno, Ms B/H. Look at who else also thinks white America is racist. Republican Dwight Eisenhower remarked the biggest mistake he had made as president was appointing Earl Warren to be Chief Justice. A direct slap at Brown v. Topeka. Republican Richard Nixon campaigned in the south saying he was against school bussing! “Children need to spend time in school and not on busses,” he said. Republican Ronald Reagan rode to electoral success endlessly re-telling the Welfare Cadillac story to cheering GOP audiences. Republican George Bush #1 achieved his electoral success in large part because of the Willie Horton racist tv ad. Jesse Helms beat Charlotte Mayor Gant 2 times using the Anti-Affirmative Action ad showing the white guy being “pink slipped” while an African American waits for his job. I believe a majority of white Americans continue to oppose affirmative action objectives. Senator George Allen slurred Native Americans. And newly elected Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee maliciously slandered black Democratic Congressmen Harold Ford in 2006 with the Playboy white girl black guy ad.

I believe one can fairly say the Republican Party is convinced that playing the anti-black race card works for them. For a long, long time. And, I must say I am unfamiliar of a Republican - other than George Allen - who played the race card who also lost his election. How much more proof must I show?

I don't see Democrats running racist ads. Why's that?

You [sylvrshadow] were visibly pregnant. I have some empathy with the cabbie provided his decision was based on your pregnancy rather than on your color.

Why would you empathize with a man who refused to help a visibly pregnant women for his own selfish reasons?

I gave my reason in my post, B/H. Hey, it’s a free market, right? Hey, we don’t want any regulations about who cabbies pick up and who they deny a ride. Do we? No regulations must be at the very heart of Republicanism?

[edit on 4/13/2007 by donwhite]

Originally posted by donwhite
Look at who else also thinks white America is racist.

I don't think anybody has said there is not a racism problem in White America. I know BH has not said that.

What she and others are saying is that racism is not unique to White America, but exists, sadly, in pretty much all colors/ethnicities in this country. That is the point that seems to keep being missed/denied.

I gave my reason in my post, B/H. Hey, it’s a free market, right?

I just want to be sure I understand you, here, since sarcasm is sometimes lost in this medium.

Are you saying you think it would be wrong for a cabby to not pick up sylvrshadow because she is black, but it is OK to not pick her up because she is pregnant?

Hey, we don’t want any regulations about who cabbies pick up and who they deny a ride. Do we?

I would think regulation along the same line as used in housing or employment would be appropriate. Cannot deny someone a house or a job (physical limitations not-withstanding) because they are black or pregnant, so it seems reasonable that taxis, which are public transportation, should work under the same rules.

This must be the heart of Republicanism? Small government, no or low taxes. And God Bless the War in Iraq?

Uh, huh? Again, I'm not sure if you are kidding here...

We drink our beer cold over here, too. I remember Coopers. Over here we have mucho Fosters although I hear it is not so popular Down Under. Maybe like St Pauli Girl, never drank in Germany but brewed for US taste. Oh, I noted a brand of beer, Piss Beer. Only Aussies would botlle that!

Thanks for the invite. I’m not dead yet! I’ll let you know before I start.

posted by Open_Minded Skeptic
I don't think anybody has said there is not a racism problem in White America. I know BH has not said that. What she and others are saying is that racism is not unique to White America, but exists, sadly, in pretty much all colors and ethnicity’s in this country. That is the point that seems to keep being missed or denied. [Edited by Don W]

Racism practiced on blacks is huge. All other racism is minuscule.

I think B/H was trying to show that if just 1 white person was not a racist, my assertion that ALL white people born before 1954 are racists, was disproved. Quibbling. Sort of like Lot and God at Soddom. Most racism practiced by white Americans in 2007 is benign. Americans are playing like it [racism] no longer effects the lives of black people every day. Home loans. Job promotions. Scholarships. Cab rides. Etc. Which is what S/S was trying to show us. By recounting various situations over her lifetime. It may not get worse, but it is not getting better, either.

Are you saying you think it would be wrong for a cabby not to pick up sylvrshadow because she is black, but it is OK to not pick her up because she is pregnant?

In America, there are no rules about cabbies and who they haul. Like it or not, there are many neighborhoods - always poor and often inhabited largely by blacks - that cabbies will not haul passengers into. For reasons of their own personal safety. I have never heard a white person express the slightest concern or interest in this ugly urban phenomenon. Is this total lack of concern and what is implied - a ghetto - due to ignorance or to indifference? The former is easy to fix, the latter is much more deeply embedded in our culture.

A city council rule would be unenforceable, which may be why there are none. I’m not sure this issue rises to the “right-wrong” level. After reflection, I can say I have ridden in 2 taxicabs since 1992. Cabbies quickly learn where the potential tip is to be found. A pregnant woman who can’t afford a car or a well dressed business man? If she has a baby in the cab, who gets to clean the cab? If she gets to the hospital and does not have the cab fare, what do you do? Sue her? America is a capitalist country, not a socialist country. Over here, it's dog eat dog. Did not Ronald Reagan pronounce "that government IS the problem?"

At my hometown’s airport, this problem was solved by forcing cabbies to line up specified place, and they moved out one at a time to the incoming passenger terminal. If they did not accept any passenger, they would be barred from hauling form the airport. This would not work on th e street where some cabbies “cruise” for passengers. S/S, rightly being sensitive to race based maltreatment sees race where I say, it might have been economic discrimination, which is OK in America. Applauded you might say. Success in life is measure by the square footage of your house. Etc.

[edit on 4/14/2007 by donwhite]

Originally posted by donwhite
Racism practiced on blacks is huge. All other racism is minuscule.

In my opinion, if we separate "white racism" and "black racism" as two different animals, we've lost. Racism is racism. Yes, a higher percentage of blacks are probably subjected to racism. But ANY racism is racism. None is minuscule, IMO.

Originally posted by donwhite
I think B/H was trying to show that if just 1 white person was not a racist, my assertion that ALL white people born before 1954 are racists, was disproved.

No, that's not what I was saying at all. You said:

Originally posted by donwhite
I thought race prejudice was a white man’s disease?

And my reply was meant to say that prejudice is not just a white man's disease. Many people across all races are prejudiced and practice racism. And it's all the same 'disease'.

In America, there are no rules about cabbies and who they haul.

But we weren't talking about that. We were talking about the fact that you'd empathize with a cabbie who didn't want to haul a pregnant woman, but not one who didn't want to haul a black woman. You're certainly free to hold that opinion, but I don't understand it, and it's not necessary that I (or anyone) do. I would have no empathy for either.

S/S, rightly being sensitive to race based maltreatment sees race where I say, it might have been economic discrimination, which is OK in America.

I understand that. It was your empathy that I am confused about.

And, like it or not, just as economic discrimination is ok in America, so is personal racism and personal discrimination based on race. I don't like it or agree with it, but it's as legal as economic discrimination.

80% of people who die by homicide in Jacksonville die by guns. Thank you, NRA and Mitt Romney. You must really love America.

posted by Benevolent Heretic

In my opinion, if we separate "white racism" and "black racism" as two different animals, we've lost. Racism is racism. Yes, a higher percentage of blacks are probably subjected to racism. But ANY racism is racism. None is minuscule, IMO.

Florida State’s Attorney Shorstein announced on Friday, April 13, 2007, that Jacksonville police officers were justified in three police shootings in January, but he questioned whether two of the killings were necessary. Douglas Woods, Isaac Singletary, and Harry Shuler died as a result of shootings by Jacksonville Police officers in a three-week period. "Even though the evidence does not in any way suggest a criminal act on the part of the law enforcement officers, never the less, the deaths of Mr. Shuler and Mr. Singletary, in my opinion, could have been avoided," Shorstein said.

Not Accidental homicide? Not Negligent homicide? Hmm? Lawful but unnecessary? That’s confusing. Q. How can an “unnecessary homicide” be lawful? A. When the victim is black. I wonder what color these 3 victims were? Perhaps they were well to do merchants, or some professional men? Perhaps they lived in a gated community. Perhaps they were white men? Hah! If you are a 5th grader or older in America, you know that’s not going to happen. How long has it been since the cops killed 3 white men in less than one month in one city in America? Heck, not since the 1960s-1970s, if memory serves. Kent State. If you know of another, please post it.

Singletary, 80, was shot and killed Jan. 27 in an exchange of gunfire as he confronted two undercover officers the front yard of his home on Westmont Street, just off Philips Highway.

The old black man 2 times asked the strangers to leave his neighborhood. Two times they ignored him. 2 scruffy unkept looking characters he justifiably thought were 2 more drug dealers. They ignored him. On the 3rd attempt, he came to his front door carrying a gun. The cops claim he shot at them. Maybe yes, maybe no. Both cops ran to take cover behind a tree. Unhurt. At this point, no one was dead. Why could not the two men (cops) have called for uniformed cops to come to the scene to defuse an ugly situation about to turn lethal? No, they opted to shoot back and kill the man on the spot, in his own front yard.

The State investigator says he “questioned whether two of the killings were necessary.” I like that word, “necessary.” The two cops could have moved to another location at the old man’s first urging. The two cops could have approached the old man and identified themselves and explained their assignment, in response to the homeowner’s second request. After they were safe behind a tree, they could have waited for a SWAT team to come. But no, they opted to kill the man. And the state’s prosecutor who is investigating this “incident” says, it appears it was “unnecessary” to kill the old man. Isn’t that some kind of a crime, to kill a person unnecessarily? Even if done by cops?

Shuler, 65, another man of color, was shot after a standoff with a SWAT team at Shuler's parents' home on Gilchrist Road on the Northside. Investigators said Shuler was released from a psychiatric facility a few weeks before the incident.

A “standoff?” OK, so he’s inside a house and 15 or 20 cops are outside. A half dozen of them specially trained. A SWAT team. Oops! Trained for what? Wearing black one piece outer garments, armored vests, Darth Vader style helmets with face guards, and armed with fully loaded M16s. You’re inside, crazy as a loon, at your parent’s home, and you see Star Wars on your front lawn. There is no accusation Mr Shuler shot a gun while the police were there. Nor is there any claim Mr Shuler posed a life and death threat to anyone. He just would not come out of the house. Can you blame him? Well, the cops were not going to wait. Come out now or we’ll kill you!” He didn’t, they did.

Woods, 18, was shot Jan. 20 at Sabal Palms Apartments on Emerson Street by an undercover narcotics officers who said Woods had a gun and tried to rob them. Shorstein said he will forward his report and recommendations to Sheriff John Rutherford.

Woods, 18, a youth with no prior arrest record and not known to be into the drug scene. Yes, he was black. He was young. 2 strikes! His mother said she believed he went to his front pants pocket for his cell phone. The cops said they thought he was going for his gun, so they did the Christian thing they shot and killed him No, they found no gun.

Just a tragic mistake says the state’s investigator. Hey the cop game is for real. We are looking for druggies. We’ve been doing this since President Nixon began the War on Drugs in 1972. I wonder how many innocent people have been killed in this failed War?

I recall late last year when serving a no-knock warrant - invented by the Nazi Gestapo? - another very old lady who lived alone in Atlanta was killed by a fusillade of shots fired by more Atlanta PD Darth Vader types. She was killed sitting in her favorite chair in her own living room. Oh, yeah, she too, was a black person. Maybe that was her crime? Make a bet. If she had lived in a gated community, she'd still be alive! Well, you say, unlikely. Not many blacks live in gated communities. Except the county jail!

So you ask, why don’t blacks cooperate with the police? Don’t the cops wear a patch on their shoulders saying “To Protec And Serve?” Hmm?

Q. If you are a caring black parent, do you tell you 4-5 years old child that policemen are their friends, or do you tell your child, when you see a cop, run away!

Before I moved to Jax in ‘03, a man asleep in his own bed was accosted by a “gang” of cops serving a “no knock” drug warrant. He was shot and killed by the cops. Big screw-up. Followed by an attempted cover up. The cops first said he drew a gun on them, but in a couple days, one of the cops said that was a lie. Then they admitted it was. But that was the “good” part. The bad part was the man the PD were looking for had moved away more than 1 year earlier. Proof? The dead man was listed in the current phone book at that address. “Hey, we’re not perfect! This police business is tough.”

Oh, yes, the dead man was white. The rule is, if white, no mention, if black, specify.

[edit on 4/14/2007 by donwhite]

All through most of the posters specific incidents, the references are often applicable "both ways." That being said, perhaps the solution is not so much about understanding as acceptance.

We must learn to accept that not all people are going to be like us.

We must learn to accept that not all people are not going to think like us.

We must learn to accept that not all people are going to live like us.

Like the same music
Appreciate the same art
Worship the same
Have the same politics

If we can accept our neighbors differences, we can learn from them and maybe, just maybe be a little less racist..

Semper

Originally posted by semperfortis
If we can accept our neighbors differences, we can learn from them and maybe, just maybe be a little less racist..

Right on, Semper. And taking it a step further, I think it's important to accept that fact that some people are racist. And although I disagree with them completely, they have the same rights as I do to express their opinion. I have the "right" to disagree with them and (IMO) the moral "obligation" to educate them. But I am not morally superior to them. If we are all equal, then even the most bigoted racist is equal to me.

With all the fuss, rightfully so to my mind, about Don Imus in the past few days it seems, to me anyway, obvious that the United States has come along ways along the road to true equality amongst the races. Still a ways to go, 'tis true, but would there have been this much fuss and feathers say even twenty years ago? I doubt it.

As I said, there is still a ways to go. But progress is sometimes slower than we'd like it to be. But progress is still progress. On this day, when baseball commemorates Jackie Robinson, let's remember what he went through and recall there was little in the way of public condemnation of the attacks against him. No one of any consequence said anything to condemn the racist attacks against him. Now? A comment, on air, by Imus generates incredible outrage, as it should have. Progress is there to be seen, if you care enough to look for it.

posted by seagull

With all the fuss about Don Imus in the past few days it seems obvious the US has come a long way along the road to - true - equality among the races. Still a ways to go but would there have been this much fuss say even twenty years ago? [1987] I doubt it. Progress is sometimes slower than we'd like. But progress is still progress. Baseball commemorates Jackie Robinson, remember what he went through and recall there was little in the way of public condemnation of the attacks against him. No one of any consequence said anything to condemn the racist attacks against him. Now? A comment on air by Imus generates incredible outrage, as it should have. [YouTube gets the credit] Progress is there to be seen, if you care enough to look for it. [Edited by Don W]

Q. Do you think the Republican National Committee and all Republican candidates should sign a pledge NOT to employ racist tactics in the 2008 campaign?

A. Yes ___ No ___ Indifferent __

[edit on 4/15/2007 by donwhite]

Looking at one side of the story again... Let us just say that both sides should stick to the issues that concern us all. As far as using race based attacks the Dems are fully as guilty of it as the GOP. So I'll say both sides should knock it off.

Allow me to explain: The Dems use the tactic of victimhood which is as rascist, in its own seductive way, as anything the Republicans do. So to answer your question: Sure why not. But asking a politician of any persuasion to abide by an agreement is asking a lot.

If you did that would you have the Dems do it as well?

This goes both ways, or we have the very thing you are complaining about in reverse..

Semper

posted by semperfortis

If you did that would you have the Dems do it as well? This goes both ways, or we have the very thing you are complaining about in reverse. Semper [Edited by Don W]

No, Mr S/F, it does not go both ways. Please note my re-counting of past racist abuses from an earlier post. I have not yet mentioned Strom Thurmond and Trent Lott. All these men have one thing in common.

They are Republicans.

Not Democrats. So why should Dems sign any pledge? They don't do racism. Only Republicans practice electoral racism. “I dunno, Ms B/H. Look at who else also thinks white America is racist. Republican Dwight Eisenhower remarked the biggest mistake he had made as president was appointing Earl Warren to be Chief Justice. A direct slap at Brown v. Topeka. We all know what he meant. Republican Richard Nixon campaigned in the south saying he was against school bussing! “Children need to spend time in school and not on busses,” he said. We know what he meant. Republican Ronald Reagan rode to electoral success endlessly re-telling the ‘Welfare Cadillac’ story to cheering GOP audiences. We know what he meant. Republican George Bush #1 achieved his electoral success in large part because of the Willie Horton racist tv ad. Jesse Helms beat Charlotte Mayor Gant 2 times using the Anti-Affirmative Action ad showing the white guy being “pink slipped” while an African American waits for his job. We know what he meant. And newly elected Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee maliciously slandered black Democratic Congressmen Harold Ford in 2006 with the Playboy white girl black guy ad. We know what he meant.

So why should Dems sign?

[edit on 4/15/2007 by donwhite]

Originally posted by donwhite
I dunno, Ms B/H. Look at who else also thinks white America is racist.

donwhite, do you even read my posts?

For the third time, I said prejudice is not JUST a white man's disease. Meaning white people aren't the ONLY people who are racist. (And many white people are not racist).

And since when do you think it would matter to me what Dwight Eisenhower or Richard Nixon or anyone else thinks?

Originally posted by donwhite
So why should Dems sign any pledge? They don't do racism.

That's ridiculous. They're part of white America, aren't they?

I can't believe you think that Republicans are racist and Democrats aren't. I know this is Social Issues on the Politics board, but come on! What about all those people who aren't either (like myself)?

posted by Benevolent Heretic

donwhite, (1) do you even read my posts? For the third time, (2) I said prejudice is not JUST a white man's disease. Meaning white people aren't the ONLY people who are racist. (3) And since when do you think it would matter to me what Dwight Eisenhower or Richard Nixon or anyone else thinks? [Edited by Don W]

1) Yes, I read your posts. But you may make 10 statements. I may agree with 4, have no opinion on 2 and disagree with 4, but only care to reply to 2.

2) I admitted to Riley that statement was hyperbole. I know “ALL” rarely applies to anything outside a cemetery. White racism against blacks is America’s scourge. The other forms of racism pale into insignificance.

It is my observation that most white’s are stuck in the racist system more than they are designers of it. But it is also true they are comfortably profiting from a system that discriminates (exploits) by skin color. I don’t so much expect to convert any to a race paradise, but I do find making them uncomfortable over their ill gotten gains or privileges a reward in itself. After all, awareness must precede reform.

3) It should.

History is a continuum. The present is made out of the past. It repeats unless we intervene. When we lack awareness of how we are perpetuating a wrongful condition even unintentionally, we are less likely to fix it.

As Americans demonstrated in the Imus case, there is a broad anti racist sentiment out there, but it needs leadership. The Republicans I cited did not furnish that, in fact, they did just the opposite. They encouraged the racists.

I can't believe you think that Republicans are racist and Democrats aren't.

I don’t know why you wouldn’t. I’ve said it a dozen times, or more. It may be genetic?


[edit on 4/15/2007 by donwhite]

Well there it is...

The problem can never be solved, or even brought to a mutual conclusion as long as the understanding only goes one way...

I am not blind to the racism in the Republican party. I am also not blind to the racism in the Democrat party.

That allows me a level of understanding not possible only seeing one side.

If the Republicans sign something, will the Democrats agree to not throw Oreos at any Black Republican winners?

Semper