Originally posted by Colonel
I'm doing stuff at work so I just fire off a comment before the Boss comes around.

In addtion, I think people like that racist/rapist Strom Thurmond and Trent Lott just add to racial tensions.

Personally, I think that racism has become better then it was in the 60s as far as main stream media and popular culture goes. However, part of that has involved demonizing people who speak out against one race over another (I'll admin I'm guilty of this.)

Unfortunatelly, this creates a dangerous situation. Racism has become a very touchy subject. There can no longer be a free exchange of ideas on this issue, because people become so passionate about their beliefs. If you disagree, you're attacking the individual in their mind. That goes for people who have racial distinctions and those who don't. Just look at the Jews behing the NWO thread; it didn't take long to blossom into a debate about what constitutes anti-semitism, and if some people are.

The reason for this creating a dangerous situation is that people start to keep their thoughts to themselves. Maybe discuss it among people they know feel the same way. Something similar happened in Germany when Hitler wasn't allowed to voice his opinions in public. He went underground, and shocked the heck out of the country when he took it over. Because of free speach, and the media, and the fact that he got air time for what I felt were archaic and barbaric opinions, David Duke never stood a chance here in America. Now, today, David Duke, the Klan, and other hate groups get no air. It's too offensive. So now, 10 years down the line, we could have a grand wizard of the KKK running for president, and 95% of the general public would have no idea. Dangerous.

As for a solution, I don't have one. Sadly, even though I recognise this threat, and the cause, I'm sure I'll argue against someone saying the Jews own the world again, and they will interpret it as an attack. And in a way it is an attack. I'm challenging their beliefs. But I'll also continue reading their arguements and sources. Generally, though, that causes me to lean even more away from bigotry.

First off, America is no more racist than any other country.

No other place int he world do you see so many RACES (not ethnic groups) RACES in one border. Whenever you have races all piled up together, there shall be hate. This is a natural reaction. Even animals segregate themselves, even amongst thier own genus and species. Animals of different color or features group together. This is as natural and normal as the rising and setting of the sun.

Even within a race, ethnic groups hate each other, and battle. Look at the middle east. Its an age old thing that shall NEVER go away despite wishful thinking.

Should it go away? Forcing it out of people only makes it grow stronger, hence increased white discontent. Spressing any belief or preference, no matter how vile, is a recipie for disaster.

The point isnt making it go away, its ensuring that these feelings and instincts are not dusruptive to the flow of society.

If a person hates another color, let them. let them say it. So long as that hatred is not dusruptive to others. In otherwords, if a person hates say koreans, fine. Dont hang out with them. Dont date them. Whatever. If you beat them up, or are in a position to do them harm or deny them access to servicies or opportunities, thats disruptive, then you punish them, as the need arises.

but one thing I have learned with racial tension: the more you try to beat tolerance down peoples throats, the more they eventually shall blow back up in thier face.

Tolerance, like anything, is a choice.

Look at the rise of conservatism. This is a response to fanatical liberalism that has made people swing the opposite direction.

The more you push, the stronger you will make the beast. And the pending disaster shall be brutal.

Everything must exist in balance. So long as a status quo of equal opportunity is maintained, then personal beliefs, and descisions not to associate with people, or raise thier children to believe a certain way, should not be interfered with.

The most racial tense area Ive ever seen was Cali, where the large number of whites, asian, blacks, and mexicans, all mixed together, creates a potential tinderbox that must be dealt with gently.

I think racism is not increasing. I am your typical 20 something middle class white guy. I have had/do have friends who were/are black, white, asian, mexican - you name it. I don't buy into this racism is increasing nonsense. Maybe it is the same as it was, but I don't think it is increasing.

What I do think hurts progress is that steriotypes are confirmed by enough people of a given race to give it credit. It is a shame that people make assumptions about someone without meeting them, but there are a lot of times when it is perfectly waranted. Example A) I saw a bunch of redneck white trash guys a few weeks ago at the beach, and what do ya know - confed flag and nazi tats all over them. Now I - even being white - before seeing any of this assumed they were probably of that ilk - and what do ya know they were. The next thing you know they were calling every non white person in view some name. It made me sick. Example B) I noticed a black guy looking at all the cars on my street last week in a skull cap and BBall jersey. I think, hmmmm - whats he doing? I guess he's just checking out some of the rides, cause we have a saleen mustang and a porchse across the street. Well, what do you know but later that night I wake up at 4am to find my car alarm going off and this guy trying to steal my car! So now I have a window missing, the drivers side lock is funked up cause he tried to jimmy it, and my ignition is screwed up cause he sucks at stealing cars. I knew he shouldn't have been scoping out the rides, but I didn't want to give him a hard time when he didn't do anything ya know - it's a free country and who the hell am I to assume he is up to know good. It's this type of behavior on all sides of the racial equation that makes a lot of people dislike other people. It's a shame, but it's true.

Gee, I should have known someone would make a political issue of this, and even only look at one side of the political spectrum.
*sigh*

People make money off of racial unrest. There are groups that want racial anxiety to remain as tha tis how that get big donations. They'll even try and make racial issues out of non-racial scenes, such as the bogus claims that the FHP were hassling minority voters in Florida. What was the reasoning? Donations, of course. Yes, and the political motive that obviously even misled the most intelligent Esquire we have at ATS.

If left to our own devices, things would have already been normalized, figuring out the small percentage of morons with which we will ALWAYS be burdened.

There is also the conspiratorial angle to consider, one that I find very plausible and to which I susbscribe.

Originally posted by American Mad Man
I think racism is not increasing. I am your typical 20 something middle class white guy. I have had/do have friends who were/are black, white, asian, mexican - you name it. I don't buy into this racism is increasing nonsense. Maybe it is the same as it was, but I don't think it is increasing.

What I do think hurts progress is that steriotypes are confirmed by enough people of a given race to give it credit. It is a shame that people make assumptions about someone without meeting them, but there are a lot of times when it is perfectly waranted. Example A) I saw a bunch of redneck white trash guys a few weeks ago at the beach, and what do ya know - confed flag and nazi tats all over them. Now I - even being white - before seeing any of this assumed they were probably of that ilk - and what do ya know they were. The next thing you know they were calling every non white person in view some name. It made me sick. Example B) I noticed a black guy looking at all the cars on my street last week in a skull cap and BBall jersey. I think, hmmmm - whats he doing? I guess he's just checking out some of the rides, cause we have a saleen mustang and a porchse across the street. Well, what do you know but later that night I wake up at 4am to find my car alarm going off and this guy trying to steal my car! So now I have a window missing, the drivers side lock is funked up cause he tried to jimmy it, and my ignition is screwed up cause he sucks at stealing cars. I knew he shouldn't have been scoping out the rides, but I didn't want to give him a hard time when he didn't do anything ya know - it's a free country and who the hell am I to assume he is up to know good. It's this type of behavior on all sides of the racial equation that makes a lot of people dislike other people. It's a shame, but it's true.

Honestly, i don't think those in teir 20s are going ot notice---at least i didn't when I was in my 20s. Life to me was a beer commerical. Its when you hit 30+ that you start to notice stuff.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Gee, I should have known someone would make a political issue of this, and even only look at one side of the political spectrum.
*sigh*

For sonmeone that disdains flame wars, you sure go out of your way to tease one.

Honestly, i don't think those in teir 20s are going ot notice---at least i didn't when I was in my 20s. Life to me was a beer commerical. Its when you hit 30+ that
you start to notice stuff.

Geez, what kind of sheltered life did you lead?

Course all that drinking you did back then could explain a lot. You didn't really need all of your brain cells did you? j/k

I know that I have been alive long enough to remember REAL racisim, you know Whites only resturants, the Blacks had there own section at the movies, I am proud to say that around here it died with just a whimper unlike Little Rock.

My father and uncles remember lynchings and blacks being took down to the bottoms and hunted with hounds like #ing animals.

My Grandfather remembers when they were bought and sold and you could kill one and just owe his Master some money kinda like if you killed his dog today.


Today my neice is married to a Black man, my Boss is a Black man, There are Blacks among my friends and coworkers, and I myself have dated them in the past. We attend each others Birthdays and cookouts, etc.

They are a few people that hate and will never change but they are slowly dieing out, but there will ALWAYS be some you cannot stop that.

But it would be hard to say things have not improved.

Originally posted by COOL HAND
Honestly, i don't think those in teir 20s are going ot notice---at least i didn't when I was in my 20s. Life to me was a beer commerical. Its when you hit 30+ that
you start to notice stuff.

Geez, what kind of sheltered life did you lead?

Course all that drinking you did back then could explain a lot. You didn't really need all of your brain cells did you? j/k

Where I lived is different than where you live. We had much diversity.

Where I lived is different than where you live. We had much diversity.

How can you say that, you don't know where I live(d)?

For all you know I grew up in a inner city project, or a barrio, or a suburb.

Wait, I DO think that America is more racist than a good deal of countries.

400 years of training in hate will do that to a people. We have a culture (and the only one we know since we are still fairly young).

KJ: You got a point.

Cool Hand: You just bait for a war don't you? Ok, do you live near Washington DC? If not, then you didn't grow up where I did.

Originally posted by Colonel
KJ: You got a point.

Cool Hand: You just bait for a war don't you? Ok, do you live near Washington DC? If not, then you didn't grow up where I did.

First of all, no he does not. Where is this 400 years of training in hate will do that to a people. We have a culture (and the only one we know since we are still fairly young).? We have not been a country for 400 years. KJ needs to go out and study the history books.

Second, I do not go out and look for war. I just try to "deny ignorance."

For the record I grew up in cracker central: IL.

Oh yeah, glorious DC.

I grew up here too, and I still am working on my ingrained racism.

I ADMIT IT. I am racist to a degree but work on it everyday.

Is it a greater shame to be tainted with it, or rather to know it and do nothing?

The answer is obvious.

Originally posted by COOL HAND

For the record I grew up in cracker central: IL.

Then you didn't grow up where I lived--which is what I said before.

Originally posted by KrazyJethro
Oh yeah, glorious DC.

I grew up here too, and I still am working on my ingrained racism.

I ADMIT IT. I am racist to a degree but work on it everyday.

Is it a greater shame to be tainted with it, or rather to know it and do nothing?

The answer is obvious.

I don't think you're a racist, KJ.

Then you didn't grow up where I lived--which is what I said before.

True, but you made the claim that there could not be as much diversity where I lived as where you lived.

Well I am. We are all bred into it.

But I have recognized it and combat it. So I am conciously NOT racist, but the tendancy will be there.

Originally posted by COOL HAND
Then you didn't grow up where I lived--which is what I said before.

True, but you made the claim that there could not be as much diversity where I lived as where you lived.

And you wonder why i try to ignore you.