The Double Standard of Racial Relations in America

As a "white" male who grew up in one of the worst, and most violent ghetto's in St. Louis, I know what it's like to be hated because of your skin color firsthand. I can give you as many examples of racial hatred in both directions as your stomach can handle. And they would all be meaningless, because they ignore the root cause of the problem.

Look to your government, and the corporate media. They are the masters of division, and the purveyors of hate and fear. When we the people decide we will no longer be divided into colors, genders, and classes, only then do we stand a chance of making discussions like this a thing of the past, and a very distant memory.

a reply to: tranquilone666

You are making a fatal mistake in your thinking.

You equate the "racism" of the oppressed to the racism the oppressor. It is an absolute fallacy. Racism by those with little or no ability to affect your life isn't effective racism. It's irrelevant to you. If someone has some kind of control over your life and they express racism it does matter. It is important. It's a tool of oppression. That's the evil.

e.g. Prisoners hating guards is a joke for the guards.

If you can deny that blacks are systematically oppressed in the US that's where you end in one of two camps; ignorant or lying.

originally posted by: gpawnday
a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

My Choctaw friends identified themselves as Indians. They used the term Native American and Indian interchangeably. I think that's what you were referring to, but I am not certain.

I was under the impression that Indian was an offensive term now.

originally posted by: Hoosierdaddy71

originally posted by: gpawnday
a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

My Choctaw friends identified themselves as Indians. They used the term Native American and Indian interchangeably. I think that's what you were referring to, but I am not certain.

I was under the impression that Indian was an offensive term now.

If in doubt use Native American being P.C sometimes is not always a bad thing..and yes Red Skins is offensive,I really wished they would rename the damn team already.

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

I believe that it depends on the tribe. My Choctaw friends never seem affected by it all, and freely used the term themselves. That was the reservation in Philadelphia, Mississippi that I was referring to. You are right though, I probably should have said Choctaw reservation instead, since it might be a sensitive term for some tribes. On another note, I have never met another Asian Indian or East Indian that is bothered by being called Indian, including myself

originally posted by: InverseLookingGlass
a reply to: tranquilone666

You are making a fatal mistake in your thinking.

You equate the "racism" of the oppressed to the racism the oppressor. It is an absolute fallacy. Racism by those with little or no ability to affect your life isn't effective racism. It's irrelevant to you. If someone has some kind of control over your life and they express racism it does matter. It is important. It's a tool of oppression. That's the evil.

e.g. Prisoners hating guards is a joke for the guards.

If you can deny that blacks are systematically oppressed in the US that's where you end in one of two camps; ignorant or lying.

I agree that those with the power to inflict their racist agenda upon a given people have the advantage. I disagree that those who are less powerful are not effectual. They are just as guilty as their oppressors. I was very much affected by the hate toward me because I was white growing up. It was not a joke. I do equate the two. Racism is racism. Hate is hate. No matter the class of people. And it has had a lasting and broad effect on the climate of this country.

You equate the "racism" of the oppressed to the racism the oppressor. It is an absolute fallacy.

I've heard this many times, and it is a fallacious statement.

There is no double standard, the table has turned, because once upon a time america was extremely racists towards black people and it has just modernized and people are fed up... Then people tell people to get job, it would be better if all black people quit there jobs and formed a society for themselves, the solution to the problem is separation and re education....

originally posted by: gpawnday
a reply to: TrueBrit

The problem thus becomes ignoring the past, instead of acknowledging that it happened and growing from it. To further illustrate my point, I grew up in Vicksburg, Mississippi, where a famous Civil War battle, the siege of Vicksburg took place. The siege ended on July 4th, 1863, and for over 100 years people in Vicksburg did not celebrate Independence Day.

What you say about learning from the past rather than ignoring it is SPOT ON!

Mississippi is the only state in the Union to still have the Confederate flag on their state flag. We still have jerry-mandering in the districts to maintain Republican party control, even though the state is 51% black and has a large Southern Democrat constituency. My friends in another town in Mississippi had separate proms for black and white kids that still goes on today. Ole Miss had student riots when Obama was reelected.

Mississippi having the Confederate flag on their state flag need not be a bad thing, as long as those who stand beneath it with pride, do so because of how far from the sins of their fathers they have come, rather than how closely they have remained tied to them. With regard to the political demography of the area, it seems as though there ought to be enough of a voter bloc to remove any political elements from power bases there, unless shenanigans are afoot somewhere of course!

The problem is growing from this, but we are stuck in the past here. It's getting better but at a snail's pace compared to the rest of the country. There are so many people here who want to remain ignorant. Even minorities here have become complacent with it, when it should instead be receiving national media attention.

And this doesn't even cover the Indian reservations we have here.

The problem is that at some stage, some folks are going to have to just throw their hands up, and admit that they have been looking at things, and going about things, all wrong, for a very long time, if any significant progress is going to be made. Frankly, the fact that there are still segregated elements of society in this century, in a first world, developed nation, is staggering. I cannot believe that the media has not been all over that like a rash!

One cannot learn from the past, if one is living in it. Folk who propagate this way of life need to take a step back, look outside themselves, outside their lives and find some objectivity about these things, if progress toward a better future for all, is ever to be made!

Id like to thank everyone for taking the time to reply. Its been said that its not a double standard, just the tables being turned and my response is no. Its not the tables being turned, its people taking advantage of a system of white guilt. There is no longer a need for these specialized publications and stations. The views expressed on them can be aired to a receptive audience on standard channels. If there is to be equality for all, it needs to be "black and white" if youll pardon the pun, it must be a clear cut this is ok for everyone or not for anyone.

originally posted by: tranquilone666
Id like to thank everyone for taking the time to reply. Its been said that its not a double standard, just the tables being turned and my response is no. Its not the tables being turned, its people taking advantage of a system of white guilt. There is no longer a need for these specialized publications and stations. The views expressed on them can be aired to a receptive audience on standard channels. If there is to be equality for all, it needs to be "black and white" if youll pardon the pun, it must be a clear cut this is ok for everyone or not for anyone.

You are ignoring the fact that so-called mainstream publication do not or cannot cover adequately things that minority communities find important.
AAs are always being told to pull themselves up by their boot straps yet when they do they get criticized by some for doing what others take for granted,90% of media is about white folks and what white folks dreams and ambitions are the other 10% is split between other groups and this include so called Liberal media, a better suggestion would be not to bypass minority publications but actually take one home see what's on their minds may you should broaden your scope.

a reply to: MX61000

Black people tried this and were more violently attacked for prospering than they have been for espousing a counter-culture against the establishment. Just look at the firebombing of Tulsa. I personally would be very interested in seeing an economic society emerge that well represented leadership from among the African-American community. I doubt people who have lived in ghettos would be as likely to place all of the blame of poverty on the shoulders of the poor or to accept a situation where a boss earned 200 times more than his full-time employees, or to accept conditions where full-time employees had no medical care or retirement plan. Supply/demand is good economic theory for the consumer marketplace, but when it is applied to the labor market without remorse, it ruins a nation, leading it towards destitution.

Why do you think the FBI tolerates groups like Volksfront? If black people ever get organized and begin changing our society in a positive direction, they will need a front organization to finance in order to wage a shadow war against them. If the FBI truly viewed klansmen, NAZIs and white power movements as domestic terrorists, these people would be enjoying a lifetime view of the Cuban coastline instead of building self-sufficient communities in the mountains of the mid-west. Isn't it funny how shortly after the civil rights movement ended, suddenly the white racist movement was systematically hobbled as well? I guess once your attack dog is done serving its purpose, it is time to put it back in its cage. ;p

originally posted by: tranquilone666
I would be willing to bet that if I went out and developed a television chanel dedicated to white entertainment...

We already have that. It's called CBS, ABC, FOX, ect.
All kidding aside, it breaks my heart how these days, more than ever, race is put in front of intent, facts, character and common sense.
Racism is alive, well and is a fire that is being stoked more by the day. Especially by talking heads on the news.

a reply to: Nechash

I realize that, the whole issue is financial, if I had the money, I will build a mechanism that will effectively join the people.. It's just a matter of Time...

www.tpnn.com...

"When Barack Obama was elected President of the United States in 2008, many people said that his election fulfilled Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s dream. In fact, the history of electing the nation’s first black president was pushed so hard that his past, his belief system did not seem to matter. People interested in making history paid no attention to who Barack Obama was as a person. In fact, who he was as a person was kept well hidden with all personal info about him sealed and daring to question it leading to a charge of racism."

Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. King, is talking about this subject and it seems racism is within all of us, regardless of color. I have too seen racism from every color, religion and nationality.

originally posted by: Klassified
As a "white" male who grew up in one of the worst, and most violent ghetto's in St. Louis, I know what it's like to be hated because of your skin color firsthand. I can give you as many examples of racial hatred in both directions as your stomach can handle. And they would all be meaningless, because they ignore the root cause of the problem.

Look to your government, and the corporate media. They are the masters of division, and the purveyors of hate and fear. When we the people decide we will no longer be divided into colors, genders, and classes, only then do we stand a chance of making discussions like this a thing of the past, and a very distant memory.

You said you grew-up in one of the worst and most violent ghettos in St.Louis and were thus targeted for being "White" the key words are " most violent and worst" where people are generally at each others throats much less others who they perceive to be the enemy or outsider, how different your experience would have been if you lived in lets say..
Baldwin Hills Cali a wealthy Black neighborhood