The Canton experience (Woodstock: living, law, to move)

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by blackrabbit

...if Cherokee and Forsythe were no more prejudiced than other areas then why would the leaders of the KKK live there?

Perhaps because they were born there and have decided to never move anywhere else.

Originally Posted by blackrabbit

I know a guy in the KKK and he tells me there are over 3000 paid up members combined in the NW GA counties!

First of all, that could just be propaganda that is not true; however, assuming that it is true, consider what an infinitely small percentage of those counties' total populations that is.

Originally Posted by blackrabbit

Their web sites claim they are growing in NW GA.

Web sites can claim whatever they want, but that doesn't make it true, it just makes it a claim.

Originally Posted by blackrabbit

Obviously the KKK are not illegal...

True. However, it makes me wonder why they feel the need to go out of their way to hide their identities. Are they ashamed of themselves?

Originally Posted by blackrabbit

...and if their websites are to believed they are christian and dont condone violence.

They are definitely not a Christian-based organization by any stretch of the imagination (with the possible exception of their member's own stretched imaginations).

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

Maybe the KKK folks who are supposedly still there have been living there for a while, but the rest of the county has become populated with younger folks from other parts of the state (or country) and has moved on in the meantime?

I agree.

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by sealsea

...but it won't change deeply embedded rascist attitudes or beliefs.

Well, while it certainly won't change long-held attitudes that are the result of ignorance and brainwashing overnight, it might plant a seed that could lead an otherwise ignorant person to some enlightenment.

[ajax general]

Originally Posted by diver1972

Well, while it certainly won't change long-held attitudes that are the result of ignorance and brainwashing overnight, it might plant a seed that could lead an otherwise ignorant person to some enlightenment.

I agree. Some of these folks, especially the young ones may have never had the chance to truly mingle with other walks of life. Because of their indoctrination/brainwashing or maybe for fear of being ostracized, they encounter other cultures with some sort of deep-seeded prejudice. It's been my experience that sometimes if they open their minds just a little and actually have a conversation with another race/culture, they may realize, "hey, these are regular people and not the monsters I was told they were".
I have a friend whose uncle, from rural Kentucky, utterly feared going to Miami because he heard stories about "them Cubans that would rob you, kill you and then rape your wife." Of course, he had never met a Cuban in his life. I am not making this up! When he finally got down here and was introduced to some Cubans, he said "they look just like normal folks to me". When I heard this, I said "Come on would Ricky Ricardo rape your wife?" So, maybe there is some hope for humanity. Or maybe I'm just naive . IMO some rasicm is just a byproduct of this kind of prejudice that is instilled into children by their parents over the generations, when most of them have never even met or talked to anyone from the race/culture they supposedly hate.

[otoatlanta]

Originally Posted by Scraper Enthusiast

It sounds like you're changing the subject or action of which you're using the word "ignorant". I'll not deny that there are a lot of people who do not know these facts. However, do you wish everyone to remain ignorant?

I'll agree that the use of the "n" word is politically incorrect in this day and time. However, the word simply means black. The entymology of the word is as follows:

"Earlier variants (such as neger or negar) derive from the Spanish/Portuguese word negro, meaning "black", and probably also the French nègre, which has also been used pejoratively (but also positively as in Négritude), derived from negro (the ordinary French word for "black" being noir). Both negro and noir (and therefore also nègre and ******) ultimately come from nigrum, the accusative form of the Latin adjective word niger, meaning "black"."--Wikipedia

Back in the day, people who were using the word originally did so to denote "black". Only decades later did it develop a negative connotation, as it was affiliated with the slave master referring to the slave as such. However, such doesn't mean that was the original meaning of the word.

Seriously Scraper. Are you an unfortunate result of American public schooling or just harsh treatment? Try calling any woman the current form of bicche and explain to her the etymology. I doubt you'll get far with that argument. Someone with your level of insensitivity much have really been treated badly. Where's the love?

[otoatlanta]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

That was your experience. My experience was problematic. I was stared at and I went up to the front register to ask the woman how much a bag of tea cost. She gave me the price but she was kind of aloof and not nice about it. She was nicer to everyone else in there but me and alot of other people were staring at me as well. That pretty much put a bad taste in my mouth as far as Canton goes.

Canton is different. I can honestly say that it's not the friendliest place I've ever lived, although I don't know what the reason behind the occasional coldness is. I personally don't think it has to do with race, as my black neighbors have said nothing to my family since living here-I have spoken to most of my closest white neighbors-one even walking from down the street to greet me.

In stores, I have found people to be especially friendly. People in Canton seem more reserved IMO. Not very outgoing. But I wouldn't say it's racism, as there are quite a number of black families in our neighborhood, and they have acted no different from the majority of the white families. The Asian families that I have encountered in Canton have been the friendliest and most outgoing.

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by ajax general

So, maybe there is some hope for humanity.

Yes, there is hope, provided that the informed, tolerant, and welcoming among us continue to hold the belief that the non-informed can become informed and that the non-tolerant can become tolerant.

Originally Posted by ajax general

IMO some rasicm is just a byproduct of this kind of prejudice that is instilled into children by their parents over the generations

I agree. Some people fail to realize that a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or other close relative of a young child can greatly influence the attitudes and beliefs of young children with whom they are allowed contact. Some adults fail to realize how impressionable young children are and that they see, hear, and feel much more than one might imagine.

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by otoatlanta

People in Canton seem more reserved IMO. Not very outgoing. But I wouldn't say it's racism, as there are quite a number of black families in our neighborhood, and they have acted no different from the majority of the white families. The Asian families that I have encountered in Canton have been the friendliest and most outgoing.

Great insight. Thanks.

[ajax general]

Originally Posted by diver1972

Some adults fail to realize how impressionable young children are and that they see, hear, and feel much more than one might imagine.

This is an absolute truth. I found this out the hard way with the interaction between my son and I. Fortunately for me...and him...the only prejudice that I instilled in him is that Led Zeppelin is the greatest band of all time and every other band is just a cheap imitation. Other than that, I'm proud to say that he has grown into fine young man who counts an Ethiopian and a Polish Jew as some of his closest friends. And, who through fine amounts of peer pressure, has them praising Zep as well. So, through my direct influence, I have a 1st generation Ethipoian-American teen listening to Led Zeppelin. My work is done here!

[Scraper Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by Pastorstan0517

Some people have had race issues in Canton, but there are more new comers now than old timers and that helps. There is a large Latino population in Canton, about 24% so most are used to multi-cultural ethnicity. Canton is a low crime area with great schools and some dynamic churches. My wife and I have lived here since '88 and love it.

So Pastor Stan, you would like more of these people WHO BROKE THE LAW OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA by jumping our borders to come to Canton?

You want more vagrants on the streets? You want closed-storefronts? You want graffiti? You want people to move away? Your harping of "diversity" is a sure way to signal death for a community, especially when it involves unassimilatable illegal mestizo/Indian Mexicans who do not wish to change, who aren't even citizens. I suppose the American citizen, or the white people of Canton, as well as their opinions, do not matter?