Minorities will be the majority by 2042 (Madison, Clinton: homes, bill, eat)

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by culater88

human beings are human beings and only bigots are concerned about which race is the majority or minority.

Why not just treat everyone with respect regardless of their race, gender, religion or lifestyle.

amen

[Lucario]

Originally Posted by EEEPNJ

amen

That's very nice. I just wish it were so.

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by Busch Boy

I agree with your post 100%. The good thing about it is that most of the ignorant people we having walking around today will be dead in 2042. I think the younger generation will handle it much better.

And I so agree with the comments about Hispanics not being a race. I'm "Hispanic" and half of my family looks whiter than people classified as "White".

You know what I realized last night, racism is completely, 100% totally taught. Now, I've always known that... I really have. But I never realized how much.

My child has no concept that people are different based on race. None. To me (politics and affiliations aside) I'm THRILLED TO DEATH that a black man is the Democratic nominee for President. I was thrilled that Hillary made it far as she did too. When I was a child in the 70's the THOUGHT of this being a reality was just ridiculous... I thought it COULD happen, but not in my lifetime. So forgive me if I get a little misty when I see how much things have changed in 30 years. That said, the youngsters in our family are just at a loss, they don't get WHY we think it's such a big deal... to them a smart person is a smart person - black, white, male, female, Christian, Jew, gay, straight...they don't get why it's such a big deal. To think that could happen in one generation is amazing to me.

BUT sadly, there are also people out there that are still teaching their children hatred. I just hope it's fewer and fewer as time goes on.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by EEEPNJ

You know what I realized last night, racism is completely, 100% totally taught. Now, I've always known that... I really have. But I never realized how much.

My child has no concept that people are different based on race. None. To me (politics and affiliations aside) I'm THRILLED TO DEATH that a black man is the Democratic nominee for President. I was thrilled that Hillary made it far as she did too. When I was a child in the 70's the THOUGHT of this being a reality was just ridiculous... I thought it COULD happen, but not in my lifetime. So forgive me if I get a little misty when I see how much things have changed in 30 years. That said, the youngsters in our family are just at a loss, they don't get WHY we think it's such a big deal... to them a smart person is a smart person - black, white, male, female, Christian, Jew, gay, straight...they don't get why it's such a big deal. To think that could happen in one generation is amazing to me.

BUT sadly, there are also people out there that are still teaching their children hatred. I just hope it's fewer and fewer as time goes on.

Would you be thrilled to death if J.C. Watts was the Republican nominee for president? I sure would. I'd be going door to door campaigning for him. But not because he's black. Because his belief system IMO is spot-on.

I want to disagree with you about children not knowing that people are different based on race. My son is 5 years old, for instance, and there is a black child in his kindergarten. Not in his class, but in kindergarten, period. She is the only black child in the school. But, my son asked me about "this brown girl" in his school last Friday. I told him she was brown, but she was no different from him, other than her skin color. My only point here is that he hadn't previously seen a black person, because in Southern New Mexico, black residents are very few, and since he had initial exposure, of course, his innocent 5 year old brain asked a logical question: Why was her skin brown?

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by mike0421

As a synonym for "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness". In other words, the Constitution allowed merely for the opportunity to pursue happiness, or promote, promulgate, or encourage the the pursuit of happiness, through various actions i.e. providing goods, services, etc, at a profit. Profit is not ensured, however, under the system provided to us by the founding fathers, the opportunity indeed exists. In contrast, there are no guarantees to your prosperity, i.e. the right to welfare, the right to free health care, housing, food, etc.

I think everyone should have to do their part - working, providing for others - whatever their part is. But I do think that as human beings we have the right to know that hard work will entitle you to a home in an area that is safe, that your family can eat nutritional food, and that you can afford the health care you need.

I also feel that as a society we have an obligation to care for those who may not be able to care for themselves. This is not something that I would base on race because it is absolutely insulting and wrong to assume someone can't care for themselves based on that criteria. I am talking about the elderly, the disabled, etc. I don't think a society where we throw the have nots to the curb is moral or ethical. I also do not feel it is best for society as a whole, even the haves will suffer in the long run.

That said, I also believe that the US is not remotely close to being the "land of opportunity" that it was once considered to be. I think being born poor in America is a huge albatross that you will have for the rest of your life. Of course there are stories of those who make it out - some make it to the highest office of the land - but let's be honest, that is a rarity. It's the exception, it's not the rule. Most are lucky if they can get to one little rung above where they came from. If you are a child, and you are poor, you don't know that you are poor. You don't realize that your neighborhood may not be the best, your school is inadequate, perhaps your diet and medical care is not what it should be. You will realize it in time, but by then there is considerable damage done.

Now, I know life is not "fair." It's not fair here, or anywhere. But I think what really infuriates me more than anything is how people can get so upset over affirmative action when affirmative action is far less responsible for under qualified applicants getting in to a college of choice than the "legacy" system is. I think it is unfair that so many feel an uninsured child getting needed healthcare or a poor senior getting a free meal is unacceptable, but bailing out S&Ls, mortgage companies, and corporations is all part of "doing business."

The powerful all ready have so much given to them. And sadly many no longer understand the meaning of "to whom much is given, much is expected." So I really don't know why trying to even the playing field is such a dreadful thing. I know the abuses and what it can become, but the idea of it should not be seen as a bad thing.

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by mike0421

Would you be thrilled to death if J.C. Watts was the Republican nominee for president? I sure would. I'd be going door to door campaigning for him. But not because he's black. Because his belief system IMO is spot-on.

I want to disagree with you about children not knowing that people are different based on race. My son is 5 years old, for instance, and there is a black child in his kindergarten. Not in his class, but in kindergarten, period. She is the only black child in the school. But, my son asked me about "this brown girl" in his school last Friday. I told him she was brown, but she was no different from him, other than her skin color. My only point here is that he hadn't previously seen a black person, because in Southern New Mexico, black residents are very few, and since he had initial exposure, of course, his innocent 5 year old brain asked a logical question: Why was her skin brown?

Oh, I know that children SEE the difference. But they don't equate it to some of the things adults do. Children don't look at a child who is darker or lighter than they are and think "they are darker/lighter so they must be smarter, dumber, lazier, more productive, better, worse" than I am. They only do that after they have been taught to do so. That's what is sad.

I am not familiar enough w/ Watts to comment on him, I'm sorry.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by EEEPNJ

I think everyone should have to do their part - working, providing for others - whatever their part is. But I do think that as human beings we have the right to know that hard work will entitle you to a home in an area that is safe, that your family can eat nutritional food, and that you can afford the health care you need.

I also feel that as a society we have an obligation to care for those who may not be able to care for themselves. This is not something that I would base on race because it is absolutely insulting and wrong to assume someone can't care for themselves based on that criteria. I am talking about the elderly, the disabled, etc. I don't think a society where we throw the have nots to the curb is moral or ethical. I also do not feel it is best for society as a whole, even the haves will suffer in the long run.

That said, I also believe that the US is not remotely close to being the "land of opportunity" that it was once considered to be. I think being born poor in America is a huge albatross that you will have for the rest of your life. Of course there are stories of those who make it out - some make it to the highest office of the land - but let's be honest, that is a rarity. It's the exception, it's not the rule. Most are lucky if they can get to one little rung above where they came from. If you are a child, and you are poor, you don't know that you are poor. You don't realize that your neighborhood may not be the best, your school is inadequate, perhaps your diet and medical care is not what it should be. You will realize it in time, but by then there is considerable damage done.

Now, I know life is not "fair." It's not fair here, or anywhere. But I think what really infuriates me more than anything is how people can get so upset over affirmative action when affirmative action is far less responsible for under qualified applicants getting in to a college of choice than the "legacy" system is. I think it is unfair that so many feel an uninsured child getting needed healthcare or a poor senior getting a free meal is unacceptable, but bailing out S&Ls, mortgage companies, and corporations is all part of "doing business."

The powerful all ready have so much given to them. And sadly many no longer understand the meaning of "to whom much is given, much is expected." So I really don't know why trying to even the playing field is such a dreadful thing. I know the abuses and what it can become, but the idea of it should not be seen as a bad thing.

I wish I could give you reputation points for this part alone. However, that would also mean you'd be for abolishing Affirmative Action, right?

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by Sunil's Dad

Us "liberals" are not saying anyone should get free health care, housing, food or anything like that. We are not asking for guaranteed prosperity, just some assurance of a baseline standard of living that is attainable through work. I believe that working people should not be living in squalor, or having problems eating or getting health care because they are not able to afford it. As well, such a guarantee of access to a reasonable standard of care ultimately benefits everyone ultimately if affordable, reasonably efficient health care is available to everyone; one of the major reasons it is so expensive now is that people have to postpone or not get health care at all until their illnesses are too severe to ignore, after which they go to the emergency room, which is not set up for such patients, and the hospital is ultimately uncompensated for the prohibitive expense, which is later passed on to everyone else.

Excellent! I'd rep you - but I'm not allowed to do so until I rep some others first!

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by EEEPNJ

Oh, I know that children SEE the difference. But they don't equate it to some of the things adults do. Children don't look at a child who is darker or lighter than they are and think "they are darker/lighter so they must be smarter, dumber, lazier, more productive, better, worse" than I am. They only do that after they have been taught to do so. That's what is sad.

I am not familiar enough w/ Watts to comment on him, I'm sorry.

The day my kids come home and utter something to that effect is the day they taste shoe polish, which will result after I get done removing my foot from their asses. I think you have to judge people as individuals. I would hope that would go without saying.

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by Sunil's Dad

Badfish, I really didn't want to rip into tommy like that, but his comments were just idiotic. I mean, how many Irish/Italian men were ever lynched for even allegedly just looking at a white woman? BTW, yes, that Jewish man in question was Leo Frank of Georgia. My point, of course, was that literally thousands of African American males went through this ethnic cleansing/genocide/terrorism, and yes, it was all three. I think you get my drift here........Yes, the disgust for the working man (or woman) is another problem we have. Being of color, though, I still see racism as a problem that has, while diminished, continues to persist in this state and nation.

I understand what you are saying. Look - sadly we are not a "melting pot" we're at best a mosaic. And while every group seems to have hatred at worst and distrust at least for most other groups, I can say that our country, as a whole, is more anti-black than they are anti-anything else. I think you can tell by my other posts that I certainly don't like or condone this, but I do see it as a reality.

Badfish- I also agree with your assertion that we have become a totally classist society - and it's what will be the ultimate downfall of our nation.