Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It seems that when a black person says something about race and theie experience, all kinds of white folks run up to try to convince you that race has nothing to do with it and that your experience is not unique to your race. To me, that is again a slight to my intelligence as a black person. I don't know any any black person who thinks that all whites are racist. Yet, when black people talk about racism a white person will invariably chime in and say that we are calling them a racist and calling every white person a racist. Then the seek to throw shade on, if not discredit, what you are inferring by demonstrating that every white person is not a racist, if that matters to the claim that blacks have been impacted by racism. It does not. Give me the credit of knowing that white people accuse white people of stealing too. Give me the credit of knowing that there are poor whites who struggled, who were discriminated against (Irish, Poles, Italians) and that life is not a walk in the park just because you were born white. I cannot speak for all black people, but this black person knows all that and have seen evidence of such, but PLEASE do not attempt to use such truth to suggest that the issue of race and racism is just blacks not understanding that the same things we complain about has happened to whites as well, in degree and kind. If whites went through what blacks went through, in degree and kind, as a collective, would would be in the same socioeconomic and behavioral condition today. The fact that our statistics are so skewed is PROOF of us not going through the same things in degree, if not kind, or proof that one race is naturally superior to another. Those are the only two options and my bias is to favor the belief that our experiences were different enough in degree or kind that it resulted in our different statistics.
Here is another thing. Being annoyed by something does not mean you are losing sleep or creating ulcers as a result of it. I am not angry at the people or any of the sort. Its not keeping me from earning a living and not something I feel compelled to confront them with. I mean....its not like someone who might be a racist is going to say...."I said it because I see black people that way" or something of the sort. Who admits their racism today? People who are members of the Klan don't even label themselves as racist. What point is there in confronting people over this? Shortly after it happened, again, I posted this thread. Had I not posted this thread I would have moved on and forgot about it until the next time they said it.
I also realize that many times that whites are right and that I take things the wrong way. Will whites admit that many times they are wrong and that race does play a role often? We are all conditioned by the sum total of what we see and hear. History shapes how we interpret the present. I am not just talking about the nations history, but our subconscious stores the nations history as well as a persons on personal history and experiences. Thus, why would not a 50 year old black person think something done by whites have a strong possibility to be motivated in part by race? That is what history has been to this point. Why would we not think its probable now? But yeah....often times its not race, but if not for that history, we would not see a race motive for present behavior.
In the same way whites today are seeing the aftermath, in blacks, of centuries of racial oppression. They see blacks in an inferior overall socioeconomic and behavioral condition, relative to whites. However, whites are not associating this with the past of racial abuse. They do not see the history of racism as the cause to the effect of black violence and other issues of today. Conservatism teaches people that there life is about their choices only and if people are in a certain condition its because its what they chose and hence any other reason is an excuse. Thus, there subconscious, is programmed to see blacks as naturally inferior, mentally, because we choose to be in the condition we are in or could not help it because we are not smart enough to choose what is best for us. Sum up all the images of black people in this world today, plus the known history of black people, including Africa, and what impression does it leave you with concerning blacks relative to whites? Sure, you might not think of doing the juxtaposition consciously, but your subconscious has already did the comparison for you and you just do not know it.
Wow. That chip on your shoulder is huge. You have taken every word on this thread as some sleight against you.
Maybe the reason are continuing to point out that it's not about race is because you keep trying to throw race into it.
It has nothing to do with race. Nothing.
You say that you don't lose sleep over it, but I don't believe that.
Wow. That chip on your shoulder is huge. You have taken every word on this thread as some sleight against you.
Maybe the reason are continuing to point out that it's not abut race is because you keep trying to throw race into it.
It has nothing to do with race. Nothing.
You say that you don't lose sleep over it, but I don't believe that.
I don't have a chip on my shoulder. I actually feel extremely blessed if you want to know. I have a beautiful wife and family. I have a job that pays six figures. I am in good health. My kids are high achievers and most importantly people have told me that I have made a big difference in their life, in a positive way, which to me is one of the highest honors that you can receive in life. I feel no anger, hate or animosity toward any race, religion, nationality, etc. Really.
I am over 50 and I am simply saying that I have experienced life where RACE has been an issue and that experience shapes my view of current events. If you are trying to tell me that race has not been an issue in my life then you are extremely arrogant. I was born in the 60's and I guess you are going to tell me race was not an issue in the 60's either, nor the 70's or 80's. When did race go away from being an issue in America? When did whites stop seeing blacks differently? It certainly was not during this study. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/pr...ork-with-them/
I can't accurately tell you what white people are racist today or what things they do are actually motivated by race in part, but I can say that most whites have some level of racism subconsciously (and of course, fitting the pattern, whites will say that is true of blacks too...again....a distinction without a difference from the white perspective. Ergo, our lives/experiences are not different, just the outcomes of our lives). Again, most people do not realize what is in their subconscious. However, when I listen to the reasoning or logic of many whites when they argue or debate, there seems to be this unstated implicit assumption of black innate inferiority, but when you call it out as racism, the person gets offended because they don't see themselves or their reasoning as being racist. For example, many white conservatives believe that most people are poor because of some personal flaw, just as laziness, irresponsibility, poor choice making, addiction, etc. So....if that is true why are black people over twice the rate of poverty as whites? That infers that blacks are more innately flawed than whites, especially when whites dismiss all the external experiences, like racism, that could otherwise explain the higher rate of black poverty.
Last edited by Indentured Servant; 10-22-2018 at 04:26 PM..
It happened the moment before I posted it. I was reading the forum and a co-worker was walking around talking with people and when he came to me......"Staying out of trouble" is what he said.
Look. NOBODY, including me, knows the motive for why its said. The best we have is our BELIEFS, because we cannot for certainty KNOW what anyone else is thinking, especially since none of you even know the people and have never met the people. All you are doing is PROJECTING what your experiences and motives have been in using the phrase. That is not PROOF of anything. That is just you telling me WHY YOU USE THE PHRASE and why the people you know used the phrase. Again, that is not proof its why the people, who you have never met, use the phrase. There is no proof my way and there is no proof your way, because none of us are mind readers. I am just saying that its annoying to me, based upon my life experiences.
Isn't that what we do here every day? Post based on what our personal experiences have been? No proof of anything. Just an explanation of sorts about why people I know use the phrase.
I get why it's annoying to you. How do you respond when it's said? You didn't mention that, but I wasn't kidding when I said people like this are usually socially inept and it may take you to teach them how to have a conversation.
Why are white people always asking me if I am "staying out of trouble". Yeah.....I know white people tell this to other white people from time to time, but I am the only AA in my area and when people walk around and talk to people in our area, I NEVER hear them ask anyone are they staying out of trouble but me. I know many times its innocent.....but its starting to get on my nerves. No black person has ever asked me if I am staying out of trouble.
When I first read your post, I said to myself "Who the Hell says that to anyone else ?" But then I thought about it, and you are right, I have heard some people greet other people with those words, in fact, I may have even said it myself.
It is just one of those dumb things we humans say to each other, means nothing, and is primarily done by we men to each other. Men tend to pull other men's chains a little, we "test" each other. We say other dumb things like "Where have you been hiding" or " Look what the cat dragged in."
Don't let it get to you or even give it a second thought, believe me, it has nothing to do with race.
I don't have a chip on my shoulder. I actually feel extremely blessed if you want to know. I have a beautiful wife and family. I have a job that pays six figures. I am in good health. My kids are high achievers and most importantly people have told me that I have made a big difference in their life, in a positive way, which to me is one of the highest honors that you can receive in life. I feel no anger, hate or animosity toward any race, religion, nationality, etc. Really.
But you came here to post about others' assumed racism and how it annoys you.
Quote:
I can't accurately tell you what white people are racist today or what things they do are actually motivated by race in part, but I can say that most whites have some level of racism subconsciously (and of course, fitting the pattern, whites will say that is true of blacks too...again....a distinction without a difference from the white perspective. Ergo, our lives/experiences are not different, just the outcomes of our lives). Again, most people do not realize what is in their subconscious.
I, as a "white", have experienced racism. I was told I could not bunk in a room because the black soldiers didn't want "wonder bread" in with them. I agree, racism exists in all people of all "colors" to some extent.
Quote:
However, when I listen to the reasoning or logic of many whites when they argue or debate, there seems to be this unstated implicit assumption of black innate inferiority, but when you call it out as racism, the person gets offended because they don't see themselves or their reasoning as being racist.
a) This is your own internal implicit bias showing.
b) Calling people out is usually offensive. If you are going to call someone out on their assumed racism, you had best be ready for some heat back.
Quote:
For example, many white conservatives believe that most people are poor because of some personal flaw, just as laziness, irresponsibility, poor choice making, addiction, etc. So....if that is true why are black people over twice the rate of poverty as whites? That infers that blacks are more innately flawed than whites, especially when whites dismiss all the external experiences, like racism, that could otherwise explain the higher rate of black poverty.
I am not a "conservative" but from my own "poor person" experience, I would say that being poor is a combination of things; personal choices, lack of role-models, and a lack of understanding of money. I grew up poor and made it to middle class. I made some poor choices in life, but I had a solid role-model for raising myself up out of poverty. I still do not completely understand how to grow money. If I ever get enough to grow, I will seek out the wisdom of what to do with it. I wish some rich business man would have come into my high school and taught us how money works and how rich people think. Maybe we should be teaching our kids how that process works.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
