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It must have been a white person who started this thread. Middle class to wealthy whites living in suburban areas and gentrified city neighborhoods in relatively diverse metro areas tiptoe around the issue of race, mostly when minorities are present.
I have a unique perspective on this because I am mixed race and most people cannot tell what is my exact ethnic make-up. People of all races usually rudely ask me things like "what are you?", "what are you mixed with?!" "are you white?" or "are you black?" even when race was not a topic in our conversation. Sometimes, this is the first things strangers ask me. It is very tiresome to know just how race-obsessed most Americans still are in 2013 through my daily experiences as a racially ambiguous mixed person who can and has unwillingly passed for almost anything except full blooded African or East Indian based on the assumptions of strangers. You see, here in America everyone must be strictly racially categorized. However, different people view my racial background differently and I am treated differently by different people based on these shallow perceptions of my ambiguous physical features. I am assigned both the positive and negative stereotypes of the races I am thought to belong to by the person who perceives me. I often lie about my background to avoid conversation or to blend in better with whatever crowd I am hanging around.
As a racially ambiguous person who can pass for white, I have heard white people say some ugly incredibly racist things about blacks, latinos and Asians because they thought no people of color were present. From my experience, blacks in this country freely talk about race to anyone and everyone because blacks are minorities in this country who experience arguably the most racism and discrimination everyday.
Whites have the unearned honor of being "raceless" in our society. Blacks, latinos, Asians etc, are described as "ethnic". We are otherized as being African-American or Asian-American despite the fact that most of us have never been to Africa or Asia. Whites are not "Caucasian-American" or "European-American". Whites usually simply describe themselves as "normal". See the problem here? When white people come off as racist even in the slightest form, it is the worst in the eyes of minorities because this is a society designed by in large to cater to the needs of white people first and foremost.
The problem in America is that race relations today are still pretty poor. In most areas of the country, whites and blacks, as a whole, remain incredibly segregated from one another. Most white people never ever want to be the only white person in an otherwise all black environment whether it be school, the workplace, their neighborhood or even a nightclub or bar. But countless blacks, latinos, Asians etc. find themselves being the only minority in a sea of whiteness all too often in this country because America is a vastly white place at the end of the day. Most white people in America live in majority white worlds, so they never even have to think about race the way minorities are forced to everyday of our lives. So when white people talk about race on any level, they often come across as painfully out-of-touch with the daily pain minorities face of being stereotyped and disenfranchised daily. This couldn't be more obvious with the OP's post stating how blacks and latinos somehow have it "easier" now because of affirmative action.
Last edited by LunaticVillage; 11-04-2013 at 11:59 AM..
Race doesn't matter in an individualistic kind of culture where you are your own person, but in a collectivist type culture it would matter.
Most whites don't really feel a racial bond with all other whites so when a Jeffrey Dahmer is revealed, no whites feel his actions reflect on them. Bad whites don't bring down the whole race -- because there is none of that "brotherhood" notion.
It doesn't sound like you're interested in discussing race.
It sounds like you're specifically targeting blacks. Same kind of threads in the P&C forum.
If you want to honest honest dialogue about race, I'm all for it. Please don't give some silly statements and pontificate them as fact. Your "argument" is silly and very one-sided.
Anyone that can read can see where you're going with your post. It's very clear that you're not ready nor interested in honest discussion.
Carry on with your tomfoolery.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thirty All
Why are Americans so afraid to confront the issue of race? Many other countries have had populations experience racism, yet do not try to sweep it under the rug. But contradicting this culture of trying to avoid discussions on race, people always cry "RACISM!" after getting insulted. I have seen this many times in the US with blacks claiming whites are racist just because they insult them, though the insulst had nothing to do with race.
e.g.If you don't vote for Obama, blacks will consider you racist.
Not saying everyone is like this, but enough to be noticed.
And affirmative action, isn't that inherently racist? Favoring blacks and Hispanics (that lack merit) and making whites have to work harder to get into better schools or jobs. Isn't that reverse discrimination? If blacks had to work harder than whites, wouldn't the blacks be rioting and protesting on the streets about racism?
The Trayvon Martin case was another one blown out of proportion by the black population as a hate crime against blacks, when that makes no sense.
As long as people cry foul over racism then it will continue to exist. It is not until people stop driving that wedge that it will go away.
The implication that Republicans, Tea Party or Conservative's in general or racist is total and complete BS. I am a conservative, I did not vote for Obama, I do not like what Obama represents, however when he won the first election I was very very proud of America. The first black president.....now that is cool. Obama had all of the power in the world to help end racism but he has done nothing but help it grow. He, himself has helped to drive that wedge between black and white.
If Colin Powel had not completely flipped on his entire career as a republican, he would have been a person I would have voted for as a Presidential candidate. Instead he chose race over everything he had ever represented in his career. He chose skin color over his own beliefs.
Herman Cain, presidential candidate. He had my vote up until the time the liberal media destroyed him. The LAST thing they wanted was a BLACK REPUBLICAN.......The left set out to destroy him and if another rises they will destroy that one as well. Watch and see............
Why are Americans so afraid to confront the issue of race? Many other countries have had populations experience racism, yet do not try to sweep it under the rug. But contradicting this culture of trying to avoid discussions on race, people always cry "RACISM!" after getting insulted. I have seen this many times in the US with blacks claiming whites are racist just because they insult them, though the insulst had nothing to do with race.
e.g.If you don't vote for Obama, blacks will consider you racist.
Not saying everyone is like this, but enough to be noticed.
And affirmative action, isn't that inherently racist? Favoring blacks and Hispanics (that lack merit) and making whites have to work harder to get into better schools or jobs. Isn't that reverse discrimination? If blacks had to work harder than whites, wouldn't the blacks be rioting and protesting on the streets about racism?
The Trayvon Martin case was another one blown out of proportion by the black population as a hate crime against blacks, when that makes no sense.
Thoughts?
Basically, I avoid it because I don't want to have to take someone out and end up in prison or lose my career. So, I avoid those who are racist and deal with those who are civil and where there's a mutual respect. There are many people in prisons and jails across the US who dealt with their racism the wrong way and look where it got them. So avoid it if possible and all is well.
And affirmative action, isn't that inherently racist? Favoring blacks and Hispanics (that lack merit) and making whites have to work harder to get into better schools or jobs. Isn't that reverse discrimination? If blacks had to work harder than whites, wouldn't the blacks be rioting and protesting on the streets about racism?
Thoughts?
This part is just ridiculous, biased and just so ill-informed. The rest of your post was at least plausible but this just...
It's INSANE how so many Whites recently morphed their train of thinking into believing that blacks have it sooooo much easier than everybody else in America.. and how whites are the hardest workers, etc, etc..
You know that in the last 30 years, the black-white income gap in America has actually increased. And PLEASE don't even get me started about the benefits of white priviledge.. yes, whites are subconsciously more likely to be favored in most job interviews. Oh, and what about how blacks with a 4-year degree still make around the same income as whites with just a HS diploma in many states.
Both black Americans and white Americans live in complete and utter denial about issues related to race. In addition, completely uninformed as well.
Being that both groups are socially segregated and just barely integrated in the workforce, you have 2 groups of people that are foreign to each other. I will give blacks a leg up mainly because whites are in charge of most things, get most management jobs and have secured most of the wealth and opportunities in this country, therefore they don't have to integrate with anyone. Blacks must follow in the shadow's of whites. This results in blacks having to "deal with whites" and this causes awareness. That would be the only leg up blacks have. All other chips fall in favor of whites AS A WHOLE. White privilege is not an option for whites, it's a given, whether they want it or not.
The sort of environment in which whites live/work leaves people living in a very idealistic world as well as it causes you to become oblivious of people that are "not like you". Whites are a victim of society as well as blacks, albeit different kinds of victims.
The complete opposite affects blacks. It certainly has created an ungodly amount of negative perceptions of blacks that are completely unfortunate. As most blacks in this country are hard working law abiding citizens.
Last edited by Rocco Barbosa; 11-06-2013 at 03:09 PM..
In a white supremacist culture, all white people have privilege, whether or not they are overtly racist themselves.
You, like whites, want racism to just go away. Racism is like cancer, it just doesn't "go away". IT has to be dealt with.
I think white people are inept to dealing with it because it involves people with the same features as them, that did some god awful things to another group of people. Even though not one white person living had nothing to do with it, whites deep down inside, know, they've benefited from racism, tremendously.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparks69
As long as people cry foul over racism then it will continue to exist. It is not until people stop driving that wedge that it will go away.
The implication that Republicans, Tea Party or Conservative's in general or racist is total and complete BS. I am a conservative, I did not vote for Obama, I do not like what Obama represents, however when he won the first election I was very very proud of America. The first black president.....now that is cool. Obama had all of the power in the world to help end racism but he has done nothing but help it grow. He, himself has helped to drive that wedge between black and white.
If Colin Powel had not completely flipped on his entire career as a republican, he would have been a person I would have voted for as a Presidential candidate. Instead he chose race over everything he had ever represented in his career. He chose skin color over his own beliefs.
Herman Cain, presidential candidate. He had my vote up until the time the liberal media destroyed him. The LAST thing they wanted was a BLACK REPUBLICAN.......The left set out to destroy him and if another rises they will destroy that one as well. Watch and see............
I have a unique perspective on this because I am mixed race and most people cannot tell what is my exact ethnic make-up. People of all races usually rudely ask me things like "what are you?", "what are you mixed with?!" "are you white?" or "are you black?" even when race was not a topic in our conversation. Sometimes, this is the first things strangers ask me. It is very tiresome to know just how race-obsessed most Americans still are in 2013 through my daily experiences as a racially ambiguous mixed person who can and has unwillingly passed for almost anything except full blooded African or East Indian based on the assumptions of strangers. You see, here in America everyone must be strictly racially categorized. However, different people view my racial background differently and I am treated differently by different people based on these shallow perceptions of my ambiguous physical features. I am assigned both the positive and negative stereotypes of the races I am thought to belong to by the person who perceives me. I often lie about my background to avoid conversation or to blend in better with whatever crowd I am hanging around..
I enjoyed your post very much and though it was quite insightful, but this part stuck out. I think I've asked all my friends what they are, primarily because America is an immigrant nation and because it is interesting to me. It would seem odd to ask a total stranger what they are though.
I'm Russian, Swedish, and Prussian, and German. I'm also a 2nd gen immigrant, so maybe this clouds my thinking.
In a white supremacist culture, all white people have privilege, whether or not they are overtly racist themselves.
You, like whites, want racism to just go away. Racism is like cancer, it just doesn't "go away". IT has to be dealt with.
I think white people are inept to dealing with it because it involves people with the same features as them, that did some god awful things to another group of people. Even though not one white person living had nothing to do with it, whites deep down inside, know, they've benefited from racism, tremendously.
I respectfully disagree
Why do you think this is a white supremacist culture?
Why not a minority subordinate culture?
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