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Not quite. Racism requires power. Me being racist against white people doesn't really do anything since I don't make the laws or the rules.
That's not true. The first time I had ever heard this philosophy was in college. I went to an HBCU and would hear people say that "I can't be considered a racist toward a white person because racism requires power." This is simply wrong. I remember my first week being on campus. I witnessed from a distance that there were several guys giving another white guy a hard time simply because he had the audacity to be a white student enrolled in an HBCU. A few other people came over to squash the situation, but I could tell that the white guy wasn't really expecting that sort of reception.
Also while in school I'd heard statements from a few black women about how they wouldn't even consider dating a guy who has dated a white woman in the past. Granted, much of this was probably due to immaturity and being sheltered. I say this because by the time we had all reached graduation, some of the women who I had personally known to have held those views had come around to realize that relationships are more about love than about an individual's race.
My point in rehashing all of this is that none of these folks possessed the ability to make laws or rules. But, they all in one way or another treated white people differently for no reason other than that they happened to be white. In my eyes this is racism, which in turn means that we can in fact be racist toward white people eventhough we don't directly make the laws or the rules. I fully realize that there are some people who would view what I just laid out as 'prejudice' rather than 'racism', but being a wordsmith isn't one of my strong suits.
The difference is that whites are everywhere. And everywhere you look, including television, there is messages of whites being beautiful, superior, and the normal way to be. Hence, this is not always best for a black child's self-esteem to be constantly surrounded in a white world. However, white people do not have this problem. Hence, it would be different for a white coach to request a white area. His reasons would be suspected of thinking he is superior to black people, not trying to help his white children's self esteem or pride. It would make no sense since this is a white world. Not to mention, the fact that whites have a history of seperating themselves from others and thinking they are superior. Whereas black people don't have a history of thinking this way about other races.
Whites made it a double standard. Black people don't have a history of enslaving, kidnapping, lynching, raping, enslaving, and hating another race because of their color. This lies solely with white people. Hence, when whites say something demeaning about black people it hints of the old days.
Oh, Sprite97, you couldn't be more wrong about your statement about blacks not having a history of enslaving other people. White men wearing armor didn't go hiking into the African continent rounding up people for the slave trade. Other Africans did it for profit and to clear the land of their rivals. The slave trade is still active today. All races practice it, whether it is sex, drugs, arms or the smuggling of people in and out of countries. Before you claim that an entire group is innocent of a crime, please do your homework.
Did someone say a "white world"? Moderator cut: against Great Debates guidelines Whites make up about 8% of the world's population and non-whites are pouring into white countries at an unprecedented rate!
That's not true. The first time I had ever heard this philosophy was in college. I went to an HBCU and would hear people say that "I can't be considered a racist toward a white person because racism requires power." This is simply wrong. I remember my first week being on campus. I witnessed from a distance that there were several guys giving another white guy a hard time simply because he had the audacity to be a white student enrolled in an HBCU. A few other people came over to squash the situation, but I could tell that the white guy wasn't really expecting that sort of reception.
Also while in school I'd heard statements from a few black women about how they wouldn't even consider dating a guy who has dated a white woman in the past. Granted, much of this was probably due to immaturity and being sheltered. I say this because by the time we had all reached graduation, some of the women who I had personally known to have held those views had come around to realize that relationships are more about love than about an individual's race.
My point in rehashing all of this is that none of these folks possessed the ability to make laws or rules. But, they all in one way or another treated white people differently for no reason other than that they happened to be white. In my eyes this is racism, which in turn means that we can in fact be racist toward white people eventhough we don't directly make the laws or the rules. I fully realize that there are some people who would view what I just laid out as 'prejudice' rather than 'racism', but being a wordsmith isn't one of my strong suits.
But in this case, THEY would have power on a micro-level. A 'racist' black professor is not in power if he works at Harvard. But at Tuskegee University he is. It's really complicated as I've said before, but racism is much more tied to power than anything else.
But on a grand scale, the power works towards you because once you left that campus, you are ''normal'' and everything works in your favor.
I have no problem living in a diverse area. In fact, I do. I'm white, one of my neighbors is black and the one on the other side is white, and the neighborhood is mostly Hispanic. It's a nice quiet neighborhood where people take care of their homes and yards. Everyone works. No problem. A large portion of my income goes for rent, but it's worth living in a nice, safe area.
Would I want to live in an area that was predominantly black? No, because whenever I drive through those types of areas there are way too many people hanging around, out of work, watching when you come and go. I wouldn't feel safe, wondering if my home was going to be robbed as soon as I drove away. BTW, if there were groups of whites hanging around during the day I'd feel the exact same way. Too often when reading the crime statistics for this city, a large percentage of it occurs in these types of neighborhoods. While I am sure there are some very decent people in these neighborhoods, I wouldn't want to take the chance with my person or my belongings.
I think when people want an area that is mostly "white", they are really looking for a place that is relatively crime-free and safe.
Ok, here's what I think that the issue is when posts like these are made. I'm not even saying that a person who posts something like this is inherently racist or anything like that. I have yet to meet a single person from this forum, so I wouldn't jump to such a conclusion off of a single post like this.
However... a post like this carries the implication that a predominantly black area is a euphemism for neighborhoods populated by unemployed, impoverished black people. Neighborhoods where you can automatically assume that since the majority of the people living there couldn't possibly be looking for work, there's little else for them to do but hang around, run the streets and rob innocent passersby. While stating that when people are talking about mostly "white" areas, what they're really referring to are neighborhoods or towns where everyone is educated, wakes up prepared for an honest day's work and there is no crime to speak of, even if there happens to be a couple of black and hispanic families sprinkled in.
Whether you meant for your post to read like that or not, it perpetuates the idea that some black families (i.e. diversity) in the neighborhood is fine, but once that percentage gets too high...it's time to pull up stakes and move because black people are virtually synonymous with crime. Are there majority black areas where crime and unemployment are off the charts...of course there are. I'm not sure what part of the country you are from or have been to, but there are I can assure you that there plenty of predominantly black areas where that dynamic does not exist.
Honestly, it personally does not bother me one bit that white people choose not to move into an area that is predominantly black. In and of itself I wouldn't view that person as being racist. Heck, if I weren't black and my only exposure to black people was what I read on the internet, saw on TV or even the loud mouthed teenagers on the subway, I probably wouldn't want to live around a bunch of black folks either. But, to think that nobody should take issue with the implication that predominantly black = high crime, unemployment and unsafe, while in the same post suggesting that predominantly white = upper middle class, crime free and manicured lawns is pretty sad. Btw, if there were groups of people just hanging out during the day where I lived I wouldn't be too comfortable with that either. Which is why my wife and I are content with the neighborhood we live in; which is [wait for it]...predominantly black
Of course it does. Whether people care to admit it or not, they are prejudice and have a collective feeling about other groups they know about or have been contact with on a regular basis.
Have you gone to a majority non white school as a kid? Have you ever lived in an extremely diverse county, such as I have?
I am not white, and went to mostly white schools growing up. My college was really diverse (it was about 40% white). I live in a really diverse and integrated county/city/neighborhood. I also have a really diverse group of friends, and chose diverse living arrangements as an adult. So yes, I am comfortable with people who are "not like me" in terms ethnicity or religion.
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Not my cup of tea, just like it is not for most other people. Hence we see here in Queens, NY, one of the most diverse counties on earth, ethnic pockets of people, voluntary segregation. Actually, the Asians here behave as if they want absolutely nothing to do with others. The signs on their stores are in Asian. They set up Asian churches. They hire only other Asians. They speak their own language with one another, not English. How is that for inclusion? Because they desire only to deal with and marry and produce their own kind, do you consider them racist?
I live in a diverse city where mixing is the norm. My number one concern is living around likeminded people. And not having people stare at me if I am out with any one of my friends, black or not. So living somewhere diverse is important to me. And integrated is critical.
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Assumptions about you or not, people stick with their own kind. I highly doubt Asians or Blacks or Hispanics I see on a daily basis are making assumptions about some token white guy they see, but they do have assumptions and prejudice towards my group and others. They don't pay much attention at all, which shows their indifference to others I speak of.
It really doesn't matter what I think of the average white guy walking by. I don't have the power in that situation. I could say I hate all white people, but I will likely need to interact with white people all the time. Your assumptions about me have a much bigger impact on my life than my assumptions about you. I can get blocked from economic, professional and all sorts of other opportunities because of your assumptions.
That's not true. The first time I had ever heard this philosophy was in college. I went to an HBCU and would hear people say that "I can't be considered a racist toward a white person because racism requires power." This is simply wrong. I remember my first week being on campus. I witnessed from a distance that there were several guys giving another white guy a hard time simply because he had the audacity to be a white student enrolled in an HBCU. A few other people came over to squash the situation, but I could tell that the white guy wasn't really expecting that sort of reception.
Also while in school I'd heard statements from a few black women about how they wouldn't even consider dating a guy who has dated a white woman in the past. Granted, much of this was probably due to immaturity and being sheltered. I say this because by the time we had all reached graduation, some of the women who I had personally known to have held those views had come around to realize that relationships are more about love than about an individual's race.
My point in rehashing all of this is that none of these folks possessed the ability to make laws or rules. But, they all in one way or another treated white people differently for no reason other than that they happened to be white. In my eyes this is racism, which in turn means that we can in fact be racist toward white people eventhough we don't directly make the laws or the rules. I fully realize that there are some people who would view what I just laid out as 'prejudice' rather than 'racism', but being a wordsmith isn't one of my strong suits.
I don't consider that stuff racism, because there is no power. That doesn't mean it isn't wrong. But that falls into the hatred/prejudice category. In the context of the US, black people can't racist. But we can absolutely be prejudiced.
To answer the OP, you can't segregate people for hundreds of years, and then expect them to just assimilate. Is it any wonder their comfort zone is with people who are of the same heritage/cultural background as them?
On the other hand, sorry, might seem like a double standard, but I don't believe it is. White people saying this is wrong, because as another poster put it, when a white person wants to live in a white area, what they really mean is a relatively crime free area, and that's just a horrible stereotype.
To answer the OP, you can't segregate people for hundreds of years, and then expect them to just assimilate. Is it any wonder their comfort zone is with people who are of the same heritage/cultural background as them?
The OP was about immigrant groups rather than African Americans specifically.
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Originally Posted by BigDGeek
I didn't know where else to put this and I am NOT trying to start a flame war or anything...this is an honest question. Please respond respectfully.
Why is it that if a white person says "I'm moving to Y, please suggest an area with mostly or all WHITE people," people assume they're racist (which they almost certainly are), but when someone posts asking about apartments with "decent <insert immigrant group here> community," nobody calls them out for being racist?
I say this as a Jewish woman who enjoys her diverse community.
I don't consider that stuff racism, because there is no power. That doesn't mean it isn't wrong. But that falls into the hatred/prejudice category. In the context of the US, black people can't racist. But we can absolutely be prejudiced.
Wow you seem really disconnected. So the fact that the majority of government jobs in ATL are staffed by African Americans doesn't afford them the power to discriminate against whites? Of course they can because they hold positions of power in that metro that affect everyone.
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Of course they can because they hold positions of power in that metro that affect everyone.
