Racism in NEPA---A Growing Epidemic. When Will it End? (York: apartments, school)

[Jungle George]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

On second thought, maybe I'll just throw on a purple boa, some lipstick, and shake my booty down the main drag in "Shendo" to see what happens to me! LOL!

Paul!! That visual was definitely NOT pretty!!!!

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Jungle George

Paul!! That visual was definitely NOT pretty!!!!

Well, at least I'm not hairy! LOL!

[Jungle George]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Well, at least I'm not hairy! LOL!

I remember many many years ago, my cousins took me to Fire Island for the first time.

We were approaching the dock on the shuttleboat & I saw this woman in a pink caftan with a feathered boa waving her scarf at us as we approached. As we got closer, I noticed that the "woman" had a thick black mustache & a froth of thick black hair where her cleavage should be!!!

I had no idea about Fire Island at that time & I looked at my cousins & said "where the *%#@ are you taking me???"

[Raphael07]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

On second thought, maybe I'll just throw on a purple boa, some lipstick, and shake my booty down the main drag in "Shendo" to see what happens to me! LOL!

Or just launch the nukes and be done.

[hula]

This is a very sensitive subject for me, as I am the child of an immigrant, not Hispanic, but Polish. My father immigrated to America after WWII, having been a prisioner in the Nazi consentration camp. Growing up we were ostracized by the neighbors because my father had a very heavy accent, which he never lost. All but one of the neighbors on the block were born in America so they had been "Americanized" for at least a generation or two. Even tho my mother was American born we were still put in a seperate box because of my father's heritage and heavy accent and looked down on.

I remember one occasion when my best friend's mother referred to me as "a little DP" because of the way I was dressed. For those who do not know, a DP referred to a "displaced person" which is a term that was first widely used during World War II during the resulting refugee outflows from Eastern Europe. It was used to specifically refer to one removed from his or her native country, usually as a refugee, prisioner, or slave laborer. Unfortunately, it also became a derogatory term towards those of Polish decent, meaning a dumb Pollock (DP) which was my friends mother's intent towards me. I was very young at the time she made the comment, around, 7 or 8, and although I didn't know what the term meant, it was clear to me it wasn't complimentary. When I see/hear blantant bigotry towards immigrants today, illegal or legal, it takes me back to those days of experiencing it myself as a child and it still hurts.

Another observation is the further one is removed generationally for their ancestors immigration to this country the less they know the discrimination that was hurled upon them by the already present American citizens. Every group that came to this country experienced intolerance, but as those Eastern European immigrants have died off over the generations that history has not been passed on, or there would be greater tolerance towards those who are still coming to this country, more commonly from Mexico, India, etc., etc. Yet, there's something about the darkness of someones skin that continues to be the most offensive to white America...

One other point I'd like to make on illegal immigration, ask anyone you know who had to cross an ocean to come here if they could have just walked in given the chance would they. I wonder how many would honestly reply "no." People come here desperate and desperation causes even the most upstanding people to do things they would otherwise never consider doing, like breaking the law and sneak across the border to have a a better way of life. I don't condone it, but I know my relatives would have walked in too if they didn't have to cross an ocean to be here and I bet the marjority of those who helped build America would have too.

[returningtonepa???]

Originally Posted by hula

This is a very sensitive subject for me, as I am the child of an immigrant, not Hispanic, but Polish. My father immigrated to America after WWII, having been a prisioner in the Nazi consentration camp. Growing up we were ostracized by the neighbors because my father had a very heavy accent, which he never lost. All but one of the neighbors on the block were born in America so they had been "Americanized" for at least a generation or two. Even tho my mother was American born we were still put in a seperate box because of my father's heritage and heavy accent and looked down on.

I remember one occasion when my best friend's mother referred to me as "a little DP" because of the way I was dressed. For those who do not know, a DP referred to a "displaced person" which is a term that was first widely used during World War II during the resulting refugee outflows from Eastern Europe. It was used to specifically refer to one removed from his or her native country, usually as a refugee, prisioner, or slave laborer. Unfortunately, it also became a derogatory term towards those of Polish decent, meaning a dumb Pollock (DP) which was my friends mother's intent towards me. I was very young at the time she made the comment, around, 7 or 8, and although I didn't know what the term meant, it was clear to me it wasn't complimentary. When I see/hear blantant bigotry towards immigrants today, illegal or legal, it takes me back to those days of experiencing it myself as a child and it still hurts.

Another observation is the further one is removed generationally for their ancestors immigration to this country the less they know the discrimination that was hurled upon them by the already present American citizens. Every group that came to this country experienced intolerance, but as those Eastern European immigrants have died off over the generations that history has not been passed on, or there would be greater tolerance towards those who are still coming to this country, more commonly from Mexico, India, etc., etc. Yet, there's something about the darkness of someones skin that continues to be the most offensive to white America...

One other point I'd like to make on illegal immigration, ask anyone you know who had to cross an ocean to come here if they could have just walked in given the chance would they. I wonder how many would honestly reply "no." People come here desperate and desperation causes even the most upstanding people to do things they would otherwise never consider doing, like breaking the law and sneak across the border to have a a better way of life. I don't condone it, but I know my relatives would have walked in too if they didn't have to cross an ocean to be here and I bet the marjority of those who helped build America would have too.

so very intelligently said----you would be an excellent choice to promote diversity in any area

[Frank Froese]

People in this area will always be racist. They were raised by their parents who were mostly under-educated and racist, who were raised by their parents who were under-educated and racist... etc.
A lot of people from this area never lived anywhere else like Philly or NYC where you encounter all kinds of people. A lot never left the country to travel to foreign countries. They only know what's familiar to them, and they fear anything different.

[pixieshmoo]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

I came across this thread cause I was visiting the Pennsylvania forum since I'm planning a short trip.

This story was shocking as were the responses. The illegal immigration debate is very radicalized on both sides. While I have no sympathy for illegals I certainly won't hope that they get killed like that. No matter the circumstances people have no right to treat a widow that way, especially one with kids. I just hope that in America today as the illegals debate intensifies people will still know the difference between an illegal immigrant and a Hispanic American or Asian American who is assimilated and law-abiding and patriotic. Even if Zavala was a gang member or a drug dealer behavior like that cannot be tolerated. They are not the border patrol and the real authorities respect people's rights. Having said that, I've also been to MSNBC.com back during the illegal protests and a lot of Mexicans and other Hispanics have said many racist things about whites and blacks and many treasonous things about how parts of the nation belong to them.

Very well put. I also wanted to say that while it is absolutely WRONG for someone to take the law or a person's life into their own hands, if you research crime committed by illegals, you will find that about 40% of our nation's crime and 60% of California's crime is committed by illegals. Again, that is no justification WHATSOEVER, but my point in saying this is that the "illegal immigration" issue in and of itself is out of control, whether it's being initiated by them or by us. It's got to stop somewhere and apparently racism is NOT the answer.

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by pixieshmoo

Very well put. I also wanted to say that while it is absolutely WRONG for someone to take the law or a person's life into their own hands, if you research crime committed by illegals, you will find that about 40% of our nation's crime and 60% of California's crime is committed by illegals. Again, that is no justification WHATSOEVER, but my point in saying this is that the "illegal immigration" issue in and of itself is out of control, whether it's being initiated by them or by us. It's got to stop somewhere and apparently racism is NOT the answer.

The border states penal, health and education systems are being brought to their needs financially by illegal aliens. Rather than these systems being available for the good of American citizens who pay for such, they are being bled dry by foreign citizens.

The county I lived in in Colorado had on average in the county jail 95% ++ illegal aliens being housed at any given time. Illegals associated with violent gangs have infiltrated the "valley", a place where everyone left everything unlocked, but not now. It's bad enough dealing with crims in your own country but adding those from the outside is a bit unnecessary!

My fear, for the uneducated as mentioned before, is they will use racism and violence to protest what is rightfully seen as an illegal invasion of their own country, rather than using legal means to protest and take action against such.

[LusOnlyVoice]

I have read this thread with great interest ... I have refrained from posting ... not because I do not want to take a stand ... I am totally against racism of any form ... I am against any form of discrimination ... What happened is disgusting ... there is no question ... it is a certainly ... children have now been left without a father ... a woman has been denied the life that she would have spent with the love of her life and father of her children ... this man was robbed of his life and his future ... who knows what great things he may have possibly done with his life. The people who have done this to him should be punished to the fullest extent of the law ... it does not matter if he came into this country legally or illegally ... he did not deserve this ... nobody deserves what happened to him.

I do however have to make one observation about the posts in this thread ... not all of you but a great many of you are attributing the racism and violence to being uneducated or undereducated. I do not think that ones education or lack thereof is what makes a racist. I do not believe that a college education will keep you from becoming a racist ... tolerance is not something that is taught to you at the U of S ... is it? You can read all you want about being tolerant toward other races and yet it will not make you more tolerant ... Remember ... an education does not necessarily mean you are smarter than someone else.

I think that if you are a kind and loving person that you will treat each individual as they treat you ... no matter what the race the other person is ... no matter what influence at home or that of the people you are surrounded by ... no matter what your level of education.

We are judging all of Schuykill County and NEPA for that matter ... on the actions of these young people ... and on the comments of some residents ... I do not believe that this is a reflection on all that live in NEPA or Schuykill County ... just as I do not believe that it is a reflection of un/undereducated people.