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Racism is not as blatant as it was back in the day where someone could just openly do it. Now it's done in a more subtle fashion and hidden behind the phrases "quit being so p.c." or "the race card." As soon as someone says either of those two phrases, red flag.
lol, as soon as someone says "racist", it's a red flag. Didn't vote for Obama? RACIST!! Think OJ really did it? RACIST!!
Well, todays liberal losers think if you are afraid of black people than you are a racist. Just because I avoid blacks because I feel unsafe around them doesn't mean I am racist. It means I look out for myself and danger.
Well, todays liberal losers think if you are afraid of black people than you are a racist. Just because I avoid blacks because I feel unsafe around them doesn't mean I am racist. It means I look out for myself and danger.
Racism:::a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
Ethnocentrism: belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
; I believe that was the primary belief in Nazi-Germany...the Aryan Race...those who are ethnocentric ...believing their race/ethnicity is superior than....
Until we recognize our commonalities rather than our differences, there will, unfortunately, always be racism and prejudice and bias. And until there is more exposure and education to each other's beliefs, cultures and practices, there will continue to be fear against the others, and thus, the wheel will continue to turn until someone realizes they can simply get off the wheel.
Racism:::a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
Ethnocentrism: belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
; I believe that was the primary belief in Nazi-Germany...the Aryan Race...those who are ethnocentric ...believing their race/ethnicity is superior than....
Until we recognize our commonalities rather than our differences, there will, unfortunately, always be racism and prejudice and bias. And until there is more exposure and education to each other's beliefs, cultures and practices, there will continue to be fear against the others, and thus, the wheel will continue to turn until someone realizes they can simply get off the wheel.
Just out of curiosity...how much "exposure" is enough? The world is pretty tiny as it is...between movies, tv, the internet, radio...is there anyone that's really ignorant of other cultures?
Well, todays liberal losers think if you are afraid of black people than you are a racist. Just because I avoid blacks because I feel unsafe around them doesn't mean I am racist. It means I look out for myself and danger.
I think in spite of the internet, TV movies, etc., there still is a lot of misunderstanding and unknowns about others...lots of times movies reinforce lots of beliefs that may or may not be completely correct...
We hear and read about the "mob", the Sopranos, The Godfather, I, II and III) and predominately associate the 'mob' with Italians...and even more so with Scilian Italians, yet, there was the Irish Mob, now the Russian mob and after watching the American Gangster, we are learning that there are/were lots of 'mobs';
We know, traditionally, good Catholics for years and years, did not eat meat on Fridays, but we don't always know why; why some Jewish congregants do not shellfish; why Hindu's revere a cow and will never eat a cow; if we are never exposed to this practice in our lives, we may look at it as different, weird; if we had an understanding of why, it helps to eliminate the 'fear' of what we don't understand or what is different...however, if we looked at this as each practice is based on one's interpretation of their bible(s), or rituals, we could at least acknowledge that all ethnic groups and religons have rituals and that in itself is the commonality.
Make sense?m or once again, am I just into my own Magical Thinking about how things could be easier for all of us?
I think in spite of the internet, TV movies, etc., there still is a lot of misunderstanding and unknowns about others...lots of times movies reinforce lots of beliefs that may or may not be completely correct...
We hear and read about the "mob", the Sopranos, The Godfather, I, II and III) and predominately associate the 'mob' with Italians...and even more so with Scilian Italians, yet, there was the Irish Mob, now the Russian mob and after watching the American Gangster, we are learning that there are/were lots of 'mobs';
We know, traditionally, good Catholics for years and years, did not eat meat on Fridays, but we don't always know why; why some Jewish congregants do not shellfish; why Hindu's revere a cow and will never eat a cow; if we are never exposed to this practice in our lives, we may look at it as different, weird; if we had an understanding of why, it helps to eliminate the 'fear' of what we don't understand or what is different...however, if we looked at this as each practice is based on one's interpretation of their bible(s), or rituals, we could at least acknowledge that all ethnic groups and religons have rituals and that in itself is the commonality.
Make sense?m or once again, am I just into my own Magical Thinking about how things could be easier for all of us?
It makes sense to me. The art of talking to each other is definitely lost. Talking would eliminate many of the misconceptions.
Also, people shouldn't let images shape their beliefs...but using the media as a teaching tool is a societal change and a whole other subject.
This is true. ONe of the only 2 racist encounters I have encountered in my 24 years came from a black youth who called me a racial slur. The other one came from an elderly white woman who called me a "foreigner" because I'm Asian. The thing is, I was born and raised in America, I even have a McCain-Palin sticker on my car and listen to country music, I don't think you can get a more American image than that. Bad that some people still think you have to be white or black to be American.
A lot of recent immigrants can be racist because they are not used to living in a country where your ethnicity should not matter. I've heard my folks' Asian friends say ignorant things like "black people are lazy" or that they don't want blacks or Hispanics in their neighborhood. I also see a lot of racism in the Aztlan and Chicano movement with the illegal aliens.
I've also have had maybe three or four racist encounters in my lifetime, and they all happened within the last eight years. I don't recall any racist incidents when I was young, except a lot of white people wanting to know what nationality I was from and some of them wondering if I was Eskimo or Native American. But I've never gotten that upset with white Americans. Asians only make up 5% of the US overall population... so outside a major city, seeing an Asian outside an Asian restaurant is for many people a rarity. And how can I expect them to be that knowledgeable about my race?
Well I feel the same way about black people in the US. They are only 12% of the population, and in the North, most of them live in urban areas. I don't think that minorities want everyone else to be colour blind, as I think that within all races, there is a good amount of pride in ones race and culture. When I was a kid, I remember that first wave of black pride, all the black is beautiful slogans, blacks wearing afros. And back then, I don't think that any of us of different race or nationality actually wanted to enter the American melting pot and lose our history or culture. We don't want to be white or blended to be all some light brown skin colour. We really want to keep our uniqueness and individuality, but to be accepted as equals and have equal access to every opportunity. So that is why I don't think that we as a country will ever be colour blind. Plus life would be so boring and bland if we didn't and weren't able to have these differences within our population. And I also don't think it's wrong if many have pride in their heritage and want to preserve it by marrying and having families with those that are from the same background. And one way a marriage is successful is by marrying a person with the same values and life goals, and that's what you get when you marry someone from your same heritage.
And as to racists, well if every black family were as educated, well-spoken and presentable as the Obamas, then they would all be welcome to live in any neighborhood. But not all black families are, and these are the ones that don't get the welcome mat everywhere. And it's not their skin colour, because actually I don't think any nice neighborhood wants trashy, noisy, ill-behaved families of any skin colour moving in. I know in apartment buildings where everyone is living so closely together, some will get upset if their neighbors are cooking ethnic foods with particularly pungent spices like curries, garlic or fermented black beans because they don't cook the same way and their noses object to the pungent foreign smells. And I would hate to live in a neighborhood with an HOA, but they got popular because people want to have a guarantee that all of their fellow neighbors will maintain their properties and behave themselves. BTW I'm not all all suggesting that HOA were designed against black families, but any persons or families that are sloppy in their upkeep of their house and yard.
And back then, I don't think that any of us of different race or nationality actually wanted to enter the American melting pot and lose our history or culture. We don't want to be white or blended to be all some light brown skin colour. We really want to keep our uniqueness and individuality, but to be accepted as equals and have equal access to every opportunity. So that is why I don't think that we as a country will ever be colour blind. Plus life would be so boring and bland if we didn't and weren't able to have these differences within our population. And I also don't think it's wrong if many have pride in their heritage and want to preserve it by marrying and having families with those that are from the same background. And one way a marriage is successful is by marrying a person with the same values and life goals, and that's what you get when you marry someone from your same heritage.
Interesting post, good points, and I remember much of the same things you do. Married interracially myself, with several races in the extended family, I recognize much of what you say.
My only quibble here is to broach, as I always do, the fact that though our "multiracial" society is a given, I've never been totally comfortable with an open-ended, vaguely defined, "multiculturalism"...there are just too many cultures 'out there', and a LOT of them aren't all that compatible with each other. That's OK in the big wide world...but maybe NOT so OK in an apartment complex or a neighborhood.
I don't believe race (or ethnicity) and culture are equivalent..one is genetic, the other is "learned". Race is NOT destiny, and culture is 'elective'.
Your above paragraph brings up, once again, that old conundrum of "celebrating our differences". We want to be "different, special, unique, and 'not just anybody'...we want to express ourselves in our own unique cultural style.....YET, at the same time. 'woe' to ANYONE who calls us 'different'..or treats us 'differently'....or 'singles us out'...or makes us feel 'less than included'.
That's the whole crux of the problem of multiculturalism in a diverse society...we want to "celebrate our differences" yet not feel "different"...to 'keep our unique qualities' yet not want to be looked at as 'outsiders'. We want to look at our culture as "special", but not so special that we aren't "just like everyone else".
In the end, these differing goals (just like differing cultures) are incompatible. You can't have one, if you have the other..and vice-versa. Either we're all 'part of this' (and mostly all 'on the same page' on matters of our society) or we're not. And if we're 'on the same page', then perhaps we should celebrate our similarities, such as they are, and let the 'differences' take care of themselves....and if, on the other hand, we INSIST on emphasizing our 'differences', then let's realize that that's a decision we've made, and let's not be too surprised when others treat us as if we're "different".
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