Why Do We Still Have Racists?

[Sky Dancer]

I'm so old, I can recall when Italians and Eastern Europeans were looked down on. Maybe there will always be bigotry, but I have hope.

Now it's Muslims and mexican americans.

 

[Madeline]

Ya, I know...but mebbe eventually, that too will pass.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Ya, I know...but mebbe eventually, that too will pass.

If it makes you feel any better I judge people based on my interactions with them and the content of their character, not the color of their skin.

 

[Madeline]

It does make me feel better! Thankies!

 

[Againsheila]

Racism exists and will continue to exist as long as people come in a variety of color packages.

People come in different sizes, too, Zoom-boing, and we ain't all singing the "I Hate Short People" song...much. I am hopeful that eventually, it will pass.

Yet another person who missed the point of that song.

 

[IanC]

It's 2010. Most people have at least an eighth grade education. Why do we still have to suffer from racists?

Were these people dropped on their heads as infants?

Madeline- could you expand upon what you consider to be racists? and the things that we are suffering? and maybe why an 8th grade education would be the tipping point?

I only ask because there seems to be a lot of confusion about the definition of racism, and the effects of racism. I get called a racist, a lot, for noticing the differences between groups. eg if one group donates organs less often than another group, is it racist that they receive organ transplants less often?

 

[editec]

It's 2010. Most people have at least an eighth grade education. Why do we still have to suffer from racists?

Were these people dropped on their heads as infants?

Xenophobia is hard wired into our brains.

Racism is one extreme form of that basic instinct.

Some of us are baser than others.

 

[Foxfyre]

It's 2010. Most people have at least an eighth grade education. Why do we still have to suffer from racists?

Were these people dropped on their heads as infants?

Xenophobia is hard wired into our brains.

Racism is one extreme form of that basic instinct.

Some of us are baser than others.

I know racism is prevalent among all societies, but I'm still not buying the hardwired part. If they were, children would manifest it early and they don't. I beieve racism is a learned behavior whether culturally or ideologically imposed or due to some bad experience. We teach it. It doesn't come naturally.

Again in my opinion, the only way to eliminate racism is by making skin color no more important than hair color or eye color. When we defend people's rights but refuse to separate people into groups and treat any group or defer to ay group differently than any other group, we can at last say that we are no longer a racist society.

 

[Sky Dancer]

The only way to elimnate racism is to celebrate our rainbow nature. We are a plurality. Let's embrace it.

 

[Madeline]

It's 2010. Most people have at least an eighth grade education. Why do we still have to suffer from racists?

Were these people dropped on their heads as infants?

Madeline- could you expand upon what you consider to be racists? and the things that we are suffering? and maybe why an 8th grade education would be the tipping point?

I only ask because there seems to be a lot of confusion about the definition of racism, and the effects of racism. I get called a racist, a lot, for noticing the differences between groups. eg if one group donates organs less often than another group, is it racist that they receive organ transplants less often?

I sense that you are sincere, IanC, so I will reply. One caveat: I can only speak for myself. Others, including you, may have different opinions.

No, it is not racist to notice that some groups donate organs more often. It is not racist to tailor campaigns to increase donations towards the subtleties of whatever fears lead to this result.

It would be racist to refuse to have a transplant done by a surgeon who was qualified, but who belonged to an ethnicity that you fear. In fact, fearing/hating/any negative emotion based solely on ethnicity is racist, IMO.

Some people feel that any assistance/preference/quota/set-aside/etc. based on ethnicity is also racist. I'm not so sure; I think we still need to hold open the door for those to whom the door was closed for so long....but I would agree, that time is passing.

I have to say, IanC, anyone who asks such questions with an open heart is most likely not feeling the hatred and anger that fuels racism. I think mebbe you can relax a bit.....and mebbe work on cultivating some cross-cultural sensitivity as social grease, but I don't see you as racist.

 

[Madeline]

Racism exists and will continue to exist as long as people come in a variety of color packages.

People come in different sizes, too, Zoom-boing, and we ain't all singing the "I Hate Short People" song...much. I am hopeful that eventually, it will pass.

Yet another person who missed the point of that song.

Feeling shorter than me, Againshelia? LOL.

 

[Againsheila]

People come in different sizes, too, Zoom-boing, and we ain't all singing the "I Hate Short People" song...much. I am hopeful that eventually, it will pass.

Yet another person who missed the point of that song.

Feeling shorter than me, Againshelia? LOL.

The whole point of the song was to show how stupid it is to be prejudiced.

 

[KMAN]

Are you looking for the childhood history of Jeremiah Wright?

I think people like Jesse Jackson are why we still have race problems. Him and Sharpton are the only ones that ever bring it up. We have a black President, the most powerful man in the world yet that is not enough for them. I guess they feel they need to stay relevant somehow.

 

[Samson]

Are you looking for the childhood history of Jeremiah Wright?

I think people like Jesse Jackson are why we still have race problems. Him and Sharpton are the only ones that ever bring it up. We have a black President, the most powerful man in the world yet that is not enough for them. I guess they feel they need to stay relevant somehow.

Can blacks even appear in public without it being dubbed a "race problem?"

Are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton supposed to appear in public to save the whales?

 

[Madeline]

Are you looking for the childhood history of Jeremiah Wright?

I think people like Jesse Jackson are why we still have race problems. Him and Sharpton are the only ones that ever bring it up. We have a black President, the most powerful man in the world yet that is not enough for them. I guess they feel they need to stay relevant somehow.

I can't think of many people I despise more'n Sharpton, KMAN. But we are still afflicted with the likes of David Dukes...and his fans.

 

[elvis]

Are you looking for the childhood history of Jeremiah Wright?

I think people like Jesse Jackson are why we still have race problems. Him and Sharpton are the only ones that ever bring it up. We have a black President, the most powerful man in the world yet that is not enough for them. I guess they feel they need to stay relevant somehow.

Well, Jesse and Al certainly do not help the situation.

 

[Madeline]

Are you looking for the childhood history of Jeremiah Wright?

I think people like Jesse Jackson are why we still have race problems. Him and Sharpton are the only ones that ever bring it up. We have a black President, the most powerful man in the world yet that is not enough for them. I guess they feel they need to stay relevant somehow.

Can blacks even appear in public without it being dubbed a "race problem?"

Are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton supposed to appear in public to save the whales?

I have only an annoyance for Jesse Jackson, but Al Sharpton is another story. I'll never, ever forgive him for the Tawana Brawley hoax.

A troubling story about Al Sharpton. - By William Saletan, Ben Jacobs, and Avi Zenilman - Slate Magazine

 

[Borat]

It's 2010 ... Why do we still have racists?

because we still have ******* ...

 

[kal-el]

It's 2010. Most people have at least an eighth grade education. Why do we still have to suffer from racists?

Were these people dropped on their heads as infants?

There are probably far more black and hispanic racists then there are whites. You're absolutely correct, it is 2010 and it's time for racism to end. The blame-whitey race card should've expired at least in the 70s. But with a card-carrying black in a position of authority, the American people see first hand just how racist blacks can be when they think they are in charge. Look at the publicity given to those NBP's who called for the killing of "crackers", vs Mel Gibson being chastised and demonized just for talking to his girlfriend using some racial slurs. Now Mel didn't call for all n$ggers to die, but Shabazz did, and he'll probably get a six figure book deal and a talk show appearance, whereas Mel will probably be blackballed from anything movie related until he grovels and apologizes. Whites give minorities too many special privileges, and see what the results are. Our good nature is severely being undercut.

I think you should direct your question to minorities, as white racism is a direct result of minority aggression. (nowadays)

 

[Madeline]

I was around for the 1970's. Trust me, racism was not over. There is a difference between the hatred of minorities for the white majority (irrational, but not entirely hard to understand) and the hatred of whites for minorities. One despises the various ways in which they were denied a fair chance in life.

They other despises those they feel are eroding their unfair advantage in life.

Pardon me if I find David Dukes a whole lot more repugnant than this Shabazz guy.

But to a degree, it's all shades of the same thing: I may or may not be motivated to do you and yours harm because of how you look. When looked at on this level, it's immoral no matter who does it.