Race/Racism discussion

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Olivia said:
This may not fit this topic, but anyway when my dad, who is of Japanese heritage, was drafted during WWll, he was sent to Georgia and they had the recruits divided into two groups-Whites and Blacks (I'm not sure they used that term) and when it was done the group with my dad who were mainly of mixed race from Hawaii were still there standing in the middle. The sergeant yelled at them to get in the White group. My dad has always remembered that. Just so weird. Also, during that time, his mother gave the boys and the one girl American type names because of the worry about being not faithful to the U.S.
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Your post definitely fits this topic - racism. I don't know why you wouldn't think that it fits.

I've said several times in this thread that this discussion is NOT just about racism in the USA, and it is NOT just about whites vs blacks.

I remember in 1979 I attended a 2-day seminar. One of the facilitators was Jewish...suffice to say I knew she was but I don't think it matters how I knew.

Anyway, there was a written exercise and discussion going on ......about 25participants in the room. I was the only black person. One of the participants said "I work in a medical office for two doctors who are Jews. You know how THEY are, they want to get all they can out of you and pay you as little as possible." WHAT??!! :eek:mg1:

I saw some looks exchanged. But the facilitator just continued and let her get away with the remark.

Of course, I've heard various anti-Semitic comments throughout the years. But to make such a comment openly during a professional event and not know or care that some people might take offense....wow. Of course she had no problem accepting paychecks from those Jewish doctors. hmmmm

shaking my head :rolleyes:
 

Olivia said:
This may not fit this topic, but anyway when my dad, who is of Japanese heritage, was drafted during WWll, he was sent to Georgia and they had the recruits divided into two groups-Whites and Blacks (I'm not sure they used that term) and when it was done the group with my dad who were mainly of mixed race from Hawaii were still there standing in the middle. The sergeant yelled at them to get in the White group. My dad has always remembered that. Just so weird. Also, during that time, his mother gave the boys and the one girl American type names because of the worry about being not faithful to the U.S.
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In Our Southern Highlanders, Horace Kephart mentions that at a sort of fair that was attended by Whites, Blacks, and Indians, the Whites and Indians ate together. Blacks ate separately. Kephart wrote this in the twenties about what today is in or near Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
 

HiDesertHal said:
In my younger years, it was considered polite to call Black People "Colored People" or "*****es", but never the hated "N" word. Hal
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Yes, my mother, who taught me to not be racist, called blacks "*****es" all of her life. And I can state positively that she was merely being polite.
There are many forms of racism and not all are directed toward blacks. Back 40-50 years ago, I was with a friend from the university and we were outside a Multnomah County building when he noticed a group of Asians exiting. He turned to me and said something about "all those gooks". That really upset me and I replied, "Which gooks are you referring to ? My ex-wife or my daughter"? With that, I turned and walked away. Our friendship had been irretrievably severed.
 
btw folks - take another look @ post #11 on the first page of this thread. I was looking at the online obits lat week for the town where I went to high school. I saw that "Dane" died last week at age 90; there was also a photo. Of course, as I read I thought of my interaction with him.
 
Just because laws are written to address racism does nothing to end it. In all countries their is indifference between different tribes, sectors, religions, races and sexes. That is in our genes, our DNA. It will continue for many, many years to come. We can't guarantee perfection in death much less life.
 
Unfortunately, racism is in the DNA of the US. Our continued history of home grown racism continues unabated. And I'm not immune from my own deeply racist feelings.In a sense, we've never left the plantation. And racism is in no way a purely Southern phenomena, it is a national condition. But, changes have happened. Things have gotten some what better. I believe why we continue to be a racist bastion is that we don't realize that we are Americans. We identify with White, Black, Hispanic, etc. much more than as Americans. Unfortunately, we will have to await the yet unborn to embrace all our fellow Americans.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
Unfortunately, racism is in the DNA of the US. Our continued history of home grown racism continues unabated. And I'm not immune from my own deeply racist feelings.In a sense, we've never left the plantation. And racism is in no way a purely Southern phenomena, it is a national condition. But, changes have happened. Things have gotten some what better. I believe why we continue to be a racist bastion is that we don't realize that we are Americans. We identify with White, Black, Hispanic, etc. much more than as Americans. Unfortunately, we will have to await the yet unborn to embrace all our fellow Americans.
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When just a kid...my dad used to say that in time...a long time off. All people will very likely be some form of light brown, tan....due to racial mixing, [marriage]. When that happens it will no longer matter to anyone, because there will be no difference to see .

There are those that reject mixing ......I understand that, as I do as well. But it doesn't matter what I think, it is happening, and will continue to happen.

In the meantime there is no harm in preferring your own, and keeping them as your social circle. The harm comes from harming those that are different.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
Unfortunately, racism is in the DNA of the US. Our continued history of home grown racism continues unabated. And I'm not immune from my own deeply racist feelings.In a sense, we've never left the plantation. And racism is in no way a purely Southern phenomena, it is a national condition. But, changes have happened. Things have gotten some what better. I believe why we continue to be a racist bastion is that we don't realize that we are Americans. We identify with White, Black, Hispanic, etc. much more than as Americans. Unfortunately, we will have to await the yet unborn to embrace all our fellow Americans.
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Seriously?

Aside from being just another convenient excuse, this is simply not true. If it was, then everyone in the US would have been and still is racist.

(Look at what Marie 5656 said). I've known families where some people are racially prejudiced and others are not...even to the point where they marry outside their race. How do you explain THAT, fuzzy? hmmm. Was there a glitch in the DNA???

Nobody said racism is a Southern condition. Plantation? Racism is not about slavery and plantations. And no, racism is NOT national....it's global, as in worldwide. For the umpteenth time, this is not just about racism in the United States.....(although I know some people have used that as an excuse to leave the discussion.)

No, society does not have to wait .....and wait...and wait. You don't HAVE to "embrace" everyone of every race. You don't even have to like or respect other races. But it might be easier for you to accept the FACT that no one race is superior to another. That's the way it has always been, the way it is, and the way it will always be.

btw, most people living in the US already know we/they are Americans, so that's not news.
 
applecruncher said:
@fmdog44
The only thing you've said that I disagree with is your statement that racism us in our genes/DNA.
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To elaborate a little maybe "indifference" or "suspicion" could be a better term being in our DNA and of course not applicable to all of the human race. Examine the history of the human race and it's history of unspeakable cruelty toward one another and the number of days when there has been no wars is miniscule. I don't know why we are like we are and again I'm not including everyone, thankfully, we don't all think alike. Slavery exists today in parts of the world, so what is the mind set of a people to believe other people are inferior to them to justify the concept of certain peoples should be slaves? Then the history of genocide illustrates nations wiping out a people because they are not human. Man's history on this miracle planet is dark to say the least and it is as sad as it is vile.
 
People have a tendency to expand their own attitudes and perceptions to include everyone. Saying that a trait is in our DNA is a very generalized statement, taking qualities that apply to some people and attributing them to all.

Recently, I was part of a discussion in which one woman got up and made an angry statement about how "everybody" in my community is prejudiced against those who are not like them. She claims that anyone who claims otherwise is being deliberately blind. Yet this woman is perpetually angry, clearly has problems getting along with other people, and sees the world through her own narrow prism. She does not want to see all the friendships across racial and religious lines, she sees her own perspective on the world.
 
Most people don't want to be blamed for wrongdoing and horrible behavior - even when they KNOW they are guilty. They don't want to accept responsibility and they don't want to change. This applies to something as repulsive as racism and to many other things in life.

"It's not my fault"
"I can't help it"
"I didn't do it on purpose"
"I see nothing wrong with my behavior"
"It's the way I was brought up"
"Well, no one else has complained"
 
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Sunny said:
People have a tendency to expand their own attitudes and perceptions to include everyone. Saying that a trait is in our DNA is a very generalized statement, taking qualities that apply to some people and attributing them to all.

Recently, I was part of a discussion in which one woman got up and made an angry statement about how "everybody" in my community is prejudiced against those who are not like them. She claims that anyone who claims otherwise is being deliberately blind. Yet this woman is perpetually angry, clearly has problems getting along with other people, and sees the world through her own narrow prism. She does not want to see all the friendships across racial and religious lines, she sees her own perspective on the world.
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Hi Sunny, I don't know you and am not familiar with your location, but have to pop in on your post- specifically, the first part. From what I've seen, it started with few in my age group when we were young and has expanded to become a virtual epidemic: whenever anyone does wrong, they don't say 'I,' they say 'Everybody!' So I shouldn't have been too surprised to read 'everybody' comments on this topic, too. In most cases, I don't think it's simply expanding one's own attitudes as much as it's covering their own butz.

Gotta admit, though, the DNA approach is new to me. Before it becomes the latest excuse, folks should start watching some true crime shows on tv and learn what the word really means.
Racism is not in a person's genes, it is not an inborn characteristic, it is taught. ​
 
applecruncher said:
Most people don't want to be blamed for wrongdoing and horrible behavior - even when they KNOW they are guilty. They don't want to accept responsibility and they don't want to change. This applies to something as repulsive as racism and to many other things in like.

"It's not my fault"
"I can't help it"
"I didn't do it on purpose"
"I see nothing wrong with my behavior"
"It's the way I was brought up"
"Well, no one else has complained"
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And it's only getting worse. During the last couple of years I've even seen numerous accounts of individuals using the Bible to cover their wrongs- 'only you who is without sin may cast the first stone' etc.
 
rgp said:
When just a kid...my dad used to say that in time...a long time off. All people will very likely be some form of light brown, tan....due to racial mixing, [marriage]. When that happens it will no longer matter to anyone, because there will be no difference to see .

There are those that reject mixing ......I understand that, as I do as well. But it doesn't matter what I think, it is happening, and will continue to happen.

In the meantime there is no harm in preferring your own, and keeping them as your social circle. The harm comes from harming those that are different.
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If, by the one comment, you're referring to 'mixing races,' you'd definitely not like my ​family- engaging in interracial marriages for centuries. And I'm dammm proud of it.
 
JaniceM said:
Hi Sunny, I don't know you and am not familiar with your location, but have to pop in on your post- specifically, the first part. From what I've seen, it started with few in my age group when we were young and has expanded to become a virtual epidemic: whenever anyone does wrong, they don't say 'I,' they say 'Everybody!' So I shouldn't have been too surprised to read 'everybody' comments on this topic, too. In most cases, I don't think it's simply expanding one's own attitudes as much as it's covering their own butz.

Gotta admit, though, the DNA approach is new to me. Before it becomes the latest excuse, folks should start watching some true crime shows on tv and learn what the word really means.
Racism is not in a person's genes, it is not an inborn characteristic, it is taught. ​
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Indeed. Racism is learned - but not always from parents/family...often from peers and friends in school, often at a very young age.

And Yes, before people start playing the DNA card they should learn what it means.
 
I was born and raised in a multi-ethnic town and went to all school levels with all races. I met a guy in the army that was from the mountains of Kentucky and he told me he had never so much as seen a black person and he relayed some stories he was told about blacks that I dare not repeat. He was a kind man that had also been sexually abused at his home. He was very skinny and frail and did not spend many years in school where he lived. I felt so sad for this guy as we were all being told Viet Nam was in our future and that could have been Mars to this guy as he seldom strayed from neighborhood in his life. This man despite his "beliefs" was the farthest thing from being a racists. All he knew is what was told to him. So I thought it best to clear him up on some facts. Thankfully neither of us went to Nam.
 
Many years ago (early 1970s) I worked with a man from Hungary. He and his family had emigrated to Canada then came to the USA. He told me he never saw a black person until he came to the US, and he said he found it hard to stop staring because to him it was so unusual.
 
JaniceM said:
And it's only getting worse. During the last couple of years I've even seen numerous accounts of individuals using the Bible to cover their wrongs- 'only you who is without sin may cast the first stone' etc.
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Don't even get me going ...again.... :) I talked about this way back in the thread. Bible-thumpers love to spout scriptures and twist them to TRY to justify their behavior.

Puhleeze. :rolleyes:
 
applecruncher said:
Don't even get me going ...again.... :) I talked about this way back in the thread. Bible-thumpers love to spout scriptures and twist them to TRY to justify their behavior.

Puhleeze. :rolleyes:
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Well, as many racists claim to be Christians, there is one approach that might be useful: as the Christian and Judaic belief is God created Adam and Eve, ask a Bible-thumping racist to point out in the Bible any passage that says God created multiple races. Going by the Bible, A&E followed the commandment to be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth- no 'other' races were ever created.
 
I have actually heard some of the most racist people I've encountered say the words "I'm not prejudiced; I go to church - I'm a Christian."

WHAT? :eek:mg1: It's almost comical, but not quite.

I forget where I talked about it, but in the apartheid movie "A Dry White Season" (set in 1970s South Africa) there's a scene with well-dressed whites coming out of church saying things which boggle the mind.
 
applecruncher said:
I have actually heard some of the most racist people I've encountered say the words "I'm not prejudiced; I go to church - I'm a Christian."

WHAT? :eek:mg1: It's almost comical, but not quite.

I forget where I talked about it, but in the apartheid movie "A Dry White Season" (set in 1970s South Africa) there's a scene with well-dressed whites coming out of church saying things which boggle the mind.
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I could counter that statement with: 'Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against White people, I've even had some of them in my own home.' :playful:
 

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