Racism

[blackkittychick]

delete

 

[Hawkeye]

Wow.

I'm sorry that guy was so ignorant.

One of the things that I have had to learn is that yes it is true, racism is everywhere and to varying degrees.

The truth is racism is nothing more than ignorance and hatred.

I know that it is *NEVER* a one way street. For example- it is never just hatred for one thing like blacks, latino's, or asian. It is also there for whites.

I guess what I'm saying is hatred is everywhere. You can never get away from it. Hatred, Racism, discrimination it's all everywhere. Regardless of race, religion, or anything.

The thing that gets me though, as it gets you, these same people who hate other people who have the exact same color blood they do (if you cut someone, they *WILL* bleed red) will always feel that *SOMEBODY* owes them something.

I am always reminded of a time I was walking through my town and I saw this elderly woman trying to cross the street. I was only a child then and I had always been taught to treat everyone the same way I want to be treated.

So I went to this lady and she was trying to cross the street. I got to her and I felt this hand on my shoulder and I turned and I saw this man glaring down at me saying, " Don't you dare help her, she's a grown woman she can cross that street by herself."

I was torn on what to do because I was always told to respect my elders when I stopped and then I looked up and I saw this other woman come up to the elderly lady and gently took her hand and helped her cross the street.

The elderly lady trying to cross the street was white. The one who helped her was black. She wanted nothing in return and then I asked her (you know still being a kid)-"Mr (his name) said I shouldn't help her cross the street, I wanted to but he said I shouldn't. Why did you?"

The woman looked me in the eye and said, " Baby, God doesn't see color, he only sees your soul."

She then smiled and looked at the man and said, " Good evening Mr. Gonzalas."

I will never forget and to this day I have never been able to look at people the same way.

I wish I knew a way to conquer racism. But there is no way. People say there is but I've seen klan meetings near my house, I've seen Indians hit because they looked like terrorist, I've seen a lot. I've seen terroists kill people because of different philosophies. I've seen black people kill white people because they thought that the white person somehow disrespected them. I've been the target of racism.

Anyway. I guess what I'm trying to say is I know - in a way-how it is. I have no solutions, but I can say that I still believe that God doesn't see color and that no matter what a person looks like on the outside he/she does bleed the same color I do.

Anyway, I'm sorry I have no solutions.

*Hugs* I wish you didn't have to go through that. It's hell.

 

[beautifulxdisaster]

ITA everything with Youbeabitch said.

Him saying "I can't stand black people blahblah" just GAH!!! Then blame it on YOUR OWN damn ancestors while you are at it.

People complain about so-and-so race but they don't think about how what they just stated as their reason can apply to Everyone.

Any race could walk slow in the halls. Any race could try harder in classes.
Any race could be a terrorist, too!!!
and I'm sorry this happened to you

 

[joytheobscure]

Lack of understanding and racism an prejudice is a serious problem that schools etc. ignore. I just took a job teaching the severely handicapped and kids with Mental retardation and autism.. well teachers kind of flip out when that MR kid walks into their class. I never worked with them before myself until this week so I had my own prejudices... but they are the sweetest kids I'm amazed at how different I percieve them in just two days.

I have also experienced "reverse" racism - because I have lived in an area that wasnot predominately "white" and it was a indian reservation.. they do not like people of anglo heritage... its just a lack of understanding that all humans are pretty much the same in many ways.. I am also native american but I dont' look it at all even though I'm a tribal member.. My little sister very much looks like she's "Indian" so she gets treated differently.

I am certainly for affirmative action - I think it "IS" a white mans world.... unfortunately there is prejudice and racism... so we just have to fight it. I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I hate ignorance-

 

[Gloriamgo]

I have never been able to understand how people could feel so much hatred or dislike toward one group of people that they really do not know anything about. I've been lucky enough to not experience any direct racism against myself, but I have been around people and had discussions with people making rude, completely racist and ignorant comments about people of other races. I am able to appreciate the fact that I have had a good life and realize that my parents have worked hard to give me the life I have, and I am working hard to maintain it. I was born in El Salvador and did not move to California until I was five. I am now twenty-one years old and about to start my fourth year at a University. I have always been that "good" kid, so none of my teachers have ever said anything ignorant directed at me, but have said very racist things about the hispanic population in general, very wrongly assuming that they are so informed about this group of people and their beliefs that I will not be offended because obviously I am not "like them." The thing is, the way I look at it, I am "like them" and everyone else on this planet; no we don't all go through the exact same things, and we never will, but the things all of the different races have to deal with are parallel to each other. We are all put in a situation where someone or some people are making generalizations about our particular race or culture, the difference is in how we deal with it. Some of us find that the easiest thing to do is just ignore them, others to develop a grudge against that person and all people of the same group, essentially mirroring the very beliefs and attitudes that we are condemning, and others are able to take what they say and absorb it, and if not at the time, come back later with a good, solid argument that proves them wrong (although no one will admit it) and make them look at whatever group they are talking about differently, or, at the very least, make them see you in a different light. Only by doing the latter, although slowly, will the people with these ignorant ideas be "enlightened," if you will, and become more accepting of others.

Sorry it's so long and all clumped together, but that is my opinion.

 

[midnightlouise]

It just goes to show that idiots are everywhere, and all races have other races they look down on. Nashville is a very multi-cultural community (we have the largest population of Kurds outside of Kurdistan, and we also have a huge Hispanic community, among others...) and I never really realized it until recently, but to touch on what youbeabitch was saying, it's widespread racism. Our racism problems are not mainly white against black or vice versa, it's Mexican against Arab, or Arab against African, or any number of combinations. Any time someone hates someone else because of their skin color (that goes for all skin colors!) or nationality it's racism. I've been getting a bit of unpleasantness myself because of the way my kids look...my oldest is straight up textbook white kid. Blonde hair, blue eyes, pale as pale can be. (although he does have curly hair.) My second son is darker complected, has dark hair, and dark eyes, and people say he looks Jewish. (my grandmother's family was...) So I get the hairy eyeball and people who say "are they brothers? they sure don't look alike" or even more rude "do they have the same Daddy?" Um, yeah, they do, not that it's anyone's business! Grrrr. It's just so stupid for people to base things on looks or country or religion or anything other than knowing someone. It's been going on since the beginning of time though....

All we can do is try to educate others and try to teach our children (or ones we come into contact with) that all people are made the same.

 

[mac_obsession]

I deal with it a lot, considering my daughter is mixed...But it doesnt bother me much anymore, because they are morons if they look at my daughter and dont see the beauty in her, and I dont mean just her physical aspects but the beauty of her heart and soul...Screw everyone else..
People are beautiful for whats on the inside not the color, shade of skin, relgion or any of the above.

Funny I think this way considering what a m/u whore I am...lol

Seriously though, I lived in Baton Rouge, LA at a very young age, and I am jewish, and we were not allowed to tell anyone this. We hid it, and Im not talking war era, Im talking 1980's.
The Klan was rampant down there, and I saw the horrors of what they were capable of at a very young, impressionable age. I think seeing what I did actually pushed me out of my own race, because I was so angry at what they did to someone simply for being a different color. I have since learned that its not "white people" that did this, its ignorance that did this, thinking you're better because you're this color and hes not because hes this color.
The inability to look beyond skin and into someones heart..it's just plain stupidity.

 

[alt629]

Interesting observation I read doing some research once - that having the status of the dominant group allows you the luxury of not having to think at all about your classification; ie, i'm white so when i'm out and about i generally do not have to be conscious of the way my race affects me and my interactions with others. on the other hand, when one is part of the non-dominant group one is always conscious of the way the status affects her or his life; ie, being female and hearing students bitch about having to use gender neutral language, or noticing how ridiculous the term 'male nurse' is... anyway the point of said article being that the hardest part in overcoming this sort of marxist 'false consciousness' is just being able to realize the privilege that membership in the dominant class affords even in the 'small' details of everyday life.

sooo, blackkittychick, although it's not easy to 'go against 24 people' as you say, i think that when you do, even if it's just mustering up a glare, you are doing a good thing by challenging them to recognize their membership in the dominant group (and all that entails) and the existence of a non-dominant perspective.

that's my 2 cents.

 

[Pei]

Youbeabitch- Very well written Deep and very true.

Blackkittychicks - U don't have to get so upset with those insensitive ppl. U just have to pity them.