Do you think some sort of racism is natural?

[Jking72]

I hate everyone equally!


I notice now that a lot of external influences impact how you perceive peoole/races/ethnic groups. My mom for instance, she moved over to Vancouver about 5yrs ago and I visited her recently when my uncle passed and I noticed she was saying I hate Spanish, Chinese, east Indians, Filipino people etc but obviously in the slang more derogatory terms.

In noticing that, I have used a few of those stereotypes about a individual that may have pissed me off in certain moments.


I think everyone has it in them, just my opinion.


I am of native heritage and I make native jokes when I see some people doing the things other races joke about and stereotype.

Just me, the stereotypes don't bother me cause I don't really give two sh*ts what others think lol.

[deevergote]

There is a degree of truth in stereotypes, though the usual generalization frequently carries it too far.
Racial stereotypes can be funny when offense isn't taken, but offense often is. Furthermore, many people don't understand the difference between poking fun and truly disliking someone.

The old TV show All In The Family, for example. AMAZING show. The majority of the humor was based on racial stereotypes. Granted, it was largely focused on the misguided belief of stereotypes to be facts by the main character (and illustrating how silly that is.) However, the stereotypes in that case were used in a humorous, non-offensive manner.
For example, once scene that makes me crack up every time I see it...
Archie goes into the tax collector's office, with the intention of bribing him with an invitation to dinner. He walks in, and the tax collector is black. Archie is of course stuck in an awkward situation. He invites the man over for a fried chicken dinner. The man replies with "Quite frankly, Mr Bunker, I don't much care for fried chicken. But if it makes you feel any better, I love watermelon!"
This played on the stereotype that black people love fried chicken and watermelon. It showed a situation where that assumption was not correct, and brought it around to illustrate how absolutely idiotic the man making that assumption looked in doing so. Absolute genius, and it really didn't offend anyone... unless you're proud of being an ignorant bigot... then maybe you'd be offended by the mistreatment of one of your kind.


Everyone has some form of prejudicial view of the world. We have to. It is how our brains work.
When I wake up in the morning and see that it's raining, I expect that I'll get wet if I go outside. Why? Because I know from past experience that I will get wet. I know from people telling me that the rain is wet. Will it happen all the time? Yes. Because rain is wet. Going on that assumption is safe and natural. I don't need to get wet every time it rains just to prove to myself that rain is wet. However, rain is consistent. People vary greatly from person to person.

Now, as a white person that grew up in a rough predominantly black neighborhood, I grew accustomed to seeing black kids causing trouble. They stole. They vandalized. They picked fights. They yelled. They cursed. They formed gangs (the L Town Boys and the Dogg Pound... laughable as they were, they were "gangs".)
In my town, if I saw a black kid that didn't look meek and nerdy like me, I assumed they were trouble. I would make that assumption more quickly when seeing a black kid than I would a white kid (though I did find that I associated a style of dress with trouble, more than the color of skin... but that doesn't illustrate my point as well.)
Was I wrong in making these assumptions? Maybe. Some of the time. Were these assumptions based solely on race? No. They were based on the knowledge that a large number of black kids in my neighborhood were trouble, and they were known to be trouble. Just like the rain, I could be reasonably certain that if I crossed their path, I would experience the expected outcome. In that isolated environment, black kids were trouble.
Fast forward to my adult years. My "neighborhood" has expanded. I now work in areas that are heavily populated by black people. Some areas are rougher. Some areas are affluent. Do I take what I learned as a kid and apply it to black people in general? Is the black guy with the $400,000 house and the brand new S Class in the driveway going to pop a cap in my ass? Probably not.
Will the black guys hanging on the street corner of a run down neighborhood, smoking weed and drinking 40s, look at me funny? Probably. Probably only because I'm different in that area. Could they be a threat? Absolutely. Because they're black, or because I'm white? Very possibly. Because they're inhabitants of a rough neighborhood, and they're exhibiting deviant behavior? More likely.
So would my prejudice stemming from my childhood serve as a means of self preservation by being wary of these guys? Absolutely. Is that being racist? No.
Acting on that wariness and treating these guys as if they're criminals out to harm me... THAT would be racism.

Also, just to point out... in my job dealing with foreclosures, I've met the most consistent string of nice, polite, cooperative, interesting people in the low-income areas populated by minorities that differ greatly from myself. To give in to any ignorant assumptions would not only be doing them a disservice, but myself as well.

[93twodoorLX]

http://www.naacp.org/pages/criminal-justice-fact-sheet

food for thought. deev made me wonder about crime rate amoung races (i grew up in the same town as deevergote and know all too well what he speaks of) and that came up.

If current trends continue, one in three black males born today can expect to spend time in prison during his lifetime... that is a disturbing theory that i hope doesnt come true. i would love to see us all respect and defend each other rather than discriminate and attack.

-sean

[phatdoughnut]

Like others have said, I am not racist but dislike people who can't help themselves. I also hate it when people throw up the race card about everything. Shit pisses me off.

[deevergote]

Sean,
I find those statistics to be interesting. I've heard the argument made that there are so many black convicts in this country because this country is inherently racist against black people (I don't believe that.)

Like others have said, I am not racist but dislike people who can't help themselves. I also hate it when people throw up the race card about everything. Shit pisses me off.

Yeah. Crying racism when it's really not the issue is racist in itself. It's taking advantage of the race of someone that offended or attacked you. If a white guy punches a black guy for no reason, it's assault. It's a low-profile crime. But if the black guy wants to say that it was a racially-motivated attack, suddenly it becomes a hate crime, and is sensationalized by the media. If the attack wasn't racially-motivated, then the black guy is actually the one guilty of being racist!

Additionally, crying racism at every little thing further serves to divide the races, rather than unify. It also serves as a "boy who cried wolf" type deal. When people actually ARE victims of racism (and true racism certainly does exist...) people don't take it as seriously as they should. It's becoming more of a cry for attention these days.

Also, the term "reverse racism" makes me want to punt babies.

[93twodoorLX]

i'd hate to hear that nearly 1 millions blacks (or anyone for that matter) were convicted by a jury of their peers for merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. sounds like a fishy government scandal. conspiracy i say!! Barack Obama has never be convicted of a crime (dont think u can and be president) and hes black. I hear black people at my work say he acts too white...WHAT? Does that mean he has to follow a stereotype that they somehow hate but at the same time respect. I voted for him twice never caring about his color. and i'd vote for him again if they would let me. (will be sad to see him go) But i guess you aint cool these days unless you (forgive me as im paraphrasing) "bust a cap in someones buttock."

numbers and percentages don't lie. they are not discriminatory. if any one race wishes to not have a stigma attached to them, then dont do the shit in the first place that puts that stigma on you. it doesnt have to be an, us versus them battle. "The Man" doesnt hold people down these days. he encourages them to get up and get their shit together. is that so hard to ask

sorry for these rants btw, just venting my opinion to the intelligent members of this forum feels relieving

-sean

[uslspct]

Good tools to see where you would and wouldn't want to live:

DoJ 2008 Statistics:
http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cvus0801.pdf

Death Penalty facts (A little off topic but a good read anyways):
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/FactSheet.pdf

Labor force statistics:
http://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.htm

Census race map of every track in America (Check out major cities like NYC):
http://projects.nytimes.com/census/2010/explorer Click "view more maps" for more data

Language map from Census:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/l...guage_map.html

The census has a ton of info you could look at all day:
http://www.census.gov/people/

[sonikaccord]

This is interesting...especially seeing everyone's thoughts and locations. I'd like to see what people from the south have to say.

I think racism starts from the parents. If you aren't exposed to other races and all they do is talk negative about said race especially when something happens in the news...guess what you are more than likely going to grow up thinking...It's like saying people are born homosexual, but that deserves it's own thread

[toycar]

I hope I don't come off too racist when I am done typing all this shit out.





I think its natural to have a preference. However, in todays society having a "preference" equals being racist. Noticing that black people are different than white or hispanic or whatever is all the sudden racist? Having a preference IS racist, but why? Isn't it logical that you may find other reasons to befriend someone aside from their color? Or maybe, something culturally different makes the relationship hard to sustain? Why is that so unreasonable? I mean, I know guys that refuse to come to my BBQ's because I serve pork.


Should I be offended by those racists assholes? Its not racism to avoid people, or be around people because of preference. Doesn't mean you target people or are assholes just because of their color. But, its hard to make friends with people that speak a different language than you. Is it RACIST that I don't have many hispanic friends? Is it SO UNREASONABLE that maybe I have a hard time making hispanic friends becuase I don't speak spanish? I mean, I have hispanic american friends. None that speak spanish more than english or have families that are unable to speak english. You know what I mean. Hispanic friends that are American, vs the kind that refuse to speak english.


I am racist because I have no genuine hispanic friends, or maybe is it reasonable that we don't spend much time toghether? Are they racist because they don't speak english or try to be my friend, or is it just our preference to co-exist peacefully living seperate lives?






Thats it right there. Racism is NOT having a preference.

It is defined as ; the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races




So walk around suggesting that you are better than others for your color, or that others are worse than you for their color. To believe you are superior or that someone is inferior specifically because of their color/race/nationality.



So, at what point did it become racist to point out facts? At what point did it become racism to notice black people eat more fried chicken and grape soda than white people, or that hispanic/mexican people EAT MEXICAN FOOD.


Why is that so fucking racist? Seems obvious to me. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck-ITS PROBABLY A DUCK.


So, whats the deal? Why is it SO FUCKING RACIST? Even in humor, why is it so RACIST rather than innappropriate? I mean, we can make jokes about dicks, pussies, assholes, cum on your face, fucking two bitches at the same time, PIITB etc etc etc etc but holy fucking shit make fun of white people because we eat mayo or black people because they drink grape soda or mexicans for eating everything on a tortilla and BAM, just like that you are a fucking racist.



But, isn't racism the belief that you are superior because of your color/ethnicity? What exactly suggests racism, by using a stereotype or a derrogitory term?



Why is it racist rather than rude to call me a honkey or white trash or whatever whitty white people racist name people come up with? Why is that racism? I'd rather be called a cracker than some of the non-racist insults people come up with. Cracker and N-i-g-g-e-r should carry the same weight in society-but they don't. Call someone a b-e-a-n-e-r and its offensive and racist. White boy/girl is how people of other races describe white people most of the time. My "white" friend, or this "white" dude or whatever. Second nature, no big deal.



Put that shoe on the other foot and try introducing your "black" friend to someone the same way. lol



The same ignorance that drove people to need to address racism, is now dealing with racism with a blanket policy that anything that could be interpretted as offensive to people of color, is now racism.


Think about it. Why is it RACIST to make point out that 1/3 black males will see prison time, or that 2/3 black males aged 15-29 are either in jail, prison or on probation. Why is it racist to point out that 14% of the population is responsible for 30% of total public assistance? Or that the most likely cause of death for a black male aged 15-29 is another black male with a gun.


This shit is real. These are real facts. They are not some twisted arguement meant to insult non offending black people. It is not racism. Nothing about anything I just posted indicates that our piece of shit white people are any better than the piece of shit black or brown people. I don't think people are better or worse because of color.



Does it matter that Jeffrey Dahmer was white, or was he just a weird fucking serial killer? Is it racist to point out that serial killers are most often white, or that a white male is most likely to perform the next public mass shooting? Nope. Sure isn't.



Facts are color blind. People are sensitive and the race card is overplayed. Everything is racism now if you want it to be. The person crying about racism, is most likely the cause of the issue being race related in the first place.



Then you have black dudes beating old white men to death for no reason other than being white, on video-and THATS NOT A HATE CRIME. As long as shit like this carries on, or stuff like George Zimmerman gets blown out of proportion, racism will THRIVE.



The idiots that empowered racism in the first place must be rolling over in their graves now knowing that the idiots of today are too stupid to realize that associating everything to racism is feeding racism and making it stronger.



If a g a y black man is mugged for his wallet in a dark ally, how does it get reported?























The fact that we both know it gets reported vs nobody giving a fuck is a problem. We could go back and fourth about wether or not it would be spun as a hate crime against g a y s, a hate crime against a black man, or whatever.


Fact of the matter is most likely dude got mugged for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But society doesn't care about that. Society loves to hate.






FEED THAT MONSTER BABY. WE KEEP ON FEEDING THE HATE MONSTER.








NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM




NOM NOM NOM

[ThatOneAccord]

I don't think racism is "engraved" in our DNA as much as it is to judge a person. As a young boy I grew up for a little bit in Missouri. Plenty of white people. I had a white bestfriend named Eric. We went to preschool together and daycare. We were inseparable. I'm black and native american, but mostly black, sure I have a light complexion and I don't have "nappy" hair, but I'm still black.

Obviously as kids, race didn't matter. If you were nice, we could be friends. It was never "Oh you're white, can't be your friend. Nope you're not tan enough." I based and still do base my relationships and friendships with people over how they act. I have no problem having white friends, hispaninc friends, etc. I judge character and never color.

There has been instances in my life where I see a white person and know they're nothing but trouble and are most likely racist simply based on looks that I receive. Now that may seem like judging, and it honestly probably is, but that's how they've been perceived in my head. I live in Texas and have since..1999. PLENTY of racist rednecks down here. I don't mind them as people, yes their ignorance annoys me to no end and frustrates me. I don't understand racism at all.

Now me being an open homosexual, probably has opened my mind a lot more than, yes I'm going to say it, the average straight person. We as people are constantly judged and whatnot so we or I have learned to never judge a person based on stereotypes. Everyone thinks g a y people are sex hungry sluts, who all carry HIV/AIDS, especially the black ones. Last time I check, my sex drive was under control, and I was clean.

I don't judge color, I judge character. My first real relationship as in dating was with a country white guy. I judged his character before writing him off as "racist country redneck" which I would've been proven wrong of had I just judged him on color. Honest to God best relationship I've ever had too.

I honestly think it also comes down to the simple fact of color [remove race all together]. I'm light skin, and dark skin (black) people are not very fond of us. There are girls killing other girls because "she light skinned". Yes you have people fighting and killing over color. Not even a race issue anymore it's color. I've had white friends who won't befriend dark skin people because "they're too dark and ghetto". What? People automatically associate the darker with being "less than" and "ghetto". I have a decent amount of dark skin friends and honest to God, I'm attracted to them. People make that generalization that is just totally wrong. Most of the darker skinned individuals I know come from affluent families, like mine. I have had darker skinned friends that are ghetto and not as..."wealthy" as I or my family is. I have never looked past them as not worthy enough to befriend.

With whites, it is another story. I constantly feel as though I'm being watched and evaluated on how I act around them. I do find myself changing certain things about me and watching what I say around them simply in fear that I'll be judged as what they consider "the lesser crowd" or "like the rest of them", which is simply put, the darker black people. I had the biggest culture shock of my life when I wen't to a school with mostly white and hispanic kids. The hispanics didn't bother me and for the longest I thought I was hispanic because I hung around them so much lol. The culture shock was literally all the white people in one place and not enough "color" yes there were hispanics and even asians, but damnit we all looked the same. We were just slightly darker we were "tan" among them. Not a SINGLE dark person was there and it through me for a loop.

Even as a light skin individual I have started to notice and partake a little bit in the antimocity of lights v.s. darks in our community as a race. It gets annoying when you hear a guy say "I only fuck with light skins." And he's as black as midnight. There are guys who will even go as far as saying "No blacks please" And be as black or chocolate as can be. That's when preference becomes racism, even among your own race. I won't ever understand that. I love people of all color, and I'm more attracted to the darker ones, but I'm not going to X out all other races because I like one color a little bit more than the others. It's the same with whites and I saw this all the time when I had Grindr "Please no blacks, no asians, only white." Okay fine, I guess I'll let that slide, then there's, "I love blocking people, NO BLACKS." Well you simply remove the option to even have a nice conversation or be friends. You preference becomes racism when you state things like that.

On a blog on tumblr a guy said this about a certain page; "Why do you post so many black guys? Post more white guys. Black guys are gross."

That may be his opinion but goddamnit it's wrong. That was pure racism, and the guy was hispanic. Me being mixed was greatly offended. What makes black people so gross? They look just like everyone else.

[uslspct]

My dog's name is Bean er. Cause she's a chihuahua.

[HenRoc]

Like others have said, I am not racist but dislike people who can't help themselves. I also hate it when people throw up the race card about everything. Shit pisses me off.

Coming from me being half African American / Pacific Islander.

I too can't stand that.

[deevergote]

Racism is definitely not hard-coded into our DNA. A wariness of anything different is, however. It's a survival instinct. If something is different, then suspicion arises until you determine whether or not that different thing is a threat to your survival. It's misplaced when dealing with people of a different race based on their race alone... but there's a reason for it.
There's nothing wrong with being wary. I'm cautious at work in neighborhoods where I'm the only white person for miles. Not because I'm racist, but because I'm aware that I'm different. Being different makes people notice me, and identify me as an outsider. I could encounter trouble because of it. Because of someone else's wariness, or even because of their outright hatred of people with my skin color (which IS racism.)

Acknowledging differences between races and cultures is often considered racist, as toycar mentioned. I don't understand that. Certain differences are celebrated (black history month?), while others are considered offensive (fried chicken? I mean, come on... every neighborhood I know that is heavily populated by black people has a number of thriving fried chicken places... it's not racist, it's probably more so a cultural thing... and dammit, my white ass likes fried chicken too! It means they have good taste in unhealthy food! OR the reason for those restaurant locations is BECAUSE of the stereotype, and the owners thinking the black neighborhoods are the best places for them.)
Pointing out differences, even stereotypical differences (which have SOME root in fact, in many cases...) shouldn't be considered racist unless it's done in a way that is meant to demean or belittle.
There are plenty of "white people" stereotypes that fit me to a T. Is it racist to say that I can't dance? It is racist to say that I like mayonnaise on my sandwiches? Is it racist to notice that my last name is Irish?
No. Not unless you mean for it to insult me.

It's like saying people are born homosexual, but that deserves it's own thread

They are. No different than straight people being born straight. It's what they are attracted to by nature. "wrong" if you're looking at it by a reproductive standpoint, but it's not learned, and it's not done by choice (some, maybe... but by far the minority...)
G ay guys hit puberty and say "well damn, my dick just got hard for a dude!" The stereotypical personality traits are learned, though.

But you're right. Not the place for that discussion.

My dog's name is Bean er. Cause she's a chihuahua.

Your dog's name is bean er because your ex was a nutcase.

[Soufkackicustom]

Naturally you will want to be surrounded by like creatures. Thats why there are heards,packs...ect of wild animals. But if one unlike animal is raised as another it will "think" it is one of them. So it's not in your DNA, it's a learned trait.

But racism in America is largly only viewed as a "white" issue. But whites are no longer the majority in the country. Yes still the largest group, but there are more minority population than white population. So if whites are not the largest minority then why can't they "be pushed to the side" like other races have felt they have been done? All I can think to compare it to is the government. Democratic president, majority democratic house and senete, and they still can't get shit done.


But that being said...I am white. Iam only going to take a person at face value to me. I don't care what color they are. People are people.......but there is a lot of people in the world. So yes I do profile people to sort them quickly. I don't hunt,fish,or do the "redneck" thing......so I don't really activally seek out those people. Nothing wrong with them, might be great people, but out intest don't mesh. I have no desire to be "from the hood" just no a life style for me. I don't speak Spanish...so I'd be a bit lost. So we don't mesh there.

But I do have friends who are rednecks, black, and Hispanic. Great people who I met in everyday life who I mesh with. I may not share their values or beliefs, but we can still kick it and have a great time

In America....your life is planned out for you till your 18. Everyone had the exact same chance. You go to school. They basically give you time to grow up, but by 14 (9th grade) it's up to every person what track they are going to take. Either fail or seceded. It's only after that shit changes. Of course there is connections and preference in the business world...but there is also affermitive action. A perk me as a white person dosent get. And I see it's a flawed system everyday. My old boss had been in the same job for 15 years. He rose to management. Company policy changed and you had to have a degree to be in management. So he was replaced. That corporate bullshit, but anyways. He was replaced with a minority. That's not a problem, but he has a degree in business and dose not have a single qualification to be where he is in a manufacturing plant. He has no mechanical ability, and is lost when you are trying to troubleshoot any of the machinery. He's got the supply chain flow and labor figured out. He can tell us when and what has to be built, but can't assist any of us doing it. Yes I know he gets a good check, but isn't that unfair to him that he is even in that position just because he is a "percentage" he is a smart dude, and if say in human resources or supply could probally be a great asset, but now he's just a lame duck as he has no opportunity to advance

[ChIoVnIdCa]

But whites are no longer the majority in the country. Yes still the largest group, but there are more minority population than white population.

You do know that is not true right?