The Fight Against Racism

[JohnBM01]

GTPlanet, hello again.

Normally I would be pretty happy to come up with topics like this one. But to me, I feel angry and disgusted. This topic, if it goes too far, may have this thread being locked. Have I ever been attacked racially? Sometimes I've been "attacked" online. Back around 1998, I attended an auto racing Chat, and this one girl was all against me because a black person needs not attend such a chat. Now, I am an African-American. So I'm easily offended when people of my own race seen Hell. Anyone who is the same race as mine knows about the hell we endured from slave ships to today. Now on to a situation in which racism gets over the top. I'm watching MTV's "My Life (Translated) 2." The topic is on body image, and online, I kept hearing about mostly American people against Japanese. I used to attend AOL Japan chat "Make Friends," and often times, I can relate to what's being talked about on this episode of "My Life (Translated) 2," and that is about squinty eyes. One person even told very cruel jokes about Asians. And I guess based on this MTV show, people want to try to merge with the American people by maybe getting eye surgery.

Normally, racism is something I rarely discuss. But since I want to try to offer a variety of topics, I have to, in the interest of the concerned audience. It's the fight against racism. Can we stop it? Can we lessen it? I'll start.

To me, racism is like AIDS (in this lifetime, at least). It can be treated, but not cured. People have their views on certain races, but you don't tell them out loud to people around, like my online experiences. I mean, I happen to know people from around the world. People as far north as Anchorage, Alaska, USA... all the way down to Sydney, Australia. Now as I watch this MTV show, MTV correspondent Su Chin talked about getting double eyelid surgery so that eyes look more open. To me, if you want to take up surgery, that's your body. What ticks me off is what some American people will stoop to in order to belittle anyone that isn't an white, American male. One person came into the AOL Chat I was in and made cruel jokes about Asians, but then come off saying "I'm just playing." Damn it, let me tell you something. Because a person is not like you doesn't mean that you should belittle that person based on race. I know that I am not white and American (remember, I'm black and American), but maybe I don't ride in Corvettes smoking anything that says "Honda" on it. Maybe I don't consider myself an off-roader in an 1990 Ford pickup. Perchance, I'm not an American male that drinks only American beer and go to dirt track races every Friday night. But you will not belittle me because I'm not like other Americans. And when it comes to Asians, I've known mostly Vietnamese, some from China, this super cute Indonesian girl, and I seen all kinds of people. Everytime I heard this American badass poke fun at their looks and their race and (this p*sses me off) b*tches about Pearl Harbor and stuff. I think people should be able to express themselves in any way possible because if no one else cares about your culture, that's their problem, not yours. Everyone is born uniquely regardless of race, culture, religion, what-have-you. Or what was that that Thomas Jefferson said? Oh, yes, "All men are created equally."

Folks, can we fight racism and to what extent? Do you want to share stories where careless people, who have no respect for humanity, have belittled you because of your race? I'm going to attempt to make a topic I normally wouldn't discuss.

 

[DRIFT4EVA]

I am an Englishman. Born in SA but have an English backround. I've never been "attacked" racially. However I have seen it happen to people I know. I was appauled by the way these people treated them. I don't see why some people are so racist. Can't they see that we are ALL human. If it had come down to it I personally would've smacked them in the head. I get really angry to anyone that says racist comments to anyone else. I just don't see the point.

I would use this as a meter of how annoyed I get when people say these things, but the page would never load up.

 

[Danoff]

Agreed, racism is terrible. I know I get outraged when people are prejudiced against me because I'm a white male. However, people will think what they want and they're entitled to their opinion.

 

[emad]

I've been attacked and I've known people who've been attacked for being muslim. Fags all of them. Many of those attackers were half-decent people before 9/11.

 

[Danoff]

I'll tell you what emad. You me and John there will walk down the street with our protest signs. You call for an end to hatred against muslims. John will call for an end to hatred against blacks. I'll call for an end to hatred against whites.

We'll see who gets attacked for their beliefs.

 

[///M-Spec]

I guess I'll chime in. I'm a Naturalized Citizen of the United States, born in Taiwan. My folks moved my sister and I here in the winter of '79. I was had just turned 6. We moved around quite a bit in the early days. San Jose, New York, Houston.. we finally settled back down in New York City when I was 10.

In my own personal experience, I find the people most concerned with ethnicity are ethnic people. When I was growing up in Queens, I caught substantialy more amounts of heat from the Black and Hispanic kids for being Asian than I did from white kids. In fact, I don't recall a single instance of a negative racial remark from any of the white kids I knew... even when I was living in an overwhelmingly white neighborhood in Houston.

I've spent the last 10 years living in the Florida panhandle. If you're not familiar with this area, let me tell you that while the coastal culture is very unique, deeper inland, North Florida is basically South Georgia. In 10 years here, I don't recall a single negative remark or incident in which my ethnicity was called on. Not one. In fact, when it comes up, it is even discussed in a favorable light.

I even married into a typical large, church going southern family and everyone of them has welcomed me into the family with open arms.

I'm not making light of your own experiences, John. In fact, I'm sorry it happened to you. But people are going to think what they think, and it is very hard to change a person's mind.

Maybe I am just lucky. It is also possible that it exists all around me but I just don't notice. However, I consider myself an astute observer of people, so I doubt that.

I DO notice this however. Racism is typically concentrated in poorly educated people. Poorly educated typically means poor period, but not always. Educated, wealthy people typically have no use for it.


M

 

[Danoff]

Now, I am an African-American. So I'm easily offended when people of my own race seen Hell. Anyone who is the same race as mine knows about the hell we endured from slave ships to today.

This is a racist statement by the way.

 

[Klostrophobic]

Originally posted by emad
I've been attacked and I've known people who've been attacked for being muslim. Fags all of them. Many of those attackers were half-decent people before 9/11.

Niiiiice. Racism is bad, but that isn't. Got it.

I love the fact that minorities are exempt from being racists. All racism is ridiculous, no matter the person spreading it.

Having Asian pride isn't considered racist, having black pride isn't considered racist. Having white pride gets you lynched. Lynched probably isn't the best word to use there, eh?

I bet there is just as much racism directed towards whites as to minorities in America.

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by emad
I've been attacked and I've known people who've been attacked for being muslim. Fags all of them.

Excuse me? I do believe you've just forfeit your right to say people are racist against you right there. It's going to be very difficult to take what you say seriously after such a hypocritical statement - especially in light of your attitude in the Pictures From Iraq thread. I strongly advise you pay attention to your own actions and words before you try to claim the moral high ground. Don't expect me to offer you much respect - but note that it's directed at you personally, and has nothing to do with your culture.

I'm a white guy, born in the US in 1965. I've seen blatant racism against all races, including my own. I've seen plenty of race-blind people for whom it is truly not an issue. My parents' best friends were black. I have black friends. I have Asian friends. I have Muslim friends. I have Jewish friends. I have gay friends. Many of the people I deeply respect here are of non-Caucasian backgrounds, a fact I would have neither known nor cared about until they happened to mention it themselves during similar discussions. I've operated a business in a predominantly black city neighborhood, and gotten on fine with the majority of my customers, and had trouble with an equal percentage of all races.

I've been called "honky", "gringo", and "roundeye", mostly by people who were in a hurry to characterize themselves as "black" or "hispanic" or "azn". I've never made it an issue except when it has been made an issue for me.

I'm not exceptional. The vast majority of white people I know feel this way. It's just harder to be vocal about not caring what race someone is, than it is to spout some prejudicial crap. It also doesn't sell as many newspapers, either in LA or Riyadh.

And for the record, by far the largest portion of black slaves held by white people where actually bought from other black people. It was common practice throughout Africa for defeated tribes to be enslaved and sold by their conquerors. In fact, throughout all history the losers have been enslaved by the winners, totally without regard to racial differences.

In case nobody noticed, the American Civil War was 140 years ago, and the North won.

 

[milefile]

GTPlanet, hello again.

Normally I would be pretty happy to come up with topics like this one. But to me, I feel angry and disgusted. This topic, if it goes too far, may have this thread being locked. Have I ever been attacked racially? Sometimes I've been "attacked" online. Back around 1998, I attended an auto racing Chat, and this one girl was all against me because a black person needs not attend such a chat. Now, I am an African-American. So I'm easily offended when people of my own race seen Hell. Anyone who is the same race as mine knows about the hell we endured from slave ships to today. Now on to a situation in which racism gets over the top. I'm watching MTV's "My Life (Translated) 2." The topic is on body image, and online, I kept hearing about mostly American people against Japanese. I used to attend AOL Japan chat "Make Friends," and often times, I can relate to what's being talked about on this episode of "My Life (Translated) 2," and that is about squinty eyes. One person even told very cruel jokes about Asians. And I guess based on this MTV show, people want to try to merge with the American people by maybe getting eye surgery.

Normally, racism is something I rarely discuss. But since I want to try to offer a variety of topics, I have to, in the interest of the concerned audience. It's the fight against racism. Can we stop it? Can we lessen it? I'll start.

To me, racism is like AIDS (in this lifetime, at least). It can be treated, but not cured. People have their views on certain races, but you don't tell them out loud to people around, like my online experiences. I mean, I happen to know people from around the world. People as far north as Anchorage, Alaska, USA... all the way down to Sydney, Australia. Now as I watch this MTV show, MTV correspondent Su Chin talked about getting double eyelid surgery so that eyes look more open. To me, if you want to take up surgery, that's your body. What ticks me off is what some American people will stoop to in order to belittle anyone that isn't an white, American male. One person came into the AOL Chat I was in and made cruel jokes about Asians, but then come off saying "I'm just playing." Damn it, let me tell you something. Because a person is not like you doesn't mean that you should belittle that person based on race. I know that I am not white and American (remember, I'm black and American), but maybe I don't ride in Corvettes smoking anything that says "Honda" on it. Maybe I don't consider myself an off-roader in an 1990 Ford pickup. Perchance, I'm not an American male that drinks only American beer and go to dirt track races every Friday night. But you will not belittle me because I'm not like other Americans. And when it comes to Asians, I've known mostly Vietnamese, some from China, this super cute Indonesian girl, and I seen all kinds of people. Everytime I heard this American badass poke fun at their looks and their race and (this p*sses me off) b*tches about Pearl Harbor and stuff. I think people should be able to express themselves in any way possible because if no one else cares about your culture, that's their problem, not yours. Everyone is born uniquely regardless of race, culture, religion, what-have-you. Or what was that that Thomas Jefferson said? Oh, yes, "All men are created equally."

Folks, can we fight racism and to what extent? Do you want to share stories where careless people, who have no respect for humanity, have belittled you because of your race? I'm going to attempt to make a topic I normally wouldn't discuss.

Okay... so you don't like racism. Join the club. I prefered not knowing that you are black. Why, if you are obviously unable to keep your race out of it, should anyone else be expected to?

 

[Sage]

Actually, lately, I've found racism as we normally define it to not be much of any issue, though I'll echo what others have said about non-whites typically being the worst offenders

What I have noticed rising up lately is reverse racism (or whatever you want to call it), where a group wants special treatment because of their race. I read a story some months ago about one university that was considering lowering the SAT standard for having African Americans enrolled (while keeping all other races at the higher standard). One activist against this move is an African American – and when he spoke at city council meetings and what not about the issue, other African Americans would boo and hiss at him and accuse him of being a racist himself. That's bullcrap, and hypocritical. Ooh, let's just claim that we want a color-blind society, then call people racist when we're not at an advantage!

 

[Kent]

Neon_Duke 👍

Sage, I feel your frustrations.

The rest of you, black, white, asian, semitic, etc.

I am white. Irish, second gen american.

I am not racist and never have been.

Learn to deal with the fact that all whites are not who you should blame... just like muslim terrorist in the arabic population, klan members are only a small group in the overall white population.

btw, I get reverse racism too. Lots.
Try getting a good attitude out of the various beauracrates at my community college in New Orleans, Louisiana and you might believe... that is, if your in the shoes of a white boy that has no money.

Note: I may not have a family with money, but I am fortunate and I thank god for that every night.

 

[JohnBM01]

Oh yeah, that's another thing. What about people who are mixed? What about them in regards to this issue?

Sometimes, the media kind of reverberates several different feelings within a certain community. I mean, take a look at the Kobe Bryant trial. What about Janet Jackson at Super Bowl 2004 (in my hometown, in a matter of fact). Maybe even Condolessa Rice. What do they have in common? Same race. The uneducated and uncaring individual would think that all we do is start trouble. Well, check this out.

I was born in 1983 on January 15th. January 15... does that ring a bell? Sure! Dr. Martin Luther King Day. Mr. "I have a dream." Surely my folks have seen hell. MLK preaching for peace among blacks, end result? He gets shot. Or as comedian Chris Rock once said:

"...Martin Luther King was ASSASSINATED. Malcolm X was ASSASSINATED. Tupac got shot."

To me, in my days of chatting in the Japanese chats, I seen mostly Filipino folk, but I've been exposed to several east Pacific and Oceania people from as far north as Sapporo, Japan and maybe as far south as Jakarta, Indonesia. There were even some Asians who live in Australia. But the majority of people who hated on the Asians were American punks who just DO NOT like them. They gripe about Pearl Harbor, Godzilla, rice, making fun of how they talk, you'd have to be there to see it.

After taking some Sociology, I've learned a lot about humanity, more than I've ever known. Now, when it comes to racism, I just wanted o talk about the race group I belong to. I mean, we're people. We have our beackgrounds and beliefs. To me, it's human nature no matter who we are. I've chosen to mention my race for discussion of this topic. I've chosen to mention it because I feel comfortable. Now remember, I'm normally not one to mention this topic, but I wanted to open a topic for discussion of fighting racism. Someone mentioned Houston, my hometown, of course. Anyhow, Houston is as diverse as any city in the world. The most I've seen were my people, Latino folk, Vietnamese, maybe a few Europeans, and that's what I've mostly seen. I favor and support multicultural diversity. It is about the best way all of us can get along as one.

Support Multcultural Diversity!

 

[Goomba]

I was very racist when I was about 15 or 16. Every other word out of my mouth was a racial slur. That's all changed now, and I have a different view on things.

Personally, I think it's fine to joke around with friends about each other's races. My friends and I do it sometimes. We're all good friends, and we all know we're just kidding. Meeting someone new or going into a chatroom and using racial jokes isn't such a great thing. Some people are more touchy about than one would think, and you should respect that. If I knew a friend didn't like me even joking about his race, I'd stop. I stopped cursing in front of a coworker because I learned she didn't like it. Although it's not exactly the same thing, you get my drift.

I think you can be proud of your ethnic background, but I don't see how it makes people what they are today. If your ancestors were in the Holocust, and in a Nazi concentration camp, how has that made you stronger as a person? You can carry a certain pride knowing that your ancestors survived whatever tragedy fell on them. But one that has never experienced slavery, or torture, or anything of those extremes, like their ancestors did, how has that effected you in becoming a better person? I'm not trying to belittle what someone's relative went through, if they went through something like that, it was horrible. But do you see what I'm saying? It would just be like me saying, "I'm racist because my ancestors owned slaves and they hated them.".

Why do I have a feeling I'm going to be banned from posting in one of your threads John?

 

[Mike Rotch]

I must indifferently admit that racism has become such a large part of my life thusfar that it is very much par-for-the-course. I am not referring to me being a racist, rather me having been brought up in a country emerging from Apartheid.

Politicians and commentators take much satisfaction from saying South Africa is a "rainbow nation" and that we are "racially integrated". BS.

The government is not looking after the needs of the people, and when questioned, simply say "it is the after-effect of apartheid". Affirmative action is flimsily camoflaged racism, as an overwhelming percentage of adverts for jobs explicitly stated "AA only". When I left university I had interviewers tell me during the interview that the company concerned was not looking to hire any white males. It is strange for affirmative action to be in favour of the majority, rather then the minority.

Racism still exists in my country, there is little doubt. Political rallies for the black majority ANC party have had slogans like "Kill the boer (afrikaans for farmer), Kill the farmer" and "One Settler (white), one bullet." Our president said at a recent gathering, "If my sister voted for the DA (opposition party), I'd beat her". Of course the spindoctors said he was misunnderstood etc.

It is plainly evident in the media. When a white murders a black, the headline is likely to read "Racist attack leaves man dead". A black murdering a white (which is the overwheling majority of cases - fact, not racist comment), the headline is a luke-warm "Man murdered in suspected argument". It is double-standards, all the way.

The fact of the matter is, here at least, no matter how rosey people want it to be, it will always be us and them. A black never votes for a white party, and a white only votes for a black party if they want to seem like they are builting a better country. A load of royal BS.

 

[DRIFT4EVA]

Originally posted by Mike Rotch
I must indifferently admit that racism has become such a large part of my life thusfar that it is very much par-for-the-course. I am not referring to me being a racist, rather me having been brought up in a country emerging from Apartheid.

Politicians and commentators take much satisfaction from saying South Africa is a "rainbow nation" and that we are "racially integrated". BS.

The government is not looking after the needs of the people, and when questioned, simply say "it is the after-effect of apartheid". Affirmative action is flimsily camoflaged racism, as adverts for jobs explicitly stated "AA only". It is strange for affirmative action to be in favour of the majority, rather then the minority.

Racism still exists in my country, there is little doubt. Political rallies for the black majority ANC party have had slogans like "Kill the boer (afrikaans for farmer), Kill the farmer" and "One Settler (white), one bullet." Our president said at a recent gathering, "If my sister voted for the DA (opposition party), I'd beat her". Of course the spindoctors said he was misunnderstood etc.

The fact of the matter is, here at least, no matter how rosey people want it to be, it will always be us and them. A black never votes for a white party, and a white only votes for a black party if they want to seem like they are builting a better country. A load of royal BS.

I've heard alot on the news about Aparthied lately. I forgot why though

 

[Recury]

You dont understand John, white guys like me and danoff have it real rough. You just dont know what its like to be discriminated against because of the color of your skin.

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by Recury
You dont understand John, white guys like me and danoff have it real rough. You just dont know what its like to be discriminated against because of the color of your skin.

On the assumption that you'd never lump yourself in with danoff except for purposes of sarcasm, I'd like to point out this obvious little fact:

Two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[TurboSmoke]

i am in a mixed race marriage and occasionally my wife may gets stares and one time in an elevator she was told "go home china doll"...luckily i was with her and the guy didnt know we were together...she smiled and i got into a shoving match with the prick...i am a decent sized guy and people usually back off when i contfont them...if it wasnt in my work place when it happened i would have bounced this guys head off the ground...

racism is a fact of life, i have learned that you cannot stop it nor prevent it you have to learn to deal with it...

we were also wating for a bus one time when a couple of drunk youths came past and looked at us...the guy asked "who do you think you are...John Lennon?"...we just walked on coz they were after a fight and were probably tooled up with knives..

i am white of Irish/Scots parentage born in Scotland...i still get nervous walking through some of the Asian parts of Glasgow at night...its not a great atmosphere....it occurs on both sides..

 

[///M-Spec]

Originally posted by JohnBM01
Oh yeah, that's another thing. What about people who are mixed? What about them in regards to this issue?

What about them, John? Why does there need to be an issue about it at all?

Pay attention to the 'non-ethnic' guys in the thread that have chimed in like duke, danoff, milefile and GoKents. Its my experience that the vast majority of America is like them: they're not inclined to be prejudice and they're all a little tired of people making a fuss about it.

99% of the time, it will only be an issue if you make it one. You'll just have to get over the last 1%.

Originally posted by JohnBM01
Support Multcultural Diversity!

Here's how I support diversity. This week I drank Mexican beer and Italian wine. I ate Asian stir fry one night and Southern lemonpepper chicken another. I slept on Egyptian cotton sheets in a house built by a Jewish contractor. I drove my German car to work where I collaborated with my Polish boss and Haitian assistant. I sat on my American Colonial couch and I watched Samual L. Jackson doing his thing as the Coolest Black Man Alive on a Japanese television. On Friday night, I think I'll have some sushi followed by desert at a French cafe.

That's plenty diverse for me.


M

 

[Danoff]

I just wanted to point out how this discussion fell apart completely when some objective standards were put to it. Many people who talk the racism talk can't walk the walk.

 

[ledhed]

Here's how I support diversity. This week I drank Mexican beer and Italian wine. I ate Asian stir fry one night and Southern lemonpepper chicken another. I slept on Egyptian cotton sheets in a house built by a Jewish contractor. I drove my German car to work where I collaborated with my Polish boss and Haitian assistant. I sat on my American Colonial couch and I watched Samual L. Jackson doing his thing as the Coolest Black Man Alive on a Japanese television. On Friday night, I think I'll have some sushi followed by desert at a French cafe.

^^^^What he said