Racism ...

[nooskye]

I know this is a touchy subject around here ... so, please try to keep level heads, as I am sure this one will get a little heated. We are all friends here and should be able to discuss this likewise ... Mind others feelings and be respectful, PLEASE!! ...


On the Tyra Banks Show yesterday (you need flash to run ... http://tyrashow.warnerbros.com/show_recaps/show_recap_mon66.html ) ... she did a story on Racism in America and who a Control Group thought had it worse ... The control group was asked to view a group of women, composed of a Latino, African American, Muslim, White, Asian and part two featured Inter-racial injustices ... Based on their looks alone, the man conducting the session asked questions like: What kind of life do you think this person lives? and Would you feel safe around this person? ... The control group answered off with "O, she's a strung out single mom from the ghetto." or "I would feel safe around her, because I know her brothers and uncles have weapons and bombs and stuff." and "O, she's a maid." ... Pretty much sterotyping the individuals ... being correct or not ...

So ... I pose two questions for discussion ...

1.) who do you think is more targeted for racism? (I'd start a poll, but I don't know how ... )
2.) what sterotypes do you classify people with?

[Conveyor Belt]

I'm not sure stereotypes and racism are the same. To me, racism is dismissing a race of people as inferior to your own, using many reasons, often stereotypes. However, stereotypes don't necessarily make one racist. We laugh at stereotypes, because somewhere, we know that they've been true.

I know where to find illegals living 10 to an apartment, where to find welfare black mothers of 5 children, none with the same father, where to find the angst ridden middle class white kid, where to find the bad asian driver and the muslim who wants death to America.

I'm more interested in stereotypes about whites and 'white' jokes than anything else.

[dollfus46]

I know this is a touchy subject around here ... so, please try to keep level heads, as I am sure this one will get a little heated. We are all friends here and should be able to discuss this likewise ... Mind others feelings and be respectful, PLEASE!! ...


On the Tyra Banks Show yesterday (you need flash to run ... http://tyrashow.warnerbros.com/show_recaps/show_recap_mon66.html ) ... she did a story on Racism in America and who a Control Group thought had it worse ... The control group was asked to view a group of women, composed of a Latino, African American, Muslim, White, Asian and part two featured Inter-racial injustices ... Based on their looks alone, the man conducting the session asked questions like: What kind of life do you think this person lives? and Would you feel safe around this person? ... The control group answered off with "O, she's a strung out single mom from the ghetto." or "I would feel safe around her, because I know her brothers and uncles have weapons and bombs and stuff." and "O, she's a maid." ... Pretty much sterotyping the individuals ... being correct or not ...

So ... I pose two questions for discussion ...

1.) who do you think is more targeted for racism? (I'd start a poll, but I don't know how ... )
2.) what sterotypes do you classify people with?

Actually, Nooskye, I'm going to have to wait until someone else posts, because I'm not sure I fully understand your two questions. I don't have flash I don't think. I don't think racism is the factor it once was. We'll never get rid of it anymore than we'll get rid of poverty. Only a few try to keep it alive and well and many are beginning to turn their backs on those people.

Sterotyping usually takes the form of negative characteristics, and it can vary greatly. So I'm not sure how to answer. Again, I think sterotyping is over played. Maybe I'm naive, but I enjoy a good joke about wasps as much as anyone. I have difficulty seeing the sensitivity of it. I laugh as hard as anyone when black comedians poke fun at wasps. Then again, I haven't walked in a black person's shoes, nor a latino's, nor a woman's. I never will. I can't help that, so I won't apologize for it, but I will try to understand.

[Hermione]

Racism. I went to college in the midwest my first two years. One night we had a heated discussion about race relations -- this was many, many years ago. I was the only southerner in the group. One of the girls, who was from northern Minnesota, made a comment I've never forgotten. She said "My parents would be thrilled if I brought a black friend home. But I'd better not let an Indian in the house!" That was the first time I understood that racism is more about the racist than about the group they despise.

[Conveyor Belt]

That was the first time I understood that racism is more about the racist than about the group they despise.


Yeah, I never understood anyone's hatred of Jewish people, Native Americans, etc. I don't really understand the hatred of blacks, either. I don't understand dismissing a people as a whole because of the behavior of a few. I'm not a child molesting serial killer like all the other white people out there.

[Astra]

Yeah, I never understood anyone's hatred of Jewish people, Native Americans, etc. I don't really understand the hatred of blacks, either. I don't understand dismissing a people as a whole because of the behavior of a few. I'm not a child molesting serial killer like all the other white people out there.
Me neither. I was raised without really noticing race much - my schools were mostly white, but I knew there were people out there of different races and didn't really think much about it. It wasn't until I was in high school that I really encountered blatant racism and it blew my mind. I couldn't believe there were kids my age still buying into that kind of crap.

[aaron]

I don't think it's racism as much as it's stereo-typing people.

[58ford]

I occasionally do work for the city.
On occasion I have been harrassed while doing my job.
A few weeks ago I was working down near a basket ball court off of 5th street. It was around 5 pm & getting dark. A couple of cars pulled up & people started getting out. I decided to come back & finish the next day. Then I saw that the guys getting out of the cars were hispanic. They started to play basketball so I stayed & finished the job.
I felt uncomfortable with myself afterwards because I know that if those guys had been black I probably would have left.
I don't want to be racist, I don't want to steriotype anyone, but I have been harassed before, some times just epithets & bad language (which I could give a sh!t about) & once a minor shoving match that honestly left me shaken.

[fuzzis]

It's interesting that this comes up and yesterday the front page on cnn.com was about racism. It was focused only on black/white, which I find to be very limiting.

fuzzis

[XC9]

Tyras show was quite informative. It really made me think, but just the same I will NOT sit on an airplane (or other public transportation) next to a person who is dressed in mid-east attire. I will be honest and tell you I would be scared to death wondering when the bomb will go off. I know this is stereotyping people by the way they dress, but to many of my friends are being put into a war that these (type of dress) people are trying to kill. I judge people more so of there dress than color. I don't want to be around people with their shorts hung down to their knees showing me their butts. I feel this is disrespectful to me-yet I have to respect them? Not me buddy! I don't believe there is one person in this world who doesn't judge others in some manner-judging others is a sin-we are ALL sinners and that's why we are here-to learn better. It is just taking me a long time to learn this. SORRY.

[aaron]

I'm probably the same way. I don't know if that's just nature, but we tend to judge books by their cover. I don't look at color, as much as, I look at how you dress. But some people want it that way. They dress a certain way in order to be identified with a certain group of people.

[nooskye]

I agree with you both ... I hate to admit it ... but society, I think, places alot of emphasis on this through all sorts of media ... look a certian way, be a certian way ... this group with this and that group with that ... but is that considered being prejudice to a group or racist to an individual???

[nooskye]

Actually, Nooskye, I'm going to have to wait until someone else posts, because I'm not sure I fully understand your two questions...

Question 1 is meant to refer to your personal opinion of who in America is discriminated against the most ... black, white, latino, asian, muslim ... purple with pink polka dots??? ...

Question 2 is about how you classify groups ... what are your sterotypes ... ie: XC9: "I don't want to be around people with their shorts hung down to their knees showing me their butts. I feel this is disrespectful to me-yet I have to respect them? Not me buddy!" ... I would assume he would be talking about a thug sterotype ... It coincides with my sterotype of a thug anyway ... It's a perception thing, I guess ... everyone's opinion is different and after watching the show ... I'm curious ... :)

[dollfus46]

Racism. I went to college in the midwest my first two years. One night we had a heated discussion about race relations -- this was many, many years ago. I was the only southerner in the group. One of the girls, who was from northern Minnesota, made a comment I've never forgotten. She said "My parents would be thrilled if I brought a black friend home. But I'd better not let an Indian in the house!" That was the first time I understood that racism is more about the racist than about the group they despise.

Odd you should mention that. I learned not many months ago that many in Minnesota are prejudiced against Indians. I found that odd just as you did. I'd be surprised if you didn't find prejudice against blacks among your Northern classmates too. We've worked hard in the South to overcome the prejudice against us from the rest of the country, and racism is still right under their noses just as it was back in the 60's when they came from up North to teach us stupid, ignorant Southerners right from wrong.

[firefly]

I occasionally do work for the city.
On occasion I have been harrassed while doing my job.
A few weeks ago I was working down near a basket ball court off of 5th street. It was around 5 pm & getting dark. A couple of cars pulled up & people started getting out. I decided to come back & finish the next day. Then I saw that the guys getting out of the cars were hispanic. They started to play basketball so I stayed & finished the job.
I felt uncomfortable with myself afterwards because I know that if those guys had been black I probably would have left.
I don't want to be racist, I don't want to steriotype anyone, but I have been harassed before, some times just epithets & bad language (which I could give a sh!t about) & once a minor shoving match that honestly left me shaken. 58, I hear ya. But if it was me that saw 2 car loads of Hispanics drive up after dark I would have left. Because we all know that (not all) most of them are illegals around here. But then again if 2 carloads of white guys that had their pants hanging down to their knees drove up, I would have left. you can't be too careful in this day & time, if you know what I mean!:smt118

[Conveyor Belt]

I know I left a fishing spot when a few truck loads of white guys waving rebel flags and blaring 'white power' music pulled up... that freaked me out.

[Hermione]

Ok, another story. About twenty years ago I lived in Kentucky. Went to a New Year's Eve party with some girlfriends. Just as we're getting out of the car, a bunch of rough-looking guys in jeans, vests, long-hair, etc. pull up at the same house. My friend says, "Let's stay together and be ready to leave fast, I don't know about these guys." So we go into the party, everything is going ok, and I walk up to a group where one of the rough guys is talking -- turns out they were all geologists from the Dept of the Interior, working at Mammoth Cave.
You really just never know!!

[selmore]

I know I left a fishing spot when a few truck loads of white guys waving rebel flags and blaring 'white power' music pulled up... that freaked me out.

You mean the "rebel flag" that doesn't represent anything except southern pride and all?? That can't be!!!