Racism

[Lady Valkyrie]

Has racism ever touched your life?

Have you ever been racist and have since changed your attitude?

[Altair]

I've been called "white trash" before by a Mexican. Interestingly, my mother is Mexican, but I take so much from my father (German/Irish), one might not notice the Mexican in me. Also, a great many times, I've felt out of place when around blacks because I feel I'm being judged since I'm not black: on the basketball courts mainly, in the inner city, at dance clubs, and around various college clubs. I guess they call it reverse discrimination when exceptions are made to acknowledge blacks for the sake of being black. It's all Greek to me because I believe we're all one person, no color, no creed, no pun intended.

[Siana]

I'm not a rasist and I don't judge ppl by the colour of their skin.I have friends form South America and they are nice ppl..

[Lady Valkyrie]

Personally I have been touched by racism in many different ways. First let me say that I did a geneology tree as a teen and I found out some very interesting things. First on my father's side I have German and Irish in me. On my egg donor's side I have Cherokee, Apache, Blackfoot, Hispanic, English, and way back even African. I am a melting pot of races. However, I am Lily White. I am so white that I glow in the dark! LOL.

I come from a coal mining family in the mountains of West Virginia. Everyone on my mother's side were very racist. My grandmother taught us girls to hang our purses over our necks when we pass a black person for they might steal our purse otherwise. I'm serious people... the word nigger was used quite often. My father didn't seem to have an opinion either way.

I grew up in a school where you were had family members in the KKK or you were a wanna be KKK or you were labeled a nigger lover. My school was 50/50 black/white. The next town over was 90% black. The town to the other side was 90% white. Needless to say when sports events happened a lot of racial fights went on.

I had friend that where black and white. I once dated a black guy secretly. I feared what would happed if my white friends found out. That relationship didn't last long. I knew racism was wrong... I knew it in my heart.

Once I found out about my geneology tree was so racially diverse I turned my back in a way on my family. They were ignorant hypocrits in my opinion.

One day, this was after I had had my first child and was married, I was walking in the mall. A black man was coming my way. I had just cashed a check so I had quite a bit of money in my purse. Before I realized it I swung my purse around my neck. I was so horrified at myself that I sat down on a nearby bench shocked. Right then and there I prayed a prayer to God. I asked him to please take that evil spirit of racism out of me and put in me a spirit of love for all people. He did people.

I had battles to fight ahead of me. For my husband was one heck of a racist. However... I never let him get the best of me. And to this day my children don't see colors they see PEOPLE!

My ex-husband still hasn't changed. He's still a racist. I bought my daughter a black Barbie doll over the summer when she was spending the summer with her father. He took one look at that doll and literally cringed. My daughter said... "Isn't she beautiful dad?" and then she winked at me. LMBO!!! Yeah buddy she even realizes at the age of 9 that her daddy's racist ways are wrong.

[CollectiveSoul]

used to talk racist but that part of my life is over now.

[hayley]

i am defenitly not racist...i believe that everyone should be treated equally, and they are in my life.

[Siana]

right:)

[Mulletman]

i am not racists, but if you cut me off i will say something, only if i am alone.

[Bridge of Clay]

Originally posted by Siana
I have friends form South America and they are nice ppl..

??? :confused:

What´s wrong with being South-American ????? :eek:

Are you thinking all south-american is an indian or black???

Take me as an example... too bad I don´t have a scanned pic...
I´m caucasian, light brown hair, green eyes... My grand grand parents were born in Portugal (2), Spain and Italy...

If you go to the South Region of Brazil (that 3 states down there) you´ll only find blond/blondes, snow white sking, blue eyes... all of them descending from Germans, Dutch and Scandinavians...
Top model Gisele Bundchen is from there, for example...

And yes, we´re good people... except the ones from Argentina, who are really arrogant... well, not all of them, but most of them...

[Bridge of Clay]

Siana, don´t get it personal! I know what you meant!
:) :peace:

[allison]

Originally posted by N30°14'?.7 W84°
[BIf you go to the South Region of Brazil (that 3 states down there) you´ll only find blond/blondes, snow white sking, blue eyes... all of them descending from Germans, Dutch and Scandinavians... [/b]

Wow, I had no idea about that! And it was only a few years ago that I learned that alot of northern Italians are blond/blue/light skinned. Shows there's alot I don't know!

[souldancer]

Originally posted by N30°14'?.7 W84°
[BTake me as an example... too bad I don´t have a scanned pic...
I´m caucasian, light brown hair, green eyes... My grand grand parents were born in Portugal (2), Spain and Italy...

If you go to the South Region of Brazil (that 3 states down there) you´ll only find blond/blondes, snow white sking, blue eyes... all of them descending from Germans, Dutch and Scandinavians...
Top model Gisele Bundchen is from there, for example...

yes, we´re good people [/b]
Right on Marcos - you, me and lots of others! All good colors in this human rainbow!

My grandparents were from the Azores, Portuguese Islands - and they were considered the 'dark ones' and were treated badly by the 'white' Euro immigrants. Funny, the island where my mother's side came from has light skinned Flemish (Belgian) roots. My brother has blue eyes, mine are green...But, WHO CARES! Sad that I didn't get to learn the language and my grandmother hated to see me working on my tan. My parents generation worked hard to assimilate, be like 'the others' - had to be accepted...Thank God times have changed - but we still need to encourage more appreciation for our differences and realize we are all ONE - like a beautiful botanical garden!

[Bridge of Clay]

Originally posted by allison
Wow, I had no idea about that!  And it was only a few years ago that I learned that alot of northern Italians are blond/blue/light skinned.  Shows there's alot I don't know!

yeah, their ascendents were all imigrants, Brazil opened doors to imigration at that time because there were only a few people living there...

The Southeast (Sao Paulo/Rio) region welcomed Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Japanese imigrants, while the Northeast (Bahia) got the descendts of slaves... coz the sugar farms were most on that region... that´s why the poorness of Brazil is highly concentrated there

[allison]

So interesting. Thanks Marcos.

*adds one more thing to her list that she wants to learn more about, and wonders when she'll ever find the time in this lifetime!*

[Bridge of Clay]

Originally posted by souldancer
[b]
My grandparents were from the Azores, Portuguese Islands

really ? cool!!! my ascendents were from Porto...
Don´t mind not speaking Portuguese, I must say it´s a really complicated language... lots of variations, sufix and different verb conjugations...

[B]Thank God times have changed - but we still need to encourage more appreciation for our differences and realize we are all ONE - like a beautiful botanical garden! </b>

True!!!

[Read JDM]

I've been persecuted by Gentiles for being Jewish.

I've been persecuted by Jews for believing in Christ.

I've had rocks thrown at my window.

I've had various religious leaders play tug-of-war with my soul.

I've been jumped for having white skin, and, as my attackers slapped me repeatedly in the face, they told me exactly why that was a problem for them.

I've been pushed around in an office setting by an group of ten women who loved the control they had over an entry-level boy.

I remain proud of who I am.

I live in an extraordinarily diverse town and have friends of almost every imaginable background; I'm proud of who they are, too.

I think stereotypes are malicious and wrong, and yet, when appropriately applied, I think we can learn from stereotypes in a positive way.

I think the melting pot theory is the answer to almost all of the world's problems.

I think the melting pot theory has been largely and sadly ignored by people who continue to make race an issue in an effort to suit their own political means; I think more people need to visit New York and see how it's done.

I think David Duke and Louis Farrakhan are terrible human beings.

I think Pat Robertson is often right.

I often think Pat Robertson would be well-advised to keep his mouth shut.

I think O.J. Simpson's defense team reversed decades of real progress in America.

I get offended when people play the proverbial race card; I think the race card is as racist as it gets, hurting both the opponent as well as the person who plays it.

I think it's wrong when Harry Belafonte calls Colin Powell a racial sellout, and the same goes for Derrick Coleman calling Karl Malone an Uncle Tom.

I think it's wrong that I was conditioned to clutch my wallet on the subway.

I think it's wrong when people spread rumours that the Indian family running Dunkin Donuts cheered on 9/11, when, in fact, they did not; I also think it's wrong to crash four planes to get into Paradise, and can see where such rumours might arise.

I think people of all shapes and sizes can be absolute jerks.

I think that being an absolute jerk is every person's God given right.

I want to see peace and love as much if not more than anyone, but I refuse to believe it can be forced upon people through political correctness, and I definitely don't believe equality and acceptance can come from telling people what to think.

I think it's amazing how Chinese food isn't served in China and Italian food isn't served in Italy, and yet Chinese people and Italian people work in American-based Chinese and Italian restaurants nevertheless.

I think the world is doomed no matter what you look like.

I think we should all enjoy alcoholic beverages while there's still time and I will continue to fight for this cause.

I think Freedom Fighter is hands-down Creed's best song.

[souldancer]

JDM, BEAUTIFUL ! And, I am not talking about the song.
While I love Freedom Fighter too, Faceless Man carries me through some rough times when I am filled with dissillusionment. Thanks for sharing.

[allison]

Originally posted by Read JDM
I think the melting pot theory has been largely and sadly ignored by people who continue to make race an issue in an effort to suit their own political means; I think more people need to visit New York and see how it's done.

I think David Duke and Louis Farrakhan are terrible human beings.

I think O.J. Simpson's defense team reversed decades of real progress in America.

I get offended when people play the proverbial race card; I think the race card is as racist as it gets, hurting both the opponent as well as the person who plays it.

I think people of all shapes and sizes can be absolute jerks.

I want to see peace and love as much if not more than anyone, but I refuse to believe it can be forced upon people through political correctness, and I definitely don't believe equality and acceptance can come from telling people what to think.

DAMN Read! I have rarely seen so much concentrated wisdom all at one time. I agree with almost everything you said, but especially the things above-150% ! It's like you read my mind. Bravo. :clap:

[Bridge of Clay]

I´m sorry if I`m being dumb, but what´s this melting pot theory?

[TeriB19]

You said a mouthful ReadJDM. Very well said, and at times, very sad. But it's a great post.

[Lady Valkyrie]

ReadJDM you have my utmost respect. Very well said.

[Read JDM]

Thanks all.

About the Melting Pot theory. Essentially, the idea is that if you take a whole bunch of completely different people and toss them together, they'll melt into one. But not so far as to lose their identities. It's more of an acceptance thing, I think you might say.

That's why I say NYC is the ultimate example. You go there, you don't see racism. You see every kind of person you can possibly ask for living amongst each other, enjoying and learning from the things that make them "different" from the next guy or next girl or next guy dressed like a girl and vice versa. You spend six months working in the city like I did, and man, I'll tell you, you really start to understand how flawed humans are, but more importantly you start to appreciate the brilliance of our flaws.

[souldancer]

I believe Sacramento, CA was recognized as being one of the most integrated capitols in the nation. Would like to say ALL RIGHT!! A city may have diversity, but not necessarily connect. And, I always like the 'stew' metaphor :P, instead of a melting pot, since it gives me a better image of accepting and appreciateing our differences. Even though, inside we are all the same - and together we are ONE big pot of stew. Pass me some bread!

[Mulletman]

texas is funny in that way.

if you go south of houston you will find a large hipanic population

if you go up north toward dallas and the panhandle you will see the "cowboys" and rednecks

if you go to east of houston you will hit Vidor texas and KKK land. if you drive past vidor you will see a giant billboard saying <i>"welcome to vidor texas where i white man can get away with killing a black woman."</i>
i shit you not...

[Lady Valkyrie]

Originally posted by Mulletman
<b>texas is funny in that way.

a giant billboard saying <i>"welcome to vidor texas where i white man can get away with killing a black woman."</i>
i shit you not... </b>

That makes me want to throw up! I want to shoot the person who erected such a thing along with the people who allowed it to stay up there. :mad:

[Siana]

Originally posted by N30°14'?.7 W84°
Siana, don´t get it personal! I know what you meant!
:) :peace:

yeah,i hope you did,I never meant to offend you:(

[Read JDM]

Originally posted by Mulletman
<b>"welcome to vidor texas where i white man can get away with killing a black woman."</b>

Sad thing is, the guys who made that sign have probably proven it's true. Scary.

[Mulletman]

that billboard sign has been up for several years now

[Bridge of Clay]

Originally posted by Siana
yeah,i hope you did,I never meant to offend you:(

Hey, of course!!! I was just kidding with you !!! :)
I hope you realized it!

[Siana]

yeah,ok baby :)