How racist is America?

[DSE 3]

Where would you like to start? Do we start with blanket comments from major news figures saying "If Obama wasn't black, he wouldn't be where he is, he got there as a result of societal guilt?"
Perhaps you'd rather start at the other end, and we talk about Native Americans discriminated against in towns like Rapid City, SD, or in Farmington, NM. Or maybe we talk about the landlord in my own town that refused to rent to Mexicans "because they skip out and steal everything?"
Or maybe the protesters that were beaten in SLC yesterday during a pro-Tibet rally, because they were non-Chinese, protesting China's treatment of Tibet? Was that racism or culturalism?

Or...my own experiences growing up, catching it from both sides of my heritage. One asshole at the GM meeting had the stupidity to walk up to me and say "damn, you don't look Native American to me." Jackass didn't look like a dumbass redneck to me, either. The difference is I was able to treat him decently in spite of himself. Another GM member was dumb-fuck enough to not know the difference between pulled-back, long hair, and a mullet. As a result, members of the GM have apparently dubbed me "the mullet-head from hell." I'm told this came straight from Glen Bangs himself, but it was repeated to me as a slur, not as a "Hey, did you know...?"

Racism is everywhere, it's human nature, it's animal, it's part of evolution, IMO. However....it also can be dealt with over generations.
Funny, we all bleed red, but we judge each other so much on appearance and skin color....beliefs and commonalities not withstanding.

[Tink1717 2]

American racism simmers just below the surface that we present to the rest of the world. We are, generally, less overt about it that when I was growing up, but racial discrimination is still very much alive and well.

Not too long before I was born it was common to see signs outside of employers that said "No (insert undesired gruop here) need apply." Realtors and bankers had a practice of redlining certain areas based on racial make up of thise who lived there. Undesired races were systematicaly barred from higher, orin some cases primary, education. In the county my parents moved us to (Prince Georges, out of Washington D.C.) the schools were segregated by race and those of the undesired race were dramtically underfunded. (this was an open secret my parents used to talk about at the table.) These are just a few of the examples I saw growig up.

Today, we have put on a clean face to the rest of the world yet still practice racism covertly. I have, for example, worked in the past with owners of small to mid size companies. Businesses with anywhere from 50 to 250 employees. These guys felt safe with me, mostly because I looked like them, and would say things that they would never dare say outside the confines of a country club. They would say things like "I only hire enough of them (usually blacks or arabs) to meet the quota. Then I keep them just long enough that I don't get in trouble, the I fire them." Or words to that effect. This is just one example of the covert racsim I seen recently. To my mind, covertracsim is much owrse than overt racism because it is much harder to irradicate.

We have, on the level of public discourse, come a long way, but have a very long way to go.

Think about this: how many minorities do you see at your average drop zone? Does anyone reach out to them?

The fact that a guy like Obama is, and can, run for high office is testament ot that. Bu that is tempered by the fact that he requires more security due to more death threats. Personally, everytime I see an Obama rally, I listen with one ear for the shot. I wonder what will happen then.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

Personally, everytime I see an Obama rally, I listen with one ear for the shot. I wonder what will happen then.

So, who do you think would be the shooter? And why?

Would you suspect a certain race?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Amazon 7]

Take your pick of any one of the right wing militias that have been very quiet since Clinton left office.

Want to bet there is a resurgence in their activities after the coming election???

[Tink1717 2]

I would suspect a white male. That is the typical profile of an assasin in the U.S.. If it were any other, I'd be very surprised. I'd never underestimate what a motivated lone gunman would/could do.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[rushmc 18]

Quote

As a "typical white person" (according to Obama), I would have to agree with rushmc!

And here I thought I was going to get yelled at

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rushmc 18]

Quote

Quote

Not near as rascist as many other countries.

Moral relativism strikes again.

The answer to the question is:

VERY,

but it's getting better. Within my memory I saw (on TV) a state governor declaring "segregation forever". Now it's more covert (driving while black is still an offense in Chicago, for example)

Bull shit

While not gone it is more a story line those like you and the media want to keep going. Along with those that make a living from it like Jackson and Faracon

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rushmc 18]

Quote

Quote

Quote

but it's getting better. Within my memory I saw (on TV) a state governor declaring "segregation forever". Now it's more covert (driving while black is still an offense in Chicago, for example)

I thought you open minded, Blue Staters were so above all of that.

I have news for you: Chicago isn't a state.

No, but (according to you) Florida is a Nation!!

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[kallend 1,678]

Quote

Well the question was "How racist is America?" which can only be answered by comparing America to other countries. In this case it is about moral relativism.

No - racism exists without reference to other countries.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 1,678]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Not near as rascist as many other countries.

Moral relativism strikes again.

The answer to the question is:

VERY,

but it's getting better. Within my memory I saw (on TV) a state governor declaring "segregation forever". Now it's more covert (driving while black is still an offense in Chicago, for example)

Bull shit

While not gone it is more a story line those like you and the media want to keep going. Along with those that make a living from it like Jackson and Faracon

Tell us, is Cloud Cuckoo Land racist?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rushmc 18]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

Not near as rascist as many other countries.

Moral relativism strikes again.

The answer to the question is:

VERY,

but it's getting better. Within my memory I saw (on TV) a state governor declaring "segregation forever". Now it's more covert (driving while black is still an offense in Chicago, for example)

Bull shit

While not gone it is more a story line those like you and the media want to keep going. Along with those that make a living from it like Jackson and Faracon

Tell us, is Cloud Cuckoo Land racist?

Oooohhhhhh

Straight to a PA.

Getting called on your shit getting to ya!

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[beowulf 1]

I think you missed my point. The question was in regard to the measure of racism in the US. In order to measure racism in one country you need other countries to measure it against. The fact that racism exists in the US has already been assumed by the question and is not in dispute.

[Skyrad 0]

That sounds like a pretty scary prediction. i find it interesting that the colour of the gunman is up for question. I wonder if many in black america see Obama as a sell out of some description.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

I would suspect a white male. That is the typical profile of an assasin in the U.S.. If it were any other, I'd be very surprised. I'd never underestimate what a motivated lone gunman would/could do.

Hmm. Let's look at some assassins and attempted assassins.

Talmadge Hayer - he killed Malcolm X. A lefty black separatist.

James Earl Ray - white guy

Lee Harvey Oswald - white guy, but committed communist. More likely to kill McCain.

James Bess - attempted assassin of Khalid Abdul Muhammed. A Nation of Islam guy. Black.

Sirhan Sirhan - Palestinian killed Robert Kennedy

Francisco MoDuran - a latino who shot up the White House when Clinton was in.

In fact, the most recent American assassination was that of Chauncey Bailey in Oakland - Devaughndre Broussard, a young black man, is the suspect.

Democrat Othniel Askew killed James Davis, a NYC Councilman and his Democratic rival in 2003.

There are plenty of white assassins. But there are also black assassins. You are making some assumptions that the assassin will be white when it appears that black leaders are just as likely to be capped by black men as white men.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[kallend 1,678]

Quote

I think you missed my point. The question was in regard to the measure of racism in the US. In order to measure racism in one country you need other countries to measure it against. The fact that racism exists in the US has already been assumed by the question and is not in dispute.

So if we asked the question "Are humans racist?", we'd have nothing to compare them with and therefore couldn't answer the question?

I think not. "Racist" can be perfectly well defined without reference to a different set of individuals.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

In fact, the most recent American assassination was that of Chauncey Bailey in Oakland - Devaughndre Broussard, a young black man, is the suspect.

Isn't this case a bit out of place with all the others you list? Calling him an assassin seems to overstate his relevance in US history.

summary - Bailey was an Oakland reporter writing about the activities of the Your Black Muslim Bakery, a group that was an odd mesh of religion, advocacy, and capitalism. Broussard is a young underling at the outfit, is seen with the shotgun used to kill Bailey. Leader of YBMB is allowed to talk with him at the police station, after which he confesses. Now his defense is he was told to take the fall, but knows nothing or will say nothing about who did do it.

A cute defense, but somehow I think that strategy was already done to death in the legal world.

But overall, it's just some punk who retaliated against a reporter. Not too uncommon.

[jcd11235 0]

Quote

Lee Harvey Oswald - white guy, but committed communist. More likely to kill McCain.

Since LHO is dead and assassinated a Democrat President, I'm thinking he is probably not more likely to kill McCain, primarily due to the former quality, but the latter characteristic should be taken into consideration for hypothetical comparisons.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[beowulf 1]

Quote

Quote

I think you missed my point. The question was in regard to the measure of racism in the US. In order to measure racism in one country you need other countries to measure it against. The fact that racism exists in the US has already been assumed by the question and is not in dispute.

So if we asked the question "Are humans racist?", we'd have nothing to compare them with and therefore couldn't answer the question?

I think not. "Racist" can be perfectly well defined without reference to a different set of individuals.

Those two questions don't compare. "Are humans racist?" isn't asking for a comparison. It's asking whether or not humans are racist. A yes or no question. "How racist
are these particular humans?" now that asks for a measure of racism and assumes the there is a degree of racism already present.

[kallend 1,678]

Quote

Quote

I would suspect a white male. That is the typical profile of an assasin in the U.S.. If it were any other, I'd be very surprised. I'd never underestimate what a motivated lone gunman would/could do.

Hmm. Let's look at some assassins and attempted assassins.

Talmadge Hayer - he killed Malcolm X. A lefty black separatist.

James Earl Ray - white guy

Lee Harvey Oswald - white guy, but committed communist. More likely to kill McCain.

James Bess - attempted assassin of Khalid Abdul Muhammed. A Nation of Islam guy. Black.

Sirhan Sirhan - Palestinian killed Robert Kennedy

Francisco MoDuran - a latino who shot up the White House when Clinton was in.

In fact, the most recent American assassination was that of Chauncey Bailey in Oakland - Devaughndre Broussard, a young black man, is the suspect.

Democrat Othniel Askew killed James Davis, a NYC Councilman and his Democratic rival in 2003.

There are plenty of white assassins. But there are also black assassins. You are making some assumptions that the assassin will be white when it appears that black leaders are just as likely to be capped by black men as white men.

John Hinckley Jr, Mark Chapman, Lynette Fromm, Theodore Kaczinsky - all white.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Amazon 7]

Quote

John Hinckley Jr, Mark Chapman, Lynette Fromm, Theodore Kaczinsky - all white.

Common theme here.....all freakin nutters

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

A cute defense, but somehow I think that strategy was already done to death in the legal world.

Well, what about the assassin of Malcolm X? Not exactly an unimportant public figure...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[lawrocket 3]

Yeah, I know he's dead. But LHO was a self-proclaimed "Hunter of Fascists."

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[kschilk 0]

Quote

The country is less racists than Obama is.

That's 'coz we're too busy being bitter....you know, clinging to our guns & religion.

"T'was ever thus."

[jcd11235 0]

Quote

Those two questions don't compare. "Are humans racist?" isn't asking for a comparison. It's asking whether or not humans are racist. A yes or no question. "How racist are these particular humans?" now that asks for a measure of racism and assumes the there is a degree of racism already present.

The question assumes racism is not a binary quality. It does not, however, imply the requirement of an answer relative to other countries or other eras, such as "How does racism in the US compare with racism in other countries?" or "Has racism in the US increased or decreased in the last x years?" imply.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[Tink1717 2]

Yeah, but the black community would have nothing to gain by capping Obama

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717