Not letting racism go.

[Chino]

Maybe I view things the way I do because I am a white boy who lives on a good piece of land, have two parents not divorced, and never really faced any hardships in life, but this is a thread I have wanted to start for a while. When are we going to let racism go? I understand that it's part of our history and should be remembered, but how long does it need to be continued to be brought up?

There is this guy I know, his name is Abdul. He is one of the nicest people I know. He's a 60 year old black man (he personally invited me and my group of 4 other whites to his 60th birthday) who every morning posts a status about God and how he is great. At least a few times a week though he has to post something about black people. Now, before you think I am being racist, I am very tolerant when it comes to race. I lived with a crip (yes an actual crip) for 4 months. Abdul posted this on Facebook the other day.



Now, I think it is a great accomplishment. However, do I think it deserves national attention? No I do not. My biggest problem with this image is that is portrays Americans as people who do not want to see black people succeed. I view it as Americans getting past all the racial bullshit and finally allowing blacks to function in our society like every human being has the right to. I personally believe that all that would do is continue this thought process of blacks not being equal. Isn't part of equality meaning that everyone is treated and viewed the same? I don't really know where I am trying to go with this, but I think constantly reporting on this kind of thing will actually delay this country and getting over racism.

[kirksnosehair]

Maybe I view things the way I do because I am a white boy who lives on a good piece of land, have two parents not divorced, and never really faced any hardships in life, but this is a thread I have wanted to start for a while. When are we going to let racism go?

We're not.

Get used to it.  It's here to stay.

[snapple]

Maybe I view things the way I do because I am a white boy who lives on a good piece of land, have two parents not divorced, and never really faced any hardships in life, but this is a thread I have wanted to start for a while. When are we going to let racism go?

We're not.

Get used to it.  It's here to stay.

[Chino]

Maybe I view things the way I do because I am a white boy who lives on a good piece of land, have two parents not divorced, and never really faced any hardships in life, but this is a thread I have wanted to start for a while. When are we going to let racism go?

We're not.

Get used to it.  It's here to stay.

I have to respectfully disagree. Granted, you are always going to have racist people, that's human nature (to a degree), but it's not hard to imagine a country where 95+% of people don't even think twice about it. My generation is post racial, and the people 10 years behind me even more so. In 50-60 years time, most of the people that lived through the hardcore racisim will be gone.

[El Barto]

This generation's white folk might well be post-racial, but I don't think it applies to all groups.  The minorities still care a great deal about it.  Rather than intending that as a disparagement, I think it's a component of human nature, and specifically the group mentality. 

And personally, I think the overall picture is getting worse.

[Chino]

And personally, I think the overall picture is getting worse.

That's exactly the point I am trying to make. It's getting worse because it's not getting let go. The more we try to verablly achieve equality, the worse it's going to get.

[MasterShakezula]

Aside from their hijacking the use of the n-word as a synonym for 'friend', my white peers at school seem to be tolerant of blacks.  I don't think I've seen any racism against blacks at school, come to think of it.

I am concerned about some kids' attitudes towards Hispanics, though. 

[kirksnosehair]

Look, I think I have a unique perspective on this because I am the child of a mixed marriage.  Black mother, white father.  I grew up being called ____________ (<-enter racial epithet of your choice there) on a daily basis and know, first hand, what it's like to be discriminated against because of your skin color and/or ethnic heritage.

Human beings are social animals that form and live in social groups.  There are economic groups, religious groups, ethnic groups, age groups, etc....but it's human nature.  I think it's admirable, Chino, that you would like to "just let it go" and all, but I also think it's a bit naive.  I have the benefit of 48 years of experience living as a person who is not really white but not really black.  I've seen racism from both sides.  It's an ugly reality of human nature and I don't think anyone reading this right now is ever going to experience a 100% post racial world.

I'm not all doom and gloom though.  I will say that over the years things have gotten to be better.  We have made strides as a culture, but we're a long, long, long way from racism not being a fairly common problem in society.

[yeshaberto]

I was reminded this week, though, how far we have come from the decades past.
While we will never completely get over it because it is not a matter of racism but a matter of prejudice.  It is our human nature to stereo-type people and look down on them in order to make ourselves feel better.  That human tendency isn't going anywhere. 
I understand your initial point about going overboard to highlight the graduation can actually further the problem and I agree.

[j]

Now, I think it is a great accomplishment. However, do I think it deserves national attention? No I do not. My biggest problem with this image is that is portrays Americans as people who do not want to see black people succeed. I view it as Americans getting past all the racial bullshit and finally allowing blacks to function in our society like every human being has the right to. I personally believe that all that would do is continue this thought process of blacks not being equal. Isn't part of equality meaning that everyone is treated and viewed the same? I don't really know where I am trying to go with this, but I think constantly reporting on this kind of thing will actually delay this country and getting over racism.

I guess that your friend posting stuff like that is technically "racist," but at some point you have to be realistic.  We are creatures who naturally feel kinship with others like us, even if they may only be like us in some shallow superficial way.  Racial stereotypes may change, but as unbelievably ridiculous as it is when you stop and think about it, racism will always exist simply because skin color is a broad, very obviously apparent quality by which we can mentally "categorize."

Particularly for an older black dude like this guy, who has presumably seen more racist times, I think it's completely understandable that he still feel some pride in how far opportunities for black people in this country have come.  Even though you're right that it may be reinforcing division in some philosophical sense, at least he's being positive instead of using racism as a tool for doing tangible harm.  And if you think about it, it could be considered more of a celebration of overcoming our past failures as a nation rather than a purely race-based thing.

This generation's white folk might well be post-racial, but I don't think it applies to all groups.  The minorities still care a great deal about it.  Rather than intending that as a disparagement, I think it's a component of human nature, and specifically the group mentality. 

Agree with most of this.  Unfortunately, the privileged white boy in this country should probably have the easiest time "giving up" racism, for a variety of reasons.  And even so, many still cannot do it.

And personally, I think the overall picture is getting worse.

As do I.  Ironically, this widespread "PC" movement, while masquerading in the name of tolerance, is really having the opposite effect.  We dwell more on our differences and are so concerned with offending some oversensitive individual somewhere that true discourse is hindered.  I'm not sure where this obsession comes from, because I've never met a person in my entire life who doesn't think that it's an enormous crock of shit, but it's there and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon.

-J

[Scheavo]

When I've heard reports about my generation and racism, it makes it sound as if most people my age, regardless if their white, are going "color-blind." I remember reading one study which said there was a revolutionary change in young children, who don't show any predisposition to racism. It actually gave me hope.

[Progmetty]

Chino I think when we discover life on other planets and start having problems with them, local Earthly racism will subside.

[Super Dude]

I dunno man, the last four years have shown we're not really ready to drop the race conversation just yet if you ask me.

Plus Chino I thought your family were Hispanic?

[Ħ]

Racism expressed against a certain race seems like it's dying down in the younger generations. Unfortunately racism expressed as a preference for certain races (who you choose to spend your time around, who you choose to work for, who you choose to support in politics, etc) is still very prevalent and doesn't seem to be going down at all.

[Chino]

I dunno man, the last four years have shown we're not really ready to drop the race conversation just yet if you ask me.

Plus Chino I thought your family were Hispanic?

Negative my man. I literally have at least 12 (probably way more) nationalities in me over the last 300 years. My grandmothers family, the Sandersons, were on the fourth or fifth boat after the Mayflower. They banged all kinds of immigrants in the years to come. I'm the true definition of an American mutt.ni ink Hispanic is one of the few I don't have in me 

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

My town is incredibly racist.

[Super Dude]

I dunno man, the last four years have shown we're not really ready to drop the race conversation just yet if you ask me.

Plus Chino I thought your family were Hispanic?

Negative my man. I literally have at least 12 (probably way more) nationalities in me over the last 300 years. My grandmothers family, the Sandersons, were on the fourth or fifth boat after the Mayflower. They banged all kinds of immigrants in the years to come. I'm the true definition of an American mutt.ni ink Hispanic is one of the few I don't have in me 

Weird, because I seem to remember references towards Hispanic heritage when explaining your name. I mean "chino," come on.

Or I could just be imagining the whole thing.

[Chino]

I dunno man, the last four years have shown we're not really ready to drop the race conversation just yet if you ask me.

Plus Chino I thought your family were Hispanic?

Negative my man. I literally have at least 12 (probably way more) nationalities in me over the last 300 years. My grandmothers family, the Sandersons, were on the fourth or fifth boat after the Mayflower. They banged all kinds of immigrants in the years to come. I'm the true definition of an American mutt.ni ink Hispanic is one of the few I don't have in me 

Weird, because I seem to remember references towards Hispanic heritage when explaining your name. I mean "chino," come on.

Or I could just be imagining the whole thing.

My last name is Mendicino. I pronounce it men-deh-see-no, the school I went to pronounced it men-di-chee-no. Chino stuck.

[Super Dude]

Gotcha. Well I feel like a jerk now, sorry bout that.

[antigoon]

Sounds more Italian to me, actually.

[kirksnosehair]

There is a town in southern Italy called Medicino

It sounds Italian because it IS Italian 

[antigoon]

MAMMA MIA!

[Chino]

MAMMA MIA!

I read that and immediately looked at your avatar 

There is a town in southern Italy called Medicino

It sounds Italian because it IS Italian 

Yeah... my name is the most Italian thing about me.

[snapple]

Look, I think I have a unique perspective on this because I am the child of a mixed marriage.  Black mother, white father.  I grew up being called ____________ (<-enter racial epithet of your choice there) on a daily basis and know, first hand, what it's like to be discriminated against because of your skin color and/or ethnic heritage.

Human beings are social animals that form and live in social groups.  There are economic groups, religious groups, ethnic groups, age groups, etc....but it's human nature.  I think it's admirable, Chino, that you would like to "just let it go" and all, but I also think it's a bit naive.  I have the benefit of 48 years of experience living as a person who is not really white but not really black.  I've seen racism from both sides.  It's an ugly reality of human nature and I don't think anyone reading this right now is ever going to experience a 100% post racial world.

I'm not all doom and gloom though.  I will say that over the years things have gotten to be better.  We have made strides as a culture, but we're a long, long, long way from racism not being a fairly common problem in society.

Dude, you're as white as they come. this post caught me off guard.

[kirksnosehair]

I am considered Caucasian but the fact is, my mother is not Caucasian.  She was born in the Cape Verde islands and came here when she was a kid.  My grandfather is 100% African American (roots in South Africa) and my grandmother is 100% Portuguese (roots in the Madeira Islands)

[slycordinator]

Chino I think when we discover life on other planets and start having problems with them, local Earthly racism will subside.

Much in the same way if racist aliens met Earthlings that work in outer space, they'd stop their own racism.


Oh wait.

[Super Dude]

Y'know what, how do we know? That was an episode of frickin' sci-fi TV show. We don't really know which way it'll go when we meet other life.

[slycordinator]

That was an episode of frickin' sci-fi TV show.

This piece of information ruins my life.

[unklejman]

I'm married to a mixed Bahamian. Her appearance would be considered black here in the US, although she doesn't like to be called that. She prefers mixed or brown.  Race is no big deal in the Bahamas, and they even go as far as not to teach about the slavery that occurred there in school.  Now I think history shouldn't be swept under the rug, but it has definitely created a stark cultural difference where race is not a big deal.

In contrast, we were at the post office in downtown Mobile and this older (50's or 60's) black guy was ahead of us walking in, and not only did he not hold the door open, but made an effort to pull it shut. After we finished our business in the post office he was in his car on the curb and started yelling stuff at us. I didn't catch everything because he had a terrible southern accent, but one part I did catch was "aint nuthin' but a nigger slave!" and then he pulled off. That's the only bit of overt racism I've encountered. She's been living in this area with me for almost two years, and visited quite a bit before that.

I think once the older generations die out things will be better.