Have you ever experienced racism?

[Erzengel]

Well most of the the people I come into contact at Target have nametags.

But I understand what you are saying, but it would have to be such an extenuating circumstance for me to have to use color when I could use other physical traits such as hair length, color, height, etc.

 

[Chris Wallace]

I think sometimes people go out of their way to avoid racial identifiers for fear of offending.

 

[Erzengel]

Well personally I don't like to be identified by my race either by myself or other people.

 

[RockSP]

I think sometimes people go out of their way to avoid racial identifiers for fear of offending.

Yup. People can be waaaay too sensitive.

My neighborhood I grew up in was majority black. A white couple moved onto our street, making them the only white people on our street. Me and a friend were outside playing and someone drove up to us and pointing to the white neighbors house (they weren't home), asked if this was where the Smiths (or whatever their name was) lived. We didn't know their names but my friend answered yes. When the person (who was also black) drove off he was like "I hope I didn't give him the wrong house."

Me: Why didn't you ask if who they were looking for was white?

Him: I didn't want to offend him.

 

[C. Lee]

For me I guess it depends on how they do it and the circumstances behind it.

I would certainly prefer for someone to point me out as "That white guy over there." than by saying "That fat guy over there."

But I understand what you are saying, but it would have to be such an extenuating circumstance for me to have to use color when I could use other physical traits such as hair length, color, height, etc.

Or....That fat guy over there!!!!

 

[Erzengel]

I usually an more politically correct and say "Tons of fun" over there.

 

[Hobgoblin]

I was naive enough to think that racism is something mostly practiced by older generations these days and that the younger people are getting better. Then I started talking with my 19 year old co-worker. I always promised myself that I would never use that condescending "You'll know better when you're older" attitude, but he's asking for it.

His brother and Mom came into the store one day and they started telling racist jokes. I didnt say anything. He often goes on about which minority he hates today. Usually its Hispanics. The other day we were talking about Pres Obama and he said that the only woman capable of running the country would be Hillary Clinton and he asked me "Who would you rather have running the country? A woman or a ******?" And later he was telling me how the Jews screwed themselves over during the war and how Hitler was a great leader. I asked him if her realized that I have Jewish relatives and he gave me a blank stare.


I'm not the confrontational sort, but I swear to God the next time some verbal diarrhea come out of his mouth I'm telling him to shut the *blank* up and read a *blankity blank* book.

 

[doih]

And later he was telling me how the Jews screwed themselves over during the war and how Hitler was a great leader. I asked him if her realized that I have Jewish relatives and he gave me a blank stare.

I really like doing things like this. It's fun to watch people squirm and try to play down what they just said. Recently a complete stranger in an elevator was making comments to me about black people. I stared at him and said 'my wife is black.'

EDIT: I'm not married.

 

[terry78]

I really like doing things like this. It's fun to watch people squirm and try to play down what they just said. Recently a complete stranger in an elevator was making comments to me about black people. I stared at him and said 'my wife is black.'

Then they call you a race traitor when you leave or some **** like that. It becomes more behind closed doors when they realize they can't do it in front of you.

 

[doih]

Then they call you a race traitor when you leave or some **** like that. It becomes more behind closed doors when they realize they can't do it in front of you.

True, but as long as it isn't a boss or someone like that, I really don't care. They can rageguy all they want behind closed doors.

I also have a really nondescript face which helps when you want someone to remember what was said but not what you look like

 

[El Payaso]

I have experienced the opposite. I typed the word 'black' and was accused of racism by everyone around. There's no use in explaining the context and true meaning of my words, accusing people of racism can bring the accusers great pleasure and a onanistic feeling of justice.

 

[LOBO3315a]

I'm not white, because I have lots of freckles and moles.....I'm 'spotty'.

 

[Hobgoblin]

I really like doing things like this. It's fun to watch people squirm and try to play down what they just said. Recently a complete stranger in an elevator was making comments to me about black people. I stared at him and said 'my wife is black.'

EDIT: I'm not married.

He didnt try to play it down. It just looked at me and shrugged a little. Part of me wants to explain reality to him, because I think the racism is just the way he was raised. On the other hand, I have no time to try and talk to a brick wall.

 

[C. Lee]

He didnt try to play it down. It just looked at me and shrugged a little. Part of me wants to explain reality to him, because I think the racism is just the way he was raised. On the other hand, I have no time to try and talk to a brick wall.

I had a co-worker who every now and then would start his HITLER WAS RIGHT rant....I would look at him and say "I don't want to hear it, so just stop now." He was way older than me, so I knew I couldn't change his opinion (so didn't try that)...but I let him know that I didn't have to listen to it.

 

[terry78]

LOL, I think we just let the old folks go on their rants because we say the stuff they say was fair for its day.

 

[Chris Wallace]

I was naive enough to think that racism is something mostly practiced by older generations these days and that the younger people are getting better.

You'd be amazed how common that perception is. Truth be told, it's not COMPLETELY wrong. We must remember that noone is inherently prejudiced. It's a learned behavior. And some of the younger generation is still being taught the wrong things by the older one.

 

[Hobgoblin]

I guess I'm lucky enough to have known my grandparents, who still held on to the ethnic hatred that their parents had in Europe. (If thats the right way to say it.) My Norwegian grandfather hated Swedes (ironically, my Swedish friend's grandmother didnt care much for Norwegians.) and my Irish grandmother didnt like the English. It seems ridiculous now, to still have resentment over things that happened centuries ago when the family still lived in Europe. If the old fogies failed in passing on that ethnic hate to their grandkids, maybe things can get better between races. It'll be more difficult but hopefully its possible.

 

[Wylie Times]

You'd be amazed how common that perception is. Truth be told, it's not COMPLETELY wrong. We must remember that noone is inherently prejudiced. It's a learned behavior. And some of the younger generation is still being taught the wrong things by the older one.

That's not always the case though. You'd be surprised how many racists come from tolerant families or how many people become racist later in life.

 

[chamber-music]

I guess I'm lucky enough to have known my grandparents, who still held on to the ethnic hatred that their parents had in Europe. (If thats the right way to say it.) My Norwegian grandfather hated Swedes (ironically, my Swedish friend's grandmother didnt care much for Norwegians.) and my Irish grandmother didnt like the English. It seems ridiculous now, to still have resentment over things that happened centuries ago when the family still lived in Europe. If the old fogies failed in passing on that ethnic hate to their grandkids, maybe things can get better between races. It'll be more difficult but hopefully its possible.

Yep you get that over here. There are still Welsh, Scottish, English and Irish people who moan about each other or some war between the nations 400 years ago its kind of pathetic really

Then they call you a race traitor when you leave or some **** like that. It becomes more behind closed doors when they realize they can't do it in front of you.

Yep most racists are cowards they are fine with spouting their garbage when they think people they are talking about are not around or that no one will challenge them on their views but no way would they go up to those people and say that to there face.

 

[Speedball]

While I haven't personally experienced it against me ( There might be a little sexism at the work place, because the women out number the men and my job requires a lot of physical work), i have however experienced it directed at someone.

The first time I heard the n-word used by an adult was my great-uncle. I was at my aunts house, watching TV, and my great-uncle sits down on the couch. Some show with David Allan Greer was on, and my uncle says "What's this (n-word) doing on the TV?"

I immediately get up, leave the room, furious. I was about to beat the crap out of my great-uncle.

Then, during my freshman year high school, this kid I've known since grade school (and hated since grade school) goes up to the one of four black kids in out school and says "What's up my (n-word)?". The guy he says it to kicks him in stomach and continues to pound on him. I can't help but sit there, with a satisfied look on my face thinking "Justice!"

 

[Hobgoblin]

The first time I heard the n-word used by an adult was my great-uncle. I was at my aunts house, watching TV, and my great-uncle sits down on the couch. Some show with David Allan Greer was on, and my uncle says "What's this (n-word) doing on the TV?"

I immediately get up, leave the room, furious. I was about to beat the crap out of my great-uncle.

Thats kind of how I felt about the father of a friend of my Moms. He was a WW2 vet who fought the Japanese. He didnt need to have a reasosn to start spouting off about the "damned J**s." I didnt like it but I still kind of understood that he had been through hell as a young man so I tried to ignore it. Then he started going on about *n-words* and I left. America didnt fight Africa during the war.

 

[Speedball]

Thats kind of how I felt about the father of a friend of my Moms. He was a WW2 vet who fought the Japanese. He didnt need to have a reasosn to start spouting off about the "damned J**s." I didnt like it but I still kind of understood that he had been through hell as a young man so I tried to ignore it. Then he started going on about *n-words* and I left. America didnt fight Africa during the war.

I remember it made me lose all respect for him. I told my mom about it a few years later, and she said he can't help it because that's how he was raised. I told her that's no excuse to be a bigot. My mom can be that way sometimes too, but she never uses deragatory terms and I call her out on it.

This same great-uncle was the one who was talking to my uncles nephew (we're not blood related) about rounding up "the gays" and killing them all while we were on my aunts boat. That was when my respect for him hit 0%.

 

[Hobgoblin]

I remember it made me lose all respect for him. I told my mom about it a few years later, and she said he can't help it because that's how he was raised. I told her that's no excuse to be a bigot. My mom can be that way sometimes too, but she never uses deragatory terms and I call her out on it.

This same great-uncle was the one who was talking to my uncles nephew (we're not blood related) about rounding up "the gays" and killing them all while we were on my aunts boat. That was when my respect for him hit 0%.

I was like that too. But socialization is a powerful thing and you and I will be seen as strange, old fashioned fogies one day by younger generations. We dont have to like what the old people say, but its the way they have always been. Just as long as we dont follow their example.

 

[Chris Wallace]

That's not always the case though. You'd be surprised how many racists come from tolerant families or how many people become racist later in life.

They learned it somewhere. Not necessarily from their parents. Sometimes their peers or some mentor can warp them, even later in life.

 

[Hobgoblin]

They learned it somewhere. Not necessarily from their parents. Sometimes their peers or some mentor can warp them, even later in life.

Thats actually what many people say happened to Hitler. No one remembered him being especially anti-Semetic before or during the First World War. The doctor that treated his mothers breast cancer was a Jew and remembered Adolf thanking him after his mother died,and said that he knew that the doctor did all that he could. It wasnt until after WW1 that Hitler became a monster.