@Steampunk, I never knew you were a woman! Always assumed you were a man, for some reason.
My only comment on this is: last week I had some friends over, all of European descent, and since it was a summer picnic type party, I served fried chicken, with watermelon for dessert. Very tasty, and all went home happy. It occurred to me later that if I had served the same menu to African-American friends, they would have been measuring me for a Klan hood.
I used to joke when I was drinking: As a mix of English, Irish and Scot, The English part wanted the best, the Irish part wanted alot and the Scot didn't want to pay for it...:D
When I was a kid there were "black" and "white" water fountains, seating, etc. As a child this was really hard to get my mind around. When my best friend had a black school friend over for dinner her grandmother almost had a heart attack. She was in real trouble. Growing up like this is surreal. Racism across the country varies (US). In the south whites (majority) hates blacks (major minority). In the west, whites hate asians. Southwest whites hate latinos.
It always seemed senseless to me. I don't embrace hate. Moving all over the country, hiring folks, I sadly saw how racism negatively effects lives. If there was any racism in me it is certainly gone now. It's a learned condition and can be un-learned at any time.
As a child of the 60s (NINETEEN sixties), it's my sworn duty to say "i do, somewhere. no one is immune and if you think you are immune, please have some of my natural chemicals, brothers & sisters. contemplate your deeply buried inner separateness in grotesque swirling neon colors while laugh-in's on. sock it to me. i have lots of drugs. l-o-t-s. give peace a chance & listen while i play-ay-ay my green tamborine. it's not easy being green. hmm? kirk out" Those were the days, my friend.
I think we all do, whether we acknowledge it or not. The big issue I have to work on, however, is tolerance of stupid people. Not uneducated, you don't need to have a college degree to be smart. But just plain stupid. Sometimes, I just really want to bitch slap some people. I'm fairly certain there's something in the Constitution about their having a right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
I've finally seen like 4 episodes of GOT & every Fargo. I just can't. I mean, my parents love them so it's not like I was raised to hate them. I dn't associate w/ ne thing other then Bravo. It's just wrong.
Yep, I do. I despise ALL racial groups as collectives because I think they're ALL full of shit. I like INDIVIDUALS from ALL races, but I take people as individuals and not as part of some unhealthy "whole". It's not politically correct to say, but it is who I am and I am unapologetic about it. When I say this in the company of others, they look at me like I'm crazy.
As I get older, I find I make more generalisations about groups of people. But each person is an individual and I treat everyone with respect because we're all human beings. I'm going to have to go with "97% no" with that question, even given the way it's phrased.
I think just about everyone in this country and probably on the planet has a bit of racism in them. I'd like to think I don't, but that's probably not true.
Sometimes I'm horrified when a racist thought pops into my head, and they do pop into my head, sadly. Doesn't mean I have to act on it, or not think about it and realize it's bullshit learned behavior.
That's the problem with people in certain media outlets these days. They think they're being honest by spewing all the crap that floats into their head without filtering it first. That's not honesty.
Racism is ugly, and it makes me sad that what was unacceptable just a few years ago is commonplace now. People feel free to be willfully ignorant racist asshats and don't even feel shame about showing it.
@Madlyb. My mother's always said, you can't control what you think, only what you say and how you act.
Which is why I would bite my tongue and nod my head when someone would explain to me, yet again, how they did the same thing they do every month, the system just messed it up this month. Uh huh, and last month and the month before that and... BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!
In retrospect, working on the error file probably wasn't my best career move ever.
Thank God my mother didn't inherit her fathers ways. I wasn't taught racism from my family, and I am not racist,but prejudiced slightly. I'm from the south and was around true racists in college. My rm was always saying the n word. All the guys would laugh at her bc that's how she was raised. I'd tell her to stop, but it did no good. I hope she's learned otherwise.
I've lived in a few different southern states. At age 19-20, I've always TRIED to treat everyone with kindness. I don't always receive kindness back. A little blonde girl in certain parts of the South can enrage all types of women. In my own experiences, the worst acts of hate come from white women older than me. My mom taught me that women are catty about money, power, and men. If they feel threatened they will attack. It is absolutely 100% truth! There are few girl's girls that actually aim to support rather than tear down in my life. As I age, you'd think it'd get better, but noopppe. Catty bitches are everywhere! So, here's to being nice and giving everyone a chance bc everyone is hurt somewhere deep down.
I went to an all white high school in the 80's and I suffered some torment and some teasing.
It left me bitter then bitterness turned to hate coupled with the fact that my mother was born in the 40's and she doesn't care much for white people. She is still pretty angry.
One day I got sick of hating white people and completely decided it was the stupidest thing and it only hurt me.
Now I work hard on my mom.
But black people don't see it as racism we see it as oppression.
Blacks fill you can't truly be a racist if you have no power.
I'm Canadian and I live in a city with a very large aboriginal population. It's hard not to be. The city I'm in gets the people who are banished from the reserves; they don't tend to be the kindergarden teachers.
Do I notice that people are different? You bet I do. Do I care? Not in the least. I'll respond to you based on whether you seem, based on your own behaviour, to be a nice person or an asshole.
@aliciabutterfly, I am taking a long slow breath. I am a First Nations woman who lives outside a large Canadian city and never, never heard such bovine excrement. It is frightening how ignorance can be spread like a virus. Winnipeg, Manitoba is often described as Canada's largest reserve. Of the 65,000 Aboriginal people who reside within the city are my two granddaughters, they have not been banished from their reserve, nor was my daughter, nor was I - I abhor the thought you may be living in the same city as my family. I am not a racist but I despise ignorance.
I do not think I judge people for the color of their skin, and I can say that while I may not always express myself in the most politically correct way, I sincerely try to deal with all people as people, and it is not my intention, ever to hurt or offend anyone.
I do not think I judge people for the color of their skin, and I can say that while I may not always express myself in the most politically correct way, I sincerely try to deal with all people as people, and it is not my intention, ever to hurt or offend anyone.
Yes, I do. I would be lying to myself if I didn't say I was racist to a certain extent. Do I make racist statements in the heat of the moment...yes. I think we all a little are.
@redronnie I didn't invent that, unfortunately creativity is not my strong suite. Maybe banishment isn't the word that's used; I think it might be "evicted." I think it's a great idea in theory, a troubled community driven to it's breaking point has to do something. A large city has the resources to deal with it, I guess. I don't subscribe to the rosy view of the Aboriginal community and it doesn't do anyone any favours. Sure, it has it's great points, there are loads of creative and lovely people who bring a lot to the world but there are a hell of a lot who cause nothing but strife to their families and the community at large. I'm sorry and that's ugly but it's the truth. I can't help it if I roll my eyes and sigh every time that I read about some awful thing that's happened and the word "aboriginal" happens to come up in the article.
@redronnie I didn't invent that, unfortunately creativity is not my strong suite. Maybe banishment isn't the word that's used; I think it might be "evicted." I think it's a great idea in theory, a troubled community driven to it's breaking point has to do something. A large city has the resources to deal with it, I guess. I don't subscribe to the rosy view of the Aboriginal community and it doesn't do anyone any favours. Sure, it has it's great points, there are loads of creative and lovely people who bring a lot to the world but there are a hell of a lot who cause nothing but strife to their families and the community at large. I'm sorry and that's ugly but it's the truth. I can't help it if I roll my eyes and sigh every time that I read about some awful thing that's happened and the word "aboriginal" happens to come up in the article.
I'm sorry that you feel that way. Act like a decent citizen and you'll change minds with that, not by playing the proud, angry Aboriginal woman card on a message board that specifically asks about prejudice. It's overdone, cookie, and you aren't doing any favours to your people wkth that silliness. Maybe you'll evolve and be the change but complaining about everyone elses' justified prejudices is so much easier, isn't it? *shrug*
I'll go get the popcorn babes.
ReplyDeleteWaiting in anticipation of the enormous positive response.
ReplyDeleteAlso discuss: there is no such thing as race.
ReplyDeleteTwo seconds,I just need to take my white hood off to read the blind properly.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think if you're honest with yourself you'd say yes. We all prejudge each other. Which is what prejudice is based on.
ReplyDeleteDo I hate someone purely based on the color of their skin? No but that's only one element of prejudice.
Also, discrimination can be confused as racism.
DeleteIs like to say no, but in reality, i do discriminate, and am discriminated against too. But not across racial lines.
Not sure, I know I have some German and Scottish in me but not sure about anything else.
ReplyDeleteThis will not end well. By time the pics come there should be 300 posts here.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should talk about Game of Thrones instead?
ReplyDeleteGrim times ahead...
ReplyDeleteJust so you know.. I worked as a waitress for many years, therefore I'm prejudiced against EVERYBODY! :D
I worked in retail Steamy. I share your pain.
DeleteThere are certain aspects of all races that i dislike.
ReplyDelete@Steampunk, I never knew you were a woman! Always assumed you were a man, for some reason.
ReplyDeleteMy only comment on this is: last week I had some friends over, all of European descent, and since it was a summer picnic type party, I served fried chicken, with watermelon for dessert. Very tasty, and all went home happy. It occurred to me later that if I had served the same menu to African-American friends, they would have been measuring me for a Klan hood.
@Nutty, it's the banana, isn't it? :D
Delete@steampunk I thought you were a dude 2!!
DeleteMe three!
DeleteI used to joke when I was drinking:
ReplyDeleteAs a mix of English, Irish and Scot, The English part wanted the best, the Irish part wanted alot and the Scot didn't want to pay for it...:D
When I was a kid there were "black" and "white" water fountains, seating, etc. As a child this was really hard to get my mind around. When my best friend had a black school friend over for dinner her grandmother almost had a heart attack. She was in real trouble. Growing up like this is surreal. Racism across the country varies (US). In the south whites (majority) hates blacks (major minority). In the west, whites hate asians. Southwest whites hate latinos.
ReplyDeleteIt always seemed senseless to me. I don't embrace hate. Moving all over the country, hiring folks, I sadly saw how racism negatively effects lives. If there was any racism in me it is certainly gone now. It's a learned condition and can be un-learned at any time.
As a child of the 60s (NINETEEN sixties), it's my sworn duty to say "i do, somewhere. no one is immune and if you think you are immune, please have some of my natural chemicals, brothers & sisters. contemplate your deeply buried inner separateness in grotesque swirling neon colors while laugh-in's on. sock it to me. i have lots of drugs. l-o-t-s. give peace a chance & listen while i play-ay-ay my green tamborine. it's not easy being green. hmm? kirk out" Those were the days, my friend.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking, is there a difference between Racism and Prejudice..
ReplyDeleteapparently, there is
I think we all do, whether we acknowledge it or not. The big issue I have to work on, however, is tolerance of stupid people. Not uneducated, you don't need to have a college degree to be smart. But just plain stupid. Sometimes, I just really want to bitch slap some people. I'm fairly certain there's something in the Constitution about their having a right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
ReplyDeleteDamn it.
@Gayeld +1 agree with everything
DeleteI think whether we admit it or not, everyone does to an extent.
ReplyDeleteThe Enterns are trolling!!
ReplyDeleteI've finally seen like 4 episodes of GOT & every Fargo.
I just can't.
I mean, my parents love them so it's not like I was raised to hate them.
I dn't associate w/ ne thing other then Bravo. It's just wrong.
Yep, I do. I despise ALL racial groups as collectives because I think they're ALL full of shit. I like INDIVIDUALS from ALL races, but I take people as individuals and not as part of some unhealthy "whole". It's not politically correct to say, but it is who I am and I am unapologetic about it. When I say this in the company of others, they look at me like I'm crazy.
ReplyDelete@#Gitit, I know what you mean. I have the same feelings about Religion vs Belief. It's two different animals...
DeleteI live in Philadelphia. It's HARD not to be.
ReplyDeleteAs I get older, I find I make more generalisations about groups of people. But each person is an individual and I treat everyone with respect because we're all human beings. I'm going to have to go with "97% no" with that question, even given the way it's phrased.
ReplyDeleteI would say perhaps more prejudiced than racist
ReplyDeletethe older you get the more you pre-judge situations due to your experiences in life
@Gayeld, no worries! That is definitely not in the Constitution. Bitch slap away.
ReplyDeleteI think just about everyone in this country and probably on the planet has a bit of racism in them. I'd like to think I don't, but that's probably not true.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I'm horrified when a racist thought pops into my head, and they do pop into my head, sadly. Doesn't mean I have to act on it, or not think about it and realize it's bullshit learned behavior.
That's the problem with people in certain media outlets these days. They think they're being honest by spewing all the crap that floats into their head without filtering it first. That's not honesty.
Racism is ugly, and it makes me sad that what was unacceptable just a few years ago is commonplace now. People feel free to be willfully ignorant racist asshats and don't even feel shame about showing it.
@Madlyb. My mother's always said, you can't control what you think, only what you say and how you act.
DeleteWhich is why I would bite my tongue and nod my head when someone would explain to me, yet again, how they did the same thing they do every month, the system just messed it up this month. Uh huh, and last month and the month before that and... BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!
In retrospect, working on the error file probably wasn't my best career move ever.
I also believe we all do.
ReplyDeleteI prejudge people, but I don't do anything with race. I usually do it with loud-mouthed obnoxious people or bullies. After that, I don't care much.
ReplyDeleteI guess i have some in me somewhere, but most times i just take people as they come, got no agenda.
ReplyDeleteNo. I try to hate everyone equally, except Yuppies, bible kooks and $cios, they get extra bile, but they aren't races.
ReplyDeleteThank God my mother didn't inherit her fathers ways. I wasn't taught racism from my family, and I am not racist,but prejudiced slightly. I'm from the south and was around true racists in college. My rm was always saying the n word. All the guys would laugh at her bc that's how she was raised. I'd tell her to stop, but it did no good. I hope she's learned otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI've lived in a few different southern states. At age 19-20, I've always TRIED to treat everyone with kindness. I don't always receive kindness back. A little blonde girl in certain parts of the South can enrage all types of women. In my own experiences, the worst acts of hate come from white women older than me. My mom taught me that women are catty about money, power, and men. If they feel threatened they will attack. It is absolutely 100% truth! There are few girl's girls that actually aim to support rather than tear down in my life. As I age, you'd think it'd get better, but noopppe. Catty bitches are everywhere!
So, here's to being nice and giving everyone a chance bc everyone is hurt somewhere deep down.
There are some races I just can't stand: NASCAR races!
ReplyDeleteKidding aside, deciding a person's worth based on their melanin and/or ancestors holds everyone back.
I went to an all white high school in the 80's and I suffered some torment and some teasing.
ReplyDeleteIt left me bitter then bitterness turned to hate coupled with the fact that my mother was born in the 40's and she doesn't care much for white people. She is still pretty angry.
One day I got sick of hating white people and completely decided it was the stupidest thing and it only hurt me.
Now I work hard on my mom.
But black people don't see it as racism we see it as oppression.
Blacks fill you can't truly be a racist if you have no power.
I'm Canadian and I live in a city with a very large aboriginal population. It's hard not to be. The city I'm in gets the people who are banished from the reserves; they don't tend to be the kindergarden teachers.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI dislike all humans equally.
ReplyDelete(Well, there are a few who are extra special to me)
Do I notice that people are different? You bet I do. Do I care? Not in the least. I'll respond to you based on whether you seem, based on your own behaviour, to be a nice person or an asshole.
ReplyDelete@aliciabutterfly, I am taking a long slow breath. I am a First Nations woman who lives outside a large Canadian city and never, never heard such bovine excrement. It is frightening how ignorance can be spread like a virus. Winnipeg, Manitoba is often described as Canada's largest reserve. Of the 65,000 Aboriginal people who reside within the city are my two granddaughters, they have not been banished from their reserve, nor was my daughter, nor was I - I abhor the thought you may be living in the same city as my family. I am not a racist but I despise ignorance.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm white. Pregnant. Husband is Cuban. Does that mean I have racism in me? Hmm
ReplyDeleteEnty makes it sound like racism is something you can be inoculated against....
ReplyDeleteI do not think I judge people for the color of their skin, and I can say that while I may not always express myself in the most politically correct way, I sincerely try to deal with all people as people, and it is not my intention, ever to hurt or offend anyone.
ReplyDeleteI do not think I judge people for the color of their skin, and I can say that while I may not always express myself in the most politically correct way, I sincerely try to deal with all people as people, and it is not my intention, ever to hurt or offend anyone.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do. I would be lying to myself if I didn't say I was racist to a certain extent. Do I make racist statements in the heat of the moment...yes. I think we all a little are.
ReplyDelete@Louisyj: Sounds like an anger management issue more than a racist issue.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else have that song from Avenue Q running through their head now?
ReplyDeleteYes-- definitely. And I'm not at all ashamed of it.
ReplyDeleteI hate the Pennsylvania Dutch.
Gulag: the accent or the tight with a buck thing?
ReplyDelete@redronnie I didn't invent that, unfortunately creativity is not my strong suite. Maybe banishment isn't the word that's used; I think it might be "evicted." I think it's a great idea in theory, a troubled community driven to it's breaking point has to do something. A large city has the resources to deal with it, I guess. I don't subscribe to the rosy view of the Aboriginal community and it doesn't do anyone any favours. Sure, it has it's great points, there are loads of creative and lovely people who bring a lot to the world but there are a hell of a lot who cause nothing but strife to their families and the community at large. I'm sorry and that's ugly but it's the truth. I can't help it if I roll my eyes and sigh every time that I read about some awful thing that's happened and the word "aboriginal" happens to come up in the article.
ReplyDelete@redronnie I didn't invent that, unfortunately creativity is not my strong suite. Maybe banishment isn't the word that's used; I think it might be "evicted." I think it's a great idea in theory, a troubled community driven to it's breaking point has to do something. A large city has the resources to deal with it, I guess. I don't subscribe to the rosy view of the Aboriginal community and it doesn't do anyone any favours. Sure, it has it's great points, there are loads of creative and lovely people who bring a lot to the world but there are a hell of a lot who cause nothing but strife to their families and the community at large. I'm sorry and that's ugly but it's the truth. I can't help it if I roll my eyes and sigh every time that I read about some awful thing that's happened and the word "aboriginal" happens to come up in the article.
ReplyDeleteAs I stated ignorance is a virus, and honey you are a toxic carrier
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that you feel that way. Act like a decent citizen and you'll change minds with that, not by playing the proud, angry Aboriginal woman card on a message board that specifically asks about prejudice. It's overdone, cookie, and you aren't doing any favours to your people wkth that silliness. Maybe you'll evolve and be the change but complaining about everyone elses' justified prejudices is so much easier, isn't it? *shrug*
ReplyDelete