[CNN Article] Race hatred is a deep sickness in America

The people who usually deny that racism exists do so because they are in fact racists themselves.

Racist is rampant in nearly every society, it's part of human nature. We are all, on some level - racist. It's only a matter whether or not we see it and therefore can overcome our personal bias towards others. But no one wants to believe they are bias - much easier to deny than except a flaw that has so much disapproval associated with it. Look at Bigtexxx. I truly think he believes he is not a racist.

 

Not putting you on the spot, just trying to understand your OP. What do you do about racism?

 

I can't and won't speak for justtxyank, here, DCkid...

...but the only thing anyone who's honest about what "racism" is can do (and racist is not what everyone is, in my opinion...or more accurately, is what everyone is capable of being...we are all prejudiced and bigoted at some level though, unquestionably) is what a person decides to do at the moment when their ideological beliefs meet the reality of the society we are continuously in the process of constructing here in America.

We can only fix or cure racism one person at a time, DCkid. We fix racism by how we treat one another. We fix racism in mutual kindness and courtesy and respect for each other as human beings and American citizens.

If the reports of the confession of the man who did this are accurate...he had some doubts about going through with his actions because of how well he said the people in that church had treated him for the hour or so he was there.

The failure was not in asking if there were some extant circumstances that could have prevented this from happening, to me. The failure comes from the choice made at the moment when the choice ultimate HAD to be made.

Those people did not die vainly or needlessly or senselessly in many ways to me, DCkid. They died to prove a point.

Love never dies...no matter how many times and ways hatred rises up to kill it.

 

justtxyank this country desperately needs more conservatives like you.

 

I don't know anything about you except from this board, but if you ever decide you want a bully pulpit, I'd help fund you.

 

He's a freaking awesome poster. There haven't been too many posters I'd be excited about meeting, but he's one of them. We're pseudo-neighbors out in Katy, I think.

 

Do you think Obama as President has worsened the divide? Kind of the last straw for the closet racists? I know its good for the younger generation to see a black person in the highest/most important office in America, but I also think brings out the deep rooted hate that a lot of people were able to suppress publicly.

 

I honestly have mixed feelings on this
I think the beer summit hurt . . . he unloosed the reigns as a demonstration
that this administration would do NOTHING to protect the rights of black from harrassment or anything
After that BOOM BOOM BOOM
The killings have been crazy

He inspires young black kids . . .by holding his position but that is about the extent of it

Rocket River

 

I think social media has a lot to do with it. For the first time in history, the crazies are able to project their craziness to the whole world without any filter. This lets people spout their crazy and get affirmation of it from the other crazies, which can help reinforce their worldview and also encourage them to act on it. I think Obama is mostly just concidental timing, but to an extent, having him as the image of America probably does infuriate the crazies and adds to their anger and discontent.

As justtxyank says, openly talking about it from the other side is vital - sunshine is the best disinfectant. All the people who say we should ignore racism or not talk about it or shift the blame to the victim communities are contributors to the problem - they enable the crazies by trying to kill the sunlight.

 

I agree with your take OP

 

But that can't happen when people are attacked for expressing idiot views that are racially tinged. If a senator says something racially insensitive, there should be a dialogue, but not an attack.

When people lose their jobs over remarks which may seem justified at the time, it doesn't foster the atmosphere to have an open dialogue with the aim of changing people. It encourages people to hide the words, but keep the attitude.

The worst racism isn't the language that's spoken, it's the actions that are taken that many times can't even be attributed to racism. How many people have never gotten an opportunity because of their race? Or been typed or profiled - not just by the criminal justice system, but for advancement?

Most people don't even realize they are doing it. That's the thing about racism, sexism, and prejudice in general. It's not always conscious.

 

Worsen? No. Nay. People said not to blame and than they blame. What's in people was already in people. Obama didn't cause someone to be crazy or have hatred, that's within themselves. He might be the trigger, but he wasn't the cause.

And how can it be of any surprise? After so many generation of racism being social norm, it's going to take much longer than a few generation to rid of hatred for black and then even longer to rid of prejudice.

It's all good down the road. Those deep rooted hate is going to linger as long as it's suppressed. Bring it all out and deal with it as a society.

 

I'll say it til I'm blue in the face. We aren't all racist.

 

We aren't all thugs, criminals, handout seekers, victims and prey.

Rocket River

 

Anyone who denies that racism that targets African Americans still is rampant in American society is a racist. No ifs ands or buts.

Anyone who buys into the 'reverse-racism' rhetoric that threatens White America is a racist. No ifs ands or buts.

 

I wouldn't go that far. A huge chunk of people are just plain ignorant or in denial.

 

You ever take this test?

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/Launch?study=/user/education/race/demo.race.0004/race.expt.xml

 

What do you have against the Avatar ppl?