Just for Princess: Lynching and developing a better sense of humor about race

Do multiple holocaust museums and monuments, watch groups such as the ACLU, countless books about anti-semitism, etc, count as "getting over it" more than lynching postcard exhibitions, statistics, books on racism/slavery, etc?

Manny,

You need a whole bunch of help. There are programs out there that can help you understand that hair band metal was not good, and could never be "done right."

 

It's only been around 35 years since the Civil Rights act, and when black effectively had the total right to vote.

Racism was widespread and accepted as recent as 35 years ago.

You're asking people to forget about that and move on.

It is relevant.

 

If you would take your blinders off for just a minute and actually read what I posted, you would see that I said to FORGIVE BUT NOT FORGET! I was going to go back through what I just wrote but it wouldnt matter because you are too closed minded to actually care what it said.

 

...or just to add to rimmy's statement, or fascination with supporting Israel regardless of the merit of the situation.

(ok ok, that definitely has to do with the Cold War dynamic as well... but methinks there's some Holocaust guilt in there as well)

You know, I took a Jewish literature course last spring semester. It's amazing to the extent that Jewish literature still focuses on the Holocaust. Some ethicists have even said that "all ethical systems must begin with explaining the Holocaust." That's the first test. Pretty weird, since other instances of genocide have taken place. But those have been "gotten over" by mainstream society.

 

Ding Ding Ding Ding, I think we have a winner. Finally someone understands what I was trying to say.

 

OK, so in 35 years, we should forgive bin Laden, even if some of the people he influenced are still terrorizing people, albeit in smaller numbers?

 

<B>There also has to come a time where people start to heal and start leaving the past in the past. Say you are in a relationship with someone and she cheats on you. Now you decide to forgive her and you continue the relationship. Now you dont forget what happened and it would piss you off if she tried to tell you that it really isnt that bad or not that big of a deal. But you have to also let the past be in the past if you want the relationship to work. You cannot always throw it in her face and continuously tell her how bad she treated you in the past. You have to forgive but not forget. I know that a relationship with a partner cheating on you is not the same as what happened to black people in the past but the principles behind how to deal with it after the fact is relatively the same. Does that make sense? or am I way off base here. I know yesterday we had some heated words and I am trying to discuss this civilly.</B>

I would agree with you <I>if</I> racism was gone. However, to make your analogy fit better, consider that your partner still cheats on you, but just in more subtle ways. Should you just let it go? Racism still exists and it affects many black people, socially and economically. It affects their ability to get jobs, their ability to advance, etc. To just say they should "get over it" is a very easy thing to do when you or I aren't affected by it and don't see it.

 

MB,

It seems like you are definitely distancing yourself from the historical denial Princess is suffering from. So I definitely understand where you are coming from. However, I don't think its possible to defend the conclusion that there is not racism today or that it is so miniscule that its not prevalent in most places.
As far as letting the hurt heal and moving on: If you stick a knife in my back, the wound is not going to heal as long as the knife is still in my back. Racism has not disappeared, so healing and harmony are not going to happen while minorities experience it everyday.

[edit: damn you Major, you must have finished your post just as I was writing mine...so I guess all I have to say is..."What Major said..."]

 

LMAO!!

Rimmy,
It can be embarrassing at times to admit that one likes "Heading for a Heartbreak" by Winger, "Nobody's Fool" by Cinderella, "c*m on Feel the Noize" by Quiet Riot, etc., but dammit that is what I grew up to and saw on MTV!! It can't be any more embarrassing than admitting that I have Backstreet Boys, N Sync, and Britney Spears CDs like I did in the gr8-1 thread. However, I didn't mention them because I didn't think that they were more embarrassing than bubblegum pop...at least not to me.

I take it that you enjoyed it when Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, etc. came in and destroyed most of those bands. I did too in a way, but I like to wax nostalgic every now and then.

 

Hayes/Major,

I understand that racism is still in America and I am not trying to deny that. I am trying to figure out what I am thinking and the best way to present it. Maybe after a pitcher of beer during lunch I can think better and express myself easier. Maybe if we all had a pitcher of beer and had a good time together, regardless of race, it would be a better world. I think that alcohol will unite the races and we can all live peacefully. We will be at the Fuddruckers across 59 from the Compaq Center if anyone wants to join us. You cant beat $3 pitchers.

 

It would be much easier to move on if there weren't racist cartoons published and fried chicken put on sale in honor of Black History Month. When the racial majority moves on so will the racial minorities.