Racial Discrimination? More blatant examples? More subtle?

[ogreenlee]

1. Are you discounting the fact that many voted for Obama strictly based on race.
2. With regard to the Westboro Baptist Church. They do not belong to the "Baptist organization". They are their own entity and have sustained much and appropriate criticism
3. Tea Party attenders are not racists. They have political concerns.

1. I spoke about that in a following post.

2. I haven't seen or heard the criticism from those organizations.

3. I didn't say Tea Party attendees are racist. I said that there are racist signs being held in full view at Tea Party rallies and that folks should google to see for themselves.

 

[locolala]

Because I'm 1/4 Native American, and get extremely tan during the summer, people think I'm either Latina or that I'm a drunkard (the stereotype of Native American being an alcoholic). I'm actually mostly Irish and Scottish, so while I have the darkish skin, I have light colored hair and bright green eyes.

On Affirmative Action.. my father lost a promotion to someone who was slightly less qualified for the position. The reason was because he was a white, middleaged male. Simple as that. Even the person who got the position was stunned.

 

[EMom]

I grew up in Illinois. My dad liked to fish and I'd love it when we had fish fries. We'd eat whatever he caught - catfish, blue gill, etc. I was so surprised when I moved to Texas and ordered catfish in a restaurant and my lunch companion said, "I've never seen a white person eat catfish."

Either this person was not a Native Texan or he/she was raised in a cave. There are chains of restaurants (not to mention the many independents) in Texas devoted solely to the fried catfish and its dear friend, green tomato relish. They can't catch enough of them anymore and had to resort to farming them. They're ugly, but tasty. Grilled is okay, but fried is best.

Honestly, where had this person BEEN all their life? Texans, both Black and White, love their catfish. Some will even fight over who gets the tail.

 

[ogreenlee]

I'm southern, and southern white people love catfish, and every other soul food.


I've found that it's always been more acceptable to make fun of Asians for Asian things, but if you tried to do the same thing to other races, people would have their jaws hitting the floor.

My little girl, who is 1/4 Korean, came home the other day pulling her eyes slant and saying "you Chinese". Well, that was obviously learned. I asked where she learned that and she told me So&So in her class. So&So is an African American girl. She is also six, and doesn't understand that what she did was wrong. Neither did my little girl. I told her it was wrong and that it was making fun of a group of people, those that happen to look like her Grandma. I think she got it after I said that.

I was kind of wondering when the differences would start to present themselves. She's never noticed or given attention to people of different races before, and earlier in the year, she spoke about this boy in her class "with the brown skin". She didn't say it negatively at all, but as a matter-of-fact. I appreciated that. She only said it to describe who she was talking about as I had not learned everyone's names yet, but had seen them.

Oddly enough, my husband found some children's books while getting trees out of the attic at his mom's house this past weekend. One was on Thomas Jefferson. My little girl reads at a pretty decent level and was reading the book. It was intended for an older child. It spoke of slaves and "negroes". My husband was listening and it caught him off-guard. She stopped and asked what that meant. He explained it as "a group of people" and left it at that. He doesn't want to shelter her, but she's six, and he felt that it's too violent of a story for a six year old. It was violent.

 

[SanFranciscan]

Tragically, many black politicians and a civil rights industry have a vested interest in portraying the poor socioeconomic outcomes for many blacks as problems rooted in racial discrimination. One of the reasons they are able to get away with such deception is because there are so many guilt-ridden white people

It is not guilt. It is fear. The mere accusation of the R word destroys careers, reputations, etc. in a really big hurry. I suggest that you read "The New Thought Police" by Tammy Bruce for more on this.

I agree with the person who has stated surprise that this thread is being allowed to continue because as soon as I saw the subject matter I knew that any monitor who had seen it was already nervous. I haven't read all of the replies here, but I have decided to move on and look for someone else planning a trip to Walt Disney World and chat with them. Race is so inflammatory in this country that this thread could lead to litigation. I don't think that that is any great exaggeration, and I would be shutting it down quick if I were the web master.

On that note I am off to find someone who would rather talk about Mickey or Donald.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

Mild or not, it is still discriminatory, no?

And yes, I have been told point blank--by caucasian supporters, no less who share my skin color.

To the point where I can't share at all--b/c there is no point.

My views (and those of many I know) didn't change from prior elections, so not sure why suddenly we are considered to have voted solely on skin color.

I simply stated my views here as I didn't believe the OP was asking for only teh really bad and nasty examples.

It is just another form of reverse discrimination that I have experienced. (And while discrimination is just discrimination the reason for mentioning "reverse" is that often people only focus on a minority being discriminated against, but never the other way around.)

I often wonder what the feedback would have been had a woman been elected and I disagreed with her.

I'm a woman--but I'm sure someone would twist my views to be sexist.

The same thing happened to me. It was an African-American woman that accused me of being racist because of who I voted for...does that make her a racist because she voted for the candidate that shared her skin color? Personally, I don't see it as mild either. I personally think that being called a racist is the equivalent of an African-American being called the "n" word because to me a racist is the lowest form of poor, uneducated trash there is.

 

[Sanchez]

Just in the last couple of weeks, Google has had issues with these websites who are getting through their image filter with a monkey's face photoshopped onto Michelle Obama's photo. They've had to remove it several times.

And yet this site appears on Google search and has for nine years. http://www.bushorchimp.com/

Perhaps George and Michelle have certain features that remind some people of primates. What increases racial tensions, in my view, is the perception (sometimes real - see above examples) that a double standard exists.

 

[ogreenlee]

And yet this site appears on Google search and has for nine years. http://www.bushorchimp.com/

Perhaps George and Michelle have certain features that remind some people of primates. What increases racial tensions, in my view, is the perception (sometimes real - see above examples) that a double standard exists.

Because it's widely-known that it's derogatory towards black people and perpetuated by white supremacists. When someone calls Bush a chimp it has nothing to do with race.

 

[Sanchez]

Because it's widely-known that it's derogatory towards black people and perpetuated by white supremacists. When someone calls Bush a chimp it has nothing to do with race.

And everyone who thinks that Michelle looks like a monkey is motivated by race? You are doing a good job in perpetuating the double standard.

 

[Scurvy]

Because it's widely-known that it's derogatory towards black people and perpetuated by white supremacists. When someone calls Bush a chimp it has nothing to do with race.

Wait, what? Are you being sarcastic or are you being serious? Either it's okay to say someone looks like an animal or it isn't. It's ridiculous to have a double standard where it is fine to say some people look like animals but you can't say that others do. Personally I think it's tacky to compare either of them to an animal, but if you say it's okay to make the comparison for one of them then it should be equally acceptable to make the comparison for the other one.

 

[Explodo]

I was recently laid off from a Defense Company. During my job search, I would apply for jobs dutifully filling out the optional EEOC forms thinking nothing of it.

I got not one call back for 2 months. Nothing...nadda...ZIP. Then I was introduced to a careerr councilor who advised me not to fill out the EEOC forms until it was required.

I did exactly that. I applied for jobs...and recieved 4 phone interviews in a week. Out of those 4, I got 2 face to face interviews...and eventualy was hired by one of the companies.

Now here's the rub. I'm white...Male...and Over 40.

And while they say it's illegal to use the EEOC info as a discriminate for job applicants...it happens very very regularly.

 

[ogreenlee]

Wait, what? Are you being sarcastic or are you being serious? Either it's okay to say someone looks like an animal or it isn't. It's ridiculous to have a double standard where it is fine to say some people look like animals but you can't say that others do. Personally I think it's tacky to compare either of them to an animal, but if you say it's okay to make the comparison for one of them then it should be equally acceptable to make the comparison for the other one.

yeah, in a perfect world.

unfortunately, we didn't start as equal, and to assume that since we're legally equal now and that all is fair, is to forget what has happened.

 

[ead79]

I mean.. where are the Christians that are standing up against Westboro Baptist Church?? Those horrendous "people" aren't going to listen to anyone who isn't one of them.. that's for sure. Where is the Baptist organization?? Why don't they speak up about Westboro??

Ugh. I don't know. Some things amaze me.

I just wanted to respond to this part of your post with my two cents.

Westboro is not a part of any Baptist association. They are all off on their own—thank goodness! We certainly don’t need any more Westboro-type organizations in the world, that’s for sure! So unfortunately, there isn’t a Baptist association that Westboro would listen to. Quite frankly, I think they are so bent on hatred that they won’t listen to anyone who tries to convince them of the sinfulness of their hatred.

I currently attend a Baptist church (my church is a member of the Southern Baptist group of Baptist churches), and I can assure you that my pastor speaks out strongly against hatred of anyone. As a Christian myself, I am appalled and disgusted by what Westboro does. Unfortunately, they won’t listen to anyone and see the error of their ways.

 

[FireDancer]

Wait, what? Are you being sarcastic or are you being serious? Either it's okay to say someone looks like an animal or it isn't. It's ridiculous to have a double standard where it is fine to say some people look like animals but you can't say that others do. Personally I think it's tacky to compare either of them to an animal, but if you say it's okay to make the comparison for one of them then it should be equally acceptable to make the comparison for the other one.

It is the double standard that I find disturbing. I mentioned the monkey cartoons about Bush and Obama earlier and how one was just fine and the other wasn't. That is literally saying there are different rules for people based on color, and that is wrong. Equality means we are always equal, not sometimes equal or equal when convenient.

Someone had mentioned earlier how they don't like it when it is said that our president is half white and half black. While I'm sure there are people who use it as veiled racism without added context it is just a fact. To ignore half of anyone of mixed race's ancestor is disingenuous. Ignoring our president's white ancestry is the same as ignoring his black ancestry.

All of us are a collage of all of our ancestry. Some are multi-racial and some are multi-ethnic. I'm both Sicilian and Polish. I don't ignore half of that, I am what I am (too stupid to know I'm supposed to be stealing for a living )

 

[Sanchez]

yeah, in a perfect world.

unfortunately, we didn't start as equal, and to assume that since we're legally equal now and that all is fair, is to forget what has happened.

You agree that there should be different rules depending on race. Unequal equality so to speak.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I was recently laid off from a Defense Company. During my job search, I would apply for jobs dutifully filling out the optional EEOC forms thinking nothing of it.

I got not one call back for 2 months. Nothing...nadda...ZIP. Then I was introduced to a careerr councilor who advised me not to fill out the EEOC forms until it was required.

I did exactly that. I applied for jobs...and recieved 4 phone interviews in a week. Out of those 4, I got 2 face to face interviews...and eventualy was hired by one of the companies.

Now here's the rub. I'm white...Male...and Over 40.

And while they say it's illegal to use the EEOC info as a discriminate for job applicants...it happens very very regularly.

IS that when you apply or just when your resume is in a database.

My DH was laid off and he got many nibbles and did get a job offer (defense industry/systems engineering) and began yesterday.

In fact the small company he worked for, everyone got laid off--he's the only one who got so quickly despite them all being white males. He got a resume critique from a recruiter and rewrote his resume during his job search and is in the process of assisting one of his former employees with rewriting theirs. He had me look at it to see what I could see was wrong with it and from my non-technical perspective, his employee's resume looked juvenile and "new grad" like--not like someone with years of experience. Which is funny b/c that is the same word that the recruiter used on my DH's resume.

That is a weird thing that happened to you and I will doublecheck with DH to see if he did anything similar.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

You agree that there should be different rules depending on race. Unequal equality so to speak.

Some people do--the Obama Chia pet was racist and pulled from store shelves (not sure how many, but the fact that it was done is absurd to me).

Yet there have been other presidential chia pets (no pics available as google is widespread with chatting about the obama chia pet).

I suppose it was just b/c Obama's hair is different--but it is racist b/c it is of a black person, but not when it is a white person or Scooby or Shaggy either.

 

[ogreenlee]

i believe that political correctness is over-the-top.

i also wish things were equal, but they aren't. you can't reject the feelings of millions of people who have been subjected to blatant racism and under such an ugly part of our history that still continues to this day. i would love for it to be equal, and i want it to be equal, but to me that means you have to tell people to forget what they've gone through. too much gray area.

i'm half-korean and half-white mix. i would never tell anyone to ignore the other half, but Obama doesn't look mixed, and I do. i think it's just being realistic.

 

[SingingMUA]

Wait, what? Are you being sarcastic or are you being serious? Either it's okay to say someone looks like an animal or it isn't. It's ridiculous to have a double standard where it is fine to say some people look like animals but you can't say that others do. Personally I think it's tacky to compare either of them to an animal, but if you say it's okay to make the comparison for one of them then it should be equally acceptable to make the comparison for the other one.

As a PP stated, in a perfect world, everyone would be equal and there would be nothing but sunshine and roses and love and happiness (cue Al Green music)...

However...

Unfortunately, that is not the case. Blacks were called chimps (and in some parts of the country, we still are, even though it may be less blatant) and routinely told we were "less than" due to nothing more than our skin color. So while it is certainly not nice to call ANYONE names or animals, it is particularly cutting when a chimp reference is used in relation to a Black person. Black people were called savages and many other things (as were Native Americans - another part of my genetic makeup), and oppressed and enslaved for HUNDREDS of years. That is not something that can just "go away" or that one can "get over" overnight. In the same way that it takes time to heal from a bad accident or some other bodily trauma, it takes time to heal from the effects of slavery and jim crow.

And like other posters have said, racism is still alive, though certainly not to the extent that it was in the past. I am still followed when I enter a store, many (particularly older and southern) people find it very hard to believe that I went to college to study music and am now an opera singer, sometimes people feel the need to "explain" and "define" "big" words or concepts to me, as if I'm somehow not capable of possessing basic comprehension skills and would have no idea what they were talking about unless they "broke it down". And I've had lots of people assume that I was going to vote a certain way in the election due to the color of my skin. I've had people clutch their purses tighter to themselves when I approach. And many, many more instances that I could name...

I also agree that some people look for racism where racism doesn't exist. I think there are lots of things that may get blamed on race that are really not related to race at all. But again, it will take time to heal that sort of mentality. A good analogy might be to think of children who come from an abusive home. Once they are placed in a loving environment, it takes them some time to trust that the person/people in their new environment. They don't just "get over" everything that they've been through and begin to love their new family unconditionally.

 

[FireDancer]

i'm half-korean and half-white mix. i would never tell anyone to ignore the other half, but Obama doesn't look mixed, and I do. i think it's just being realistic.

I guess I just don't see how looking mixed matters. We are what we are even if we don't look like it. In the winter I don't look Sicilian, but I still am.

I don't know about earlier generations because I wasn't born and yes, there are still people who lived through Jim Crow and the civil rights movement. People from that generation will still be effected by it and I understand that. I was born after it so no one of my generation was born into a world where the color of you skin kept you from voting or from civil liberties. The color of someone's skin no longer can keep someone from the top job in the country (and some would say world), the presidency. I can't control or be blamed for things that happened before my conception, I can only look at it through the eyes and in the mindset of people from my generation.

I think the most oppressed people in this country are homosexuals. They are told whom they can and can't marry. It is just fine with many Americans yet if anyone was told they couldn't marry based on race it would never be accepted. Look at the out cry over that Louisiana couple and they weren't even told they couldn't marry, just that one person wouldn't do it.