Disturbing news story

[happythoughts 0]

Here is my personal barometer for this tiype of thing.
It goes like this:
A person says they have black/white/hispanic friends and is not racist. "Have they ever stayed at your house for the weekend?" Or "Have their kids ever spent the night at your house?" Good questions that anyone can ask themselves.

Actually, I have found that the defining thing is generally social or monetary. People like people that they can relate to. Middle-class whites like middle-class blacks more than poor whites. Whites that effect the "I've got friends in low places..." redneck attitude are just as damaging and angry as the black gangster genre. Nobody needs either one.

[wmw999 2,560]

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Well, they have all black colleges why cant we have all white colleges.

Actually, as far as I know there are no all-black colleges. There are traditionally black colleges, but I was recruited by some (and I'm blonde and of Swedish extraction), and this was in the 70's.

There are colleges where some white people are less comfortable. There are probably a whole lot more of them where some black peopel are less comfortable.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[jraf 0]

Guys, this is a wonderful discussion but I am all for the all white prom!

We are talking about rural Georgia here right? Well thay are all sisters and cousins anyway. You can not blame them for wanting to have a family only prom. After all their Daddies are their Uncles

jraf

Me Jungleman! Me have large Babalui.
Muff #3275

[MarkF 0]

By Oz. standards not much to write home about. Our behaviour towards our own indigineous people makes us a bunch of total arseholes. We're damn good, even great, at hiding it though. Hell even the majority of the Oz population don't know it goes on. I'm refering to outback Oz - places like Wilcannia and Wiluna or Kalgoorlie-Boulder or Halls Creek, the places that are pretty much off the tourist route. Let me tell you two stories from two solo bicycle trips through bits of the outback. Quite recent - only a few years ago.

Wilcannia '99. For a few days before I got there I was being warned by the Grey Nomads (retirees with a four wheel drive and a fucking huge caravan. oh, and of course, grey hair) that Wilcannia should be steered well clear of - too many "abos". Being on a bike I had no choice.
Got into some more trouble the year before that too in Wiluna in West Oz. The place is sickening. There's a black side and a white side in the bar in the pub, of course. The caravan park is a fucking locked and patrolled compound after 6.00pm until 6.00am. Black people can't stay there. I saw a Nigerian couple on a "tag-along tour" get refused entry. There's even two doors on the police station. Discrimination is illegal in this country but even the cops practice it at Wiluna. Black people can't buy take away alchohol. Black people can't do jack shit in Wiluna. There was however a black co-op ( co-operative store run by a body called a co-op. It's a wierd Oz biz unit type thing). I asked at the black co-op if they'd have any issue if I shopped there rather than the other place. They looked at me as though I'd lost the plot and told me the only trouble I'd have is with the other shop if I tried to stay in the caravan park. No problem _ I wasn't planning on staying anyway - 20 or 20 km out in the bush was a MUCH better option.

Ooroo
Mark F...

[bodypilot90 0]

How do you feel about school and hiring quotas based on race?

[skykitten 0]

I shouldn't be going here.
I grew up in an itty bitty hometown. There has only been one black graduate of my high school since 1964, and life was made difficult for anyone else who tried to get their kids in our school. It's a public school, btw, in Missouri.
There were racist idiots all around me. Thankfully my mom raised me in a very open-minded environment. (She's nothing but a damned hippy anyway... )
I try to treat everyone equally. I am biased towards stupid people, and smelly people and LOUD people, but skin color is pretty inconsequential.
I do, however, get SO mad at hiring quotas, enrollment quotas, and other comparable practices.
I jokingly say that there should be a 'united caucasian with freckles college fund' because my freckles have caused me lots of grief over the years.
It angers me to think that a prospective student or employee with a better track record could be passed over because of the need to fill a quota.
Frankly, I think that the racial distinctions should be completely ignored. Lift up those who achieve on the basis that their achievement is greater than those of their predecessors, put laurels on the brows of great men and women who advance our society.
I know that I'm speaking of a Utopian dream. This isn't one big Walden-esque world, nor will it be (in my lifetime.)

When walking up to an officer, it is not advisable to say, "Trick or Donut." Seriously.

[aneblett 0]

Ouch!

S.E.X. party #2

..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it.

[aufreefly 0]

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If you get a racist slur, and it is in your heart to do so, then by all means do what you need to do to defend yourself. But you have to ask if you really want to go down that road and lower yourself to the level that it will go to.

Are you suggesting that it is OK to get physical with someone for making a remark. If someone thinks that it is a good idea to react with PHYISCAL violence to a remark then it indicates to me that they do not have the mental capacity to rise above such remarks. Promoting violence only serves to expand the racial divide.

Case in point, a group of black students see a group of white students beating a black student who made a RACIST remark. By some people's logic they were justified in causing physical harm to someone based on an opinion they expressed. In actuality a bigger fight will ensue...how is this better for anyone?

[NewGuy 0]

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the first integrated prom in 31 years in the rural Georgia county 150 miles south of Atlanta.

This has got to be a f'n joke!?!?! In modern day America segregated proms!?!?! MFG, someone has got to pull a finger out, cuz this is pretty messed up stuff.

[AggieDave 6]

And I thought that a racist was someone who loved those damned Racer containers...

Ok, seriously, this is bullshit, I'm absolutely ashamed of people sometimes. This is one of those times. People who actually believe they're right by believing their race is superior absolutely baffle me.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[cuchulinn 0]

OMFREAKINGGAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'v read every post to date on this thread, and in the past I have PISSED off a few moderators with my opinions about certain recent political topics on the forums. That being said....

GEORGIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The state that STILL flies the confederate flag in select areas, to "preserve" the states history, TURN the F*&^&%G page. for heavens sake!.... You still hate Lincoln and you still live in the 1800's. My Gawd people.. let it go!

I am seriously debating whether to hit the "Post Reply" or back out of this completely.... BUT I am under the influance of many beers over hours of jump vidoes.. so this reply will more than likely fly as is. This IS disturbing!!!!!

SMA#18

[cuchulinn 0]

WOW... Damn.. I need another few beers to follow this thought process.

SMA#18

[aneblett 0]

Hey aufreefly!

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Are you suggesting that it is OK to get physical with someone for making a remark.

No I was referring specifically to that fact that he felt he needed to keep his mouth shut. Taken out of context I can see how that might seem like I was advocating violence.

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Case in point, a group of black students see a group of white students beating a black student who made a RACIST remark. By some people's logic they were justified in causing physical harm to someone based on an opinion they expressed. In actuality a bigger fight will ensue...how is this better for anyone?

I have been around for these types of situations and you are absolutely right a bigger fight just ensues.

Age

S.E.X. party #2

..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it.

[bobsled92 0]

I love everybody,
(as long as they don't let in the Celtics!)
but seriously, during the building railroads, the Irish were held lower than african slaves and to have them killed of in bridge & dynamite work was a savings of 3months wages. Dead men don't get paid.
graves are all long the original rail system.
Blind hate is nothing new. Although I don't randomly blame English folk for things in my life.
(I am A.O.H. & yes I am affected by it once a week)
I have "black" relatives in Jamaica who are very kind to me & it's NOT an issue-Grant

_______________________________
If I could be a Super Hero,
I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year.
http://www.hangout.no/speednews/

[aufreefly 0]

Cool man...Unfortunately this happens a lot. Peoples reaction to racial slurs and the way that the legal system deals with assault after the fact has been something that I have been interested in for a while. If you have a chance read N*gger, it was written by a harvard law professor (can't remember his name) and gave me a deeper understanding of the hatred that the word inspires and hints at the deeper underlying problem.I think that most of the time when white people use the word they are referring to a particular type of person...sort of like saying that someone is white trash. At least that is what I would like to believe. Because it would be hard to believe that people could really hate a whole race...I think that they just hate certain stereotypical groups of people. I do believe that stereotypes have a certain place in society however, for example if you are on a desolate street and a person who appears unsavory approaches you then you should be afraid. But blindly hating anyone before you know what they believe in borders on the absurd.

[aneblett 0]

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I think that most of the time when white people use the word they are referring to a particular type of person...

I wish I too could believe that. From my perspective most that would use that word directed at someone are ignorant of how deep it burns.

like a child playing with a lighter near a room full of gas. It knows it has been told that gas and fire need to be handled carefully. But others use the two of them together why can't I..

They don't understand why others (other blacks) use the term and they can't after all its just a word right?

It boils down to ignorance for me. Willful ignorance. the books are there the movies and films made. Many devices are around to aid us in walking for a little bit in another persons shoes yet often we don't. Too much effort maybe. Might miss the game on TV or the latest episode of the simpsons.

the sad sad reality of the world that we live in.

Thank goodness for the friends and people that we meet because of our shared love of the sky. It is a small reminder of what people can acheive when we check the above sort of stuff at the door and concentrate on togetherness and enjoyment rather than division.

ok so I didn't mean for that to be that long.

Age

P.S. I have heard of that book and been meaning to read it. Thanks for the reminder. I will go and look for it.

S.E.X. party #2

..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it.