[knox]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eugene Felikson

I love it when people say "I'm not racist, I have tons of black friends."

I really do.

It pushes the same button as "I'm not sexist, ask my female friends, they say I am nice, I treat women very well, jut not the ones I don't know in person"

IDK

It's the button that triggers internal eye rolling.

[knox]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

I just ignore it -- no one has ever tried to force me to see their side of things, or involved me in any racist activities, or perhaps I've never met anyone who is a hardcore racist; certainly, I've met tons of people who are a little racist. But, yeah, I haven't lived the life of the people who have formed this opinion, so how can I judge them? Mostly, I just try to mind my own business -- if people get cheated on by women, they'll probably have a bad view on women. If people get shit stolen from them by Mexicans, they'll probably have a bad outlook on Mexicans. That's just how most people are. I don't think most people are really hardcore Nazi racists or something -- at least not around here; the people I've met seem to be insulting towards other races, but also know that you can't base your opinion on an entire race of people because of the fuckheads they've met. People just hate people in general -- people hate their own race probably more than any other race. I mean, people in general are usually bad... so yeah.

...Like I said, as far as my "reaction" goes, I just try to mind my own business -- everyone has political views, outlooks on life, etc. that I don't agree with, but they probably have some reason for getting to that point in their mind. On the other hand, there are people that are completely ignorant and don't seem to have any reason for coming to their conclusions... but that goes with anything. Ultimately, if a person is such a hardcore racist that it influences every facet of their being, of course I couldn't be friends with them... but I've never met anyone like that.

...well, I am friends with a white girl whose mom was raped and chopped up to bits by a black man. Literally cut up to pieces with the body parts put in a garbage bag. So, she's a little racist towards black people now -- mostly stemming from fear. I mean, I can understand that. I'm not racist at all -- but I can see how something traumatic like that could change a person's character... couldn't you?

On the other hand, I know another white girl who was raped by a black guy -- she was 12 at the time. And she's not racist at all... so yeah. Who knows.

If you get to know anyone well enough, you'll probably find a shit-ton of things to hate about them, so my thing in life is to just try not to get too close to anyone else, and hope they don't get too close to me. Makes things a lot simpler.

now that just pushed my core puke button.

thank you very much.

[Dr. Eugene Felikson]

Originally Posted by knox

It pushes the same button as "I'm not sexist, ask my female friends, they say I am nice, I treat women very well, jut not the ones I don't know in person"

IDK

It's the button that triggers internal eye rolling.

Yeah, it's one of those things that people do that are so outstandingly lame, that your brain sort of freezes up for a second, and you have a flinch of paralysis due to said lameness.

[atsonicpark]

Um, okay. Feel free to puke -- at least I don't carry hatred in my heart for others based upon opinions they formed that are none of my business. If you read further into my post, you'll see I'm friends with a girl who literally had her mom CHOPPED TO PIECES by a black man -- how can I really hold her racism against her? It's understandable -- that doesn't mean I agree, but people deal with trauma in different ways. I was molested and beaten by a woman, and I have been cheated on by every girl I've been with -- and I don't hate women (mainly because I'm smart enough to realize a few shitty women doesn't mean every woman is shit). But a lot of people who have went through the same shit definitely would -- most people are extremely simple. If I were going to hate everyone because I didn't agree with opinions they formed at some point in their years of existence... well, then, I would hate literally everyone, wouldn't I? I think racism is wrong -- I also think not minding your own business is wrong, too. I can't possibly change a person's mind if they've dealt with traumatic events. Why would I try?

Like I said though, the best thing to do is to just not get close to anyone. That's why I don't keep friends, only acquaintances.

[knox]

So, if her mom had been chopped to pieces by a white person would she try to make herself black? just wondering.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

..well, I am friends with a white girl whose mom was raped and chopped up to bits by a black man. Literally cut up to pieces with the body parts put in a garbage bag. So, she's a little racist towards black people now -- mostly stemming from fear. I mean, I can understand that. I'm not racist at all -- but I can see how something traumatic like that could change a person's character... couldn't you?

honestly no.

Originally Posted by knox

So, if her mom had been chopped to pieces by a white person would she try to make herself black? just wondering.

she gets it

[knox]

Tollerating racism is endorsing it.

[atsonicpark]

I get what you're saying, but maybe the better question is: How would you react, either way, if your mom was MURDERED? I mean, who knows? If you've not dealt with that trauma, then how could you comment on it? That's why I'm trying not to... not to judge and to mind my own business on that shit... And she's not going around insulting black people or something -- she's just AFRAID of them now. Which is technically racism, I guess. But maybe it just brings back repressed memories.

[atsonicpark]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

honestly no.

Okay, well, I'm taking a wild guess that if your mom got murdered, chopped up, put in a garbage bag, you're not going to walk away from it without something changing in you. [edit]

I'm not endorsing it, I'm understanding her feelings... of fear. She's not "practicing" racism, she's not a fucking KKK member -- and she's 20, this happened when she was 15. I'm sure she'll eventually grow out of that stuff. But how am I supposed to act, am I supposed to rush her into getting over it? "Hey, I know your life was completely ENDED, basically, but here's how I think you should react instead of the way you decided to react."

[Rob Instigator]

only an idiot would hate a "race" because it happens to be the same "race" as someone who did them or theirs griveous harm.

when a person steals from me I hate THIEVES, not whatever arbitrary skin pigmentation and facial features are attributed to their vague "race"

[Rob Instigator]

Most serial killers are white males, but people do not go reacting and hating white males because of it. If they do it is becauise they already held racist views about white folk, before the killin happened.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

Okay, well, I'm taking a wild guess that if your mom got murdered, chopped up, put in a garbage bag, you're not going to walk away from it without something changing in you. But I guess it's easy to judge people when nothing like that could possibly happen to you.

I didn't say it wouldn't fuck me up, I just said I couldn't understand it evolving into racism, as traumatic as that event was, a SINGLE event should not could shape a person's outlook of an ENTIRE race of people.

In my own life, many traumatic events have happened. I didn't not blame the race, just the individual. But I have an immensely powerful sense of forgiveness and empathy, so I handle that kind of shit rather well. In your quest for sensitivity you have grossly mashed on ini feelings

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

But I guess it's easy to judge people when nothing like that could possibly happen to you.

Life is deep, don't ever for a second believe that people do well with trauma simply because they haven't had a traumatic life.

[atsonicpark]

I am empathetic, open minded, and generally peaceful. But most people are not. I agree that a single traumatic event shouldn't shape a person's outlook on life -- but there are so many factors that go beyond a single event. I live in a small town, I can't go down the street with multi colored hair without getting death stares. It's still a fairly close minded town, and still one where people know everything about everyone...

Having said that, there aren't too many people of different races here, all in all. So, some of the only interaction that girl has had with anyone of a different race was this incident. Maybe that has something to do with it.

I'm just saying -- it may be "wrong" for me to, um, I guess, not try to change her mind regarding her attitude -- I'll accept that. But wouldn't it be, more wrong for me to tell her how she should react in the face of such an event?

While I don't agree with her at all, I try to see every side of an argument. And I think she'll grow out of things, but she still has hatred in her heart, and no one to take it out on. She is not some kind of nazi fuckhead or something, just someone who is scared and full of hate. It's one of those things where, the few times she's talked about it, the best thing I can do in my mind is to just not say anything.

[atsonicpark]

And I would do anything to help her not continue to fester that hate -- but I think there's no words I can say that will help her grow out of something like that. People just get over it, in time... I would just rather not bring it up to her.

[Rob Instigator]

fear of the different is a very strong emotional driver towards prejudice.

[RanaldoNecro]

I am going to get killed for this one but...

Rascism isn't going away anytime soon. I don't support racism in ideal terms (that is I believe everyone to be created equal) but I just don't see the practical world forgetting their prejudices anytime soon.

Many people act racist just because they don't want their own to mix with a certain group. I call that preventive. Would I want my daughter or son marrying into just any group? No.

Many races simply want their own to continue and marry their own ethnic group. And it is possible to not like an ethnic groups values as opposed to the whole group.

There are some peoples values who I don't agree with. Like a Chinese industrialist who doesn't have any sense of the environmental damages he causes through his business. I reserve the right to dislike him!

Pox on you Wang Chung!

[RanaldoNecro]

BTW, some people believe that political correctness is a form of fascism. Thought control.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Keeping It Simple

Wrong.

No, the working classes ARE more likely to be racist. It's a matter of education, the middle classes are more likely to be educated so will be more open-minded towards such things. Also, a lot of ethnic minorities occupy working class areas so the working class will be affected more by immigration, housing etc. etc.

[atsonicpark]

Can't we all just get along?

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by RanaldoNecro

Many people act racist just because they don't want their own to mix with a certain group. I call that preventive. Would I want my daughter or son marrying into just any group? No.

Many races simply want their own to continue and marry their own ethnic group. And it is possible to not like an ethnic groups values as opposed to the whole group.

There are some peoples values who I don't agree with. Like a Chinese industrialist who doesn't have any sense of the environmental damages he causes through his business. I reserve the right to dislike him!

Pox on you Wang Chung!

why not? what are you scared of for your daughter, that she might expand her own cultural horizons beyond your own expectations of her?

and further, "ethnic groups values" that is a cover for racism, which is to prejudge an individual based upon stereotypes and misconceptions. People do not AUTOMATICALLY follow the perceived socio-cultural patterns of their 'race' so how could anyone judge anyone by these markers? Who the caps fit, let them wear it. Judge a person ENTIRELY by their own actions, and even then you should still avoid judgment, it blocks opportunities for growth.