Comments on: Does experience excuse our attitudes?

By: fkoi

fkoi — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 16:08:52 +0000

Ages of hatred have plagued the human race. Maybe the real difference is that we are the only species that hates. Hundreds of years of English cruelty in Ireland doesn’t excuse killing innocents in Belfast today. The same principle applies in Palestine, Kasmir, Indonesia, Bosnia or Mobile.

Perhaps the greatest war of liberation was led by Gandhi without firing a shot.

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By: Smile4242

Smile4242 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:07:47 +0000

What is ironic is that most people in the world are actually mixed, especially in the United States. I mean, how many pure Germans and Irish are there in the U.S.? How many pure Zulus and Tootsies are there in the U.S.? How many pure Native Americans and Spaniards are there in the U.S.? Most “Blacks” in the U.S. are actually part White. Other parts of the world would actually call them Mulatos (mixed black/white) instead of Black, because most “Blacks” are not really Black (i.e. Compare an African from Africa with a Black from the U.S. and it becomes obvious most Blacks here are actually mixed race.)

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By: Smile4242

Smile4242 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:05:39 +0000

Where people mess up is that they assume that one experience equals the world. In other words, they had a bad hamburger at Burger Barn and therefore all burgers suck. What if it was a bad restaurant, or even a bad day at the restaurant? Maybe Super Burger down the road may have better burgers. But, no, we had a bad burger at Burger Barn and all burgers are bad.

That is how many people approach race. They meet a a couple bad ones, assume everyone is like that, and don’t even try to see if there is anything else out there different than what they originally experienced.

Humans are way too diverse to make assumptions based on a couple experiences. Yet that is what we often do. The challenge is to see each human as who they are as an individual, acknowledging the culture and ideals and preferences they embrace, rather than stereotyping and assuming they are like everyone else of that race, color, group, haircut, etc.

But, we are lazy. It is so much easier to assume and stereotype than it is to actually pay attention and get to know people. After all, that may actually require thinking and getting to know other people.

The only hope is we become willing to get to know people for who they are, otherwise we cannot help but stereotype and assume, which is where racism comes from to begin with.

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By: eric_t

eric_t — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:56:02 +0000

Racism…, BAH! No need to sound intelligent cause I think that sylable says it all.

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By: tatted2death

tatted2death — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:49:37 +0000

speaking out to counter racism (bias, hatred, stereotypes, etc.) no matter where it rears its ugly head is most definitely necessary. While it is true that “there is a time and a place for everything”, we must keep in mind…..those that find the need to be hush-hush about these issues are usually the ones that will continue to support such racist views. Like “the Matrix”…..they basically are part of the system.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD (every chance you get)
peace and blessings
tatted2death

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By: thekid47

thekid47 — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:25:58 +0000

Hi, good comments and to MariaMFA, ahh, that there were some members of a group who said something wrong, and I am the first to condemn what they said-if I were there I would have said something about it, these few people don’t constitute ‘the black community’, any more than a single person, or persons who are white constitute the ‘white community’. I think that one of the ways that we address the issue of racism, is not overstating a case-that is calling a ‘whole community’ when it in fact is not.

I think that as much as there are people who are prejudiced and racist, the good thing is that it is not everyone is, and that there are probably more than we know, who are offended by the things that you heard-those things stated were wrong, straight up. If I had been there, I would have stood up and said that was wrong..

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By: MariaMFA

MariaMFA — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:31:52 +0000

“… Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…” We are all God’s children. Having said that… It disturbs me that the black community and the media is not more vocal about a lot of the racism/jokes against white people or ANY people – I was at a city council meeting and a black person stood up and called the councilor “lily-white” and another repeated a familiar line of “I’m not afraid of Alquaeda I’m afraid of Al-Cracker…” – I was very offended by the comments. Yet nothing was said to them about their inappropriate statements and the police just looked on. Had a white person stood up and used the “N” word, they would have been kicked out of the meeting. I’m hoping that someday we won’t even see color and treat each other with the respect we ALL deserve. Unfortunately, we humans do evolve very slowly… But we’ll get there. PEACE!!

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By: W_Chocolate

W_Chocolate — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:11:03 +0000

i think its stupid and we will always having people hating people no matter if we have a black president or not. i think it is all taught and is a difficult thing to swallow for a lot of people. my parents have supported me and my brother on whoever we date no matter their race and i love them for that. i love my gma and gpas, who have passed, but they didnt like black people and a few of my uncles dont like black people and we have actually got into an arguement because of it. i love me gpas and gma but i hate that they couldnt except who ive dated.
you cant work with stupid or ignorance you have to work around it and keep moving forward

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By: cocobaker813

cocobaker813 — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:58:00 +0000

Racism comes from fear, fear often comes from ignorance, and as the old adage says, “Ignorance is bliss”. Some folks are absolutely blissful to be racist, and no matter what anyone tells them, they rather hold on to their bliss. The USA is standing in a place it has never ever been before; A man of color may hold the highest office in the land. It doesn’t matter that his mother is Caucasian. All that can be seen is the dark skin, which isn’t comforting to some. All some can do is allude to the “evil” he will spread, as if a person with African roots has no skill, no intellect, no judgement, no education or wisdom. Do they think he’s going to start playing hardcore rap in the Oval Office? He’s going to attend a state dinner in baggy jeans and a white tee shirt with a rag hanging out his back pocket, and gold fronts on his teeth, and Lil Wayne is going to be Secretary of State?? Come to think of it, I really think some people DO feel that! I hope the above made some laugh, but the sad thing is, there are some folks out there who really think these things! Of course they won’t come out and say it, but that’s what their “experiences” of some African-Americans are. That’s why that question makes no sense to me. No, our experiences don’t excuse racism. Not every person in America KNOWS every other person. Some only see certain images and don’t bother to look any deeper. People of several ethnicities are guilty of it too. A lot of people need to stop hiding and start learning.

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By: SWF68

SWF68 — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:29:29 +0000

Never in my entire life have I understood racism of any kind. In a small community here in the midwest, a family from Pakistan bought a store. The “haters” of this community refuse to do business in this store due to the new ownership. Yet, they go to church, look up to the picture of Jesus on the wall & pay respect to him. HUH??? Do they feel they are a part of the Lord, the Holy Spirit? – Of course they do… They take communion (body of Christ) They give hard earned money to the church, and they feel good about who they are for doing it. Here’s the kicker… JESUS was NOT White!!! And better yet, he was directly from the MIDDLE EAST!

Any type of injustice towards someone out of pure ignorance is exactly that… Ignorant!

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