My personal experiences with race and racism.

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: Landroval
With one exception, all of the men who have physically assaulted me or threatened to harm me have been white.

Same here.

The second half of my junior year in High School I lived in K.C. Mo. right in the middle of what was a predominately black area. Sometimes I would go walking late at night and yet I NEVER had any problems with any blacks. I think it was due to the simple fact of, if you ACT like you belong somewhere people treat you like you do. If you act out of place, expect to get hassled!

This was WAY back in the early 70's though, so I don't know what it's like in K.C. these days.

I used to get in a LOT of fights in school and later in the service, yet without exception, ALL the people I fought with were white!

 

[yepmetoo]

Originally posted by: w00t

Originally posted by: Medea

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
As far as the intelligence issue, kids all over the country take tests, and blacks consistently score lower than any other group. There is nothing holding them back but themselves.

I taught third grade for a year in Brooklyn (black and Puerto Rican neighborhood). One day, I had forgotten my watch and asked one of the kids to go in the hall and tell me what time it was. When he came back with the wrong time, I asked another kid. Then it clicked: the kids were used to reading digital clocks. So, I started a lesson plan beginning with the basics: 60 secs in a min, 60 mins in an hr, etc. and ending with reading a clock "face."

The next day while I was teaching this, a white teacher came into my classroom, waited until I had finished my sentence, and then stated: "You are wasting your time" - to a class of 8 year-olds! I turned to the class and asked them if I was wasting my time. They said "no" but in a dejected, quiet voice. I told them, "I can't hear you." This time, they said it a little louder. I repeated that I couldn't hear them, and to say it to make sure that I and Mr. X could hear it. This time, they shouted it. I turned to him and smiled. He slunk out of the classroom.

Three things:
1. the kids learned the lesson;
2. when there was a substitute teacher in another 3rd grade class, one of those kids told one of mine that he didn't have to do school work that day and mine did. My kid replied, "Yeah, but at least we're learning something."
3. 91TTZ, as the saying goes: you can take you and your ideas and shove them where the sun don't shine.

nice job man.

Definately.....

That anecdote disproves everything 911TTZ said.....

except no one is saying all people can't achieve a certain level of basic knowledge.

 

[aplefka]

Originally posted by: Doboji

Originally posted by: aplefka

Originally posted by: Doboji
Racism in America is alive and well... You are simply ignorant.... I don't have the time or inclination to sit here and refute you in depth, but the fact that your mind places people in categories according to skin color is the essence of the problem. You probably don't even notice the black guy who you check out with at the grocery store... or the black guy who greets you when you get on a public bus. Or any of the millions of other black people who are regular intelligent normal people. That is the nature of your racism.... you see all black people by the characteristics of a very small few who have caused you problems. I got jumped by skinheads when I was 16... do I now hate white people? The guy who hit and ran from me was a white guy, the guy who robbed me was a white guy. By your post, I should now be nervous everytime I see a white person.

YOu are racist plain and simple... and I'm not saying that to insult you or demean you... I'm saying it because it's true. It's your minds way of analyzing your situation.... of being afraid of a certain type of people because of such a trivial characteristic as the color of their skin.

Take a deep look inside... try to notice characteristics a little deeper than skin color. Rise above such general categorization.... get more details into your system.... notice more than skin color.

That's all I can say right now.... if this thread is still alive come monday you'll see more.

EDIT: I see that at the end of the post you are starting to see the light....

-Max

Well, I had an entire reply typed out, but I must've missed a word or something cuz I got a censored error.

Anyways, he's not ignorant or racist, he's basing it on stastics. There's a certain point where stastistics is what it becomes. And again, statistics are not everything and I realize this.

But honestly, if you saw a group of people, any race, don't care if they're fvcking blue or purple or whatever, and they were walking towards you in a manner that you felt threatened, would you or would you not be afraid? Don't even try to say you wouldn't be, unless you're The Thing or Hulk or something. It's not because of their race he's afraid of them, it's because of their attitude and attire.

It's not racism, it's human nature. Racism is belittling someone over their skin color, which is not at all what the OP is doing. But again, in this PC-conscious world we live in I'm surprised there aren't more replies with your message. I don't care if you think the OP and those that think like him are racist (myself included) because the truth is we're not, and it's ignorant of YOU to say we are when our feelings are clearly stated and aren't anywhere near racism.

I'd say the biggest problem with trying to discuss racism is that the word itself has become so villified that to be anywhere remotely associated with it is to be alligned with the nazis, satan, and the hounds of hell. But reality is discrimination prejudice and racism are normal natural elements of human nature. We are all guilty of it on some scale. The OP is as well, and my post was simply meant to point out in which direction he is racist... It has nothing to do with statistics... it has to do with his inability to see black people who were "normal" people.... he associated "black man" only with those who had given him trouble and who appeared to be ignorant violent people. He failed to even notice the dozens hundreds or even thousands of other black people who would contradict his new found stereotype.

At the end of his post it becomes apparant that he has begun to understand that he was wrong to feel as he did, that all black men were threatening... and his eyes have opened to the many other black people out there. This is a good thing.... he is still racist... lets call him a recovering racist... but stop assuming that by my calling him a racist I am calling him some kind of taboo bad name. I'm simply pointing out where he has given into human nature, and should fight to rise above mankind's natural tendencies. Which it appears he has already begun.

-Max

Okay, fair enough. I thought you were just flat out calling him a racist. Funny, before I even got home and saw your PM tonight something happened to me and the minute I left I was like oh man, I've gotta post in that thread now.

I announce for a baseball team on the weekends (or I did until tonight, which was my final night due to vacation), and as I was leaving I decided I'd stop off at the local 7-11 to get a slurpee before coming home. I pulled in and someone took my normal parking space and I had two choices: pull in on their left side, where there was a car parked next to it and I'd be in the middle, or pull in on the right side, where there were 2 black men. Now, I don't live in a good area and I found it weird they were standing outside of their car and that they had parked in the darkest spot there.

So I pulled into the space on the left, because they were big and I'm small and it's night. But I could tell something was wrong and they were up to no harm so as I get out of my car I look over and start walking towards the inside then the one guy walks up and is like "Hey man can you help us out?"

Turns out they live in Stockton (about an hour away) and had run out of gas, so they pushed it into that spot. I only had $45 on me and I didn't wanna give them either of my $20s then I realized I had probably 2-3 gallons of gas at home for our lawn mower. I told the guy I'd be back with some gas for him, and I brought him the gas and gave him a $5 just in case.

Now, judging on my previous experiences with two black males driving beat up cars at night, I chose to pull into the parking spot further from them. But they were very thankful when I helped them out and the one big guy said thanks like 5 times and it turns out his wife or girlfriend was with them and came over and thanked me too. As I pulled out I thought "Man, this is bigtime irony or God making an example of me for what I said earlier."

So again I state, stastistics are not everything, but I'm still wary of anyone who dresses up as a "thug" or "punk." Even white people. I just don't trust people in groups, regardless of their color. It's not their race, but their attire and body language.

 

[Medea]

Originally posted by: yepmetoo

Originally posted by: w00t

Originally posted by: Medea

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
As far as the intelligence issue, kids all over the country take tests, and blacks consistently score lower than any other group. There is nothing holding them back but themselves.

I taught third grade for a year in Brooklyn (black and Puerto Rican neighborhood). One day, I had forgotten my watch and asked one of the kids to go in the hall and tell me what time it was. When he came back with the wrong time, I asked another kid. Then it clicked: the kids were used to reading digital clocks. So, I started a lesson plan beginning with the basics: 60 secs in a min, 60 mins in an hr, etc. and ending with reading a clock "face."

The next day while I was teaching this, a white teacher came into my classroom, waited until I had finished my sentence, and then stated: "You are wasting your time" - to a class of 8 year-olds! I turned to the class and asked them if I was wasting my time. They said "no" but in a dejected, quiet voice. I told them, "I can't hear you." This time, they said it a little louder. I repeated that I couldn't hear them, and to say it to make sure that I and Mr. X could hear it. This time, they shouted it. I turned to him and smiled. He slunk out of the classroom.

Three things:
1. the kids learned the lesson;
2. when there was a substitute teacher in another 3rd grade class, one of those kids told one of mine that he didn't have to do school work that day and mine did. My kid replied, "Yeah, but at least we're learning something."
3. 91TTZ, as the saying goes: you can take you and your ideas and shove them where the sun don't shine.

nice job man.

Definately.....

That anecdote disproves everything 911TTZ said.....

except no one is saying all people can't achieve a certain level of basic knowledge.

<Sigh..>. You missed the point. With maybe two exceptions, that teacher was NO exception. It was disgusting - they wanted their paychecks and that was it. And, this was not the first "inner city" school I taught in. Generally speaking, the teachers sucked. I was the only one who took a class on class-trips. I was the only one who added subject matter to the curriculum (above-grade level).

Kids behave as they are expected. Expect nothing, then.... One day, these kids grow up.

 

[Grabo]

Originally posted by: notfred
A professional-looking guy in a business suit wouldn't bother me in the least, regardless of whether he was black, white, or any other race.

Ah, yes, and he'd smile at you across the street, then pass out of your view and mind until the smell of rubber gloves entered your nostrils at the same time as the cold composite nose of a silencer gently pressed against your neck.

Btw, herearound, the vast majority of immigrants are people from Iran/Irak etc.
The same kind of pattern holds true though; if you are ever assaulted by a gang of young thugs in a southern town, they are pretty likely to be arabs (or of one of the other peoples in the region). They seem to generally have a need to assert themselves.
Many adults are very hard-working and friendly, though.

 

[MetalMat]

Im not racist, hell some of my best friends are black, but I have had many an altercations with black people on and off the school grounds when I was younger. Many people are much to quick to throw out the racist card though when you sterotype, and I think many of these people imagine that they live in a perfect world where race does not matter and many of these people probably live in places where there are no races other than white people around them, but I am not retarted and I know a pattern when I see one.

So do I judge a book by its cover? Sometimes I might but thats through my natural instincts. I dont dislike a person just because of the color of their skin, I dislike a person for who he/she is.

 

[Doboji]

Originally posted by: aplefka

Originally posted by: Doboji

Originally posted by: aplefka

Originally posted by: Doboji
Racism in America is alive and well... You are simply ignorant.... I don't have the time or inclination to sit here and refute you in depth, but the fact that your mind places people in categories according to skin color is the essence of the problem. You probably don't even notice the black guy who you check out with at the grocery store... or the black guy who greets you when you get on a public bus. Or any of the millions of other black people who are regular intelligent normal people. That is the nature of your racism.... you see all black people by the characteristics of a very small few who have caused you problems. I got jumped by skinheads when I was 16... do I now hate white people? The guy who hit and ran from me was a white guy, the guy who robbed me was a white guy. By your post, I should now be nervous everytime I see a white person.

YOu are racist plain and simple... and I'm not saying that to insult you or demean you... I'm saying it because it's true. It's your minds way of analyzing your situation.... of being afraid of a certain type of people because of such a trivial characteristic as the color of their skin.

Take a deep look inside... try to notice characteristics a little deeper than skin color. Rise above such general categorization.... get more details into your system.... notice more than skin color.

That's all I can say right now.... if this thread is still alive come monday you'll see more.

EDIT: I see that at the end of the post you are starting to see the light....

-Max

Well, I had an entire reply typed out, but I must've missed a word or something cuz I got a censored error.

Anyways, he's not ignorant or racist, he's basing it on stastics. There's a certain point where stastistics is what it becomes. And again, statistics are not everything and I realize this.

But honestly, if you saw a group of people, any race, don't care if they're fvcking blue or purple or whatever, and they were walking towards you in a manner that you felt threatened, would you or would you not be afraid? Don't even try to say you wouldn't be, unless you're The Thing or Hulk or something. It's not because of their race he's afraid of them, it's because of their attitude and attire.

It's not racism, it's human nature. Racism is belittling someone over their skin color, which is not at all what the OP is doing. But again, in this PC-conscious world we live in I'm surprised there aren't more replies with your message. I don't care if you think the OP and those that think like him are racist (myself included) because the truth is we're not, and it's ignorant of YOU to say we are when our feelings are clearly stated and aren't anywhere near racism.

I'd say the biggest problem with trying to discuss racism is that the word itself has become so villified that to be anywhere remotely associated with it is to be alligned with the nazis, satan, and the hounds of hell. But reality is discrimination prejudice and racism are normal natural elements of human nature. We are all guilty of it on some scale. The OP is as well, and my post was simply meant to point out in which direction he is racist... It has nothing to do with statistics... it has to do with his inability to see black people who were "normal" people.... he associated "black man" only with those who had given him trouble and who appeared to be ignorant violent people. He failed to even notice the dozens hundreds or even thousands of other black people who would contradict his new found stereotype.

At the end of his post it becomes apparant that he has begun to understand that he was wrong to feel as he did, that all black men were threatening... and his eyes have opened to the many other black people out there. This is a good thing.... he is still racist... lets call him a recovering racist... but stop assuming that by my calling him a racist I am calling him some kind of taboo bad name. I'm simply pointing out where he has given into human nature, and should fight to rise above mankind's natural tendencies. Which it appears he has already begun.

-Max

Okay, fair enough. I thought you were just flat out calling him a racist. Funny, before I even got home and saw your PM tonight something happened to me and the minute I left I was like oh man, I've gotta post in that thread now.

I announce for a baseball team on the weekends (or I did until tonight, which was my final night due to vacation), and as I was leaving I decided I'd stop off at the local 7-11 to get a slurpee before coming home. I pulled in and someone took my normal parking space and I had two choices: pull in on their left side, where there was a car parked next to it and I'd be in the middle, or pull in on the right side, where there were 2 black men. Now, I don't live in a good area and I found it weird they were standing outside of their car and that they had parked in the darkest spot there.

So I pulled into the space on the left, because they were big and I'm small and it's night. But I could tell something was wrong and they were up to no harm so as I get out of my car I look over and start walking towards the inside then the one guy walks up and is like "Hey man can you help us out?"

Turns out they live in Stockton (about an hour away) and had run out of gas, so they pushed it into that spot. I only had $45 on me and I didn't wanna give them either of my $20s then I realized I had probably 2-3 gallons of gas at home for our lawn mower. I told the guy I'd be back with some gas for him, and I brought him the gas and gave him a $5 just in case.

Now, judging on my previous experiences with two black males driving beat up cars at night, I chose to pull into the parking spot further from them. But they were very thankful when I helped them out and the one big guy said thanks like 5 times and it turns out his wife or girlfriend was with them and came over and thanked me too. As I pulled out I thought "Man, this is bigtime irony or God making an example of me for what I said earlier."

So again I state, stastistics are not everything, but I'm still wary of anyone who dresses up as a "thug" or "punk." Even white people. I just don't trust people in groups, regardless of their color. It's not their race, but their attire and body language.

Nice! :thumbsup:

See you're not racist, I too am wary of people whose dress and body language says trouble... and I'm huge and strong.

Notice all the people in this thread polarized towards outright racism, or outright PC nazis... nice to know we can have a normal civilized conversation amidst the havok.

:beer:

-Max