Huh?

Though I realize now that it came off that way, I didn't mean to imply that slavery was nothing more than an insulting look. I was using that as an exaggeration for how people in general feel they deserve money and treatment for every little slight. And I'm speaking of white people as well.

You can see it in our legal system as well. Trip over your own kid in a furniture store? Sue 'em! Spill hot coffee on your lap? Sue 'em!

Hey I'd sue over coffee in my lap! What a waste! /cry

In no way shape or form am i saying that the people that use the system for its intended purpose deserve to get it cut off. But i would place a bet that of the people that DO use it for its purpose there is 100 more than abuse it. So yes i say "I want my free shit too" because Its MY money that i pay in taxes that is letting them do nothing and recieve shit for free.

And roz, Trying to use the line of

"It's a little hard to rise above where you live and what you are when there isn't THE CHANCE to go beyond it."

Is bullshit. Sorry, No offense to your personelly Roz, but i don't buy that for a heartbeat. I had this same discussion with one of my professors in college. I didn't buy it then and i still won't buy it now. If you want to get out you can. You may not like it but there is always something that can be done to better improve you way of life.

Perfect example. The militray. They will take and find a job that you can do. But there is a "way out" and a chance right there.

Its all about what people are and are not willing to do. If you don't TRY on your own to improve your station/ status in life then i feel no pity for you. taking some inititive and doing shit for YOURSELF and you might be suprised what you can accomplish.. Even with a 8th grade reading level.


edit: somehow i deleted part of that paragraph. And i am always up for a good debate ;-p

Haha, that's true. I grew up in Memphis, I still go back to visit family every few months.

Oh, and Vex.. ever eaten at the Rendevous in downtown?

My old house was in Cordova, right where they build that freakishly large mall.

Saying that there are black people and there are "niggers" is pretty racist in itself, if you can use that term in that manner and classify some of a race because of the way they act, thats racist. There are white people, black people, purple people, and we all have our fair share of ignorance and dumbness. Classifying one as a "nigger" because of the way they act or how they are, imo, is racist!

Most of the time I hear it, I associate it with a particular type of person. Not black people, or "hood" people (though it tends to be the case in my experience, most of the time)... but people who drop nigger in everyday conversation, but still freak when they hear someone who isn't a minority use it for any reason.

And as a reference, I had an English class last semester. As I was walking in I saw a group of guys all standing outside of the building talking. One guy I remember because he had a huge jacket on during August (wtf?) and was practically screaming "nigga this" and "nigga that" while talking with his friends. We had been given a reading assignment and the word came up at some point in the dialogue as a kid was reading it. Nobody flinched or gasped or anything. Come on, we're in college... we can handle "bad words". Anyways, after class was over and we were leaving, the guy with the jacket decked the kid in the face and gave him a nice shiner that lasted for a good week.

I am a generation or two younger than most of the people here, that may be part of it. I don't know.

95% of the white people you pass on the street aren't going to be racists. In my somewhat limited life experience, there are more black people that don't like white people than vice versa.

The chinks are a different story, though...

Having grown up in the south where racism is much more prevelent Ill weigh in. In Atlanta the N word is used as a greeting. I think that was brought about by the waterinig down of the actual derogatory meaning of it by the black community. The kids white and black these days dont quite get the fact the seriousness of the term.

That being said I work for an African American owned company and its been my experience that the more educated and successfull minorities see Afirmative action as a slap in the face. They view it as the government as telling them they can not succeed without a handout or a leg up. Im in agreeance with them as well. Ive had this conversation many times with African americans. It doesnt matter what color you are you can make it in the country on your own if you work hard and have a few good breaks.

Im not a racisist I have equal hate for all stupid people.

S

I know lets do this!!

Start WET White Entertainment Telivision!

Publish IVORY magazine!

Lets see who the real racists are??

Haha you left out

NWACP

and

The United Caucasiasn College Fund

S

I think the key to this statement though is "a few good breaks". Those are the things that minorities do not get as frequently as whites. And to respond to a previous post (Kele's I think), being a minority really has nothing to do with % of population (although that is the definition). Even if white people made less of a percentage in population than another race, we would still not be a minority. Know why? Money. Look at the percentages of who controls the wealth in this country, and the numbers are staggeringly (is that a word? ) disproportionate to actual population statistics. Slavery was over 130 years ago or so. Equal rights was in the 60s. But this country is still owned by white people, and this is why minorities dont see as many breaks.

I'm not saying all white people are rich. I'm not rich. And I'm not saying all white people would not give someone who is a "minority" equal opportunity. I would. I'm just saying that there are a LOT of racist white people out there, and they give no slack to the black. And in most cases, they are the ones with the money and power in this country to hinder things for others.

P.S. Another thought. If a white man and black man both apply for a job and are equally qualified, and the person doing the hiring is white, there is no way to be sure if race plays a part in the ultimate choice. But I guarantee you, most black people would scream racism if they white person was hired, and most white people would scream affirmative action if the black man was hired. The only one who knows for sure is the person that made the choice. Hell, he could have wound up flipping a coin!

P.P.S. Runyan, I defy you to show me a purple person! (Barney doesnt count)

I was planning on avoiding this converstation all together. I am from Mississippi. And I married a sexy ass brown skinned man (we are divorced now, though), and I have 3 gorgeous brown skinned kids. =)

I can see where some folks are coming from and I can see the flip side to the coin. Back home... Alot of the folks on Welfare and Foodstamps make me sick. They go into the grocery store and buy $200 worth of food with foodstamps... then walk out to the parking lot... and put it all into their 1yr old Mercedez Benz while wearing top of the line designer labeled clothes... If you drove a fucking Chevy like the rest of us, and had on Levi jeans like we do, then you could afford the damn groceries you just bought. Fuck, If I had a mercedez to pay for and wore top end clothes, I wouldn't be able to buy food either. =/ It's all about living within your means. If you live out side of it, because you /want/ to... then why should the government help you?

I know that there are alot of black people out there that are in need of help. Just like there are white people who need help. However, its folks like the one I just mentioned giving a bad name to the others. I don't think the government /owes/ us anything. I don't want the free shit. I just wish the the folks who are being helped by the government weren't abusing it, because all and all, its those people who make every other person resent the people on welfare. I don't think its limited to people resenting only black people in welfare, I think its resenting all people who abuse it. And unfortunately there is so much abuse of it, its hard to see the folks who really need it.

**Disclaimer: The word YOU is used in refrence to all people on Welfare who abuse it. Not people of color or lack of color. =P**

Touching on the subject of the ad? Yea, Sony isn't stupid, they meant for it to be taken as contriversial. That way... its all over the news, headlines, etc. ALL advertisment is good advertisment.

Yea, I tend to think along those lines as well.

the memphis mayor is a black guy.

that means whites are minorities then ?

there's tons of black people in positions of high authority. We havent actually even had a black presidential candidate in any term that i've been able to commit to memory, which is probably why we haven't had a black president. On top of that, I imagine even the white supremist fucks would've voted for a black guy over Bush !

i dont think the U.S. is run by white folk only anymore.

i live down the street from it it sucks though. has 2 whole stores that are worth the time it takes to find a parking spot...

Never really went downtown much. Just not my scene. Too many hillbillies, if you know what i mean ;p

True story. I haven't been there in years though.

I think the last time I was there I was picking up graduation money from relatives

A couple of black people in positions of power here and there doesn't suddenly mean the top power level of society isn't white heavy. It is. I wish someone could find the ratio of political and major business cooporate positions filled by white/minorites like Mylec mentioned. I think you'd be suprised.

One black man in a position of higher governmental authority does not constitute a shift in power. Besides, a mayor doesn't have nearly the effect on economic status as do the people that do the hiring and firing in corporate America.

Jesse ran in the past. While I would not have any problem with a black president, I don't think this country is even remotely ready for that. One of my fears is that a black man would become president, only to have some cracker assassinate him. The fallout from that would tear this country apart.

I'd like to think you are right about Bush, though

As a "white cracker?" I'd like to say racism doesn't ever enter my mind until a topic like this shows up or until I start talking with a black person who whines that /everything/ in their life is about the fact that they are black. OMG, someone cut in front of me at the grocery! Racism! They didn't help us in New Orleans! Racism. I didn't get hired there! Racism.

I think, honestly, alot of white folks think that way. It gets old hearing about it over and over. I know that there was slavery. I know that there are people who have lived in really bad places and it was hard as hell to get out of them. There are also white kids who live in bad areas and it takes them alot to over come it as well. I just think there would be less drama over all, if folks stopped re-hashing the past and started focusing on today and making life as they want it.

Roz's post above got me really thinking... because at home... My school was 90% black folks. I went to the same school as them. I speak proper English. I graduated. Other people in my graduating class (who had the same teachers as me) Spoke broken english. Saying things like, "Who dis is?" amongst all kinds of other bad grammar and english. So, its my belief. At least in my area down south. The reason some folks aren't getting hired is they can't even be bothered to speak correctly. Why would someone attending the same school as me. Where I learned proper English be unable to speak it?

Maybe I am way outta line ... but that is how I see things.

Just because someone talks with street slang doesn't mean they can not, and do not, speak proper English when necessary. The way I talk with my friends and the way I talk at work is not the same.

There is a difference between someone that just looks for rascism as an excuse to not try and someone who does try but is discriminated against. Personally, I don't hear the ones that use it as an excuse because I do not associate with deadbeats and whiners. But as much as you may get tired of hearing about it, how tired of it do you think the person that is discriminated against is?

Its easy as white people for us to say "Oh, racism is blown out of proportion in this day and age" when we are not the victims of it. And before someone says it, being called a cracker or honkey is not being the victim of racism. That's just childish morons calling you names.