So when will America get over Race?

[Mr.Vicchio]

I was listening to the radio, and someone made the comment that "America is a racist hatefull country that keeps minorities down in favor of white's!"

I want to take a moment to refute that. America does not keep minorities down. Look at the amount of time, effort and money spent to ensure that minorities are not being discriminated against.

There are laws that punish people for using race as a factor against minorites (on the flip side there are laws that ensure that minorities are given preferrence over whites... go figure).

There are grant programs, scholarships and special loans for people with the proper skin color, white's need not apply.

As long as we ignore the words of Martin Luther Kink, "Judge a man not by the color of his skin, but rather by the merits of his character" we will be in this endless cycle of hate and mistrust.

Black leaders demand that black be given prefference, hispanic leaders fight measures to close the borders, white's bristle at all the affermative action programs.

It's gotten almost ludicrious if you ask me. While the civil rights movement freed blacks from the chains of white ignorance and hate, they have chained themselves into a perpetual victim status. If any black person dares say "Stand up for yourselves! Don't rely on the government!" they are attacked. Look at what happened to Bill Cosby for crying out loud!

There is a plan to build a wall from Laredo to San Diego, but the hispanic lobby group has faught this as "racist". Racist? How?

White's fight affermative action because they feel it's unfair that they are told daily they cannot discriminate based on skin color, but at the same time they must support programs whose very basis is the color of a persons skin.

If it wasn't so sad, it would be funny. We need too, as a people, turn away from "government saves all" and realize that it's up to you, as a person, not as a black, hispanic, asian, caucasian or what not to decide your future.

[Zealot]

I was listening to the radio, and someone made the comment that "America is a racist hatefull country that keeps minorities down in favor of white's!"

I want to take a moment to refute that. America does not keep minorities down. Look at the amount of time, effort and money spent to ensure that minorities are not being discriminated against.

There are laws that punish people for using race as a factor against minorites (on the flip side there are laws that ensure that minorities are given preferrence over whites... go figure).

There are grant programs, scholarships and special loans for people with the proper skin color, white's need not apply.

As long as we ignore the words of Martin Luther Kink, "Judge a man not by the color of his skin, but rather by the merits of his character" we will be in this endless cycle of hate and mistrust.

Black leaders demand that black be given prefference, hispanic leaders fight measures to close the borders, white's bristle at all the affermative action programs.

It's gotten almost ludicrious if you ask me. While the civil rights movement freed blacks from the chains of white ignorance and hate, they have chained themselves into a perpetual victim status. If any black person dares say "Stand up for yourselves! Don't rely on the government!" they are attacked. Look at what happened to Bill Cosby for crying out loud!

There is a plan to build a wall from Laredo to San Diego, but the hispanic lobby group has faught this as "racist". Racist? How?

White's fight affermative action because they feel it's unfair that they are told daily they cannot discriminate based on skin color, but at the same time they must support programs whose very basis is the color of a persons skin.

If it wasn't so sad, it would be funny. We need too, as a people, turn away from "government saves all" and realize that it's up to you, as a person, not as a black, hispanic, asian, caucasian or what not to decide your future.

Very good Vic. Race problems will never end till Christ returns, right?

[tman_ndsu08]

I don't think theres anything wrong with hate. It's as natural as any other emotion.

Just as long as that hate doesn't turn into action.

[Zealot]

I don't think theres anything wrong with hate. It's as natural as any other emotion.

Just as long as that hate doesn't turn into action.

Exactly, you hate the sin and love the sinner. Amen bro.

[SteveA]

I think there are racial issues in many areas of the world and not simply in the U.S. The Japanese after WW II shipped back many half American children that were born there. For marriages, consider that Chinese, Phillipinos and Jews tend to discourage racial mingling as well and I'm certain there are many other example around. It's amazing but sometimes even a very minor difference in race between two neighboring and similar countries and cultures (I'm thinking Cambodians and Vietnamese specifically) can be enough that people discourage couples marrying between them.

I don't know if things like this will ever stop though I believe over time these have become less prevalent. Ultimately, if the goal is to help secure peace between people of differing races, then it seems simply expecting people to treat each other peaceably, even if some passive forms of racism still exist is better than trying to justify forceful aggressions against people of one race or another. It might take quite a while but given long term enduring peaceful relationships between different racial groups, it's hard to imagine anything other than race becoming a less conflicting issue.

Something to consider is that humanity has only recently (in an evolutionary sense) been able to travel around the world and see people of various races and cultures mixed so tightly. This is something that was very difficult to do even 500 years ago. The British empire certainly experienced some of these difficulties and America has been rather mixed racially as well. Anyway, I think from an evolutionary view, many intraracial problems are short term events as various peoples and cultures from around the world are able to mix more freely. Over time it's almost certain that problems resulting from this will be resolved. It doesn't seem hard to say that those groups that have less of an ability to do this are likely just postoning addressing it.

Again though, race isn't an issue that justifies using force against anyone. Whether or not that race is seen as a minority or majority doesn't really matter as the key ingredient to resolving things is peaceful environment for people to adapt. Racism is sparked over conflicts between racial groups. Even a conflict in the name of equalizing things only serves to make race a more conflicting issue, not something that resolves the underlying need for race to be seen as an unimportant nonfactor in dealings with others.

[brien]

I was listening to the radio, and someone made the comment that "America is a racist hatefull country that keeps minorities down in favor of white's!"

I want to take a moment to refute that. America does not keep minorities down. Look at the amount of time, effort and money spent to ensure that minorities are not being discriminated against.

There are laws that punish people for using race as a factor against minorites (on the flip side there are laws that ensure that minorities are given preferrence over whites... go figure).

There are grant programs, scholarships and special loans for people with the proper skin color, white's need not apply.

As long as we ignore the words of Martin Luther Kink, "Judge a man not by the color of his skin, but rather by the merits of his character" we will be in this endless cycle of hate and mistrust.

Black leaders demand that black be given prefference, hispanic leaders fight measures to close the borders, white's bristle at all the affermative action programs.

It's gotten almost ludicrious if you ask me. While the civil rights movement freed blacks from the chains of white ignorance and hate, they have chained themselves into a perpetual victim status. If any black person dares say "Stand up for yourselves! Don't rely on the government!" they are attacked. Look at what happened to Bill Cosby for crying out loud!

There is a plan to build a wall from Laredo to San Diego, but the hispanic lobby group has faught this as "racist". Racist? How?

White's fight affermative action because they feel it's unfair that they are told daily they cannot discriminate based on skin color, but at the same time they must support programs whose very basis is the color of a persons skin.

If it wasn't so sad, it would be funny. We need too, as a people, turn away from "government saves all" and realize that it's up to you, as a person, not as a black, hispanic, asian, caucasian or what not to decide your future.

This race card will disappear when the different races of the planet all "inter-copulate" (did I just coin a new word?) and human beings become one race, the human race.

Till then, there will always be race baiters, haters, and ignorami that will fan the flames of racism.

Do your best to not to participate in racism so you can help this planet forge ahead to a better place for the human race. "Imagine"?

[Apeman81]

As a white man married to a black woman and father of 2 children therein, I stand firmly in my opinion that people should only marry within their race.

I know that some will feel my position to be discriminatory, but so be it.

Humans should only marry humans! No dolphins, dogs, horses, cats, etc. Only humans.

I suppose that I myself may fall prey to the urge to copulate outside my race. That Vulcan chick on the Enterprise was quite hot!

On a serious note, however, I assert that the US is far from the only country to have a “race” problem. And we are among the most “racially” diverse nations around.

Our fascination with “race” will fade when those people who make their living from focusing our attention upon it via very questionable accusations are deprived of their ability to generate great wealth from extortive behaviors.

[SteveA]

As a white man married to a black woman and father of 2 children therein, I stand firmly in my opinion that people should only marry within their race.

I know that some will feel my position to be discriminatory, but so be it.

Humans should only marry humans! No dolphins, dogs, horses, cats, etc. Only humans.

I suppose that I myself may fall prey to the urge to copulate outside my race. That Vulcan chick on the Enterprise was quite hot!

On a serious note, however, I assert that the US is far from the only country to have a “race” problem. And we are among the most “racially” diverse nations around.

Our fascination with “race” will fade when those people who make their living from focusing our attention upon it via very questionable accusations are deprived of their ability to generate great wealth from extortive behaviors.

Similar boat here.

I'm a white man married to a Cambodian lady in a predominantly non-white neighborhood. I'd say the main consideration in a marriage is to marry someone who shares compatible social values with. Beauty, race, wealth etc. seem to take a backseat to having someone whose social values are compatible with yours.

I strongly agree with your last paragraph. Racial issues are overemphasized, often by trying to meddle around 'fixing' lots of things, and this only continues to promote it as an issue. Just like a marriage requires compatible (not identical, but simply compatible) social values, treating one racial group in a manner different from another racial group (even if it's considered 'helping') tends to create different social values in these groups that can often lead to incompatibilities. It doesn't serve peaceful interracial relationships well treating anyone as if they were a sore thumb sticking out above the crowd.

For a good example of how this happens, consider simply political views alone. How often is it that Republicans and Democrats argue over issues? Now look at the way politics has divided people along racial lines to a moderate extent. Does that serve to promote peace or aggravate problems? Once political parties (and the associated laws they dream up) stop trying to divide people by race, we'll find many fewer social disagreements, and people able to mix and mingle more comfortably.

...
This race card will disappear when the different races of the planet all "inter-copulate" (did I just coin a new word?) and human beings become one race, the human race...

I must admit I'm not anxious to see the world become a single shade of grey though. Likely even then some people will focus on who has freckles or not etc. So though things should be better in the future, I don't believe they will disappear entirely ... but I don't know that for certain.

[someguymp3]

Is the thread starter suggesting that minortities are not victims of discrimination?

[Scribbler1]

This race card will disappear when the different races of the planet all "inter-copulate" (did I just coin a new word?) and human beings become one race, the human race.

Then it will be "I hate you because you're..." fat, or blonde, or from the north/south, or any number of differences not related to race. Or what religion you are.

Or pigmentation will still be the yardstick by which you are measured. I refer to the old "brown paper bag test" for determining black or white.

[Scribbler1]

On a serious note, however, I assert that the US is far from the only country to have a “race” problem. And we are among the most “racially” diverse nations around.

And we don't have a caste system, which puts us ahead of a country always touted as highly "civilized", India. The only "untouchables" I have seen in the US was a show about Elliot Ness.

[fushigi]

Then it will be "I hate you because you're..." fat, or blonde, or from the north/south, or any number of differences not related to race. Or what religion you are.

Or pigmentation will still be the yardstick by which you are measured. I refer to the old "brown paper bag test" for determining black or white.

Exactly. Just like a guy who gives up smoking by becoming addicted to chewing gum, racism could go away one day, but only if it's replaced by something else.

People will always find ways to discriminate. It's in our nature to be competitive, and illogical, overly emotional, or irrational people often develop a hatred for what they're competing against. Like overzealous Yankees fans when they see someone wearing a Redsox jersey on the New York subway.

For a real long-term solution to racism, it'd be more effective to teach logic, self-control, and rationality. Of course, these have to be taught to people from a young age - it's not something you can teach someone who's lived their entire life shrouded in beligerance.

Such a program (to teach these values) could, I think, be given a boost from the government, but I can't really imagine what that boost would be. Public education campaigns? Enforced participation on debate boards like Volconvo?