I recently decided to post an article on here discussing the issues of racism. My focus and goal was to say that everyone, by nature, has inherit racism in them, and that no race is immune from this, whether white, black, etc. I honestly have to say that some of the attacks, comments, and just plain rude behavior took me by surprise. For so many people claiming so much “tolerance,” you would think that I was Hitler himself for pointing out a fact about human behavior. Due to my surprise in this, I decided to construct this article, and place some quotes from comments I received to bring a little more light to this issue.
In my article, I recounted the fact that while I was sitting on my front porch, a man hit me and my partner Robert up for some money. We of course said no, as we don’t give money to any beggars. This man also had just got 3 pizzas from Papa John’s and rented several movies from Blockbuster, which is all right across the street from us and in plain sight. When we told him no, he called us racist, just because he was black. One of the comments I got for recounting this was:
“Nobody is making you a victim, the playing field is just leveling a bit more. Sitting on your front porch -- some people don't have front porches. Systematic exclusion has been around for a long time. You just never experienced it.”
Apparently, I should feel grateful that he hit me up for money, because after all, I have a front porch. Let me explain something here, I have a front porch because I am responsible with my money and actually pay my mortgage on time each month. I am not the one getting movies and pizzas and then hitting someone up for cash because I didn’t pay my bills. I have priorities in life, and I am being told to get over it because I made the correct choices? Why don’t you lambast the guy who just wasted well over $75 on his entertainment and then harassed me? My enjoyment is free, sitting on my porch, but I am in the wrong. Makes you wonder why that is.
Another point I wanted to bring up is the fact that if one group goes out and votes for someone based on race, then it’s not racist. Well, that it’s not racist as long as you are not the white voter voting for the white candidate. No one wanted to actually admit the fact that if you are voting for someone based on the color of their skin, that’s racism, one way or another, it doesn’t matter if it’s for help or harm. I vote for the best candidate based on their platform, not their race, plain and simple. I have supported Obama and what he’s had to say, and still do, because I agree with him. Others feel it’s ok to vote for someone based on race, like this comment:
“Blacks voted for Obama by an overwhelming majority...around 95% as I recall. Some people accused them of being racist. I thought about this, and I disagree. If you are a member of an oppressed minority, I think the rules are different.”
If the rules are different, then why are you calling for equality? Do people understanding the meaning of this word anymore? Let’s give everyone an English lesson here. According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, Equality is defined as: the quality or state of being equal. Now, some might not understand the definition of equal, so here that is as well; like for each member of a group, class, or society. In addition: of the same measure, quantity, amount, or number as another. By understanding the meaning of the words here, we can understand that giving a free pass of behavior to one section of society versus another is not equality, it is inequality. Instead of defending the bad behavior, why don’t we actually address the fact that NO ONE should do it in the first place? Novel approach to the situation I think!
Now, I am a member of 2 oppressed minorities in this country; I am a gay man, and an Atheist. Does that mean I can bend the rules to suit me and behave any way I choose to, then attack you for doing the same? No, it doesn’t give me carte blanche to behave in that manner at all in the slightest. Before anyone starts screaming anything, yes I am oppressed. I cannot adopt, I cannot marry, I am not able to have visitation rights if Robert is hospitalized, I have lost 2 jobs because I’m Atheist, and it is ok for anyone to call me any name in the book, since I am part of the last 2 minorities that it’s socially acceptable to hate.
When people actually read what I had to say in this article, and commented either refuting or agreeing with me, there were those that were more than happy to attack instead of debate.
“Those who agree with Johnathon are clueless racists. And I believe it is a mindful clueless state. You huddle together and grumble about looking like racists. Well guess what! MOST OF YOU ARE!! You are also drones who happily repeat the GOP talking points and pretend that you are expressing your own original thought.”
First off, this person couldn’t spell my name even though it was on the article. Second, all she did was attack and call names at everyone. No thought process here, no rebuttal, no debate, just screaming names at people, all because I said that all people are naturally racist to some degree. Funny how she is proving my point here. Not only that, when someone actually disagrees with her, she attacks him as well:
“I know your type. You have deep-seated hostility for minorities, and you mask it under a fake All-American facade. Well your words up there tell the world exactly who and what you are, and frankly, your parents should be ashamed. Now I will go (and I won't be back to this rag of an article), but just remember that you are not hiding your true nature.”
What she doesn’t realize is the fact that she’s attacking a co-member of Gather and someone who actually is in business with a few of his friends who happen to be <gasp!>, black!!! Guess she showed him!
Up until this point, it seemed to be a debate based upon one group of people, all white. That is until this member joined the fray and started the racial attacks as well.
“I'm tired of hearing white people complain about racism. Your ancestors built this nation the bodies of Native Americans, African-Americans and persecuted Asian-Americans while you're at it. Democracy is for everyone not some people. You don't get more rights than the next person just because your skin's lighter or your family has more money. No one's better than the next person.
You probably need a good dose of "looking in the mirror". Only you can change your bigoted and ignorant behavior. Don't try to be friends with us (black people) unless your feelings are genuine. I'm not missing getting to know you, Johnatan.
All I ask is that your children aren't warped with a false sense of biological superiority. Otherwise, they'll get a reality check from their own peers by the way of an ass-kicking. If you can't stand minorities because of what daddy taught you, then keep your ideas to yourself. You can live by yourself or find some other group of idiots to stand by your views. I'm sure the KKK has kept their membership open. They need more peons to wash their white unis.”
What can I say to this at all? The fact that it proves my point entirely? No one disavowed slavery, nor do I, nor anyone I know endorse it. My family was actually Italian immigrants, and were treated horribly when they got to this country. My family never had slaves, and I am only 3rd generation American, but apparently, I’m a southern plantation owner who’s rich and who’s family is just made because we lost our slaves. To further this fantasy of his, this member goes on to call me a potentially bad parent, and makes a threat at the safety of my children. Mature is not a word I would use to describe him.
My whole point of this article was summed up by a quote from it, “The real problem here is that there is racism in our country, but it is coming from BOTH sides of the fence, not just the white one.” I was trying to show everyone that we have an issue and we need to open dialogue to start fixing the problem. The above show the mentality of people when you broach the topic of race. Some people even take it further, such as this comment:
“Well I'm swearing off eating any more black..er excuse me...African American villagers for awhile. And white (excuse me, honky whitebread charlie) villagers...huh! Forget it. I have to watch my cholesterol.
I've decided to only devour Asian (chink, ching-chong) and Hispanic (beaner, spic) villagers. I just love stir-fry and salsa is so healthy!”
These types of behaviors and attacks truly do worry me. I honestly thought with the election of President Obama, the fact that every minority group out there have said that workplace discrimination is almost non-existent, and the fact that we are more integrated now than ever before, we may have seen an end to this stupid behavior by ALL people who exhibit it. I am seeing now, more than ever, that this may just be a pipe dream. We have all made mistakes in the past, our nation, our people, white, black, rich, poor, you name it. We need to grow and move past these and come together to pool our talents, our resources, and our communities if we want to continue to grow. I guess only time will tell if this will change.
For anyone interested in checking out the first article, the link is: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?memberId=22814&articleId=281474977603051&nav=MyGather
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Comments: 7
This was in response to my comment:
"Affirmative Action" is an example of "unequal" treatment of minorities to try to redress past oppression. If you oppress people and then say, okay, you don't have the education, and you don't have the social structure that comes with middle class prosperity, but we'll just treat you like everyone else, you are putting them at a severe competitive disadvantage. Affirmative Action attempts to help formerly (and currently) oppressed people by giving them a temporary "unfair" advantage. A lot of people disagreed with that, but the program did what it was supposed to do in many cases...and of course there were people who abused that advantage.
My comment above essentially says that if you oppress people, and then suddenly one of their group rises politically, can you blame them for not being completely objective...for showing positive bias toward that person? But if you are a member of an opposing establishment group, and you seek to put that person down BECAUSE OF THEIR MINORITY STATUS...then that is racism. I really believe there is a difference, and that rules are different because of past history.
The same is true for President Obama. While he is technically "African American," none of his ancestors were ever slaves. None of his ancestors were ever captured by their own people, sold to Europeans, packed like sardines into boats, auctioned off and forced to slavery not only for themselves but also for their children.
The past is history, something for historians to ponder about. The present is here and now. No matter what gender, race or creed, the poor are poor, the sick are sick and the needy are needy. Disease doesn't give a darn about "history" and neither does hunger and neither does ignorance.
Jonathan, I have to agree with you about the disposition some may have about being a superior race or color, that may have to do more with ingrained social historic patterns and less on race or color. Most of racist or ethnic comments do not always involve race, I think the word is entirely inappropriate, we have but one race, human. The ethnic differences or color or culture should not be used as stereotypes on anyone.
The era of colonialism made many citizen of other countries strangers in their own land. Frankly I would like to bury the past and look at the president as an American. I understood when his star began to rise that black Americans while at first unsure he would be elected or was worthy of their vote, began to see he was supported by all kinds of Americans and began to believe in the possibility.
I am sorry all this conversations continue because I had hoped we could all join in this great outcome for all of us. To me he was just the right man at the right time for all of us and he happened to have a back ground inclusive of our black minority citizen.
I would have been just as happy if he had been Asian or whatever.
It is not inherrent, it is cultural and is learned.
Of course when you say it is inherrent, you are letting yourself off the hook.
Your beggar story is just funny, Beggars use any method to get their handouts.
look at all the point beggars on gather. com.