Is Racism all but dead in America?

[The Tao Of Bill]

When I say all but dead what I mean is does a black man have as much opportunity as a white man. Not things like can a black man get a cab after dark in Harlem? You're never going to eliminate racism from the lowest common denominator. But is racism dead in the professional world? Can a black man get ahead in any career he chooses?

The reason I'm asking is Barack Obama's success. He won Iowa which is one the whitest states in America. Whether he wins or not at this point it's nearly impossible to say that he didn't have a very close shot.

So if a black man can become this successful in a presidential race and have a very fair shot at winning the nomination then the question is can a black man get as far as a white man at this point? And if so is there still any need for affirmative action? What about hate crimes which criminalize thought and motives on top of the crimes themselves.

[KeatonKitsune]

Obviously, as a white (appearing) guy, I would not see any well hidden racism in the professional world, but from what I can tell, no there is not, or at least not to a significant amount. Heck, my manager is black.

And you make a good point; if a black man can become president, then you could very well say that there is no position a black man can not achieve, assuming you agree that President of the United States is the most powerful position in the world.



Do I think affirmative action could, or should be abolished? Yes. Frankly, I think it, and concepts like it, actually tip the scale in the opposite direction. When joining college, it was hard to find a scholarship for a white guy in the sea of scholarships for black people and women.

Do I think more severe punishments for “hate crimes” should be abolished? That’s a little tougher for me to answer. While I could see situations in which maybe the idea would cause undue, or unequal punishment to be applied to a criminal, I do believe that the concept of a hate crime does still have a place in law enforcement. As you’ve so elegantly mentioned, racism does still exist in the “lowest common denominator”. And this is where (most) hate crime takes place. And I do believe that a person committing a crime for the reason that he hates his victim should be punished more severely.



And while I’m here, I’d might as well say this. Most of this I have just said could also be applied to bias against women. And that’s my opinion.

[Carl Jr.]

 Some have said that gay is the new black. There's enough hate of it and stupidity behind the hate...                  Say that something happens in the future with some country, like, say, Australia.  Australian terrorists attack the white house, and we go to war with them.

 Are we going to hate all Australians like we did the Japanese and many middle easterners for awhile? Or has our country evolved beyond such quick prejudice.

[JordAnime]

Well, I think so long as there are distinctions between groups of people, people will find a way to segregate themselves, and I don't see that changing in the foreseeable future.  So no, racism isn't dead in America, or anywhere else on the surface, but it still exists in the collective subconscious and probably always will.

[Fleamo]

I say racism is effectively dead in the professional world, to the point that a person of any particular distinction [black/female/gay/English/short/intolerant/handicapped/fat/all-of-the-previously-mentioned/etc] will not be hindered by the distinction unless it directly affects the job.  It is to the point that Affirmative Action has overstayed it's welcome. 

It is also to the point that even if people are subconsciously afraid of black people [which most white people subconsciously are, slightly...not because they're racist but because people are engineered to be afraid of the different.  They aren't scared of familiar black faces, such as famous black celebrities...it's in interesting study.  And actually I believe the term isn't "scared" but they're just more willing to associate black people with negative qualities.  Some of it is in Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink!" but it's otherwise a pretty pointless book so I don't recommend reading it.  Google?], it is unlikely they will act on it because of societal norms.

Hate crimes are different.  It's not criminalizing thought, it's describing motive.  If you're harming someone for an arbitrary reason such as race, that's a worse crime than, say, a crime of passion.  Or if it's not a worse crime, it's a more blatant disregard for the safety of others, and as such they require extra rehabilitation.

[KeatonKitsune]

Some have said that gay is the new black. There's enough hate of it and stupidity behind the hate...

Possibly, but I think that saying gay is the new black is a tad melodramatic. While homosexual persons may be ostracized, you can hardly compare this treatment to what African Americans went through during and after slavery.

However I could see homosexuals as being “the new black” in terms of... “things we should learn to accept”, although I would not agree with such an assertion.

Say that something happens in the future with some country, like, say, Australia.  Australian terrorists attack the white house, and we go to war with them.

 Are we going to hate all Australians like we did the Japanese and many middle easterners for awhile? Or has our country evolved beyond such quick prejudice.

Personally I think that we must be getting a lot better in this respect. Television or your (grand, for you kiddies) parents will tell you how bad Asian people had it in this country during the wars with Japan. Families were run out of town, deported, even put into camps at times I believe.

The feeling I got during the time after 9-11 was much less severe and much more isolated.

Personally, I never felt any degree of hatred or even contempt towards people of Middle-Eastern descent or Muslim religion. If anything, I am sympathetic for the bad name the terrorists were putting on them.

It is to the point that Affirmative Action has overstayed it's welcome.

I think that’s a very good way of putting it. Like your dead-beat Uncle Buck who has no place to go, so reluctantly you let him “baby-sit” your kids while you go visit your sick father in Indianapolis.

Or was that something else....?

[Witless]

Some have said that gay is the new black.

Really? Gay people are long accepted here in The Netherlands. Some people still frown, but they're generally accepted into the community, we even have TV-shows, Parades etc especially for them.

[The Tao Of Bill]

We have all that in America too. It's really the ultra social conservative evangelical base which makes up a large portion of the population that has a problem with gays.

The biggest issue right now is gays not being able to marry in some states.

[Carl Jr.]

Some have said that gay is the new black.

Really? Gay people are long accepted here in The Netherlands. Some people still frown, but they're generally accepted into the community, we even have TV-shows, Parades etc especially for them.

Keep in mind we're talking about America here.


on an unrelated note, ever since I became a mod, its gotten very annoying trying to quote someone, cause I mix up edit and quote somehow. don't ask.

[The Tao Of Bill]

Some have said that gay is the new black.

Really? Gay people are long accepted here in The Netherlands. Some people still frown, but they're generally accepted into the community, we even have TV-shows, Parades etc especially for them.

Keep in mind we're talking about America here.


on an unrelated note, ever since I became a mod, its gotten very annoying trying to quote someone, cause I mix up edit and quote somehow. don't ask.

For a mod you suck at staying on topic.

[KeatonKitsune]

The biggest issue right now is gays not being able to marry in some states.

Fixed for great debate-ability.

But that might be for another topic.

on an unrelated note, ever since I became a mod, its gotten very annoying trying to quote someone, cause I mix up edit and quote somehow. don't ask.

I don’t have to ask. I had that problem a lot when I was a mod here. The delete key scared me even more...




More on-topic... it’s interesting that we all seem to agree on the subject more or less... Maybe it really is time to let go of AA.

[Witless]

We can always talk about WHY you think gays shouldn't get married...But I think we all already know that.

[VideoGameGoddess]

I think affirmative action needs to end, from what I can tell white men are having a difficult time getting promotions, jobs, etc now. If we could just stop paying attention to race and gender altogether it would certainly fix things, but that doesn't seem to be happening exactly. I find it kind of sad that, being a woman, I'd have a slight advantage over a guy in the world of jobs. Not really fair at all and I certainly don't approve.

I think hate crimes are unacceptable. End of story.

On the topic of gays, I'm rather disturbed that some do not want them to have the same right to marriage as the rest of us. If we made it legal for them to marry, it wouldn't be like we were forcing the church to open it's doors to their weddings...we owe them the same right to marriage that other people abuse. At least homosexuals want to get married and stay so, all you ever hear in the heterosexual marriage arena is about their divorces. I do, however, think "gay is the new black" is a bit far. I'm behind gay marriage 100% though.