Just Venting...........

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by chutneyjh
You are absolutely right. And I think that fear of reverse discrimination comes from the point you make and correlates with the idea of privilege. We talked about this a lot when I took Women's Studies classes. If we really were going to try to achieve some sort of equality as a society, there would have to be a balancing of power, meaning that certain minorities would gain more power (socially/politcally/economically/etc.) and certain other groups would lose a bit of that power. And I think that creates a lot of fear (maybe subconsciously), especially in white males because somehow they know they will lose some of that privilige if we stare to equalize things.

Exactly! I totally agree with you.
Oh boy, I bet we're in trouble now. Prepare to get flamed!

 

[37g joe]

how about all the whites that where put into slavery in Africa? why dont we learn more about that?
In the 15th and 16th centuries slaves were imported from Europe to North Africa. Slave-taking persisted into the 19th century when Barbary pirates would capture ships and enslave the crew. In all, about 1.5 million Europeans were transported to the Barbary Coast. It was a period when Europe was preoccupied by sectarian wars and European navies were depleted. The trade was run by expelled Moors and the slaving expeditions were often captained by Europeans with North African crews. In the early 19th century, European powers started to take action to free Christian slaves. The first major action was the bombardment of Algiers in 1816.
also in Ancient times their was slavery by north africa of europeans. Carthage was known for enslaving europeans so where parts of ancient Numidia and ancient mauretania.

 

[imurnamine]

All that I can say is that it's over. It's BEEN over. It was wrong, but half of the African Americans that argue against this wouldn't even BE here if it WEREN'T for slavery. Everything happens for a reason.
It was wrong.
It was horrid.
Within human nature to be unjust... All you can really do about it is make it better now by being one with everyone.

 

[grips]

Originally Posted by BigBen
I am a bit suprised that no one has pointed out that this is an ignorant statement above. The Civil War was not a war to "free slaves". The Civil War was fought over States Rights. Thats it! The South tried to sucede and they lost. Slavery was a very small issue in the big picture. GET OVER IT!

What exactly am I supposed to get over? Slavery was not a small issue in the big picture of the civil war.
The American Civil War (1861–1865) was a sectional conflict in the United States between the federal government (the "Union") and 11 Southern slave states that declared their secession and formed the Confederate States of America, led by President Jefferson Davis. The "Union", led by President Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party which opposed expansion of slavery, rejected any right of secession.
Secession was caused by the coexistence of a slave-owning South and an increasingly anti-slavery North. Lincoln was not an immediate threat to slavery, but he did threaten to put it "in the course of ultimate extinction." Much of the political battle in the 1850s focused on the expansion of slavery, especially into the territories. Both North and South assumed that if slavery could not expand it would wither and die.
Southern fears of losing control of the federal government to antislavery forces, and northern fears that the slave power already controlled the government, brought the crisis to a head in the late 1850s. Sectional disagreements over the morality of slavery, the scope of democracy and the economic merits of free labor vs. slave plantations caused the Whigs and Know Nothing parties to collapse, and new ones to arise (the Free Soil Party in 1848, the Republicans in 1854, Constitutional Union in 1860). In 1860 the last remaining national political party, the Democratic Party, split along sectional lines.
Other factors include states' rights, economics, and modernization.
The main results of the war were the restoration and strengthening of the Union, and the end of slavery in the United States.
I'm sure it was NOT a small issue to the more than 3 million slaves it freed.
Do your homework.

 

[imurnamine]

I think the point they are trying to make, grips, is that they, personally, did not enslave African Americans.
You were not ensalved.
They do not even know their ancestors that owned slaves, and you do not know your ancestors that were slaves.
We owe you nothing, you owe us nothing.
A LOT of slaves had nice lives. I've researched this multiple times, but the house slaves were more of a part of the family. Also, when the freedom was given, a lot of them stayed as indentured servants, getting pay. Whether this was because they could not get a job elsewhere or because they actually liked their family was up to them.
Also. If you are going to be mad at Caucasions, you had may as well be mad at the tribal leaders that sold your people out. Or maybe the opposing tribes that caught your people and sold them out.
It wasn't just the whites, it was even their own people.
It was wrong, it was unjust, but it is too late to do anything. Everyone is as equal as they allow themselves to be, now.

 

[tx reef]

Originally Posted by ImUrNamine
I think the point they are trying to make, grips, is that they, personally, did not enslave African Americans.
You were not ensalved.
They do not even know their ancestors that owned slaves, and you do not know your ancestors that were slaves.
We owe you nothing, you owe us nothing.
A LOT of slaves had nice lives. I've researched this multiple times, but the house slaves were more of a part of the family. Also, when the freedom was given, a lot of them stayed as indentured servants, getting pay. Whether this was because they could not get a job elsewhere or because they actually liked their family was up to them.
Also. If you are going to be mad at Caucasions, you had may as well be mad at the tribal leaders that sold your people out. Or maybe the opposing tribes that caught your people and sold them out.
It wasn't just the whites, it was even their own people.
It was wrong, it was unjust, but it is too late to do anything. Everyone is as equal as they allow themselves to be, now.

Exactly.

 

[alyssia]

I think the point they are trying to make, grips, is that they, personally, did not enslave African Americans.
You were not ensalved.
They do not even know their ancestors that owned slaves, and you do not know your ancestors that were slaves.
We owe you nothing, you owe us nothing.
Also. If you are going to be mad at Caucasions, you had may as well be mad at the tribal leaders that sold your people out. Or maybe the opposing tribes that caught your people and sold them out.
It wasn't just the whites, it was even their own people.
QUOTE]
Yep.

 

[grips]

Wait a minute... I think my post was misunderstood. I was merely defending myself against Bigben who said that the civil war was NOT faught in large part to free the slaves. He told me to "get over it" and I wasn't sure exactly WHAT I was supposed to get over.
ImUrNamine: Unless I'm reading your post wrong, you are assuming that I'm black. Why?

 

[lovethesea]

Originally Posted by ImUrNamine
A LOT of slaves had nice lives. .
:notsure:
hmm........I don't remember that in any readings. Maybe they were spared a beating or two because they knew what to do and when to do it..............

 

[imurnamine]

House slaves that were owned by the mistress were usually well kept. They were like part of the family. Any 'owner' could be cruel. Just like any owner could be kind.
And grips, I picked that up by your comment to someone about you getting over the fact of the war being/not being about slavery.

 

[lovethesea]

Originally Posted by ImUrNamine
House slaves that were owned by the mistress were usually well kept. They were like part of the family. Any 'owner' could be cruel. Just like any owner could be kind.
.

still does not make the subject any easier to swallow. Same thing could be justified with child abuse???

 

[grips]

My point about the civil war was that several Americans died (white and black) largely in part to free the slaves. Everyone wants to talk about how white people enslaved Africans, but they always forget that there was a giant population of white people who thought slavery was wrong. Many white people fought and died so that the slaves could once again regain their freedom.
ImUrNamine: You assumed wrong (about my race).

 

[reckler]

I look at it this way. our flag says "UNITED WE STAND", and thats what we should be fighting about. not about color,race, or religion. Maybe we should change it to "DIVIDED WE STAND FOR OUR OWN RACE". as much as we fight amoungst ourselves it's no wonder why this country is falling apart. I am a republican, but I don't agree with everything Bush does, but in another sence I agree with alot of other things he does. We as a country should join as one and quit bickering about the petty things in life. I agree that this is America and the language here is english so if you want to move into my home you must follow my rules. not your own!

 

[wattsupdoc]

Why is it when we talk about racism it's allway's black and white? When in reality racism reaches to all races? My situation ia as it is for several I suppose. My sister married a hispanic. (the PC term for people of that ethnic background....I think) His family is VERY racist, my sister is still only accepted completely by most of them because they have been married for 20 something years. His mother is a very racist person and has distaste for evry other race. She is an American citizen and does'nt speak any english. My sister now speaks fluant spanish. Their 3 daughters do not speak a lick of spanish. My middle niece is dating my apprentice. He is 100% hispanic. Speaks absolutely no spanish. His parents are both bilingual. They all get very offended by being called Mexicans. As if thats a dirty word or something. I wonder..and have had a similar conversation with him along these lines. Why do we call a white person white, when most of us are not white at all? Why do we call a black person black, when they also are mostly not actually black?But yet we dont call asian people yellows any more or American Indians reds anymore? Why??? My point is that while I definetly want to not offend any one, I'm not exactly sure what it is I'm supposed to say to avoid it. When one person calling them Asian might offend them as they want to be called Japanese.. As thats where their ancestors came from. Or if you call a hispanic person mexican then they are offended EVEN THOUGH that's where their ancestors came from.
We live in the Nation of the Offended.
Are we divided as we stand?
Why should I have to press 1 for English?
What was the langauge the constitution was written in?
I see both sides of this. But I have to wonder why this 24 YO. Chinese immigrant who has been here for only the last 5 years and has since brought his mother and father and entire family here. Has recieved enough grant money to own 5 different chinese restaraunts and drive a new Mercedes convertable sportster. And I cannot recieve a dime to build my business because I was born here and of the male gender, caucasion ethnic.
My ancestor came from whales in 1860. He was Melato.
My wife is 1/2 cherokee. My son 1/4. my nieces 1/2 hispanic, the melting pot.
Just my .o2 worth

 

[puff_puff_]

i have to agree with wreckler.... but in retrospect we can never ever ever discus this nations issues on this forum.. our fine political leaders dug us way way to deep.. but if i walk in to one more freakin store and see SPANISH ABOVE ENGLISH or SPANISH BIGGER THAN ENGLISH i am going to shot my self in the face in disbelife. and for the wonderful comment on ifi go on vacation to france am i going to learn french.. NO but if i buy a house there suck there welfare system dry not pay taxes and sell drugs then yes i am going to speak freakin french... i love americans black white purple chinese or what ever there made of.. cause short of a few physical quarks and some pigmintation were all the same... its our damn parents and schools and polatitions that program us to belive were owed or owe or are less or more... get over it every one.. black white asian mexican and people from mars cause i think most of Pa is from mars i owe no one but the bank! i have a crew of nieghbores and friends that are laotion and a lot oh hundoran friends and african american friends and so on and so forth but i can tell you one thing for sure.. i cant stand alot of people from all races including white people.....its not a race that makes some one.. its an education.. and for this country blame the damn government they have been F***kIn us for ever and ever... the first 5 presidents would proably charge the office in rage if they saw us...LONG LIVE PEOPLE... and just people......

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by puff_puff_
i have to agree with wreckler.... but in retrospect we can never ever ever discus this nations issues on this forum.. our fine political leaders dug us way way to deep.. but if i walk in to one more freakin store and see SPANISH ABOVE ENGLISH or SPANISH BIGGER THAN ENGLISH i am going to shot my self in the face in disbelife. and for the wonderful comment on ifi go on vacation to france am i going to learn french.. NO but if i buy a house there suck there welfare system dry not pay taxes and sell drugs then yes i am going to speak freakin french... i love americans black white purple chinese or what ever there made of.. cause short of a few physical quarks and some pigmintation were all the same... its our damn parents and schools and polatitions that program us to belive were owed or owe or are less or more... get over it every one.. black white asian mexican and people from mars cause i think most of Pa is from mars i owe no one but the bank! i have a crew of nieghbores and friends that are laotion and a lot oh hundoran friends and african american friends and so on and so forth but i can tell you one thing for sure.. i cant stand alot of people from all races including white people.....its not a race that makes some one.. its an education.. and for this country blame the damn government they have been F***kIn us for ever and ever... the first 5 presidents would proably charge the office in rage if they saw us...LONG LIVE PEOPLE... and just people......

I agree w/ being annoyed about the Spanish signs in stores. We are doing alot of remodeling on our house, and I will no longer go to Lowe's because on all the signs Spanish is more visible than English. So HomeDepot is getting a whole lotta money from me now.

 

[soto]

first off i would like to thank this thread for keeping me preoccupied at the office cause it's very slow today.
my 2cents think that our culture is not as easily offended about racism as the media would like us to believe. but racism sells so nearly everytime you tune into the news or watch the drama behind some show it just loves to gravitate towards racism. lame extremist groups are given far too much attention.
sure racism was there, it sucked, it sucks to those who are affected today but i don't find people getting a FRACTION of the sensativity towards other more harmful issues in the world- such as millions of Africans dying per day of AIDS, etc.
i also find our politically correct attitude of smooooothing touchy issues pathetic. We push issues of equality by avoiding the word "black" when making a negro reference, yet we don't hesitate to say "white" when making a caucasion reference so i find that a little.....unequal.
instead it's now correct to say "African American" which assumes all negros are African (cause there's no such countries called Haiti or the Dominican Republic, etc.) and they're all from America (i thought several of em dwell in Europe and just about every other continent on this planet).
finally, there's not a single nation since the dawn of civilization that didn't build itself upon slave labor. the fact that western nations are now considering slavery and racism a repulsive act means that we're actually PROGRESSING. people that are sensative towards racial issues in America should ask why millions of Rwandans were butchered just 10 years ago in their own country. now THAT'S racism.

 

[reckler]

Originally Posted by puff_puff_
i have to agree with wreckler.....

hey puff_puff I am ofended at what you called me...

I might have to change my name to that now.

 

[reckler]

Originally Posted by alyssia
I agree w/ being annoyed about the Spanish signs in stores. We are doing alot of remodeling on our house, and I will no longer go to Lowe's because on all the signs Spanish is more visible than English. So HomeDepot is getting a whole lotta money from me now.
That is funny that you say lowes is like that. here in colorado I quit going to home depot for the same reason, oh yeah, and half the people working there haven't even a clue.

 

[fanker]

Originally Posted by TX Reef
As a nation, we have become so scared of offending people of other people that we allow ourselves to be belittled by people who are not from this country. God forbid we stand up for our race and country without being criticized for it.
I am not a racist, but I believe that someone from another country should respect our culture and not parade the streets with another countries flag.
Try that in China and see what happens.
Why should we continue to pander to certain people because of the past?
Why is it that we cannot talk about these things without worrying about someone calling us racist?
The majority of the people out there will agree with me, but most will say nothing.
However, the small radical groups will scream and get their way and we will let them do it because we have to be politically correct (even though they don't).
This is just my opinion and maybe it will encourage a good discussion on the subject. :joy:

i agree, its not like we can just go into a country and be free, not have to pay taxes, get a lisence without being able to speak the native language. we cant say marry cristmas any more because people have different beliefes, and we cant say the nationa anthem because it says god in it.
i think its bull, its not right. its illegal and we let them do it anyways