TL;DR - Most of you are idiots when it comes to race, and I'll explain why. (Payoff below)
The main problem with most of you is that you see racism as a binary state. Either you're a racist, or you're not. Either you wear a white hood, or you're colorblind. Racism doesn't work like that. Racism, like any number of prejudices we could talk about - and I will - is woven into the fabric of our society. Even those of us who are not actually racists are still part of the structural racism of America.
In America, the best possible thing you can be is:
White
Suburban
Male
Rich
Straight
Cisgender
Protestant
The worst thing you can possibly be is the opposite:
Black
Urban
Female
Poor
Gay
Transgender
Non-Christian (probably Muslim at this time, but it shifts)
Now, the vast majority of us don't fit into one of those two groups. Most of us can most accurately describe ourselves from picking descriptors from both groups. But all of those polar descriptors bring prejudice with them, including race. If you can nail six out of the seven things in the first list, and the only one you miss is that you are black, then your life is likely not to be quite as good as someone who can claim all seven.
See, I would never claim to understand what it's like to be black. But I do understand - and most of you apparently do not - that there is something that it is like to be black. That is to say, if someone were to make an exact clone of me, and give him the exact same life as mine, and change only one thing - turn him from white to black - his experience of America would differ vastly from my own thanks to that one singular change. That, in essence, is what racism is. Racism today isn't (for the most part) Klan rallies and skinheads. It's a subtle underlying current that changes our life experiences based on the color of our skin.
There is a poll that is done regularly that tracks views on race among Americans. One of the questions posed to white respondents is, "Would you have a problem with your child marrying a black person?" I'm not sure you could come up with a better definition of a racist than that. The number who answer "Yes" has been steadily declining over the years. I believe it's currently at like 10% or so. So, assuming everyone is honest, that means only 10% of white Americans are actually racists.
But racists and racism are two different things. The other 90% of white Americans are still cogs in the racism machine that our nation is. Along with classism, sexism, homophobia and all the other prejudices. It's part of who we are as a society, not just as individuals.
I find it absolutely amazing how many people jumped my case for defending JRW in the thread below, and accused me of somehow being a racist because of it. What's funny is that I didn't defend JRW. Nor did I defend the people who were claiming racism. I made no claim whatsoever as to whether racism was involved in the LL's decision. The only opinion that I stated was that I was sick and tired of white people using Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton as shorthand for "uppity negroes." And yet, most people here had to turn it into a whole other thing.
If you are one of the people who did that, I can honestly say, you don't get it. You are part of the problem. You don't understand that there is a difference between a racist and racism. You don't understand that not talking about racism won't magically make it disappear. And you can't possibly fathom the idea that someone would discuss race without automatically turning them inside your head into Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton.
In short, this country is absolutely f*cked, and you're one of the reasons why.
Now, in payment for all of you who made it this far, some top results from a GIS for "hottest black chicks."
EDIT: One of my pictures - a black chick in a bikini on the edge of a pool - failed on the hotlink, so I officially owe you all one hot black chick.
This post was edited on 2/12 10:50 PM by TheOriginalHappyGoat
The main problem with most of you is that you see racism as a binary state. Either you're a racist, or you're not. Either you wear a white hood, or you're colorblind. Racism doesn't work like that. Racism, like any number of prejudices we could talk about - and I will - is woven into the fabric of our society. Even those of us who are not actually racists are still part of the structural racism of America.
In America, the best possible thing you can be is:
White
Suburban
Male
Rich
Straight
Cisgender
Protestant
The worst thing you can possibly be is the opposite:
Black
Urban
Female
Poor
Gay
Transgender
Non-Christian (probably Muslim at this time, but it shifts)
Now, the vast majority of us don't fit into one of those two groups. Most of us can most accurately describe ourselves from picking descriptors from both groups. But all of those polar descriptors bring prejudice with them, including race. If you can nail six out of the seven things in the first list, and the only one you miss is that you are black, then your life is likely not to be quite as good as someone who can claim all seven.
See, I would never claim to understand what it's like to be black. But I do understand - and most of you apparently do not - that there is something that it is like to be black. That is to say, if someone were to make an exact clone of me, and give him the exact same life as mine, and change only one thing - turn him from white to black - his experience of America would differ vastly from my own thanks to that one singular change. That, in essence, is what racism is. Racism today isn't (for the most part) Klan rallies and skinheads. It's a subtle underlying current that changes our life experiences based on the color of our skin.
There is a poll that is done regularly that tracks views on race among Americans. One of the questions posed to white respondents is, "Would you have a problem with your child marrying a black person?" I'm not sure you could come up with a better definition of a racist than that. The number who answer "Yes" has been steadily declining over the years. I believe it's currently at like 10% or so. So, assuming everyone is honest, that means only 10% of white Americans are actually racists.
But racists and racism are two different things. The other 90% of white Americans are still cogs in the racism machine that our nation is. Along with classism, sexism, homophobia and all the other prejudices. It's part of who we are as a society, not just as individuals.
I find it absolutely amazing how many people jumped my case for defending JRW in the thread below, and accused me of somehow being a racist because of it. What's funny is that I didn't defend JRW. Nor did I defend the people who were claiming racism. I made no claim whatsoever as to whether racism was involved in the LL's decision. The only opinion that I stated was that I was sick and tired of white people using Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton as shorthand for "uppity negroes." And yet, most people here had to turn it into a whole other thing.
If you are one of the people who did that, I can honestly say, you don't get it. You are part of the problem. You don't understand that there is a difference between a racist and racism. You don't understand that not talking about racism won't magically make it disappear. And you can't possibly fathom the idea that someone would discuss race without automatically turning them inside your head into Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton.
In short, this country is absolutely f*cked, and you're one of the reasons why.
Now, in payment for all of you who made it this far, some top results from a GIS for "hottest black chicks."
EDIT: One of my pictures - a black chick in a bikini on the edge of a pool - failed on the hotlink, so I officially owe you all one hot black chick.
This post was edited on 2/12 10:50 PM by TheOriginalHappyGoat
