Startling racism

[Renew Deal]

This week we saw two shameless racists out themselves. One tells the media that African Americans may be better off as a slaves and the other one tells his black girlfriend to not associate with "them" in public. It is so overt and so disturbing. It's always disturbing to find out that people like this are in this world, but it's even more disturbing how shameless and open they are about their hatred.

[M0rpheus]

1. Sadly... Not startled at all.

I'd rather they be open so I know where I stand.

Much better than tone deaf passive-aggressive "satire" and jokes.


That's just me though...

[seabeyond]

2. other one tells his black girlfriend to not associate with "them" in public.

what was this about?

[Nevernose]

6. A primer:

http://deadspin.com/donald-sterling-still-a-vicious-racist-according-to-tm-1567966769/1568054681/+Tom-Scocca

[seabeyond]

8. i guess i will have to own the title of a pc nazi, calling out this racist POS person.

i would give anything to see the black players on his team boycott the next game.

thanks for the info. i had not heard this.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

26. In all fairness, have you seen this old geezer's ugly mug? "Butt ugly" is a polite description.

What else has he got but hatred and bigotry? Why was she with him, for God's sakes? If it was for money (and what the hell else is it going to be for), that's one hell of a nasty nasty prostitutional job. At least a regular prostitute shtoops once and it's done and over with and she goes home with her money. This one had to spread her crotch daily for this reptilian specimen. AND she's black. Hello???? How's that for double SELF-degradation? Why do women do this to themselves? It really makes me mad.

[TDale313]

3. Slightly mixed feelings.

Yeah, it is incredibly disturbing how overt it is, that some don't even feel the need for the fig leaf any more. OTOH, I sometimes feel the more subtle, wink-wink-nudge-nudge "who, me? I didn't mean that!" forms of racism and sexism can be even more insidious. At least when it's this blatant everyone knows precisely what they're dealing with.

[Scootaloo]

12. The latter empowers the former

It's laying groundwork, basically. Testing the waters, seeing what sticks, so that hte more overt stuff doesn't seem so bad after a while because, hey, we've been tolerating all that other stuff, so really what's the difference.

[pinboy3niner]

4. What's really startling is to hear someone declare that we're "postracial"

Long way, baby, all fixed, nothing to worry about now.

[noiretextatique]

16. only fools...and racists believe that

Unfortunately, DU is not immune from either.

[JI7]

5. i'm not surprised at all

[The Straight Story]

7. Would be interesting to see how people define racism here

Would that be where you base your thoughts on them based on their race?

Is it when, say here on DU, you point out their race when replying and assign to their reply their race as though their race is the only factor in the reply?

Yes. Racism is alive and well in America.

When you judge a person and their words on their race/gender/orientation I don't see how anyone couldn't see that some startling racism/etc exists even today in the 21st century.

[bettyellen]

10. You're talking about white dudes who deny racism and sexism exist, LOL.

No doubt about it. The poor long suffering creatures, thank god you're here to advocate for them.

[The Straight Story]

11. So you are making an accusation

instead of answering my post and defining racism.

[bettyellen]

22. Privilege: when racism is so unimportant a concept you try and turn it into a game....

And apply it to everyone and every situation, rendering it meaningless. Seen this here before.
We get it, it's all theoretical to you. Yet you'd like to get on a soapbox anyway.
:kicks soapbox:
No.

[noiretextatique]

17. you meet Michelle Obama

You deem her to be charming, intelligent...and Black and female. Well, because she is all of those things. Some people might believe you are being racist and sexist by noticing she is black and female: they are wrong. You did mention judgement (and I assume you meant that in a negative way), but acknowledging who someone is may not be negative. I want to be seen as who I am...black, female, smart, talented and kind (most of the time). I don't think pretending everyone is the same means, well, anything.

[JaneyVee]

23. When despite his success and accomplishments,

You only see Magic Johnson as black.

[davidn3600]

9. The thing is...

The guys saying these things are all old-timers. These guys grew up with racism being common and accepted.

I do think it's somewhat a generational thing. I mean I've heard white guys in their 90s say racial slurs like it's nothing. And how do you respond to that? I mean you can't yell at them, and arguing with them is useless at that age after they lived their entire life with those beliefs.

Hatred like this tends to get passed down through generations. It will take a while to filter out.

[defacto7]

13. Unfortunately the filtering

has been going on for a very long time and the filter is no more tight than it ever has been. It will take generations, it already has, but we have to do something about that busted filter.

Your first sentence is a logical fallacy, "The guys saying these things are all old-timers." are you talking about specific characters in the news now, or are you saying that old-timers are the only people saying these things? The second option seems the most likely position and it is false. "Old-timers" whoever they are, are not all talking the racist talk nor are they the only ones doing it. The most racist, misogynist, homophobic and sexist talk is found in much of the modern music lyrics subscribed to by the 10 to 25yo crowd. Any radio can bring it on in a moment and it's not being played by an old guy with a banjo.

Racism is prevalent in America and it comes from ALL age groups. My opinion (just mine) is that the worst of it comes from the passive-aggressive 35 to 60's caught between Faux news and their retirement fund. The fight for second place are the 20 to 35s who are split between anarchy and fundamentalism and are still not sure where to go, their just lost. But maybe there's hope for the 14 to 19s who have a chance to really change the status quo or sink way deep into the racist mode they are being fed by the media and music industry that can show them how to out do those old-timers big time; if the haters get to them, that's what will happen. The young are prey of the haters and oligarchs... their future. Forget the old-timers, they don't even fit the equation.

Fix the damned filter.

[noiretextatique]

18. +1000

Agreed.

[Squinch]

25. +1000

"Only the old guys do this so therefore we don't really need to do anything to change anything. It will just die out of its own accord. Young guys never say these things. So it's just wrong and unfair for anyone to say that racism is a real problem in our culture. It's, like, reverse racism, because we are really being maligned by it."

[knitter4democracy]

28. The thing is, young ones do it, too.

I teach high school in a mostly white area, and you'd be amazed at the racism I hear on a daily basis. Who do you think teaches those young kids? We need to yell at them, get them to stop teaching the young ones stupid racist crap.

[jtuck004]

14. These are the good kind. Open, overt, tell you to your face. Wrong, but at least you know. There

are hundreds of thousands just like him, however, that will never, ever say it up front. And you never know who they are going to hurt next.

They are the dangerous ones. He is the low-hanging fruit.

[Exposethefrauds]

15. It would be interesting to hear the POV of non-whites about racism

and the impact on their daily lives

From what I can tell about DU it is very white and the experience of us white folk and what racism is or is not will be very different then what nonwhites experience.

I see racism almost daily and have most of my life, some overt with much of it covert. Few doors have been closed to me in life because of my race and sex; white male privilege, ya gotta love it.

I have been working for over 35 years and only had 1 boss who was a black male and 1 white female, other than that all white males. Both were my boss for less than a year.

Strangely the only times I have been discriminated against were by white males in southern states and as one said 'We don't cotton to your kind around here even if ya are white. Ya best be thinking about staying the night in another county seeing that ya won't find no motel rooms available in this county.' No I am not gay or a hippy either and I got the message too. Some places in this country are just well fucked up and sadly that is just the way is.

[noiretextatique]

19. that can be a difficult conversation here

I believe DU is microcosm of america, and like america, there is diversity of opinion here. And subtle and not so subtle racism. Personally...I think everyone makes a choice when it comes to racism. Some people totally get it because they choose to get it, and other chose not to. What is the "penalty" for being racist in America? Well...you cannot go on teevee and spout racist nonsense. That is about it.

[Exposethefrauds]

27. Actually it is not really a penalty it can and does make one rich too

Plenty of racist asshats make millions on tv & internet and are considered leaders in certain circles.

[noiretextatique]

30. +1000

You said it better than I did

[yuiyoshida]

20. On the other hand...

It was lovely seeing Sean Hannity get his ass handed to him.

[kelliekat44]

21. These people wouldn't be this open about it if Obama were not President.

I'll say it again. Since Mr. Obama has been President there has been a great "uncovering" or "revelation" about just who we are as a people. What was winked about and hidden underneath especially by those in power, has been forced to the surface by their inability to contain their hate and chagrin that a black man...even a half black man...could be elected President AND TWICE. And he is and has done a fairly remarkable job while serving a country going through some of its most difficult economic an social times. Most of the problems we face now are those brought on by those in racist men and women in power who do not want to see him succeed and who are withholding their support until he is out of office.

[Ohio Joe]

24. Sadly... It i not just this week...

Open and blatant racism has become the norm. Even worse is the number of open racists who deny they are racists and instead claim they are jut trying to point out how it is white's who are the true victims of racism.

[etherealtruth]

29. Please don't forget the Suprmeme Court decision

Upholding the "right" of Michigan voters to vote away the "rights" of others by disallowing remedies to long standing systemic racism.

[nobodyspecial]

32. Yeah

Slave owners *never* raped female slaves.

[gopiscrap]

33. Welcome to DU