Do you have any racists in your family?

[WillyBrandt]

And by racist I don't mean someone who says "Oriental" instead of "Asian." Or guiltily laughs if another says a racist joke.

I mean racist--not necessarily KKK-esque, but plainly racist in their views and possibly actions.

So?

[22181]

1. Yup...

I have a hateful, racist, homophobic, vicious RW brother. He was a nice kid growing up, but somewhere along the line something snapped.

[Archae]

2. Yup, my Dad.

Racist as hell but considers the KKK a bunch of idiots.
(My Dad moved 3 times because non-whites moved nearby.)

And what he says about Jews, he doesn't deny the Holocaust, but he says "it was their own fault since they've always been greedy." :wtf:

[WillyBrandt]

4. My friend's sister's mother-in-law and the Jews...

Whenever it rained during a sunset (or something) she'd say "Ah, that means the Jews are angry"

[pagerbear]

3. Oh yeah

When my cousin changed her major from nursing to social work, her mother ranted, "I'm not sending you to college to help them n%%%%%s!"

[ChoralScholar]

24. ooooh.... hearing things like that

brings out the worst in me. I don't hold it in anymore. I now publicly embarass and ridicule people who say racist things.

[AwakeAtLast]

5. My husband's family

He has a sister whose husband is some kind of higher up in the KKK in another state. Charming. He hasn't spoken to her in ten years, and he's only 26.

[jus_the_facts]

6. the whole fam damily......

.....I'm the OUTCAST *black*sheep...and they call ME the crazy one! :eyes:

[Cannikin]

7. My grandparents, god bless them, still occasionaly use the 'N' word.

It hits me like a hammer to hear them say it...but I love them anyway. But they would never take any type of racist action.

[Susang]

8. Unfortunately, the answer is yes

My grandmother is. She used to be better at hiding it, but she's had several strokes and has dementia, so now she's much more vocal. It makes me very sad and I really can't discuss it often.

[put out]

13. I don't know you

and I certainly can't know her, so my advice is worth what you are paying for it. Please be forgiving of what she says, if you can. People with dementia can say and do the strangest things, and those things they say and do may not at all reflect how they thought when they were really themselves.

The most modest people can suddenly strip naked. The kindest people can say hateful and ugly things, and tell lies which are in their minds. They can be mean and ungrateful to those folks who are doing their very best to give care and comfort.

Do you think it says something, that she was able to overcome what may have been ingrained racism from her childhood. It sounds like she could make some peace with her early beliefs. She did not say those bad things so much when she was well in her mind, as you have said. Now, she might be going backward, as well as forward.

I'm so sorry she is ill in this way.

[kuhn]

9. my grandfather

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

10. I suspect my brother

Who reportedly yelled, "Sit down, n******!" at a Michael Jackson concert 20+ years ago. He was also concerned about my marriage to a Pakistani until he got to know him (asked if I was "going to be his slave"). He's supposedly a Democrat. Well, we all have brothers, don't we? (paraphrasing JFK).

[Marvelous_Smarty]

12. My father used to be.

I started seeing Yvette three years ago and my father was not very happy with it. At least not until he got deathly ill and I could not be contacted. My mom contacted Yvette. Yvette stayed with them, took my mom to her house so she could shower and also got a hold of me.

Since them, Yvette and my father have become very close. During the NFL season they are great football buddies. My father grew up in this part of Texas and never really was around Black people. It was not so much that he was racist and he did not know any better.

[ScreamingMeemie]

29. That's a terrific story!! Thanks for sharing it.

And welcome to DU!!! :hi:

Oh, and, GOOOOOOO PACKERS!!!!!

;)

[Khephra]

11. Yep

He had his daughter attacked by a black gang (according to her) and was never the same again.

[Kahuna]

14. No. My parents, grandparents and extended families all set

a good example.

[Forkboy]

15. My brother in law went to Bob Jones University

beat that!

Needless to say we talk very VERY rarely.

[Hailtothechimp]

16. My father.

Uses the "N Word" quite a bit and seems trapped in the 1950s in many ways.

[countmyvote4real]

17. My parents and immediate family.

They’re not overt. They’re worse. They will smile in your face, praise God for everything “right” in their life and explain that the Confederate flag flying in the front yard is an expression of rebellion against “big government.”

They can get away with it because they live in Middle Georgia, but they don’t use the N word around me. They haven’t since I busted them when I was in high school. Until then, it was a common expression in our home and my grandparents on both sides. (They’re from Mississippi.) I’d like to take credit for the public reform, but it was more likely the tide of the times in the early 70’s. That tide obviously shifted in 2000 and they couldn’t contain their true expression with their new “God anointed leaders.”

We have an obligatory phone call about once a month when we talk about our local weather, the antics of my baby sister’s children and the health of my younger brother’s Nazi wife. I’m gay, so I don’t have any grandchildren for them to talk about. I used to go home for Christmas, but stopped last year because it wasn’t worth it to me to put myself into further credit card debt to go there and only be reminded why I’m not like them. I’m tired of the charade. I’m really tired of their political choice that doesn’t serve them and their grandchildren. They are card carrying members of Sam’s Club, the only fresh potato is a baked one and their only news is from Faux.

I don’t mean that in a snobbish way. I can “white trash” with the best of them, although my attempts tend to celebrate irony more than the raison d’etre. Oops, I guess I am a snob after all, or a least a frog-o-phile.

Anyway, no bones about it, they know where I stand and my POV, I know theirs and never the twain shall ever meet again. It’s almost like communicating with the dead, but we pretend that we’re not. Sad.

[Dying Eagle]

Yeah

My Dad's Girlfriend i think. She hate "F*GS". Close enough. I wanted to slap her!

[Dying Eagle]

18. opps

I duped, please delete.

[HEyHEY]

19. MY MOTHER - IS TERRIBLE

But in a weird way, she doesn't have anything against the groups as a being. I have friends of all races and she's always warmed up to them, and once when I was in an interacial relationship she loved the girl.

But she still thinks it's okay to use racist terms to describe people.

[politicat]

20. My father.

Told me if I dated a N***** in HS, that I would be turned out of the house. (It's not familial - his parents were wonderful, absolutely incredible and had not a prejudicial bone in either of their bodies.)

Of course, I tried. I hated him for more reasons than just that. (He's a truly vicious, psychopathic, cruel individual.)

The problem was that there were no African Americans in my small, Mormon community. (600 people, 800 in the HS, in rural N. Az.)

I have spoken briefly with him twice in 7 years. Which is fine with me.

Pcat

[Interrobang]

21. *sigh* My mother.

My mother once said a really horrible thing about one group of people, and when I said, "Mom, that's a terrible, racist thing to say!" she said, "Yes, I'm racist. I don't hate --- people, I just think white people are better."

*sigh*

[Marvelous_Smarty]

22. Well, White people ARE better!

Look at how well a string 43 white men have run a grand dream called America into the ground!

[put out]

23. Oh, those white folks! I am one of them!

Gave us a bunch of skin cancer, yessiree. And cataracts, especially the really white folks with blue eyes!

Shoot, maybe we oughta run the country. We have been doing good so far. Or maybe not. Except I'm not a man, so that would leave me out of this. Marvelous, Smarty!



:D

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

25. of course

i live in west virginia, fer chrissake

here in the south, racists are the rule and not the exception

[fortyfeetunder]

26. the outlaws

Well they can't get along with anyone...for black people they seem to relate well to racist whites. I know the company they keep....

Once the mother outlaw said she didn't want to be around a certain ethnic group because they were dirty, and I cornered her. Well, what about my buddy *******? -- who we've had dinner with this person. Mother outlaw said, well, she's different...Well, a lot of my friends are in that ethnic group so I just don't let outlaws near my friends.

The worst part with them is the classism...I parted ways the day after I brought my baby from the hospital when they came up with this stupid ass conversation -- instead of talking about their first (and only) grandkid they could only discuss a poll -- a group of whites were asked if they could be black, and most of them said they wouldn't....that just about bust all my stitches out...they don't see the kid much either for that reason.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

27. Sad to say, Mama Leftcoast is

very prejudiced against African-Americans, as was her mother before her.

I attribute my lack of the same prejudice to having gone to integrated schools during my elementary school years.

A second cousin of mine became an outspoken racist after suffering a head injury, oddly enough.

[bif]

28. They're all racicsts

Both my brothers and my dad. Needless to say, most of our family gatherings are pretty tense.

[XNASA]

30. Dad, Uncles, Grandfather....all racists.

Of course they deny it, saying that they're not really racists...they're just "prejudiced", like that's some kind of lesser degree of racist.

I've pointed out to them that admitting that your prejudiced is like admitting you're a moron.

They don't take kindly to that.

[IconoclastIlene]

31. I dont even want to talk about it

bigots are shameful and they are in just about every household so far as I can see.

[AngryAmish]

32. Lots

[ScreamingMeemie]

33. Yes, only she doesn't know she is...she actually proclaims that she is

not. She will tell you that she has no problem riding in a car (gasp) through the streets of downtown Detroit. Amazing woman isn't she? She's my grandma. She's not blatantly racist. She's more of the person that will be overly friendly in the "see I'm not racist" manner and then beat all heck out of there...She is also the type that will stare at same sex couples and then ask if I think they are a couple...sigh. She's harmless, but it bothers me. :hi:

[Magrittes Pipe]

34. My grandmother on my mom's side.

She has mellowed with age (and, in contrast to someone's post earlier -- Susang, perhaps? -- she has been less prejudicial since her stroke), but she's still prejudiced against Black people.

She loves my Jewish wife, so her bias doesn't cross over into matters of religious heritage -- of course, her late husband (and Grandpa didn't have a racist bone in his body) was Catholic, and she is Lutheran, so religious bigotry was something she had to get over pretty young.

Actually, I think the thing that mellowed her the most was that the minister her church sent over to console her after Grandpa's death was Black; and he helped her out a lot.

It's strange... she was never super vocal about it, didn't want to string anybody up or anything... she just let "nigger" drop from her lips on occasion, and her kids knew that there would be hell to pay if they ever brought home one of "them."

Anyway, I hope her conversion-of-sorts keeps going. I hope she's still with us for many more years, but when she does go, I hope she doesn't die a racist.

[johnnie]

35. I think most people are to a degree

Even here on DU, I read posts that don't come right out and say things, but the underlining meaning is there. Maybe not racial as much as bigoted.
The point is to try to not be that way, but I still think that everyone is to a certain level.

[phillybri]

36. In order of severity:

My brother: Serious racist. Can't have a conversation about ANYTHING w/o using the "N" word or disparaging Jews...:crazy:

My uncle: Wealthy guy (not the problem) that felt the best way to teach his kids to stay in school was to drive them through rough, predominantly black neighborhoods and say "Do you want to live like this?":grr:

My grandmother: She's 72 years old, and just doesn't know any better. She does the old "qualifier" trick went referring to minorities. "I went to Circuit City and the boy that helped me was nice, black, but nice...":eyes:

My dad: Newly-minted Democrat after being a Republican most of his life. Drops the "N" bomb occasionally, but he's trying to learn...

[trigz]

37. Yep. My dad and father-in-law.

Mostly they throw up anti-islam slurs now and again. My father in law is without a doubt the worst one, though. He supports Israel in all they do and hates arabs. A bit of a jerk with regard to politics, so we avoid talking about it. My dad comes up with some incredibly racist comments that frankly he wouldn't have 15 years ago. I hope I'm spared of the mutation into a middle-aged sofa racist when that time comes. I think it's mainly motivated by the fact that both me and my wife are socialists, but it's fucking annoying none the less.

[Reverend_Smitty]

38. My dad and uncles are

but to varying degrees. My dad probably the least, he gets all bent out of shape when I call him on his racism, I don't think I have ever heard him say the N-word but he uses many other euphemisms to describe people.

My uncles on the other hand are really bad. Archie Bunkeresque if I have to give it a name. They claim that they have friends that are other races but yet they still use racial slurs. I get the sneaking suspicion that one of my uncles really turns it on when I am around just to get a rise out of me.

[Endangered Specie]

39. Grandfather insults Muslims, stepGrandfather uses "N" casually.

[MissMillie]

40. I didn't think so, until my cousin sent me this email

I think it's been debunked by American Airlines (they say they don't have a pilot by that name)

You know, I love my cousin, but this thing threw me for a loop.


**************************************************
PILOT EDITORIAL-- "YOU WORRY ME."
************************************************************************
I've been trying to say this since 9-11.
I guess I will be labeled as a bigoted American.

By: American Airlines Pilot - Captain John Maniscalco

************************************************************************

"You worry me. I wish you didn't. I wish when I walked down the
streets of this country that I love, that your color and culture still
blended with the beautiful human landscape we enjoy in this country. But
you don't blend in anymore. I notice you, and it worries me. I notice you
because I can't help it anymore. People from your homelands, professing to
be Muslims, have been attacking and killing my fellow citizens and our
friends for more than 20 years now. I don't fully understand their
grievances and hate, but I know that nothing can justify the inhumanity of
their attacks.

On September 11, nineteen ARAB-MUSLIMS hijacked four jetliners in my
country. They cut the throats of women in front of children and brutally
stabbed to death others. They took control of those planes and crashed them
into buildings killing thousands of proud fathers, loving sons, wise
grandparents, elegant daughters, best friends, favorite coaches, fearless
public servants, and children's mothers..

So I notice you now. I don't want to be worried I don't want to be
consumed by the same rage and hate and prejudice that has destroyed the
soul of these terrorists. But I need your help. As a rational American, trying
to protect my country and family in an irrational and unsafe world, I must
know how to tell the difference between you, and the Arab/Muslim terrorist.

How do I differentiate between the true Arab-Muslim-Americans and the
Arab-Muslims in our communities who are attending our schools, enjoying our
parks, and living in OUR communities under the protection of OUR
constitution, while they plot the next attack that will slaughter those very
same good neighbors and children?

The events of September 11th changed the answer. It is not my responsibility
to determine which of you embraces our great country, with ALL of it's
religions, with ALL of it's different citizens, with all of it's faults. It
is time for every Arab-Muslim in this country to determine it for me.

I want to know, I demand to know, and I have a right to know whether
or not you love America. Do you pledge allegiance to it's flag? Do you
proudly display it in front of your house, or on your car? Do you pray in
your many daily prayers that Allah will bless this nation? That He will
protect and prosper it?

Or do you pray that Allah will destroy it in one of your "Jihads"?
Are you thankful for the freedom that only this nation affords? A freedom
that was paid for by the blood of hundreds of thousands of patriots who gave
their lives for this country? Are you willing to preserve this freedom by
paying the ultimate sacrifice? Do you love America? If this is your
commitment, then I need YOU to start letting ME know about it.

Your Muslim leaders in this nation should be flooding the media at
this time with hard facts on your faith, and what hard actions you are
taking as a community and as a religion to protect the United States of
America. Please, no more benign overtures of regret for the death of the
innocent because I worry about who you regard as innocent. And no more
benign overtures of condemnation for the unprovoked attacks because I worry
about what is unprovoked to you I am not interested in any more
sympathy...I am only interested in action. What will you do for America -
our great country -- at this time of crisis, at this time of war?

I want to see Arab-Muslims waving the AMERICAN flag in the streets. I
want to hear you chanting "Allah Bless America." I want to see young
Arab-Muslim men enlisting in the military. I want to see a commitment of
money, time, and emotion to the victims of this butchering and to this
nation as a whole.

The FBI has a list of over 400 people they want to talk to regarding
the WTC attack. Many of these people live and socialize in Muslim
communities.

You know them. You know where they are. Tell us where they are, now!

But I have seen little even approaching this sort of action. Instead
I have seen an already closed and secretive community close even tighter.
You have disappeared from the streets. You have posted armed security
guards at your facilities. You have threatened lawsuits. You have screamed
for protection from reprisals.

The very few Arab-Muslim representatives that HAVE appeared in the
media were defensive and equivocating. They seemed more concerned with
making sure that the United States prove who was responsible before taking
action. They seemed more concerned with protecting their fellow Muslims from
violence directed towards them in the United States and abroad than they did
with supporting our country and denouncing "leaders" like Khadafi, Hussein,
Farrakhan, and Arafat. If the true teachings of Islam proclaim tolerance
and peace and love for all people then I want chapter and verse from the
Koran and statements from popular Muslim leaders to back it up. What good
is it if the teachings in the Koran are good and pure and true when your
"leaders" are teaching fanatical interpretations, terrorism, and
intolerance..

It matters little how good Islam SHOULD BE if large numbers of the
world's Muslims interpret the teachings of Mohammed incorrectly and adhere
to a degenerative form of the religion. A form that has been demonstrated
to us over and over again. A form whose structure is built upon a
foundation of violence, death, and suicide. A form whose members (some as young as five
years old) are seen day after day, week in and week out, year after year,
marching in the streets around the world, burning effigies of our
presidents, burning the American flag, shooting weapons into the air. A
form whose members convert from a peaceful religion, only to take up arms
against the United States of America, the country of their birth. A
form whose rules are so twisted, that their
traveling members refuse to show their faces at airport security
checkpoints, in the name of Islam.

Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us because our women proudly show
their faces in public?

Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us because we drink wine with
dinner, or celebrate Christian holidays such as Christmas or Jewish holidays? Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us
because we have befriended Israel? And if you and your fellow Muslims hate us, then
why in the world are you even here?

Are you here to take our money? Are you here to undermine our peace
and stability? Are you here to destroy us? If so, I want you to leave. I
want you to go back to your desert sandpit. I want you to take your religion, your friends, and your family
back to your Islamic extremists, and STAY THERE!

We will NEVER give in to your influence, your retarded mentality,
your twisted, violent, intolerant religion as it is constantly being espoused by your clerics. We will NEVER allow the attacks
of September 11, or any others for that matter, to take away that which is
so precious to us: Our rights under the greatest constitution in the world.

I want to know where every Arab-Muslim in this country stands and I
think it is my right and the right of every true citizen of this country to
demand it. A right paid for by the blood of thousands of my brothers and
sisters who died protecting the very constitution that is protecting you and
your family.

I am pleading with you to let me know. I want you here as my
brother, my neighbor, my friend, as a fellow American. But there can be no
gray areas or ambivalence regarding your allegiance and it is up to YOU, to
show ME, where YOU stand."

"Until then .. you worry me." ""

**************************************************************

[RebelOne]

41. Yes, my son is guilty.

He was born in Miami, but went to live with his father in Alabama and Mississippi when he was 12. So he is somewhat of a Southern redneck. He uses the "N" word for African-Americans and calls those who live in the Middle East sand ni---rs.