So the conversation goes like this:
My best friend is at an Easter luncheon with her (gay)brother, sister, aunt and cousin. Talk of the presidential election ensues. My friend’s aunt asks her brother, Luis:
“So who are you going to vote for?”
Luis replies playfully, “I’m not going to say.”
Her aunt asks, “Why not?”
Luis continues, still playful, “You can’t ask someone who they’re going to vote for. That’s personal!”
Her aunt in all seriousness replies, “You aren’t voting for that n—-r, are you?”
She says this to the horror of those around her. She says this in a public restaurant. On Easter Sunday, no less. To which my friend retorted what a horrible, inappropriate thing to say on that particular day, much less EVER.
In recounting this conversation to me over the phone, I heard the depression in my friend’s voice. She couldn’t believe how a Hispanic person, a Puerto Rican no less, could have such a racist attitude (presumably because Puerto Ricans are mixed, having varying degrees of Spanish, African and Indian blood). She also couldn’t believe how a self-labeled Christian could spew such filth.
She then speculated that this election, with its barrier-breaking connotations, was bringing to surface just how prejudiced and racist this nation really is.
I couldn’t help but ponder what she said. Because I have seen what appears to be an increase in racially motivated events. Could it just be heightened awareness?
Lately I have noticed cars scrawled with writing like “Obama = Hitler” and “Vote for Obama, U.S.S.A., [insert former Soviet symbol here]” and “Obama Bin Laden” suggesting that voting for Barack Obama is voting for communism, totalitarian dictatorship, or that it would invite extreme Islam to make a permanent home within our country. A simple Google search for “Barack Obama” will result in a list of disturbing web pages catering to ridiculous fears, such as “Is Barack Obama the Antichrist?”
While I have seen decals and signs attacking John McCain’s policies and political stance, I have not seen any racial/extremist messages regarding McCain and his campaign. Why is that? Does John McCain not have the characteristics of the Antichrist? Why hasn't he been loosely connected with the White Aryan Resistance movement? I thought this country was all about equal opportunity?
Anyway, this past weekend my husband and I walked out of our house and were greeted with “KKK”, “N—-r” and “Genocide” written all over our mailbox. These were accompanied by extremely vulgar drawings of male genitalia.
We live in Tampa, Florida. Our community is mixed. My husband is black (of West Indian descent); I am Puerto Rican (of Spaniard/African/Corsican descent). All our immediate neighbors are white and we are friendly with all of them.
New white neighbors recently moved into the house next door; we call them the Brady Bunch. The husband and wife have nine kids between them, some from previous relationships, including adorable five-year-old triplet boys. They also have a sixteen-year-old boy whom I strongly suspect was behind this assault on our beloved mailbox. I also assume these drawings were not a self-portrait, but I’ll decline to say why.
Would this have happened three years ago? When race wasn’t such a prominent and provocative issue? Or was it?
We all know that this country is not perfect. Racist and stereotypical attitudes are rampant despite the strides we have made during the last century. But it seems that this election has emboldened those attitudes and given them a new voice. A loud, obnoxious voice.
I truly feel saddened that this nation, with all of its promise, its ingenious system of checks and balances, its youth and vigor, can still feature the ugliness of racism, prejudice and fear of the unknown.
I petition that we identify and remove those individuals that do not understand nor appreciate the true ideals of this nation. After all, they would corrupt the entire premise of our dear Constitution. They would stomp all over the precious principles featured in our Bill of Rights. They would spit in our Founding Fathers’ faces while declaring their undying patriotism to America. What hypocrisy! What shamelessness! What bad manners!
We should round up these sores of society (I say we borrow Wonder Woman’s lasso for the job) and ship them to an isolated area of the globe (how about the Sahara desert?) We should then delegate George W. Bush and Sarah Palin to build a border fence (we’ll call it the Wall to Nowhere) to encapsulate these heathens. (We assume Sarah will be busy, but she is a veritable superwoman who can multitask beautifully, so no worries there. Bush’s assistant confirmed he’s free beginning January 2009.)
What to call this new “country”? Forget Iran and Iraq. We can call it Ihate – Ihate everything and everyone that is not like me!
Oh, it would be perfect! In trying to devise their own social contract they would inevitably annihilate each other; remember, racism and prejudice transcend color, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation AND intelligence, so these people would be very “diverse” – which in their language is synonymous with “perverse”.
Capitalists: Please understand, I’m not suggesting we try to create utopia by banishing these people. So get your finger off the key before you accuse me of being communist.
I’m merely suggesting that wouldn’t it be FUN to observe these individuals in a controlled environment? We won’t supply them with weapons or internet access, heck no. Instead we’ll arm them with their dogmatic ideas, emotional baggage and if applicable their religious texts.
Ok, ok, maybe we’ll give them toothpicks for weapons and see where that leads.
I hope my friend’s aunt is allergic to sand…
Good post. I read the whole post and I would like to say some things. It is heartbreaking to hear that people still hold hateful and racist ideas, especially when they are relatives, friends or neighbors. I am not voting for Barack Obama because I dislike him as a candidate for President for various reasons and I am going to be very worried about American and our future if he wins. I don't know why anybody would talk about a candidates skin color or racial heritage, especially in nasty offensive language. Skin color is irrelevant. Judgments of a candidate based on his/her skin color are counter-productive and ignorant but the Aunt does have a right to do so.
I am very sorry to hear about the hateful mischief that you and your husband are dealing with and I do not think that the vandal had a right to do what he did. If he feels that way about people with African ancestry and a darker skin color, he should stand outside on his property or on public property and hold a sign displaying his racist thoughts. He has a right to do that but not vandalize your property. If I walked by him holding a sign with those hateful remarks and exercising his right to free speech I might choose to exercise mine. Unfortunately for him, the speech would be in the form of a fist. Half kidding.
It would be very awesome if all of the racist idiots disappeared from the U.S. and lived in a desert like the show "Survivor". Then we could all just be human beings and treat each other fairly and skin color meaning and past prejudices would drift away. Unfortunately in the real world there will always be ugly racism from people of all races and ethnicities. We just have to fight to reach into the hearts and minds of people and let them see people for their personalities and not their skin color.
You put a smile on my face.
I know that freedom of speech and expression gives people the right to express hateful views, in all forms. I wish this weren't so. But I guess living in such a diverse nation, we are all bound to encounter hate in one form or another. I concede that taking away this right would be harmful to the very principles we live by.
You raised a very good point in a very logical manner. And you still put a smile on my face.
This is a very interesting article and I'm glad your sharing such an interesting experience. I completely agree with you that such racists writings you have seen and racist language (as in your experience) are completely unacceptable. However, I do not agree with you when talked about writings pointing to Obama as a communist. You must realize that Obama has many socialist tendencies. I am surprised he has gotten this far and that McCain hasn't pointed out how radical Obama is. Now I dont like McCain that much either but I would definitely vote against Obama. I dont think you can dismiss such allegations because they are based in the fact that Obama's policies resemble a frightening socialism for America. He has been connected with radical figures such as Reverend Wright and the bomber who held Obama's senate election party after declaring on 9/11 that "he wished he had done it himself"
Do you have any sources that back any of these claims up? It sounds like you are believing every crap email that gets forwarded to you. I'm especially intrigued by your claims about Bill Ayers. I can't find support for them anywhere. I can't find anything about him hosting parties for Obama, though he did give Obama's reelection campaign $200. Certainly nothing untoward there. He was a radical protester in the sixties, when Obama was 8 years old. I don't think he really said he wished he'd bombed the World Trade Center though. And I can't find anything that supports that claim. Can you?
"Never go with a hippy to a second location."
~Jack Donaghy
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
It was on the news last night. The University of Illinois came out with a study that actually shows a closer relationship between Aryes and Sen. Obama. Apparently somebody gave 60 gazillion (can’t remember exact –illion right now) to Aryes to help education and Aryes entrusted Obama to distribute the money to places like ACORN. I heard this last night and have not had a chance to go verify what but I believe the speaker on the news was not lying.
Its seems that its common knowledge that Sen Obama started his carrier in Aryes living room and that they have been ‘friends’ for a long time’. This fact does not make me think that Candidate Obama is trying to be evil just that he is not complicated by details.
Love is like a box of chocolates; if you chose wisely you won’t be disappointed and have to spit it out. ~T
Yes, I agree that the base for Democratic policies tend to lean a bit toward socialist ideals. All major forms of government (socialist, communist, capitalist) do have overlapping traits. But there is always a line preventing the U.S. from crossing over into the socialist chasm. American ideals and values would never allow this country to become socialist.
Consider Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Many conservatives today argue that his New Deal programs were unnecessary and actually prolonged the rebounding of the economy. But FDR did what he felt necessary in order to create economic stimulus and some semblance of relief. Did the country become socialist? No. Many of those programs went quietly into the night. Still, a few of those programs (G.I. Bill, Social Security, SEC, FDIC - THANK GOD) are with us today and we are not considered a socialist society.
I sincerely doubt that Barack Obama would aim to turn this country into a socialist one. I don't believe that would be his goal. He is not looking to nationalize our industries or media. Capitalism is still the lifeblood of this nation and will remain so. I believe he is looking to create stimulus and relief as FDR did, from a Democratic perspective. That is all.
Besides, as so many Bush followers vehemently claim - one man cannot bring down this nation alone. So those who are so "scared" and "concerned" of Obama becoming the 44th President are really taking an extremist stance, don't you think?
We cannot judge a person on how they conducted themselves and what they did in the past. Some of us become wiser as we grow. Malcolm X was truly a diehard in the beginning, but changed to seeing the world in a whole new light after being exposed. I was born into one religious belief and after I was 32YO, I discovered it wasn’t Godly enough for me. I have found that there is no racism only hating because of another person God like qualities.
See http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/52843-racism
I read your article and was very sad for you and your friend's family. I never understood racism amongst minorities, or really just racism period. There's been a time for almost every ethnic group where they've been oppressed by another.
On another note, it got me thinking about when Hilary was running and how many people got away with sexist comments in public domain but how racist comments were a bit more touchy. Off how that works.
Thanks. It's definitely not the first time we have experienced any form of racism. It was more the fact that I've noticed what seems to be an increase in racially motivated events - not just from personal experience, but through observation too. And not all of it aimed at minority groups.
I agree that there has been quite a bit of sexist talk about Hillary AND Sarah Palin from the media. There has also been unfair commenting about McCain's age. For having served in and been a prisoner of war, I find him so amiable and well-adjusted. Not all veterans that return mirror his vitality.
What a world we live in. What a world. :-)
I am finally glad that someone had the courage to write about the racial issues that plague this election this year. Nobody wants to discuss it and when it is discussed, the accusations of playing the race card come up often.
It is sad that your friend's aunt shares this attitude but there are many people that honestly feel this way about Senator Obama. I believe that this is the reason as to why so many who do not agree with him have found non-issues to use as a basis for which to say they will not vote for him.
Sarah Palin has given people an excuse and reason to say that she is just like us and Obama is dangerous, scary and risky. Since when is a highly educated, human being with no criminal history, a love for his family, an extraordinary career, a hope for America and a desire to be President risky, scary and dangerous. If people excluded his race, the race of his wife and children and the race of his family, then he would be ahead by much more than the few points that he leads by.
It is 2008 and people hold strong elements of racism that has shown all of us that we have made some progress, but we have a long way to go.
Barrack Obama is attacked based on his race and religious history simply because he can be. If he expected anything different, then he had expectations that did not match our society. In the past all (or almost all) of our politicians were white, male, and some sort of Protestant. Obama is a new breed of politician, one who is not hiding his past, but is using it and his progress from it to show how good of a leader he can be. Because he is something new, he is feared and hated. He is bringing up all of the suppressed racism that was buried with Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech and the rest of the Civil Rights Movement. It is a wake up call for our society, one that may have serious repercussions for race relations in America, Ignoring racism does not make it disappear and now we see that. The question now is: have we made any progress from 40 years ago?
You hit the nail right on the head! in my opinion anyway. I think people forget that making racial discrimination illegal does not all of a sudden destroy racism. The more I study the past the more I realize we've made almost zero progress. Our laws may be different, but people are still the same as they were 40 years ago. I once read a Look magazine from 1962 and there was an article called "The Negro Question". That article could have been written in 2008. Even back then with Jim Crow, there were people outright denying that racism even existed anymore (since slavery was over), there were people saying that Negroes were asking for special rights, that blacks had almost more rights than white people. I realize that the people who make those same arguments today don't do so because they really believe this, but because they're simply full of shit and don't like the idea of people of other races being equal to them.
Leave Canada, please - Canadian Dude
I petition that we identify and remove those individuals that do not understand nor appreciate the true ideals of this nation.
Most of the country might be gone.
They would spit in our Founding Fathers’ faces while declaring their undying patriotism to America. What hypocrisy!
I think our founding fathers had a good deal of hypocrisy also.
It's too hard to get all the prejudiced people out of the country, especially since a number of them are running the country. That's why I'm going to go live with a tribe.
Leave Canada, please - Canadian Dude
Although I see myself as a capitalist, calling you a communist wasn't my plan at all. Setting aside my literal interpretation of your idea, if it were possible to cast away all of the unwanted heathens, we'd have no politicians left ^^ and what a great day it would be!
Not to say that people should burn flags or use racial epithets, but the same laws that say we have to accept the flag burners also say we have to accept people who use ethnic slurs. Free speech is free speech, and unfortunately some people will never have enough intelligence to know when they shouldn't do something. Sorry you have to know "those people."
k
I'm a big believer in capitalism, too. All forms of society are flawed (because we are flawed) but capitalism is the only form of society that allows citizens to evolve economically and individually. I wish this country would support the small business owners overall more than they do the big corporations. But I concede that is unrealistic in a capitalist society and likely never to happen.
I put that little excerpt in as a joke; I remember having a convo with a conservative individual at a group dinner a few years ago. I was getting a little passionate about how Americans should band together and we should strive for equality. He kind of twisted my words and verbally attacked me, accusing me of being communist. He was too young to have experienced McCarthyism or hiding under a schooldesk, so I'm not sure why he was so troubled. It was quite funny actually.
So I threw in that "utopia" comment as an aside to that conversation and hopefully keep a hot topic comment a little on the light side.
I'm glad you posted an article on this topic. It is something people need to think about, unfortunately I am too tired to reply to the politics--perhaps I will later. But for now a recent occurrence in my life:
I (blonde haired, blue eyed, white american) am walking to work (in slacks and heels) and I am reading a book while I walk. I often do this and am usually very good at being aware of people and objects around me to walk around, but today I suppose I did not look up in time and I may have forced three black high school-age girls to split from their group so I walked between them. As I passed between them, one of the girls grabbed at my book (but not in a very threatening way) and mumbled something about how she wants to take it. She did not break her stride, nor did I much, and she went on and the book remained with me.. had a nice grasp of it.
The event was nothing but afterwards I couldn't help thinking why anyone would grab someone's property like that, especially someone obviously older and in professional attire. As I was venting my frustration with people's lack of respect, I realized that many people around the world go through things like this (and MUCH worse everyday) and the fact that a little disrespect by a younger person of a different race was so surprising to me proved that I had grown up as a majority race in a society.
It was a really powerful thing that such a small event made me realize for the first time how I had had it good my entire life in this country. I never felt racist, never felt like there was too much tension between black, white, or whatever where I grew up, even though I knew it existed. It made me wonder how much more I don't realize, experience, or understand, simply because I do not have to deal with the day to day issues of being a minority. Some of you might say--congrats the blonde just woke up to reality, but I think this is a problem that many white americans haven't woken up to yet.
LOL - that sounded like a truly weird occurrence! Maybe they were just looking for attention in trying to be hostile toward you? At any rate, they're ridiculous.
It's difficult to be aware of issues that people of other races or ethnicities encounter. We can only experience so many things firsthand. Maybe some white Americans do take for granted a bit their position in society, but I do not fault them for that. And not all white Americans have a lofty position to begin with.
Funny how you alluded to being blonde, blue-eyed, etc. It made me think of this: I have a cousin who is Puerto Rican who has the most amazing hazel-green eyes (she is constantly mistaken for white non-Hispanic) and another cousin who is very, very dark-skinned and is constantly mistaken for black non-Hispanic. Latinos are the Crayola people; we come in all colors. But each of them has experienced racism two-fold, in their own community by Latinos, and then in other non-Hispanic communities. It's interesting how we all might assume a person to be something that they may not be based on physical appearance. Has that ever happened to you?
How do you read a book walking? That sounds awesome. Can you teach me??
just imagine if he was latino or hispanic in some kind of way. obama is black and white not anything else. its very sad how racism is still so strong and present in america. i go to a a small christian high school and last friday we were on the van and i heard one of my fellow classmates say im so happy im black and not a mexican cause they suck!
it just got to me the fact that the coach didnt really care and just tried to make him apologize or anything. i was the only mexican in that van and it was really hurtful to me. i do wish obama the best and for people to try to just for once try to achieve some kind of peace and harmony among different races. cinthiaxo21
Sounds like that classmate may consider himself lucky he is "not Mexican" but he is going through life ignorant and petty, so obviously he is not lucky at all. Or maybe he said that because he has some other particular issue with you and jumped on your ethnicity as an excuse to hurt you. But it's his issue, not yours.
I've written this somewhere before, but, I try to separate people into two categories: goodhearted and badhearted. And I go from there. You sound to me like one of the goodhearted. Every day that you wake up, remember your worth, and feel lucky to be on the good side!
I've always taken the somewhat optimistic view that America isn't racist, just some of its citizens are.
Will racism ever go away? To this question, I somewhat pessimistically say "no." I do, however, believe that time (rather than education, like a lot of people say), will help alleviate racism. As the generations go on, we will become more and more separated from America's sometimes racist past and our sometimes racist elders.
Most people who are talking in a demeaning way about other individuals while themselves being of color can easily be categorized.
In this Puerto Rican woman’s case one might assume she clearly suffers from some sort of internal identity crises.
A form of developed self-hate is responsible for this to occur along many individuals, mostly this takes place during or right after puberty.
The fact she cannot reconcile with the fact she has blood flowing through her veins which partly finds its origin from a unknown African country is probably troubling her mind.
The most probable reason I can think of why she is troubled or even haunted over this, is because she carries a deep awareness to be partly related to a bloodline which is linked to a past of slavery.
She is suffering an unwillingness to relate to this reality, therefore she is not willing to accept or identify with this truth upon a personal emotional level!
She is lingering inside a state of denial!
This denial is most probably in direct link with experiences she has lived during her youth, the type of education this person has received is most probably responsible for this self-hate and identity crises to manifest itself, while it has made and molded her to become what she projects right now.
This occurs when individuals are being raised with one purpose only, to meet up to the standards and expectations of others while residing in a strong judgmental environment.
Imposed standards of who to “be” pushed upon by any authority, while mostly parents themselves, can be extremely hard and damaging because of the emotional pressure they represent upon a personal level of that individual which is being denied to express itself other than by what’s imposed!
“Act like this, behave like that, talk like that, eat like that”, are ways to push someone into a form of discipline which doesn’t reflect the true nature of this person no longer!
But merely an altered copy which fit’s models leaning close to ridicule.
To see a Tanzanian Masai warrior or a Australian Aboriginal in a tuxedo get’s close to what I mean with imposing standards to meet up with expectations of authority, all this in order to create the illusion around someone to be somewhere up the ladder of social acceptance.
This shameful charade used to be a colonial invention which fitted the standards of some constipated minds living across the channel in the old days.
Meaning, not so long ago, not wearing shackles anymore, didn’t necessarily mean freedom was a given right and luxury to enjoy from. It takes time for a certain idea or new reality to gain in acceptance, approval and comprehension, especially when it involves personal freedom to BE what YOU are!
Whenever one’s freedom is not supported, it’s undermined, mostly by ignorance!
People who don’t benefit on a personal level from any changes which might occur in their environment become in many cases a liability in regard to those who do benefit from it.
Whether this benefit is to be translated upon a emotional level, welt or freedom is of no matter!
Change or progress can evoke an illusion, one which can easily affect one’s ego to react funny, funny as in negative way’s!
The art in bringing proper change into whatever situation which might be questioned and therefore undermined, is to pay attention to those who might start to act funny, to guide them in to seeing the overall benefit and bigger picture of change. This allows minds and thoughts to keep focus upon what’s important for all to understand and
support while not allowing a negative judgmental atmosphere to rise and create difference based upon false and assumptions which don’t reflect reality.
Meaning, in order for some change to become beneficial for all, overall opinion needs to lean in a that direction which put’s pressure upon what needs to be changed, since most amongst carry wishes to see things evolve in more positive ways, there is a need to lean in a positive direction in order to create that feel of positive. Positive becomes supportive for one reason only, mind state!
A positive mind state creates exactly that essence which is necessary to affect the direction of those who are leaning the opposite way for whatever reason they might carry in mind!
If those reasons, seem to be a liability in regard to the ruling mind state which is supported, well than they need to be addressed no other than in a proper manner, a manner which is supported by those who are willing to bring change in order for more to lean towards a more convenient mind state.
Similar aspects are to be found with interracial kids growing up, depending on what and how their parents educate them, they are more sensitive to experience identity conflicts, while depending upon how their surroundings respond to them they will suffer large or small amounts of confusion or hurt to enter their lives.
To get back with Mr’s hateful Puerto Rico, lol
In order to keep this illusion a reality and vivid projection in her expression, she needs to carry or reproduce a profound hate in regard to all which is in relation and a threat which could pop her balloon of illusion.
In other words, to make and reflect a personal statement of what she pretends not to BE! In her case someone carrying a background of enslavement. Was it not because of her education, this would all be of no meaning nor importance, but having had her ego molded into an attitude of denial and rejection she has been put in mental shackles which now control her life lived in limitation. Her thoughts have been filled with a concept of disgrace and feeling of inferiority!
Regardless of roots or nature, any individual going through life in a state of personal denial is set to put him/herself upon a path filled with limitation, suffering, confusion and depression while misfortunes will most probably be encountered frequently along his/her journey.
Same misfortunes can deeply trouble someone who is in denial of being gay!
Depending of their setting inside a structure which is present around their lives, some will suffer large amounts of pain, this depending on what represents the reality of peace or threats within their personal, familial and social setting.
Some misfortunes can make one to become filled with frustration which will define the emotional state of this individual like “Eltmoore” has been able to witness in a surprising way!
One needs not to forget, it is exactly the education she received which is responsible for her actual mind state!
Some individuals are somehow caught inside a vicious loop they sustain out of self-preservation and lack of support and social acceptance. They linger in a constant mode of survival which is sucking out all of their energy.
Since, after some time they become emotionally numb to send out or receive positive energy which could change their situation for the better, they eventually become drawn to what they hate most,
Unhappiness!
That’s where a person can become another’s biggest nightmare!
“The Hate Zone”
People who feed upon negative emotions and energies only while lingering in a loop of mal and discontent remain in clouded atmosphere in which they will start to carry a deep hatred towards everything which portraits joy, beauty and happiness expressed!
They can no longer relate, gain access or experience it on a personal level! They have become sick of something which the can hardly suppress.
The fact of becoming more and more negative in regard to friends and relatives while later on a wider social level towards complete strangers, makes them to suffer deep emotional conflicts which eventually leads them to become out casted whenever they vent frustration in presence of loved ones, who can or will tolerate this kind of behavior only unto a certain level after which they will distance themselves and break whatever relation which is being held.
Those emotional ruptures shape and feed the “root and why” hateful individuals carry within a cancer which in most cases is invisible from the outside, making them a mayor stress factor and liability in a society regardless of worldly location.
There are various reasons why someone can get to become a hateful individual!
A reason which leads to fear globally is, hate!
A reason which leads to hate globally is, fear!
The main purpose of hate and its reflection, is to draw one into becoming a loop of reflection!
Hate is a force of energy which is neglected because it is not understood by those who carry none!
Each and every individual upon this globe carries this seed inside his inner self, for one reason only!
Because it is being planted inside our mind from the outside in!
As a newborn we don’t exactly enter a marvelous world of wonders in which love and unity flourishes!
It takes a profound education and lived experience, yet only to understand the world we live in!
It is mainly the lack of proper guidance (education) which lies at the root of our worldly and personal problems and misfortunes.
A mental transition from fear to hate is the most hazardous situation which can manifest, because the amounts of stress which are involved when both collide always surpass all reason or sanity!
Hate is the most lethal drug upon this globe, like a single match, it can reduce any dry forest into an ashy unrecognizable environment, reduced of all beauty it once held, while only to remain a memory never to be shared again other than in tears!
To fight fire with fire is one thing, to fight hate with hate is supporting a loop to gain force while creating an uncontrollable chaos until history seizes those who crossed all boundaries of insanity to grasp,
Why?!
Poor education….
http://www.wowzone.com/monkey.htm