I wrote a blog yesterday about my friend who died in a car crash when two gangmembers running from cops ran a red light and T-boned his car. We're all in shock and pain. We're all reacting in different ways. Some pray, some cry, some scream, some yell, and some... seek blame.
I understand that anger can be involved in such an emotional occurrance. I've been pretty shook up about the whole thing. But some reactions I just cannot condone.
The two gangmembers that hit my friend showed no remorse over what happened. Instead they appeared to be pleased over what they had done. Excited about the new, higher standing they would recieve in their gang. And they were hispanic.
I have heard more racist comments since this occurrance than I care to repeat. More "those darn mexican" stats than I care to hear. And more ignorance than I care to acknowledge.
Those two gangmembers made bad decisions in their lives. But it has NOTHING to do with their race. The problem is with their choices, NOT their culture, NOT their ancestors.
I can't say it clear enough. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE OF RACE. I'm not trying to shout. I just don't know how to italisize and this is important. It needs to be emphasized. Humans are so quick to lump people together and hate a majority because of a few.
How can we stop the spread of racism? I'm at a loss. I've argued, emphasized, and gone red in the face with embarrasment for such ignorance. These people who are so quick to judge are not bad people. They are confused and hurt. They are dealing with tragedy and don't know how to explain it.
Any ideas? Please, my community doesn't need this. What we need is understanding and love for each other. Not racism. Never Racism.
Don't turn a tragedy into an issue of race
By ambmae - Posted on April 24th, 2009
It is difficult to remain clear headed when a loved one is tragically killed. I commend you for keeping your wits about you. People look for someone to blame in these situations. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like enough to just blame the idiot who did it. People widen their net. When my brother was killed by a truck driver who ran a red light, my family went way beyond just the dumbass who ran the light. They started blaming Chrysler for their "hurry-up inventory" policies and, when that wasn't satisfying enough, they started looking into mafia ties. Not kidding. They got nowhere with that. It's just that when a young person is killed, it feels like there must be some big conspiracy behind it, rather than just a stupid accident. That seems to be the impetus behind blaming an entire ethnic group in your situation. I'm so sorry. Hang in there. It's hard to be the sole voice of reason.
"Never go with a hippy to a second location."
~Jack Donaghy
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
I'm sorry for your loss. You are right though, we often wish to explain away the inexplainable. Thank you for the encouragement. Hopefully we will all heal soon.
If they were illegal immigrants than it is also an issue of bad immigration policy but not race. It just so happens that just about all of the illegal immigrants that are criminals are Hispanic.
Every illegal immigrant is a criminal by default of being an illegal immigrant.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yes that is true. If only our government could recognize that we'd be much better. If that were the case I could say "illegal immigrants who engage in violent criminal activity."
I don't think they were illegal, they had a lengthy criminal history and the cops would have deported them, plus one of their immediate family members works for the city.
I will now tell you that there is no such thing as the "Hispanic" race. It is a fabrication...
...at least in a biological sense. Racial classifications are social constructs that exist because of perceived (not actual) lineage. In biological terms, the differences between a "hispanic" person and any other "race" are statistically minimal, superficial projections of perception that have more to do with culture than the do with the genetic lineage of any give person. The only truly biological categorty of "race" among humans is the aptly name "human race."
TTFN,
Blackout
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A question of love.
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Check out Progressive PRIDE, a Gay-Straight Alliance for the Progressive U community.
Genetically we are very close to chimpanzees and not all that far removed from frogs. But we are clearly different species and even different families. We cannot inter-breed.
Race is certainly a fuzzy word. It certainly does not imply any great difference between different groups WITHIN the same species. As you say, It is mainly about statistically minimal, superficial projections. In my mind it is a lot like dog breeds. There is quite a lot of superficial difference between a chihuahua, a rottweiler and a St Bernard. People can see them and clearly recognize their lineage and make strong inferences about their geographical origin. The breeds have very different traits. Some are excellent swimmers. Some have reputations for being smart or mean or especially friendly. Some have very refined noses, Some have very strong hunting instincts of varying kinds. Some can't help themselves but to herd animals. But at the end of the day they are still dogs and are fully capable of interbreeding with each other and with wolves.
Likewise, with human races, people can see them and from their superficial differences make strong and largely accurate inferences about their lineage and geographical origin. One can also make statistical inferences about their susceptibility to certain diseases and quite a few other characteristics. Like all statistical inferences they are fairly accurate when applied to the population but may or may not hold accurate for any particular individual. At the end of the day they are all humans.
Race is probably a minimally useful concept from a scientific perspective. But it seems to be an almost innate characteristic of humans to group and segregate themselves in this manner nonetheless.
I am Hispanic. My mother was born in Cuba and immigrated legally about a decade before Castro came to power. Having admitted to being Hispanic, I will now tell you that there is no such thing as the "Hispanic" race. It is a fabrication primarily of the United States Government which loves to divide people up and set them against each other.
To the extent that Hispanic has any historical meaning, it would be a reference to people from the Iberian Pennisula of Europe (Spain and Portugal). But now it is pretty much meaningless and certainly has nothing to do with race. It encompasses, blacks of African origin in Jamaica, Haiti, Brazil, Belize and elsewhere. And it encompases various descendents of native Americans either pure blooded or mixed with African or European blood. And it encompasses full blood Europeans like the former President of Mexico, Vincete Fox, who was Irish and Spanish. And it even includes various descendents of Asians that have immigrated to the Southern part of the New World over the last few centuries.
Hispanic encompasses so many different racial groups that it has no racial meaning. The word has more meaning in reference to a culture. But there is vast differences in the cultures of the various countries and regions South of our border too and again it is mainly the arrogance of our government that wants to lump them together. To the extent that there is a common thread in this culture, Latino would be a more authentic word to describe it. But again that word describes a subset of European culture.
There is a cultural problem with the people immigrating from the Latino world and it is particularly prevalent in those that are coming illegally. They are following all the pathologies that lead to a permanent underclass such as extremely high rates of highschool dropout rates, extremely high rates of teenage and out of wedlock preganancy and high rates of drug use and criminal activity. And high rates of participation in criminal gangs. These are not racial disparagements but just statements of observable and well-documented fact. There is something about Latino culture that causes them to not fit very well in our society and causes them to gravitate towards the lower and criminal end of our economy. Even though their culture is extremely and admirably family oriented, as parents they don't seem to put much emphasis on educating their children or guiding them towards behaviors that will allow them to succeed in our economy. In sharp contrast is the outstanding educational and economic achievements of Asian immigrants.
Immigration policy should be designed for the benefit of the EXISTING citizenry. To the extent that the government is carrying out an immigration policy that burdens the existing citizenry by importing a new poverty stricken and uneducated underclass that causes them to have to bear higher taxes and suffer more crime, then it is not surprising that the people are frustrated or furious. It may not be right but some of this righteous and totally justified anger is likely to be expressed in inappropriate racial terms. Mostly these are good people who are being screwed by their government and lack enough education (due to crappy government schools) to realize that their anger should be directed not at the poor immigrants but at the government that brought them here. Nobody suffers more than our existing racial minorities because they end up competing for the same jobs (which now pay less), the same housing (which is now more expensive) and the same crappy schools (which are now even worse because they are overwhelmed with ESL non-Engliush speakers who require all the teacher's attention).
If it turns out that the gang members were illegal aliens, (and something like 60% of all gang memebrs are) then your community has a right to be outraged and their anger should be directed at the government. For about 40 years, since Jimmy Carter, the government has pretty much refused to enforce its own laws against illegal immigration. In all that time, we have maybe seen about 4 years of half-hearted enforcement and two of those came recently at the end of the Bush Administration. President Obama is sending signals that he has no intention of honoring his sworn duty to enforce our laws and is shaping up to be perhaps the worst yet in that respect. Often times, illegal aliens are repeatedly arrested for serious crimes and then turned loose again in our country rather than being deported. If your friends were killed by illegal alien gang members then for most intents and purposes they were effectively murdered by their own government.