Racism no longer exist?

[DoesntMatter]

I learned Spanish and Italian, but Portuguese wouldn't be so bad because of Brazil. My friend told me people in Brazil are born into thongs

But yes, racism will always exist. And is still VERY strongly exists. In high school a lot of kids hated Italians and regularly told me how much they hate us greasy wops. It never really bothered me because I knew how dumb it was, although I did explode *one* day. My dad from Italy thought their Italian hating was pretty funny

[bluesummer]

So all this aside, maybe we should stop wondering if Obama was voted in because of the black population. The black population is not big enough to vote in a president on it's own, so obviously people of different backgrounds were supporting him too. I never gave a shit that he was black in the first place, I'm just happy he's not Republican and that Bush is finally done. I also found him incredibly well spoken and clearly intelligent, unlike the guy who's been running the show for the last eight years. I guess that's what I find so amazing about all this.....how people are so focused on the fact that he's black. How about the fact that he's got great qualities deserving of a presidency.

[DoesntMatter]

Speaking skills are no indication of intelligence

[bluesummer]

Did I say he was intelligent BECAUSE of how he spoke? No.

[DoesntMatter]

You didn't directly say that but you probably inferred a lot about his intelligence from the way he talks just like a lot of people do in general. Even in your description of him being well spoken and intelligent the two went side by side like they usually do

[doppelgaenger]

I'm sorry, they have just as much of a choice as anyone else. My aunt is native, and she's a well educated playwright and author. I have a friend who put herself through accounting programs to get off the reserve. They had a choice and they took it.

I liked the video Lipp posted, because although it's funny, it's TRUE of every race/culture in the world. There's always the whiny ignorant bunch that spoil it for the ones that are out doing well for themselves and representing their community well.

Oh, and hey Indi - I give you kudos for learning Mandarin. I've always wanted to learn, but it looks very intimidating. I learned Punjabi instead.....slightly easier.

You're wrong; a lot of Native Americans DON'T have a choice; while reservations are not densely populated, and poverty exists throughout, they are stuck with the school closest to their area. Native American schools in this region are much worse off than regular schools. In fact, one of the NA schools in my home area was one of the top 10 worst high schools to go to in the entire United States, when I was in high school. My stepfather is the principal of these schools (who is trying to clean the shit up), and I have worked on NA school campuses, and seen first-hand what it's like.

A lot of it is because children are not raised properly, and when they go to school, they turn into rebellious students, who eventually drop out and join gangs and all this stupid shit. They start doing drugs and all this other stuff, and the parents don't try to discipline their kids; in fact some of them will 'toke it up' with their own kids. It's ****ing sad, and I've watched it happen, with nothing to do except hope for maybe the government to come in and help clean it up.

Ultimately, yes it depends on the person's choices, but you can only work with the materials at hand. It's kinda hard to make something of yourself when your parents are total crap, your teachers don't give a **** about you, and the government hasn't cared enough to fix this problem, because yes it's a ****ing problem.

[Gribble]

You didn't directly say that but you probably inferred a lot about his intelligence from the way he talks just like a lot of people do in general. Even in your description of him being well spoken and intelligent the two went side by side like they usually do

Haven't you seen the old commercial? "It may not be fair, but society judges you by the way you speak. Buy our comprehensive vocabulary program so you don't sound like a ****ing douche." Maybe the pitch wasn't quite like that.

[bluesummer]

You're wrong; a lot of Native Americans DON'T have a choice; It's ****ing sad, and I've watched it happen, with nothing to do except hope for maybe the government to come in and help clean it up.

Ultimately, yes it depends on the person's choices, but you can only work with the materials at hand. It's kinda hard to make something of yourself when your parents are total crap, your teachers don't give a **** about you, and the government hasn't cared enough to fix this problem, because yes it's a ****ing problem.

How is the government going to 'clean it up'? I don't know how it works in the USA, but in Canada, these reserves get ****ing MILLIONS of dollars each year (which sadly are quite often are inappropriately handled by the chiefs or elders). Their housing is free. Their power is free. The get subsidies for everything......and free university. So the government is giving them all this stuff, and they're doing nothing with it. If I had free university, I'd be all over it. In fact, I know for a FACT that the kids here get $20k when they turn 18....a one-time subsidy from the government (the area I live in is bordered by reserves on all sides). What do they do with it? My best friend at the bank has had the kids come in and tell her they bought custom-made 'bling' with it. Or pot. Or other useless shit.

The teachers in the native schools are quite often native....they're given preference upon graduating with their education degree. You think they'd want to try and better their own community, but the level of education in these communities is still the lowest in the country. These people just don't TRY to help thmeselves. The few that make something of themselves either take advantage of their own communities or just aren't willing to give back and help raise the community up to a higher standard. The government can't do this for them. They have to want to help themselves, and for most of them, it's just too much work. It's easier to keep on the way they've been going.

[doppelgaenger]

How is the government going to 'clean it up'? I don't know how it works in the USA, but in Canada, these reserves get ****ing MILLIONS of dollars each year (which sadly are quite often are inappropriately handled by the chiefs or elders). Their housing is free. Their power is free. The get subsidies for everything......and free university. So the government is giving them all this stuff, and they're doing nothing with it. If I had free university, I'd be all over it. In fact, I know for a FACT that the kids here get $20k when they turn 18....a one-time subsidy from the government (the area I live in is bordered by reserves on all sides). What do they do with it? My best friend at the bank has had the kids come in and tell her they bought custom-made 'bling' with it. Or pot. Or other useless shit.

The teachers in the native schools are quite often native....they're given preference upon graduating with their education degree. You think they'd want to try and better their own community, but the level of education in these communities is still the lowest in the country. These people just don't TRY to help thmeselves. The few that make something of themselves either take advantage of their own communities or just aren't willing to give back and help raise the community up to a higher standard. The government can't do this for them. They have to want to help themselves, and for most of them, it's just too much work. It's easier to keep on the way they've been going.

Throwing money in someone's face doesn't solve their problems. And that's the exact criticism I have of the government; their knee-slapping way of handling the situation.

NA teachers have to teach NA students, because anyone who comes from outside the community doesn't understand that NAs need to be taught differently (because of the way they are raised). So they get all excited about lesson plans and stuff, only to find out how hard it is to get students to cooperate, or even just to come to class. Not only this, but you have the teachers who just stop trying altogether because they feel hopeless that their teachings bear no fruits, and then the students who do have a chance don't get the education they need. Very few people make it through that system and end up aiming for higher education.

People like my persistent stepdad are the kind of people they need running those things. He's really cleaned up the school he's been working at for only 2 years. He used to be the dean of a NA college, but it shut down because of this problem. It's not as good as it could be, but it's getting there.

And you know, this is where I disagree with you. I think government should be held more responsible for those problems. I mean, I think they should be giving help with how the money should be spent. This is where socialism is needed; to fix leaky homes and give decent homes to people who don't even have one. One of my parents' best friends has a 7 year old boy, and they don't even have running ****in' water. That's a disgrace to humanity to let things like that happen. I mean, do you just let the drunkard drink himself to death, or do you get him to go through rehab to help him get back on the right path? Or do you just throw money at him and expect him to change on his own.

You're a smoker. How hard is it for you to quit YOUR habits, bluesummer? Well the habits that have formed in NA societies to day are much more rampant and harder to get rid of. And nobody really gives a **** about NAs because they don't know what's going on over on the other side of the river. They are people too and throughout the history of America, 'Americans' have ****ed them over, and that is why things are the way they are today.

Another example: how are you going to get ahold of your insecurities without the help of a counselor? It would take a long ****in' time wouldn't it? Well that's the epitome of what I am talking about here.

[Only-virgins]

I hate it when they complain about everything and blame it on the fact that they are black. They will do that forever. Some of those dumb mother****ers still seem to think that they were slaves. They were not slaves, their ancestors were slaves...there is a huge freaking difference.

Speaking skills are no indication of intelligence

Neither are math skills.

[doppelgaenger]

Some people do use racism as an excuse to get away with bullshit, OV. But like it or not, many minorities feel as though they are being oppressed, and they still are in quite a few places. Even in places like Germany, Turks are treated the same way. Minorities are always stereotyped by the general reputation, i.e. since many black people are poor, that means they are all lying stealing sons of bitches. That's not true, but there are so many people who judge that way, and it's sad to say that "this great nation" does such things. I mean, since they have been oppressed a lot in the past, and a little less nowadays, they are kind of like a child refugee who has lived on a warfront; they flinch at any resemblance of violence, etc.

Just the way it is folks.

[Only-virgins]

Some people do use racism as an excuse to get away with bullshit, OV. But like it or not, many minorities feel as though they are being oppressed, and they still are in quite a few places. Even in places like Germany, Turks are treated the same way. Minorities are always stereotyped by the general reputation, i.e. since many black people are poor, that means they are all lying stealing sons of bitches. That's not true, but there are so many people who judge that way, and it's sad to say that "this great nation" does such things. I mean, since they have been oppressed a lot in the past, and a little less nowadays, they are kind of like a child refugee who has lived on a warfront; they flinch at any resemblance of violence, etc.

Just the way it is folks.

That is weird, I think the rich are the damn thieves lol. I understand about the oppression but if you look here in the USA, other than words there is no oppression. They get jobs just as easily now and can finish school if they have the time and brains for it.

[DoesntMatter]

Neither are math skills.

Keep thinking that if it makes you feel better

[Only-virgins]

Keep thinking that if it makes you feel better

Sure will, the truth always makes me feel better.

[Zilla80]

I've been prejudiced against for being caucasian countless times. Yeah, that's right.....for being CAUCASIAN. I don't look for it though, and I don't let it get to me. More people need to adopt this attitude.

That's because historically caucasians have not endured the same suffering and prejudices that other races, specifically blacks, have had to endure.

So when you are prejudiced against it's a lot easier for you to "not let it get to you". For god's sake how long did white's tell these people they were less than a human being just because of the color of their skin. People tend to forget 1960 wasn't that long ago.

You taste but a TINY fraction of what others have had to go through. I usually don't get involved in these because their is no arguing with ignorance (see t00lc00l) gets you no where. I just found it quite humorous a white woman being the voice here of how to handle racism.

Again, what a stupid ****ing thread this is.