Why is racism still so prevalent in America.?

Question

Why does the color of my skin have so much bearing on the way that people interact with me and percieve how I am or should be?

Answer 1

Oh boy. This is a question most intelligent people try to avoid. Not me. And I guess that says something for me.
Having grown up and been an active participant in the civil rights demostrations and activities of the 60s, I have observed one very problematic concept that was adopted, early on. Black men and women of that era feel into and adopted the concept of a seperate identity and observance of customs of their original countries. There is nothing wrong with this except in a fight to be absorbed and accepted into American culture it has become impossible for Whites and other races to accept them since any moves to do so will be rejected.
Many of the injustices done to Black Americans by those who pervert our way of life were, of course, wrong and horrible.
If you look at the European style of life and society you see that this hasn't happened, mainly because the injection of those of color in their societies happened over a very long period of time and gradually. We on the other hand forced the issue and moved ahead, perhaps, too fast.
Now, something worse has happened. White Americans are adopting the culture of African Americans in a big way which makes the problem worse because they are recognizing the differences.
There is no easy answer and I am glad you didn't ask how we can fix it because, I have no answer to that question.

Answer 2

Hate to not follow the politically correct crowd here, but different races DO have different characteristics, although not necessarily bad or good, just different from each other. It's human nature to put things - anything - whether it be people, cars, houses, places, toys, whatever, into categories. Now, if someone hates you just because of your skin color, that's another issue altogether, and is blatent racism. But that's not what you're saying - what you're saying is people have expectations of the way you'll act/be because of your skin color. Why is that any different than looking at an American Indian and expecting them to be spiritual and a lover of nature? It's not that it's a bad thing, it's just that that is a big part of their culture. So if I'm way off the mark I apologize, but that's my 2 cents.

Answer 3

The simple answer is because some people are stupid. People tend to clutter up their mind with small things, and have no room left for big things; like how to treat our fellow man. We are all identical in the eyes of God, no matter which God is worshiped. Those who have no religion are ineffective in seeing beyond the self. Yet, at ther same time, someone who dwells upon bearing on what others think of him, only knew how seldom others actually recollect about him, racism would decline. In order to have tue racism, it is necvessary to have players on both sides.

If you have time, go back to read the biographies and autobiographies of those who transended the idea of racism. Those invividuals, simply did not let what others thought get in their way. Look at Martin Luther King, Bill Cosby, Nelson Mandella, Coretta Scott King, Alan Keyes, Thomas Sowell, Colin Powell, Clarence Thomas. and Condoleeza Rice..to nme some in recent past and in the present.. One characteristic these people all possess, is their ability to close their ears to people who make their living making it doomed rccism is forever perpetuated. Those such as Jesse Jackson, in the United States, while pretending to fight racism, are are actually making their living by promoting the idea racism exists forever, The Black Colitition would lose their power if the "race card' was not consistintly played. Sylvia McKinney actually hit a Capital policerman, yet she yelled "racism" when there was none. Representavive McKinney ultimately got off, but not without raising the ire of both
blacks and whites. The same senario was raised by Louisana Congressman, William Jefferson. The Democrats voted him off the prestigious House Ways and Means Committee. He screamed "racism." The Black caucus stood solidly behind Jefferson, also shouting "racism." Is it racism to remove a man who decidly was found with real cold cash...$90,000 wrapped up and stored in his home freezer? When any person of color commits a crime and is caught, certain elements in Black society attach "racism" to the charge. By doing such, the idea of racism is perpetuated.

I am white...but part Native American. I am able to tell you with complete verity, that I do not see people in colors. Recently, I returned from an African nation, where no racism exists. There is no racism, because there is no person or group perpetuating the racist mind. It was a joy to see such a society. In truth, my Black and white friends look beyond racism to the individual. It is the quality of the person which we value. Banish the bloodsucking so called, Black leaders, whose very existence depends upon preserving the idea that racism is alive today. The color of your skin is not important, what is important is what resides within your heart.

About a week ago, someone left their car in our driveway. No one was in the car. My husband was looking in the car when a couple black young men drove up. They were apprehensive, but polite. The one man explained the car had run out of gas and he did not wish to leave it on the street. He had a container of gas, but not a container that one pours gas into a gas tank. My husband went into the garage to get a gas can, He poured the gasoline into the gas can and then into the car. He was thanked by ther owner of the car. My husband gave the young man the gas can, becuase he had more than one. The car owner was astounded, visible so. The car owner said. "Wow, you people are nice." My husband said. "We try." That young man went away knowing not all whites are racist. It is a start. Racism is stupidity.

The real ideal for this county is that everyman be on the same level with every other. Every man should have liberty, with no strings attached, to become what God made him.

Answer 4

I believe it's because human beings have this ingrained desire to feel superior to someone else. some people can recognize and surpress these feelings. Others let them rise to the surface. Now you can't necessarily look at someone to figure out if you're smarter than them or richer than them, etc. So you need something else to help you pinpoint why you're better than them. And the easiest way to do that is skin color. It's a handy-dandy quick and easy way to feel superior. I mean, there are white trailer trash hillbillies in Applachia who feel they are better than, say, Colin Powell, simply because they are white and he is black. I believe that if a meteor crashed on the earth tomorrow and turned everyone's skin blue, humans would find some other way to single out who the "bad" humans are. People with big ears would hate those people with small ears and groups would form to wipe out "those fcuking smallies"...

Answer 5

Because your culture seems to thrive on keeping it alive.The FIRST reason you turnto is skin color. you dont even THINK it may be anything else. . For me personally it is not the color of your skin. But the culture itself. In general you all like to play the “victim” status. And not take responsibility for your own actions. .. there are some very bright. Very hard working very intelligent blacks. But those are the exceptions. The rest fall into the poor poor me void and let America give them hand outs.

Answer 6

I'm surprised that such a great question has received so few answers thus far. Here are some of my own opinions as to why racism is still so prevalent in America:

* I believe that we are all a product of our environment; everything we see, hear, do, experience, and witness (passively or actively) shapes our perception, our morals, our values, and our beliefs. Therefore, if we are exposed regularly to racism in any form, it is likely that we, too, will adopt a racist point of view ourselves. This is NOT guaranteed, however. Many people raised in racist environments grow up and form their own anti-racist dispositions. It all depends on the individual person.

* Everyone loves to blame the media for racism, and many are tired of hearing about it...but I believe that if we are consistently bombarded with images of certain races involved in crime (more than our own race), we may very well get caught up in believing that a particular race is more "criminally predisposed" than others. We are also barraged with commercials depicting only certain races in "need" of a particular product/service over others.

CASE IN POINT: This morning, I was pretty disturbed by a local (low-budget for sure) auto sales commercial geared toward individuals with poor or no credit. Out of the 5 or 6 people shown in the commercial describing how they were given a car loan despite their "bad" credit, ALL were African American but one. Even worse, each of the African American testimonials described a situation in which the "bad credit" was his/her own fault. Examples: "My last car was re-possessed, and (insert car dealer) STILL said yes!" or "I'm between jobs and have to rely on government assistance, and (insert car dealer) STILL said yes!" ...you get the idea. The ONLY caucasian in the commercial was a middle-aged woman who said, "My credit is bad because of my recent divorce, but (insert car dealer) STILL said YES!" Obviously, the caucasian woman's "situation" comes across as a more "acceptable" situation - not so much her fault as she was newly divorced; whereas the African-Americans (who made up the majority of testimony-givers in the ad) describe situations that clearly indicate that they are at fault for their poor credit. What message does this send to viewers? Black people don't pay their bills and have awful credit. White people have bad luck, leading to bad credit.

With messages like these being delivered to us daily, it's no surprise that racism still exists. Only independent, strong-minded people who think for themselves are able to recognize -- and dismiss -- such nonsense and view people as PEOPLE, not an assortment of colors, ranked by someone else's notion of superiority.

I could go on about this, but I'm sure you get the idea -- and that other intelligent people will be able to add their own viewpoints on the issue.

So I'll leave you with something to consider: If there were no such thing as eyesight -- would racism still exist?

I think I'll post that as my next question on this thing! :)

Answer 7

don't take this the wrong way but i believe that sometimes the race card is overplayed. i think that racism is still all over but sometimes you see accusations of it that have no truth whatsoever. i think that it makes many people insensitive when they hear about legitimate cases. bigotry is all over. some negative stereotypes are perpetuated by rap. like all blacks being gangster and toting guns all over. but on the other hand some people are just living in a very backwards way. you can't force them to change the way they think you just have to try to educate them.

Answer 8

I don't know man, It could be you. I'm not racist but i live in the south, like deep south. I don't really see it much anymore. YES there are still a lingering amout of idiots still saying "******". People really are over it, you should try to not go straight to the race thing. You can do or be whoever you want, race does not have to be a deciding point in it, unless you let it be.

Answer 9

It's part of humanity to hate/fear those who are different. So when you say "still" and "America" you're limiting your understanding.

Humans have always been racist / tribal. Check all the wars and genocides in history.

It will never go away completely.

Quote, I can't remember who, about "civilization is just a thin veneer over the savage"

Answer 10

united states of america is what it truly is, and the race difficulty will constantly be as long as united states of america exists. Ever considering the fact that Colombus got here upon united states of america and took the land far flung from the Indians, race has come into prepare, or maybe in the present day there'll be those that detest different persons with the aid of colour of their epidermis, and that's a shame as all of us bleed pink, and to me it shows the lack of information of one that makes use of the colour of a epidermis of a individual instruct their relationship in the direction of that individual.