Why do a vast majority of white people seem to think racism no longer exists?

Question

I ask this question because I recently came across a disturbing answer to a question, that essentially said blacks should move on and stop living in the past. NEWS FLASH racism is far from in the past its still occuring and quite prevalent in today's society! Insights on this topic would be appreciated.

I am finding alot of these comments helpful; however as a black female who's worked very hard to get a full scholarship to college I find some of the comments about Blacks being "let" into school due to affirmative action offensive. Alot of people including myself have worked very hard for our acceptance into college and I say this as simply a minority period affirmative action doesn't get you a 4.0 GPA; furthermore colleges have eligibility specifications if you weren't qualified you transcript wouldn't even be looked upon as potential student material.

Answer 1

Because they don't and won't experience it, they have no exposure to the issue, and not knowing it's concequences and the issues they don't feel that it's still existant, but it is... being a south asian living in the USA i have experienced a lot of racism and been the victim of it... I know how horrible it is.. but i know that I'm lucky not to be the victim of racial genocide, it's a horrible thing that still plagues the world... and it must be stopped thats why the awareness or racism must be promoted within the white community...

Answer 2

I agree with you that racism still exists, But I also agree that everyone, not just black people should stop living in the past. All that happened a long time ago and the black people are not the only people in the world who have been slaves.

We all need to look at today's world. I come from ancestors who were slaves to the first American's. I am Part Commanche. So what, that has nothing to do with who I am now. I make my own way in life and so should everyone else. Sure, I could be an alcoholic and blame all my problems on my indian ancestory, but why.

Parents need to encourage their children to do better than mom and dad did. Individuals need to strive to improve their own lives and people in general need to help each other out.

Answer 3

One reason that a lot of younger people don't think of racism as being an issue is because they think that they are so far removed from the days when there was a major Civil Rights Movement. For those who think that racism doens't exist at all..... more than likely they have not been a victim of racism and do not have to think about it on a daily basis as some who are a part of a minority have to.

Answer 4

Further to previous answers, racism has become incredibly taboo and so it does not surface in mainstream society. It is not accepted. Being rasied in an 'anti-racist' society, let's say, means you grow up thinking it is wrong. And indeed it is. That said, some people do gravitate towards racist remarks, thoughts etc which I think is usually down to ignorance more than anything.

I'd also point out that I'm sure 'a vast majority' of white people don't think racism has ceased to exist, its just accepted as a major, big, uneccessary faux pas. And that racism is not just down to white people. If nobody thinks racism exists, then surely it doesn't exist. But it does.

Anyway, those are my thoughts!!!

Answer 5

I find that disturbing as well. I think it's a sort of self-imposed tunnel vision. It's easier not to see the truth for so many people. They look around and see the veneer of certain small advances - more black characters/shows on TV/movies for instance, and it comforts them in some strange way and convinces them, because they WANT to be convinced, that all is well in 2006 for the most part. It isn't, and I've found that people like this simply don't want to hear it. They have put blinders on and God forbid anyone try to rip those blinders off. Racism is still alive and well in this country and anyone who thinks it is not needs a huge reality check.

Answer 6

As a white person, I far from think rascism is over. Then again, I live in a heavily black and Hispanic populated area, so I see it every day. In fact, I've experienced rascism against myself for being white.
"Moving on and stop living in the past" is not really an option, because there are still people out there that perpetuate the stereotypes. Many of them are whites that are in all white neighborhoods, and don't deal with blacks on a regular basis; they don't see a different picture.

Answer 7

Unfortunately racism will NEVER be over. Even if everyone looked identical there would be something to hate each other about. It's very sad. But racism goes in all sorts of ways not just white hates black, but black hates white. And thats not including the mexicans, middleasterns, asians. So I guess we'll just have to learn to Tolerate each other since we obviously can't stop hating each other.

Answer 8

Racism does,damn it still exists to this day, I am a 38 year old man, white, and I got slapped if we (my brother and I) ever said **** n----r or
w-p( for Italian, my best friend in school was a black dude and he would tease me about how uncool white people were (joking) and Wesley and I are on great terms today. But yes, it is prevalent today especially in the South. I actually talked to this cute girl ( not so cute after what she said) she actually said " so are there a lot of Ni---ers in California? I said yeah and a lot of racist white trash like you.I was in Florida at the time. I hope to God it will stop. My friend Wesley said he still gets pulled over for DWB (Driving While Black) and I feel so bad and ashamed at my white counterparts. It will go away with education, how much blacks have played a role in our society and hope, which I have a lot of.

Answer 9

I agree, every time a white student is not allowed to attend the public school closest to his or her home in order to promote racial diversity, that's racism. Every time a white student who is qualified is not selected to attend college because a black student gets selected instead in order to fill a quota required for affirmative action, that's racism too! When ever a black calls a white person a honky or a cracker and the white responds with the "N" word and gets fired from his job, that's racism. Yes, racism still exists.

Answer 10

well of course it exists,but a lot of white people have moved on from the hate. especially the young ER generation. a lot of that i think has to do with music, music has always been the thing that threw blacks and whites together. all generations past had to deal with youth coming together to dance. hip hop may have it's negative side as all things do but it too has closed some gaps in racism. young whites just don't hate like they use to.i believe that this new generation will help put an end to racism with all this interracial dating and sharing of music,etc. i think the world is a changing.