What is the state of RACISM today?

Question

In you're personal opinions and accounts, whether you've witnessed it, thought it or honestly inflicted on someone else, what is the state of racism today. Particularly in terms of white and black relations across the U.S. Is it subtle or still fairly overt amongst white or black peers? If so, why? I'm personally curious about other peoples opinions on race relations today. I personally think the "we are the world" answers are a bit niave myself, but if that how you truly feel, so be it. People of all races are welcome to contribute. I personally think it's alive and well in the United States... just surpressed due to laws aiding "minorities" in recent decades. Anyone else?

Answer 1

Racism starts, if you are black, from birth because you are born from parents that are victims of racism. Racism is reinforced in the educational system (under the guise of "Western civilization") Black History Month is not sufficient enough for black children to learn to be proud of the accomplishments of their people. White people learn about all of the great accomplishments of their forefathers but we learn that our forefathers were slaves. Imagine that black child sitting next to that white child as they learn how great the white child's people are but at the same time learning that your people were slaves.
That type of education follows us all of our life. Education is more than "the 3 R's" Education socializes. The educational system also teaches us how to relate one with another so Black history should be taught right along with American history
Because our history in America is American History.

Racism is teaching blacks to think that it is normal to be ruled by generations of white Presidents and white Senators and a white congress (where it is necessary to have a "black caucus" to look after black people) rather than truly exercising our freedom and equality.

Racism is my birth name which is really the name of a White slave owner who had plantations in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Racism is a black woman with blue or green contact lenses and a nose job and a long flowing hair weave.

Racism is a White Jesus hanging on the wall of every Negroes house (Notice that I said "*****.") and on the wall of too many black Church's.

Racism is black people using the "N" word and eating "Soul Food."

Racism is White people who blame Black people for Whiite Racism.

Racism is black people who cry at the memory of the Jewish Holocaust but have been convinced that we should leave that slavery stuff in the past. "stop talking about it."

Racism is white America telling black people to "just get over it."

Racism is white America's refusal to acknowledge the fact that what black America went through in this country has had an effect on every generation of black people to this very day.
Black people are still the victims of racism.
One is a victim unless and until they overcome the situations and circumstances that victimized them.

Racism still exist and it is more than simply someone calling me a "N" word. Racism is when you have the power to make me believe that i am a "N" word.

Answer 2

Since you want white vs. black, I'll tell you what I think of that. I don't like racism of any type. I think it's pointless. I'm also not too keen on "affrimative action" because I feel it can be construed as reversed racism. I think people are way too concerned with being politically correct. My husband was fired for saying more blacks were applying than usual. He's not racist at all, he was just making an observation. I think the media is hard on blacks, and we're still in a state where the Upper class has the most, and the poor are dirt poor. It's nearly impossible for anyone to really better themselves today. The "American Dream" is no longer as attainable as it was once percieved to be, and that makes racist tensions soar.

Answer 3

Racism is defined as one race believing they are superior over another because of race. In this situation, i'd have to say, I have rarely come across people who blatantly act racist. There have been people who have been condescending, however, once they realized I was intelligent, they had to approach me correctly. Everyone is prejudiced to a certain degree, but as long as people can intelligently ascertain what is a rational prejudice vs irrational prejudice, we're ok. It's when people blindly discriminate without taking each situation for what it's worth that has become the problem.

Overall, I think we still a long way to go before we can all sing kumbaya because so many people let their prejudices trickle down to their young. I think my ten month old daughter's generation will be paramount in the beginning of a new direction.

Answer 4

I think the state of RACISM is Mississippi but it could be Alabama, New Mexico, Texas, Florida, New York, California...get the picture. Race relations are definitely improving as "minorities" gain more economic and political power however (comma), institutionalized racist practices are alive and kicking. It is apparent in the disparities that exist in education(schools), income (unequal pay for the same position), the penal system (crimes which are more likely to be committed by poor "minorities" (crack sales) carry more severe sentences than crimes that are more likely to be committed by rich white men (embezzlement), etc. Now I know I am completely biased because I am an African American man but that just shows that Racism still exist because it is a constant in my life and the lives of pretty much every single African American that I know.

Answer 5

Racism of one race to another is alive and well in the US. And unlike some people say, it is against whites, too. My dad's black supervisor is trying to get all of the white people who work there fired so he can hire his black buddies (he has been heard talking about this). I don't think it's fair.

There are still so many things each race has to do to get over it. There are still so many blacks who depend on welfare, who blame whites for everything, and who think they are entitled to getting handouts from the government because of something that happened 400 years ago. They bring down their whole race. And there are still whites who hate because of skin color or because they see so many of the aforementioned blacks they start to dislike all of them. And honestly, I am one of them. I was fine with the black race until Katrina and Rita. What I saw appalled me. I saw an 80 year old man interviewed who said he had never worked a day in his life and didn't plan to,. I know it took too long to get to them, but when they got food, they said that it wasn't good enough. The couple down the road took in a black family who lost their home and when they came home from work one day, the people they took in had stolen everything. There are still people in hotels who refuse to look for work and refuse to better their situation because they think that the government should give them everything. After seeing this and more, I couldn't help but become a little racist. I know it's wrong, but I just couldn't help it.

Answer 6

I think to a certain extent, our society imposes stereotypes on us through media. Racism isn't as overt or violent as it used to be, but small things such as getting ignorant stares or races forming cliques is pretty common now. I am a minority in an interracial relationship, and we do get looked at pretty often. I don't think anything of it, but maybe there will be a day when it is more accepted.

Answer 7

I can't give an accurate view of what's going on in the States, but can try and do so for the UK. I'm English, white and in my late 40's, but living in London after university married a black Nigerian women I had met at a local (multi-cultural) church. I am currently a single father with two mixed race teenage girls living with me in rural Buckinghamshire.

I can honestly say that colour has never been an issue for me, for my wife when she was living with me here or for my children. All of us have friends of all colours and races, as do my son who's at university and my eldest daughter who's at college. I currently attend a church with a black, brown, yellow and white congregation and eveybody gets on fine.

However, not everything in the UK is as healthy as this. Locally there is some resentment against Poles and other (white) East Europeans who have recently acceeded to the EC and are seen as stealing local (mostly low paid) jobs that used to be available to anybody who wanted to work.

In Milton Keynes and other cities where there has been a lot of settlement of refugees - especially Somalians in MK - there is some resentment against the benefits they receive and the priority they appear to get for housing. In many inner cities some areas are slowly moving towards becoming ghettos where as soon as someone makes enough money they move out for a better quality of life, leaving a mix of an underclass and parts of the working class in place. Whites, blacks and Asians will all tend to move when they are affluent enough and as more immigrants and refugees move in, adding to the chldren of those who are left behind, the area can become more marginalised as far as main-stream British culture is concerned.

With the current climate of fear caused by current terrorist actions, this can lead to suspicion towards some cultures and fascist groups such as the British National Party (BNP) will always try to take advantage of this and stir up racial hatred for their own peverted ends.

Answer 8

the first response is an example of ta ype of discrimination called "stereotype". I am a very silly person, but this just isn't funny. it is sad that people are willing to waste their time on hating others just because they are different. I've been called a "N" by 8 year old children! they were cacausian btw . I was with my 4 year old niece at the time, and i'm glad she doesn't know what that is yet. I hope she wont have to grow up in a world full of racism and hate.

Answer 9

I think that in the years to come, caucasians will become the minority. I think that racism spawns from the fact that this country lets anyone in. I explain, the gvt builds homes for immigrants, helps them pay off that home, gives them free education, and jobs. What do we get? Jack-****! We have to pay taxes so that those immigrants can have a better life than us. I think that's why racism is alive and well.

Answer 10

Racism is alive and flourishing no matter how subtle.