Are racism levels higher today than when you grew up?

Answer 1

I think big progress has been made in attitudes. Separate but equal was an accepted as good in the South and other major cities throughout the US. Now, there is a recognition that overt racial discrimination is wrong and illegal in most situations.

In addition, we have some very powerful and charismatic personalities in politics, media, and entertainment that help the image of many minorities.

However, there is still a lot of predjudice among the elite who do not mix with other races and classes. There is still hidden predjudices everywhere that related to race and socioeconomic status. Most police treat wealthy individuals differently than a poor person. Living in poor neighborhoods and being a minority can be very oppressive.

It seems like the wealthy are increasing their separation from others through separate housing, private clubs, private health benefits, excessive resource consumption, and private security. If you don't have the means to live in the right neighborhood, you will see ever increasing crime and ever increasing survelance, although that's not the same as security. The rate of imprisonment among many minority populations is astonding.

Privatization of government services is damaging our infrastructure and making life more difficult for people of lower incomes. I believe that poverty and the high rate if imprisonment is a racial issue.

Answer 2

There's always has been racism. My self I'm brown (nationality unknown) and was adopted by white people and raised in Alabama, so I've seen both sides and have many friends of all races that I grew up with. I never really felt racism in my small town cause everyone knew me and my outgoing personality, But when I got older and moved to other states where I began to meet new people it was made clear that the world still has lots of hate. Now days people think I'm hispanic (which I may well be) and I couldn't even begin to tell you the evil looks and comments I get from the white people here in GA. I try to kill there scoweled faces with kindness but you always have some that just keep on hating, not giving anyone a chance. As I heard in a qoute from the movie Bulworth, "I think blacks should be doing whites, whites should be doing blacks and keep making babies till every one is brown so maybe then we can all get along."

Answer 3

I think, on the whole, they are down, but we are more aware of existing racism. By the 80's, it was already socially unacceptable to say racist things in polite society. At the same time, this was before widespread cable TV, satellite radio, and the internet, so most people were limited to hearing the attitudes of the people they knew, and mainstream TV, radio and newspapers. Back then, if you were livin in middle class suburbia, you could easily have convinced yourself that racism in America was almost dead. Now, it's much easier to be exposed to the opinions of the 10-20% of the population that are really racists. On top of that, racism by blacks against whites seems to have become much more socially acceptable in the last 20 years.

Answer 4

I also grew up in the 50`s and 60`s. I`m part Indian so I was cut down alot,made to look like a dumb indian. When times changed ,people started to understand better that all Indians just didn`t go around scalping people and cause people to fear them like was taught in schools. I started being accepted alot of years later when the truth came out. As far as blacks,there hardly were any in my small Wisc. town. I didn`t see any problems until I started going out to bars and felt the guys were trying to use me and the fighting between blacks and whites was endless. A person just learns so much afterwhile about race and alot that has to do with it is the parents who teach the children to hate, by showing their prejudices. Nowadays it`s more accepted,but as soon as one race pulls crap-then it gets a person going. Jewish people were hated[still are],so it can be white against white. So many,many different reasons we have. I think there`s alot more protection of minorities than ever before. Now that law of hate crimes is a big one. Look at the poor living conditions compared to rich-Katrina is a good example of all the blacks that died and the rich living higher up on land because they could afford to and turned the lower level into slums. Looks like money is a big factor in race,no matter what color. Whites do control alot,always have-power and money,greed,etc. The hatred starts with the name calling and I get mad,who doesn`t? And then there`s the jokes and all about every race. I think it will be never ending until we all get blown to pieces and then we`ll have to answer to God.[I`ll probably be a white ghost-HA!]

Answer 5

The racism level has dramatically dropped after it became the limelight of discussions, movements, protests in the late 60's and early 70's. Today it is not at the National level as it was then, appreciated from the cross-overs, television programs to non-segregated schools. Today, it is just a few who continue to play and spin it from both sides.

Answer 6

In some measures, it's up from the 80's. People are less likely to hang with other racial groups now than 20 years ago.

Answer 7

Actually it is higher. Multiculturalism is the cause of that. People naturally and normally seek those that are the same as themselves. It is not evil, or wrong, or any of that other Marxist garbage that the egalitarians say that it is. It just is a biological fact that people tend to prefer their own kind.

Answer 8

I agree with Learn Spanish... I grew up in the 50's and 60's.. Racism is the same today as it was then.. The racists are more careful in public than they use to be. Public access of course is greatly improved by the civil rights act in the 60's. The hatred is still there however and exists on both sides.

Answer 9

No, I have lived thru the 60's until now....Racism is down, however stupidity has dramatically increased...especially as far as politicians go...

Answer 10

In some respects yes. I feel it is because the whole race card has been played as an escape route from wrong behavior. That creates anger and nullifies real racial issues.