Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 45 replies, 43 voices, and was last updated 18 years, 7 months ago by
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Several respondees mentionted that it’s okay to have BET (Black Entertainment Television) because most networks are white-owned. What does ownership have to do with the network label? You don’t see any TV networks with the label ‘White Entertainment Television’ because the owner would be publicly villified and dubbed a skinhead. Why isn’t the reverse true?
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Name : Brian23010, City : Spokane, State : WA, Country : United States,From the book ‘Cultural Awareness in the Human Services’ Consider the following two sentences: 1. Americans are still prejudices against blacks. 2. Americans still earn less money than do whites. The first sentence is clear, but the second is not because the conventional use of the word ‘Americans’ has become equated with ‘whites.’ It’s puzzling because one is not used to calling ‘Americans’ anything else but whites. Clearly, we still have a long way to go to overcome racism. One more point, although fair lending laws have been enacted, blacks continue to fall FAR behind whites in home-ownership. Why? If a white person and a black person were to go into a bank showing the same income level and wanting to purchase the same-valued home, the black person would be turned down 50% of the time. Is this equality? I say no.
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Name : Lita, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 32, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College,Of course, most white folks feel the same way you do. But to say such thing is considered racist or anti-black. My theory is this. For the past thirty years, our leaders in government have been telling black folks they cannot succeed without the help of the government. Affirmative action, quotas, etc. As a result, whenever there is talk of removing those rights, you get whining and crying from the black minority groups as well as the liberal democrats who push these programs. This minority has been brainwashed into thinking they are helpess without their government ‘parent’ to get them ahead in life and the democratic politicians can guarantee themselves the black vote in every election by continuing to perpetuate this lie.
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Name : Steve F., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 30, City : Longview, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,There is discrimination against whites in the black culture,(books music, etc.)just as there was and to a certain extent is discrimination against blacks in the white culture. In ones own art we are not obligated to tell the truth as others see it. As for the bias in American history, there should be a balanced telling of the facts without exaggeration either way. You may feel that the blacks of today are owed something for the wrongs of yesterday, but sensible people deal with the world as it is not as you wish it could be. Some have commented that there isn’t enough ethnic programming on the major channels, but most of the programming has elements that are universal and can be enjoyed by everyone. If there is one thing that I wish could change in this country it would be that people would quit dividing things into white this and black that and just have our this and that. We live in this country together and always will. If you want a greater voice then take it! But don’t start preaching that you deserve something because of who your ancesters were,(black or white) because in this country You get what you EARN not What you deserve. I’m white and nobody ever gave me anything because of it. I never had any perceptable advantage because of my color. I got myself an education and a job and no one ever paid my way but me. In short I’m saying you don’t need a special month. What you need is protection from discrimination and thats all. The rest is up to you. Go earn what you want and stop whining.
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Name : Walter24362, Gender : M, Religion : Christian, Age : 44, City : Orlando, State : FL, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College,I agree with what you’re saying. What does ‘black pride’ mean to you? Strong men and women, days of remembrance, community bonding? What does ‘white pride’ mean to you? The Ku Klux Klan, skineads, Nazis? Yet many whites are proud of our heritage, proud of our color, proud of our strengths, without wishing to deny other races their right to happiness. I oppose any system which favors any race over any other for any reason besides merit. Affirmative action puts second-class surgeons, second-class teachers, and second-class airplane pilots on the job, merely because they appear black or brown. It’s not rational, and it’s not right. I want the best society, not the most ‘fair.’
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Name : Olive, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Rationalist, Age : 19, City : Denver, State : CO, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,to answer your question, yes, affirmative action creates a slippery constitutional crisis by attempting to reverse racial privlege with different racial privlege. how do we end it when it’s done? how do we determine when it’s done? concievably there could be a period of overlap in a future when african americans can enjoy equal opportunity without being profiled by police and store clerks, insurance and real estate redlining, and predatory loans, and affirmative action then provides african americans special privleges over whites. but affirmative action was implemented to counter the constitutional crisis created when ‘all men are created equal’ was written by men who had other men tending their homes and buisineses without recompensation or dignity of self-governence. the dream of a society in which privlege is earned by merit rather than parsed out or withheld by a preexisting elite has never been realised in the u.s. (although more here than anywhere else). if the exaggerations of demegougues from both sides of the debate who have a stake in keeping everybody pitted against one other get under your skin, i don’t think affirmative action is so constrictive on whites that you can’t simply tune them out and live your life.
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Name : Justin26844, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Racism is alive and well in the USA.I used to think like you but recently I’ve been questioning that.I work with a 30 yr old black man and we’ve talked quit a bit about racism and discrimination. I’ve really tried to pay closer attention to how blacks and whites relate.Among our co-workers I can see how blacks are treated different from the whites,by the whites.Things are really bad in Cincinnati now,there’s a boycott going on because of alot of blacks being shot by white cops.Some of these blacks were running away from the cops and were literally shot in the back.Blacks may have their own TV channels but that’s because the whites have every other channel.Blacks may have their own scholarship programs but that’s because many whites have no problem getting a scholarship, but many blacks do.In a perfect world the best person would get the job,regardless of skin color, but we don’t live in a perfect now do we?So sometimes the minority needs a leg up.There are some bosses out ther who wouldn’t hire a black person,solely because they’re black.This is why some sort of affirmative action is needed.I do feel that affirmative action can sometimes go to far,though.Just some things to think about.
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Name : SamSlick28286, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 33, City : Dayton, State : OH, Country : United States,All the cable channels are owned by white people. BET is owned by viacom – same folks own that crappy video store called blockbuster also.
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Name : Shawn28113, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 27, City : Sacramento, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Media Tech, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Wow! When it comes to affirmative action, emotions run high on both sides. It seems to me that when people respond to this issue, neither side seems to be trying to put themselves in another person’s place. Both sides tend to use phrases like ‘all blacks,’ ‘all whites,’ ‘you all,’ etc. If you’re white, try to think from the perspective of growing up black in an inner-city black neighborhood: Imagine being forced to go to a dangerous school, which offers an inferior education and still managing to get a decent SAT score, but being denied admission to a college because the score wasn’t as high as that of a student who lived in a wealthy, white district and had access to expensive SAT courses, etc. I think this could justify some bitterness. Also, imagine if your speech and dress pattern were interpreted as ‘ghetto’ by potential employers and seen as a sign of inferior intelligence or integrity, rather than simply different from the ‘white’ style. On the flip side, if you’re black, imagine being Asian and being a first generation American whose parents came from another country and speak little or no english, came to the U.S. with little or no money, struggle to support their children in a new country. Now imagine if, despite working hard and having many disadvantages (parents who don’t speak english, socioeconomic status, racism), you managed to perform well in high school and get a great SAT score, but then can’t get into a select college because your race is considered a ‘priveleged’ minority. Basically, in my opinion, many of these issues are more complicated than a lot of people are suggesting, and I think people should keep trying to have dialogues with each other to learn both sides of the issue.
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Name : Robert B., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Episcopalian, Age : 26, City : Houston, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Med Student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,You read one book that features derogatory comments towards caucasians, and you’re upset? Now imagine how a lot of African-Americans feel dealing with derogatory comments and treatment EVERY DAY. Just because you’re not saying racist things, doesn’t mean some ignorant slob down the street isn’t. How long have there been ‘black’ cable channels? How long has Black History Month (that’s ONE month out of twelve) been observed? Please stop complaning. Every month is Straight White Man month! every scholarship is Straight White Man scholarship. It wasn’t until very recently that social minorities (be they minorities of race, religion, ability, or sexuality)have had the courage to raise their collective voice in the face of such oppression. Read a history book, and see how the Europeans (read:’white man’) came to America, and after having slaughtered thousands of First Nations people (which is another thing altogether), forced African men to work as slaves for them while they raped their wives, and tell me that for one second, African Americans don’t deserve EVERYTHING they’ve fought for. At least ACKNOWLEDGE the, oh, say 300 years of Caucasian oppression towards African Americans. When was the last time you were refused treatment at a medical center because you were straight? Was there ever a time you couldn’t get on a bus, or eat in a restaurant because you were white? Have the cops ever pulled you over at night because they accused you of ‘looking suspicious?’ These things still happen to minorities, and it’s because of ignorance, like the kind you show with the remark ‘Isn’t it time we… get off the bandwagon with the rights issue?’ You think Homosexuals have the same rights as straights? Ask a gay man if he’s considered donating to a sperm bank. He’ll tell you he’s not allowed to because he’s gay. Ask him about adoption. Ask him about marriage. Ask yourself if you’re sure there still isn’t a rights problem. Still feel like getting off the ‘bandwagon?’
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Name : Josh, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 21, City : Toronto, State : NA, Country : Canada, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower class,You are right that any group may discriminate or be racist against another, but to say that the situation has reversed and that whites are now predominantly the victims of discrimination is completely inaccurate. Look at any statistic and you will see that white Americans are still by far the most advantaged group in America and the world. A group of people who is the most powerful of any group at any time in world history has no real business complaining about discrimination.
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Name : Greg21558, City : Austin, State : TX, Country : United States,Blacks have cable channels? Surely you don’t mean BET–which most blacks would gladly trade for HBO, given the poor quality of programming. Consider the number of ‘black’ dramas on TV–none. Now contrast that with the sitcoms aimed at the urban audiences: few, if any are on major networks and none enjoy the exposure or critical acclaim given to their white counterpoints. The prime post Superbowl spot went to Malcolm in the Middle, an established show expanded to a full hour, while the equally deserving Bernie Mac show could have gotten the exposure, or at least shared the limelight. Fox lost a chance to spread its demographic base and make more money. Anyone that likes either show could really enjoy the other.
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Name : Barron, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Age : 42, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Occupation : scapegoat, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Are you saying that ‘slang’ should be recognized as a language? Accents and foriegners who do not get the English language correct is something completely different. I think what we are discussing is the way some people choose to walk around degrading the English language. The ones who know how to speak but don’t. There is a time and place for ‘slang’ and in the work force it is not appropriate. In general, I do believe that I have heard more African Americans using bad English than any other race. I’m sorry but this is lack of wanting a job in my eyes and lack of manners. Just to clarify, an accent is the way something is pronounced. I am from Texas and I have an accent but for the most part you would not know that had I not said it. However, the ‘accent’ you are referring to with blacks is something they usually write also. I’m sure you’ve heard a white person speak and someone say ‘He’s just trying to act black!’ This out of the mouth of a black person? Laziness. That’s what we should name the ‘new language’.
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Name : Monica A., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 23, City : Ft. Worth, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Mom, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class,Monica, the blacks have black history month and Miss black America. It’s about time our race has these same ‘white only’ things. One thing I don’t want the whites to do is riot, {just like the blacks} whenever we don’t get our way! DC.
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Name : Dan-Cubrich27317, City : Omaha, State : NE, Country : United States,To this very day, we are all born in sin for the simple fact of what Adam and Eve did in the beginning of time. When our African people were brought over here by the White man, he is who introduced the Black race to white racism. To sum it all up for you, you reap what you sow.
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Name : JOHN-COOPER, City : LOS ANGELES, State : CA, Country : United States,
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