Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 20 replies, 21 voices, and was last updated 20 years, 8 months ago by
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Why are whites so scared of blacks?
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Name : Toni, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : Las Vegas, State : NV, Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,A difficult question. Some whites are actually and honestly scared, and show it all the time. Some pretend to themselves that they aren’t scared, but they’ll still cross the street to avoid a group of black people. And there are some whites who judge people as people, independent of skin color. But whites (and there are other races, too, not only white people) who are scared of blacks are scared because they tend to group people according to skin color, and I guess for them they associate black skin color with crime, i.e. “If you’re black, you might be a criminal or harbor violent tendencies toward me, so I’ll try to stay away from you if I am a white person who is scared of black people.” The association of black people with criminality basically began with an onslaught of media images in the 1920s when blacks and Hispanics were shown as either house servants or razor-wielding maniacs. The debate continues about the portrayal of black people in the media. In addition, because poverty tends to breed crime, and because crime among blacks in poverty-stricken urban centers is highly visible in the local news, many white people see this on TV and say to themselves: ‘You see! I was right all along.’ The truth is that crime rates correspond to poverty more than race, but we don’t hear that message as often as we should. Man, I don’t know. It’s crazy. But not all whites are scared of all blacks. I guess that’s my main point.
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Name : A-White-Guy23972, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College,There are plenty of people out there who are bigots (realized or unrealized) who prejudge a black person without second thought. Yet I believe that in this day and age they are in the minority. I think with a lot of what you’ve observed, it could very well be more about familiarity and less about race. If a white lady walks down the street and sees a dozen roughneck looking guys with mean stares (who happen to be black) 15 feet ahead, her fearful reaction is understandable; just as it would be if there were a dozen or so crusty biker looking guys with prison tattoos and greasy mullet haircuts (who happen to be white). However, if a white guy balks at the sight of a couple black guys wearing regular clothes who seem to be in good humor, he should take a long hard look at himself. I think there is a fine line between fear due to unfamiliarity and fear due to prejudgement or prejudice, but there is indeed a line.
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Name : Dan31671, Gender : M, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 22, City : L.A., State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,I don’t think that white people are afraid of blacks. I am white and have never been afraid of blacks in general. There have been a few black individuals that I was afraid of, but that was personal and I have been afraid of some white individuals as well. One reason some white people might be afraid of black people is because they are different. Many times people simply are afraid of the unknown or what is different from them. Since whites and blacks have very different cultures and styles some whites may be afraid to cross the barrier and find out what blacks are really like.
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Name : Karla, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 21, City : Roswell, State : NM, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I’m not scared of black people and I’m white. Some of my relatives are black. I do know some racist white people though. I think a lot of it has to do with stereotypes. The white-controlled media goes out of it’s way to stereotype and demean anyone that’s not a christian, straight, middle-class or richer white person. There’s a lot of racism in the media. I’m doing a study of it right now in school. A lot of people soon start believing the stereotypes as if they were true. Some people (gangsta rappers for example) actually try to live out the stereotypes. That really disturbs me because stereotypes are harmful and cause people to be ignorant of each other. I don’t have the slightest feeling of anxiety or fear when I’m around black people. There’s not too many other white people that can honestly say that I guess.
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Name : Vincenzo24849, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, City : Yorkton, State : NA, Country : Canada,Same reason most people are afraid of things. Lack of experience around Black people or too many fearful experiences around Black people. For those who grew up in middle-class White-bred communities, their main exposure with Black people has been through the headlines on the evening news or rap music. Not the most flattering of mediums.
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Name : Mickey M., Gender : M, Religion : Catholic, Age : 18, City : Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, State : NY, Country : United States, Occupation : Longshoreman, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class,We’re not.
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Name : Rick29886, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Springfield, State : OH, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,WELL ALL WHITES AREN’T ALL AFRAID OF BLACKS, MOSTLY IT’S JUST THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE ANY EXPOSURE TO OTHER CULTURES, LIKE SOME REDNECK HILLBILLY OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, (YALL) A’S BROTHER IS BLACK SO HE REALLY AIN’T AFRAID OF BLACKS AND SINCE HE IS MY BEST FRIEND, I GUESS I’M KINDA USED TO BEING AROUND BLACK PEOPLE, AND I’VE LEARNED TO VIEW EVERYBODY THE SAME, SO DON’T SAY THAT ALL WHITES ARE SCARED OF BLACKS BECAUSE IT ISN’T TRUE, LATERZ
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Name : E&A_H, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 18, City : MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, State : NE, Country : United States, Occupation : GOD, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,To this white person, some blacks appear unsophisticated, uneducated and generally uncivilized by my standards. But please realize, what I consider sophisticated, educated and civilized might not be what you as a black person might. I live in New York and find that some of the time, blacks want me to be afraid. They use loud, aggressive speech with vulgarity to hold simple conversations. They try to obscure their identity using clothing articles such as bandanas and scarves. They show no courtesy when meeting face to face on the street. And some of the time, I am confronted by hostile blacks who I am sure are trying to intimidate me. I respond in a like manner, but I am sure some white people would not. I think some blacks like this relationship. I believe it makes them feel they have power in a society in which they don’t.
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Name : Matthew, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 45, City : New York, State : NY, Country : United States,Please excuse the generalizations I’m about to make, and understand that they are not 100 percent true. Blacks are angry from the poor treatment they’ve received/are receiving. Blacks alive today may have brothers, fathers or grandfathers who were lynched by white mobs, besides countless other acts of racism. So, whites may tiptoe when around blacks either because they are racist and don’t want to slip and let their racism show, or because they aren’t racist and don’t want to further aggravate an already upset fellow human. If you see a white woman or man look fearful when nearing blacks, it’s because they know the anger may be there. They might not be conscious of knowing, but they know.
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Name : NJ-Smith20077, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 46, City : Akron, State : OH, Country : United States, Social class : Middle class,I think the main reason is that we are afraid of offending blacks in society today.
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Name : d.s, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 33, City : Taylor, State : MI, Country : United States, Occupation : transportation, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,You response held the same type of hostility you described as being a common characteristic among the blacks you encounter. Your post is filled with vast generalizations and stereotypes and much fear (though you claim you’re not). When did outward appearances determine whom has/has not been formally educated? The bandana is no longer seen in the pocket of a farmer or the head of a gang banger. They are worned all across the states and abroad by law abiding citizens (male and female) as a fashion trend. Do you not recieve the same attitudes from other races? Have you ever stopped to think it may be a preconcieved notion you’re feeding into? Psychologist often tell an insecure person to tell themselves they are confident and soon they’ll begin to believe it. Maybe you’ve thought and told yourself this too many times and now you believe your own ignorance. With you being a resident of NYC (known to many for harboring the rudest people in the United States) I’d think you’ve come across so many rude, disgusting people that race wouldn’t come to mind when identifying rude behavior. Maybe you should leave your borough more often and travel. You’d find ‘uncivilized’ people EVERYWHERE and in ALL races, cultures, and social classes.
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Name : Lisa22775, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, City : Gaithersburg, State : MD, Country : United States,whites pretend to be scared of blacks because it makes them look more vulnerable than blacks..this imaginary fear stems from the innate racism that is endemic in the American society and the intense hypocrisy of whites..blacks are equally as scared of whites..if they sense imminent danger..racism in America has generally contorted white people’s minds and the media doesnt do much to salvage this horrible mindset that people have which is indeed most unfortunate..I am a Black person from another country and never knew or experienced this caucasian american mindset until I stepped foot on American soil..white and black where merely races and colour never meant anything to me till I came here..so obviously it seems endemic only in America and has purely racial undertones.
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Name : nelly20153, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Pentecostal, City : santa monica, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : business, Education level : Over 4 Years of College,As a 21-year-old white female, I can tell you that black females don’t scare me. They are varied in personality, just like whites are. Some are nice, and some not so nice. But black men do usually scare me. A lot depends on how they dress and how old they are. That sounds horrible, but I’ve found it to be generally true. The older black men are usually nice, as are the young ones who dress in clothes that fit. But the young men who wear baggy clothes are the ones I’m most uncomfortable being near. Many of them are extremely loud and rude. They often will sexually harass me as I walk by on campus. They are also very pushy. If they ask me on a date and I politely decline, they will ask repeatedly, and will get vulgar. When talking to me they stand extremely close, violating my personal space, sometimes even rubbing up against me or grabbing me. This has never happened to me by men of another race. Only young black men. It’s happened so often that I’m uncomfortable and sometimes scared to even walk past a group of young black men, especially if they wear baggy clothes. A few friends of mine date date black men, and they are treated horribly. They all have been hit and cheated on.
I understand all races can be abusive, but it seems that my friends who date blacks always receive this abuse, while my friends who don’t never or hardly ever deal with these abuses.
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Name : Kelsey26593, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 21, City : New York, State : NY, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College,I agree with some of the statements that the white gentleman from New York expressed. Funny, I’m black and white. I have also experienced some blacks who appear to be unsophisticated and uncivilized. I think it’s due to a lack of education, a lack of experiences and a lack of funds. Both are directly related to the socioeconomic conditions that plague many in the black community. However, I have also experienced white people who appear to behave in the same way; we can them ‘rednecks’ down here. The reasons for their behavior are the same as for blacks…lack of education, lack of experiences and a lack of funds.
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Name : Nicole, Gender : F, Race : black and white, Age : 24, City : Virginia Beach, State : VA, Country : United States,
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