I remembered something that happened to me late last year. It was around the anniversary of 9/11 and there was a strong Anti-Iraq sentiment going around.

So I went to go pick up my 7 yr old brother from his karate class. He was having some squabble with another boy about their favorite pokemon or something. I see these as friendly fights, only to get involved when they start beating each other over the head. The mother of that other boy apparently didn't think so. She just grabbed her son's hand and told him to get away from, I quote, "Saddam Hussein's boy."

Anybody, no matter how close you were to your brother, would not let that comment go unanswered. And I threw an amazing tantrum. I ripped that woman up in front of the entire town, called her a slew of nasty names, associated her with some white supremicist groups, and basically "avenged" brother. The poor kid, he didn't even know what was going on. All he saw was me getting hysterical and screaming at this woman. Even though I did show her up, even though I did "win," I wanna know what would provoke someone to call a 7 yr old boy a racial slur. If she called my elder brother something like that, I'd feel offended, but I'd probably laugh it off. But why did she have to attack my little brother?

I know everyone's had racial thoughts. It's impossible not to have them. When you all knew that it was mostly Middle Eastern terrorists responsible for 9/11 and when you learned about the problem Iraq was going to cause, did you feel any differently towards people of that background in this country? I've lost my faith in so-called tolerance. Even the definition of tolerance is skewed. Tolerance doesn't mean welcoming another race or religion with open arms, it means just tolerating them.

I'm just ranting, but I just remembered what happened and I felt really awful. How angry must you be to take it out on a 7 yr old who can't even point out Iraq on a map, let alone his own state?

What did that lady do? She deserved it.

Originally posted by White_Daisy
I know everyone's had racial thoughts. It's impossible not to have them. When you all knew that it was mostly Middle Eastern terrorists responsible for 9/11 and when you learned about the problem Iraq was going to cause, did you feel any differently towards people of that background in this country?

i didnt feel any different towards middle easterners because i know that all people that come from the middle east are not gonna hijack a plane and crash it into an american building. i have no idea why that woman called your brother saddams boy, that just shows you how ignorant people can be. ive been called many bad things because of my views against war and the bush administration, i just dont pay it any attention anymore.

That's right,you can't assume the worst about everyone:D

I hate to say this, but I feel uneasy around Middle Easterners at times. It's irrational, and I'm ashamed to admit it. I don't think they're going to hurt me or anything, I just feel...uncomfortable. I don't act uncomfortable, and I'm not mean to them, but I feel different all the same.
I hate to admit that b/c I think of myself as a very anti-racist person. I hate hearing about racism, I think it's stupid and ignorant, and I don't practice it...at least, I didn't think I did. I don't want to be a hypocrite, but apparently I am. It's not a good feeling.

Originally posted by BJL
What did that lady do? She deserved it.

She had insulted my brother because of his race. As for what she did after I screamed at her...she's a soccer mom. She held up her nose and walked out. I didn't expect anything else from her and she probably thought I was acting like a real "savage" (if her racism goes that far back). I understand that everyone has their opinions. But why can't people see that it doesn't matter what you look like or what you believe you, you do have feelings and you will get hurt over the same things. If I called her some derogatory name because she's Caucasian, I doubt she would have liked it. But I wasn't going to sink to her level.

Originally posted by White_Daisy
Anybody, no matter how close you were to your brother, would not let that comment go unanswered. And I threw an amazing tantrum. I ripped that woman up in front of the entire town, called her a slew of nasty names, associated her with some white supremicist groups, and basically "avenged" brother. The poor kid, he didn't even know what was going on. All he saw was me getting hysterical and screaming at this woman. Even though I did show her up, even though I did "win," I wanna know what would provoke someone to call a 7 yr old boy a racial slur. If she called my elder brother something like that, I'd feel offended, but I'd probably laugh it off. But why did she have to attack my little brother?
:clap: :woohoo:

:eek: OMG THATS AWFUL!

That reminds me when my friend (who's Indian) told us about a time when they were gonna dress up like people for Student Council or something and this other girl said "Why don't you be Osama bin Laden's wife?" Ughhhhhh....

That's terrible. I'm glad you let her have it, I would have done the same thing.

Racist people are ignorant. And that mother needs to kno better. Who knows what she's teaching that son of hers? Ppl like that are sick.

Originally posted by Crimson_and_Clover


i didnt feel any different towards middle easterners because i know that all people that come from the middle east are not gonna hijack a plane and crash it into an american building. i have no idea why that woman called your brother saddams boy, that just shows you how ignorant people can be. ive been called many bad things because of my views against war and the bush administration, i just dont pay it any attention anymore.

Exactly.

And as for that mother- Jesus... the nerve of some people. That's just further proof of how narrow-minded some people can get.

Racist people are so ignorant. It goes back to my main complaint about the world, people are idiots. Good for you for giving that lady a piece of your mind. :clap:

Originally posted by White_Daisy
I remembered something that happened to me late last year. It was around the anniversary of 9/11 and there was a strong Anti-Iraq sentiment going around.

So I went to go pick up my 7 yr old brother from his karate class. He was having some squabble with another boy about their favorite pokemon or something. I see these as friendly fights, only to get involved when they start beating each other over the head. The mother of that other boy apparently didn't think so. She just grabbed her son's hand and told him to get away from, I quote, "Saddam Hussein's boy."

Anybody, no matter how close you were to your brother, would not let that comment go unanswered. And I threw an amazing tantrum. I ripped that woman up in front of the entire town, called her a slew of nasty names, associated her with some white supremicist groups, and basically "avenged" brother. The poor kid, he didn't even know what was going on. All he saw was me getting hysterical and screaming at this woman. Even though I did show her up, even though I did "win," I wanna know what would provoke someone to call a 7 yr old boy a racial slur. If she called my elder brother something like that, I'd feel offended, but I'd probably laugh it off. But why did she have to attack my little brother?

I know everyone's had racial thoughts. It's impossible not to have them. When you all knew that it was mostly Middle Eastern terrorists responsible for 9/11 and when you learned about the problem Iraq was going to cause, did you feel any differently towards people of that background in this country? I've lost my faith in so-called tolerance. Even the definition of tolerance is skewed. Tolerance doesn't mean welcoming another race or religion with open arms, it means just tolerating them.

I'm just ranting, but I just remembered what happened and I felt really awful. How angry must you be to take it out on a 7 yr old who can't even point out Iraq on a map, let alone his own state?

White Daisy:

You did the right thing. I'm just sorry that your brother had to go through an experience like that. I hope he realizes that people like that "soccer mom" are the exception, not the rule.

u totally did the right thing, being indian, if someone would have said that to my family member, i would have done the same thing. lets no forgot, no matter how much we deny it, everyone has a little bit of racism in them, its just natural, i guess some more than others.

I totally disagree with racism. You cannot determine what kind of person someone is by their color or ethnicity.

Originally posted by ~*Hannah_Lee*~
You cannot determine what kind of person someone is by their color or ethnicity.

Except white people. We're all lame.

This is kind of a sensitive subject, so I should add a "kidding" tag to what I just said.

I'm sick of racism, sexism, agesim, and homophobia too. We're all the same and we're all entitled to respect, no matter what differences are.

I have a "friend"(I say that because we used to be friends and now we are just aquaintances because I can't stand the girl)who I have known since freshman year in high school. She's always been judgemental and acts like she knows everything. Well, now all the sudden she's become racist against African Americans and I'm getting to the point where I just want to cut all ties with her because she's unbalanced. She's got problems. She grew up as an only child and I suspect got whatever she wanted but her dad was also extremely strict. To this day she is not happy unless she has what she wants and nobody else can be happy when she is or not. If she doesn't get her way she starts being vendictive and calling people names. Now she's become a racist... the least little thing and she's on them(not literally; I mean talking bad about them to me or others)and saying some really nasty things about them that I'm not even going to repeat. She tried to get me to agree with her several times and I said, "I'm not racist. Leave me out of it." and her reply was "Everyone is racist." I really don't agree with that statement. You can dislike someone, sure.

Racism:

1. the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others.
2. abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of another race on the basis of such a belief.

I don't agree with being racist against culture, religion, sexuality, or race. It's not our business to judge. It will be dealt with by God on Judgement Day. NOT US!

Originally posted by WingsFan
I'm sick of racism, sexism, agesim, and homophobia too. We're all the same and we're all entitled to respect, no matter what differences are.

I agree completely!:clap:

If I even over HEARD someone say something racist I'd definetely confront them and even argue witht them.......even tho Im "white" Im sensitive to racism....I think it's one of the STUPIDEST if not the stupidest things. "Im afraid of you or hate you because you have darker skin than I do or because your eyes are more slanted than mine....." ??? I mean.....What The ****?!?!? anywayz.....ironically, even tho Oklahoma is pretty racist, at my school its more homophobic than anything. That's why I liked Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, because there werent that many racists/homophobes there as there are here but o well.

It sucks, but racism is everywhere and probably will always be there.

Originally posted by White_Daisy


She had insulted my brother because of his race. As for what she did after I screamed at her...she's a soccer mom. She held up her nose and walked out. I didn't expect anything else from her and she probably thought I was acting like a real "savage" (if her racism goes that far back). I understand that everyone has their opinions. But why can't people see that it doesn't matter what you look like or what you believe you, you do have feelings and you will get hurt over the same things. If I called her some derogatory name because she's Caucasian, I doubt she would have liked it. But I wasn't going to sink to her level.

I'm not saying what you did makes it better, but hery, she was asking for it and she got it. That's pretty deep.

I don't know, I still think that racism is in everyone. But I mean the lighter kinds (as if there is a lighter kind of racism). You feel uncomfortable around a certain person because you associate them with their race. It's stereotyping really.

For example, if I'm walking on a street and a group of Latino men walk past me. I may feel a little bit more protective than if a Caucasian man walks past me. I won't treat them any different, either way I won't notice them. But from my experience, I'll just wrap my jacket around myself unconsciously. See, that I think is okay. If one of them stopped me and asked for the time, I wouldn't tell him to get lost. It's just a thought that'll run through my head. But screaming at them, making a comment or changing your behavior is what I consider racism.

If that woman felt uncomfortable around us, fine. I wouldn't have cared, I probably wouldn't have noticed if she shuffled away a few feet. I do that when anyone sits near me so I probably would have thought I was too close to her. Big Deal. But she made a rude, completely out-of-line comment. So the respective kids with us were fighting, who doesn't? If she really felt the need to say something, she could've called him a "bad boy" and I would have glared at her, but I wouldn't have screamed my head off. She deserved it, but I think in all my screaming, she probably thought I was rather uncouth for doing this in public, so I don't think I helped her or the situation, only my pride.

Originally posted by White_Daisy
I don't know, I still think that racism is in everyone. But I mean the lighter kinds (as if there is a lighter kind of racism). You feel uncomfortable around a certain person because you associate them with their race. It's stereotyping really.

For example, if I'm walking on a street and a group of Latino men walk past me. I may feel a little bit more protective than if a Caucasian man walks past me. I won't treat them any different, either way I won't notice them. But from my experience, I'll just wrap my jacket around myself unconsciously. See, that I think is okay. If one of them stopped me and asked for the time, I wouldn't tell him to get lost. It's just a thought that'll run through my head. But screaming at them, making a comment or changing your behavior is what I consider racism.

If that woman felt uncomfortable around us, fine. I wouldn't have cared, I probably wouldn't have noticed if she shuffled away a few feet. I do that when anyone sits near me so I probably would have thought I was too close to her. Big Deal. But she made a rude, completely out-of-line comment. So the respective kids with us were fighting, who doesn't? If she really felt the need to say something, she could've called him a "bad boy" and I would have glared at her, but I wouldn't have screamed my head off. She deserved it, but I think in all my screaming, she probably thought I was rather uncouth for doing this in public, so I don't think I helped her or the situation, only my pride.


Yeah, I can totally relate to that in a large sense. I mean, if I see someone looking all "ghetto" I tend to be more cautious....though, hopefully not at an obvious level. On the other hand, if someone dresses well and seems more "educated/sophisticated" I feel more at ease. In reality, I can probably name more people I know who are truly awesome people who dress "down" than vice versa. But, as far as first impressions are concerned, I seem to subconsciously label people by their looks. Now, I try to always take the time to weed through that, so I'm not sure I could actually be called biased/predjudiced or whatever. But, I think we all make first impressions based on appearances (no matter what our preference for a certain appearance may be).

Originally posted by CollegeGirl



Yeah, I can totally relate to that in a large sense. I mean, if I see someone looking all "ghetto" I tend to be more cautious....though, hopefully not at an obvious level. On the other hand, if someone dresses well and seems more "educated/sophisticated" I feel more at ease. In reality, I can probably name more people I know who are truly awesome people who dress "down" than vice versa. But, as far as first impressions are concerned, I seem to subconsciously label people by their looks. Now, I try to always take the time to weed through that, so I'm not sure I could actually be called biased/predjudiced or whatever. But, I think we all make first impressions based on appearances (no matter what our preference for a certain appearance may be). r u racist in the black/white sence are is it just about dress?

I think a lot of racism has to do with the stereotypes that we tend to give to different ethnicities because of the way many of them look and act.

Originally posted by White_Daisy
I don't know, I still think that racism is in everyone. But I mean the lighter kinds (as if there is a lighter kind of racism). You feel uncomfortable around a certain person because you associate them with their race. It's stereotyping really.

For example, if I'm walking on a street and a group of Latino men walk past me. I may feel a little bit more protective than if a Caucasian man walks past me. I won't treat them any different, either way I won't notice them. But from my experience, I'll just wrap my jacket around myself unconsciously. See, that I think is okay. If one of them stopped me and asked for the time, I wouldn't tell him to get lost. It's just a thought that'll run through my head. But screaming at them, making a comment or changing your behavior is what I consider racism.

If that woman felt uncomfortable around us, fine. I wouldn't have cared, I probably wouldn't have noticed if she shuffled away a few feet. I do that when anyone sits near me so I probably would have thought I was too close to her. Big Deal. But she made a rude, completely out-of-line comment. So the respective kids with us were fighting, who doesn't? If she really felt the need to say something, she could've called him a "bad boy" and I would have glared at her, but I wouldn't have screamed my head off. She deserved it, but I think in all my screaming, she probably thought I was rather uncouth for doing this in public, so I don't think I helped her or the situation, only my pride. The reaction you had was gut and of the moment. And, so was the ladies reaction. But never mind "light racism" that lady was a heavy racist. You've been exposed to racism all your life. When you saw someone perpetuating that pattern on the next generation you blew a fuse. Quite understandably.

I had a similar experince to yours with the Latinos. I was walking in Oakland from my motel room to the Oakland A's baseball stadium. I happened to have had quite a lot of cash in my pocket. A very large black guy (about a foot taller than me, lol) was walking toward me in the opposite direction. I felt threatened, and then ashamed for feeling so, at the same time. I could tell when he walked past me that he knew what I was feeling. I felt so stupid at that moment that I wished I could have apologized to him for being so judgemental and giving off that air of 'light racism'. But, dang it you know, we're only human--alas.

" i'm not raciest..i hate everyone equally "
:D

Originally posted by White_Daisy
I don't know, I still think that racism is in everyone. But I mean the lighter kinds (as if there is a lighter kind of racism). You feel uncomfortable around a certain person because you associate them with their race. It's stereotyping really.


I know exactly what you mean about that. I had a kind of epiphany w/ "light racism" a few weeks ago.
I was in Washington for a school conference thing and part of the program was that at the hotel we roomed with 2 people from another school and 1 person from our school. My friend and I ended up rooming with 2 girls from north carolina who were african american.
I had never considered myself anywhere near racist but i admit in retrospect that i did have some stereotypes, my friends are either white or asian and the area i live in isnt too diverse. I never saw any race as being "lesser" but i definitly had pre judgements about what they'd be like.
After living with these girls for a week we both overcame all the stereotypes and it was awesome to finally see that we dont need to have these prejudices.

Originally posted by BubbleLuvGrl026
even tho Im "white" Im sensitive to racism....

That comment kind of disgruntled me a little. I mean, it makes it sound like everyone other than "white" people get hit with racism. Granted, people of races other than Caucasian are usually the more specifically targeted people, I could think of numerous reasons why Caucasians are still plagued by racism. It may not be the racism of "race" per se, but it could be of one's individual sexual preference otherwise widely known as being homophobic. It could also be based on your everyday society. I am a white person, and I get picked on everyday for my shyness, my quietness, my bland, lackadaisical personality. I wouldn't exactly call it "racism" to the fullest extent, but it still is some form of instigating something.

So my point is no matter what race, color you are, white, black, Hispanic, purple....everyone is hit by racism.

Caucasians get it bad too. Ever heard the term "White trash"?

Originally posted by ~*Hannah_Lee*~
Caucasians get it bad too. Ever heard the term "White trash"?

Exactly. Or "Cracker"? Just because your white, don't think you're out of the woods.

Yeah and during the early immigration days of America Irish and to some extent Italians were treated with contempt. They were pretty much enslaved.

I had that conversation on the board the other week with Jimbo about Robert Byrd's "White N's comment. Jimbo thought that wasn't nice of Robert to say that. Jimbo likes to think that he is a very sensitive type of fellow. I heard some other politician just the other day say that he's seen white trash who live in trailer parks and good people who live in trailer parks. And he's seen White trash who live in upscale homes and good people who live in upscale homes. Point being--it takes all kinds so call it what it is and don't give the messenger a hard time for being honest.

Originally posted by kittflynn
Yeah and during the early immigration days of America Irish and to some extent Italians were treated with contempt. They were pretty much enslaved.

Excellent point (:eek: we're agreeing!)
The terms "biddy" and "paddy" arent exactly the nicest in the books...


And one of my dance instructors recieved some less than kind remarks the other day because she's French.

Originally posted by Titania


Excellent point (:eek: we're agreeing!)
The terms "biddy" and "paddy" arent exactly the nicest in the books...Even pieces of furniture get it right once in awhile. ;)

Originally posted by kittflynn
Even pieces of furniture get it right once in awhile. ;)

:blush: have i mentioned i have a bit of a temper..lol

Originally posted by Titania


:blush: have i mentioned i have a bit of a temper..lol
Well then that's two things things that we have in common. Hey...Hug ;)

Originally posted by kittflynn
Yeah and during the early immigration days of America Irish and to some extent Italians were treated with contempt. They were pretty much enslaved.

Yea, that was brutal. We're Polish and I still remember the times when my grandparents used to tell me how bad they treated all the foreigners in the factories in Chicago. They used to call my grandparents DP's (Dumb Polacks) cause they got the insinuation that we're all stupid and worthless. :p Hah, they must have forgotten about Nicholas Copernicus.