Is race really an issue right now?

[pam]

Amen Keith. I second everything you just said.

[kona0197]

Race has always been an issue.

[SisterofJared]

Originally Posted by DigitalShadow

I live in Utah. I haven't noticed any racism here, but then again I haven't noticed any minorities either. I'm half Mexican and I think I'm the closest thing to a 'minority' in the company I work for.

I do think that there is more racial tension lately because of the election, but I don't think there is more racism. Racists who already existed before the election simply became more vocal and maybe even violent. At least that's what I gather from browsing forums and checking out the news from time to time.

That's what I am wondering about... if these so called racial tensions are real or simply being fabricated by media.

[prisonchaplain]

One day I was bringing a group of about 10 Christian volunteers into the jail to conduct religious programs. One of our staff, who happened to be African-American, asked me, in front of this group, "Chaplain...Do you think Jesus was black?"

I knew this fellow's dry sense of humor, and responded without missing a beat, "Yeah...probably." He, and the group were dumbstruck.

Okay...he was probably more olive-colored, but he was as close to black as he was white. Why should my answer have been so shocking, even if it was a bit tongue-in-cheek?

[KeithLBrown]

Originally Posted by SisterofJared

That's what I am wondering about... if these so called racial tensions are real or simply being fabricated by media.

I personally believe that the media does at times tend to blow things out of proportion and make things seem to be worse than they truly are.

With that being said, with the outcome of the recent election, being a realist, I believe that there is a certain amount of racial tension on the horizon. There are many radical groups to include the KKK and Skin Heads to name a couple, that would love nothing more to start a major blood bath in this country. These groups are very real and very dangerous.

I have read several reports that the number of threats against President-Elect Obama are on the increase. There are many people in this country that are highly upset and offended that a Black man will be the next President. I pray that none of the threats are carried out and that the powers that be will treat each one as a matter of importance and not dismiss any.

It is really scary to think what would happen in this country if anything of this magnitude were to happen, but yes, the possibility does exist. I do not think that the media is simply fabricating all of this. All of us as American citizens need to stand a vigilant watch and continue in daily prayer.

[SisterofJared]

Thanks for your response, Keith. I think you would have greater insight into this than I, since I am not in a racial minority. (Or not visibly, anyway. LOL. Like most American's I am a mutt.... have a touch of American Indian as well as possibly some black in me.)

I think that with time, racism is slowly being overcome. Our children are less affected by it than we were, and I think our grandchildren will be even less affected than our children. They say that time heals all wounds, and I think that prejudice is slowly being diluted, one day it will hopefully not exist at all.

But there are undoubtedly some rednecks around who fight to keep it alive.

I do see that there is more of class distinctions rather than race. For me, it is hard to see that minorities have it harder, because frankly my own family has always been in that lower income. I grew up in poverty and have struggled with it almost all my life. We had three years recently when we were not living in poverty, but that ended when my doctor made me quit work. I couldn't deal with the resulting poverty, and recently went back to work against his advice. Poverty is not fun. But for me I have always wondered why people think poverty is a color issue, since I am caucasian and always lived in poverty.

I think a lot of the struggle for black people economically has been to overcome the horrific effects of slavery. Why would they expect to have less babies out of wedlock, to have strong families if they weren't allowed to maintain marriages, if their families were torn apart by slavery and if they were expected to be breeding machines for slave owners? I do believe that those things are in the process of being overcome. How do make it happen when the rest of our nation is losing family values at the same time is beyond me. Studies show that more black people have homes without fathers present. But rather than helping overcome that problem... the rest of society is joining in.

Sorry, that is a bit of digression from the issue of is race still a problem. Evidently I'm hearing that it isn't causing the same tension, but that it still is an underlying problem.

[Kyra]

I think that it's mostly an issue for the people who make it one. I live close to the Ute reservation. They make race a HUGE issue, and honestly, they're more racist against white people than they think we are against them. A cop can't even give a Ute a ticket around here because he'll be called a racist, it will be taken to court and the cop will lose. It happens again and again. Utes can't be suspended from school because that makes the teachers and administration racist. It's gotten to the point where public schools out here really are not safe, because the Utes can beat on whoever they want without consequences. It's out of hand.

I'm not saying that racism is completely dead, there are definitely still some very evil, prejudiced people out there. I'm also not trying to be racist myself and say that all Utes are like this, because my brother-in-law is Ute and he's the complete opposite. This is just the type of racism I've observed in my area. It can work both ways.

[Kyra]

Originally Posted by KeithLBrown

With that being said, with the outcome of the recent election, being a realist, I believe that there is a certain amount of racial tension on the horizon. There are many radical groups to include the KKK and Skin Heads to name a couple, that would love nothing more to start a major blood bath in this country. These groups are very real and very dangerous.

I totally agree with you on this. The few people out there who are still racist are becoming more outspoken. And the more outspoken people become, the more followers they can get. As much as I didn't want Obama to be president, I also bear him no ill will. I hope that he is safely protected from groups such as these.

[Truegrits]

It is really scary to think what would happen in this country if anything of this magnitude were to happen, but yes, the possibility does exist. I do not think that the media is simply fabricating all of this. All of us as American citizens need to stand a vigilant watch and continue in daily prayer.

I agree. I do not think it is just media hype. I think it would be a terrible day for America, were it to happen.

Even before Obama won the election, I heard it said, that it didn't matter if he did win, he wouldn't be the president for long. But...what I hear is not anger/hate because of his color, but hate for his, and Mrs. Obama's, "anti-American" views.

[SisterofJared]

But it could and would be perceived as an issue with color by many. I personally can't stand Obama, but I felt equally the same about McCain.

I voted in the past for Alan Keyes. He's black, but his political views line up with mine. I also could support Colin Powell. To me, it's not about race, but about correct government.

I think we should pray that nothing happens to Obama. I agree that could cause some major problems, especially if an assailant was caucasian.


SoJ