Racism, a sensitive subject.
By kris182_2000
@kris182_2000 (5475)
Canada
May 17, 2011 5:09pm CST
I read a discussion yesterday about a woman on a bus showing reverse racism. I was shocked when I read what she said to someone, and don't understand why people still continue on like this.
I'm not out to offend anyone, I'll try to be as PC as I can be with this discussion. But I was talking about this with my husband last night, and he raised a good point.
Back in the days of Jesus, there was slavery. The Romans and Jews were enslaved by the Egyptians. Romans and Jews were Caucasian right?
Ok, fast forward to the 1800's when African Americans were enslaved by Caucasians. Yes they were bitter, but some were slaves to people who did treat them fairly.
In the 2nd world war, there were POW camps. Forgive me if I get this wrong, but weren't they Jewish the people who were put into these Nazi camps?
Nowadays, the descendants of the African American slaves still feel the impact of what was done to their ancestors, and some still take it out on people even if their ancestors never enslaved them.
Why should they do that when they're free and don't have to worry about this? I know it's part of history and it's hard for them to deal with what happened, but what gives those who lash out the right to do so?
I wonder why we can't all just get along and put the past behind us. Life goes on one way or another and it's better to forgive right?
3 people like this
9 responses
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
17 May 11
People have long memories. Just look at what happened in Yugoslavia. yeah it would be better to forgive, but that's logical, and hatred is emotional. We can just teach tolerance and hope that it eventually sinks in, I guess.
1 person likes this
@kris182_2000 (5475)
• Canada
17 May 11
Tolerance seems to be a hard trait to learn for some people. They don't do much to teach that in school, if they did, the world might be a better place.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
18 May 11
If people do not learn to respect other people in their own home, they will not learn it in school. It is fun to be with really little kids in a school setting. Color often is the last thing they notice. I guess that is why I always enjoyed Robert Fughum's "Everything I need to know, I learned in Kindergarten." We need to play a little, learn a little, have milk and cookies in the afternoon and rest and hold hands when we cross the street.It should be simple, but it is not. My mom did better than her family, as far as racism goes, but she still would talk down about people from this state or that state being "green horns" or hicks, or bootleggers.I hope that each generation in my family moves further away from the racists of the previous generations.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
20 May 11
history is history my friend and I hope the evil that man has done to his fellow man in the natural course of time man has progressed would be used to serve as a lesson for all of us and may we use it in a positive way to pave way for a safer and more peaceful future, not only for us but for the future generations to come, racism is evil and evil is evil no matter what form and no such ideology or excuse exists or will there ever be to justify it.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
23 May 11
Personally I have always wondered the same thing, and think people need to learn to get along better. The problem with it sometimes is people seem to think they are better than one type of person, and people should feel Sorry for them for who they are. When in turn it makes others become more bitter, and not wanting to Trust and so it happens that things become more cloudy again instead of the Freedom it was supposed to entail instead.
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
19 May 11
I've never understood ancestors guilt. I am half Danish. My grandfather and grandmother lived in Denmark during the Nazi invasion. My best friend is a man, born in Hamburg Germany 1932, and was in the Hitler Youth. Everyone had to be in the Hitler Youth, in Germany, or in the war. The war ended before my friend was drafted. My paternal grandfather fought for the Canadians.
I have German and Jewish, and Danish, and all kinds of other friends. I have black and white friends, and friends of all different descriptions.
A few people in passing complain about the German music I play, but I just remind them that it's NOT Nazi music, because it wasn't the type of music Nazis would have listened to. How do I know? Because the stuff I have was written AFTER the war!!!!
It's important that we keep up with our history, and know what's going on, but we don't need to feel guilty or victimized because of it.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
18 May 11
First yes you are right.Many European Jews were in Concentration Camps during WWII. Why do many Still feel the effect of slavery/ Because sadly they are Still are being judged by the color of their skin. not by the person on the bus but in their lives.And they are , sadly, assuming Everyone is out to put them down so they do it first. Don't get me wrong , there are Still people who are Racist but many , many are not. We are closer to Martin Luther King's dream but there is still work to do. I find it sad that there are still people , of any color , who hate others simply because of their hue! but thankfully , their numbers are small and getting smaller.
@kris182_2000 (5475)
• Canada
18 May 11
And I hope those numbers decrease to the point that they don't exist anymore. That will be a good thing.
1 person likes this
@hardworkinggurl (37062)
• United States
18 May 11
It's like I have always said and though that most can at some point be forgiving, but not truly be forgetful. Therefore at the strike of one tiny bit of area that jogs back the memory, most will absolutely strike back.
I am with you because I am always hoping for peaceful surroundings. 
@kris182_2000 (5475)
• Canada
18 May 11
Peacefulness is all most people want, and it makes sense if it could happen. I wish that for everyone, but it wont happen any time soon I know.
@frontvisions101 (16043)
• Philippines
18 May 11
Respect should be practiced in order for us all to get along. I also don't tolerate racists. I think they're power tripping sons of b!tches who are highly conceited and breathes vanity as their oxygen. Different races have different cultures and different colors but some see it as "My skin color is ___ so I'm better than you." or "We have this in our culture so it's better than yours." which is definitely a selfish way of thinking.
@allknowing (153544)
• India
18 May 11
It is after all how an individual feels about it that matters. There could be good reasons for that person to behave the way he/she did. Many a time despite there being a history of sorts people just move on disregarding whatever as they have to live in this world peacefully and no person would want to disrupt peace if there is nothing greater to achieve by it.
@megamatt (14290)
• United States
18 May 11
There are many people who are like this and don't even remember why. It is just the way that the culture they were brought up is. I doubt that most people really living really understand why that certain races are at odds and certain people are racist. It is just the way that they were brought up. They really have no logical reason for their hatred, it is just really something that has lead from one thing, to another, throughout all time.
It is really unfortunate that in the 21st century. there are people with outdated beliefs, but its just engrained into society in general. It is simple human nature in many ways, the ugliest part of human nature. One that we wish to have left long since buried and forgotten about, but we can really never move on. There are a lot of wounds that run rather deep throughout all of time, and there are a lot of people who just won't break the cycle of hatred. Its run through many, many generations, even long after a lot of the reasons have mostly been lost.
