Why is there still racism?

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

I know it's a broad question but I was just discussing it with my mom. I told her about a part I read in Stephen King's new book 11/22/63. The part if you haven't read is a part when the main character arrives at a gas station (set in 1958, time travel ftw). He sees the bathrooms one labeled men, women, and colored. He followed the creek only to find out that the "colored" bathroom was a wooden board with a hole in it over a stream. It made me sick to my stomach to think of such intolerance.

I'm white and I was always raised to view everyone as equal. I have dated girls from almost every race except hispanic. I am currently involved with a african american chick (who's awesome ) I have seen how interracial relationships are viewed and I just want to know why people are so damn racist.

I have lived in the South my entire life and I have been around racism. My grandfather is southern racist and it's one of the reasons I hate him. I don't see why people are so racist in a modern age. You'd think people would learn how to live together. I've taken Sociology classes (2 in fact) and I understand that racial tension is everywhere.

I think everyone should be treated with respect and people should teach their kids not use such racial slander as the N word. I hate that word so much. I have heard little kids say it here and it's disappointing thata parent would allow such things from their children.

Any views guys? Share your views on racism and intolerable acts like those mentioned in the book?
(sorry for such a long thread)

[Konfyouzd]

Bad habits die hard...

Not an excuse... Just an observation.

Hopefully it's something that people will eventually grow out of, but I seriously doubt it. I feel as though no matter how we classify each other, man will ALWAYS find the need to be better than the next man--be it for reasons tangible or intangible. I know I sound like a pessimist, but racism--to me--is an addiction we simply won't kick; we'll likely only cross-addict and move on.

That doesn't mean that those of us who feel differently can't keep on keepin' on. Always have; always will.

I know it's something that's a bit disheartening to see, but we can't sweat things that are beyond our control.

The best you can really do is not teach it to your kids.

[The Grief Hole]

Because there are a lot of small minded idiots on the planet. Sorry to lower the tone but...

[Razzy]

Because people still talk about it.

[The Grief Hole]

Because there are a lot of small minded idiots on the planet who don't realize that we are all, in some small way, brothers and sisters.

[areyna21]

Our government acts like parents to our society and like monkey see monkey do. Ive seen a rise in racism towards Mexicans being a first Genertion with my father being from Mexico. I would say Hispanic but the laws seem directly aimed at Mexican Americans. All the documentation laws specific to MA, the beating of the kid in palmdale, and arizonas campaign against anything Mexican with many states following suit. Racism is alive and its disgusting but its part of our daily lives. Our governments take part in it which makes it ok in some peoples eyes.

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Originally Posted by The Grief Hole

Because there are a lot of small minded idiots on the planet. Sorry to lower the tone but...

No it doesn't lower the tone. It's an honest answer. Small and close minded people are what makes our society so messed up. I get literally sick to my stomach when I hear people make racial slurs.

Is this really what we're here for? To breed hate?

My christian views (knowing some of you aren't. I'm not in anyone forcing my views on you) is that we are made in the image of God. The image is not a physical image but the mental image of God. The capability to have emotion and to love another human being. People are so close minded that the color of skin affects the way they view someone? The worst thing is when someone so close to God persay (my grandfather) judges other people by the color of their skin. No one has the right to judge people by the color of their skin.

[WickedSymphony]

Originally Posted by Konfyouzd

Bad habits die hard...

Not an excuse... Just an observation.

Pretty much nailed it.

It's shitty, and though it will probably never die out completely, it will hopefully decrease drastically as time goes on.

Edit: Fact is, viewing people as equals regardless of their race, nationality, gender, or whatever background is still a relatively young development in society. Many of our parents and grandparents were alive when people were fighting for even the most basic rights and equalities that we take for granted today.

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

I'm just so tired of hearing people make racist comments. It may decrease but the way things are, I don't think it will ever truly die. I mean people are teaching their kids and allowing them to make racial slurs. I mean my friends little brother is like 12 and he was saying the N word in front of his mom who was encouraging it

[troyguitar]

There is still racism because there are still different races.

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Originally Posted by troyguitar

There is still racism because there are still different races.

Which is a pretty good point xD

[synrgy]

"Us versus Them" is just an unfortunate part of the human condition, deeply rooted in the evolution of our species.

Some related insight with a humorous slant may be found here: 6 Brainwashing Techniques They're Using On You Right Now | Cracked.com

[SenorDingDong]

Originally Posted by Razzy

Because people still talk about it.

This.

I think that things such as BET, Black History Month, Puetro Rican pride parades, and racial groups and networks in general help keep racism alive, because in the long run all it is does is serve to separate races into categories, "uniting" "them" and yet building this huge wall between "them" and every other race


When there is no "them," and only one "us," there will be no racism.

[Fiction]

^ I came in to say exactly that "People still talk about it"

I also had some information to go with it, but it's 2am and I'm staggering home after some delicious beverages and don't want to make an ass of myself.

[VBCheeseGrater]

Vision is such a major sense. There are always going to be fools/knuckleheads in EVERY race. and since people tend to make sweeping generalizations, they associate how a few idiots act with anyone that looks like them. It's not even just skin color. Its unfortunate, but a reality, and probably embedded in our survival instincts.

[ibanezcollector]

I think the N word as we call it, is ridiculous, especially when main stream african american people use it and glorify it. Then when I person of different race uses it because he thinks its socially acceptable gets called a racist LOL

Racism will be around forever, we will never get rid of it. EVERYONE is racist to a point I don't care who you are. Its part of life, its part of humans.

IS IT UGLY? Yes it can be, and is, but there is nothing anyone is going to do to end it.

Especially if mainstream media is around.

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Originally Posted by ibanezcollector

I think the N word as we call it, is ridiculous, especially when main stream african american people use it and glorify it. Then when I person of different race uses it because he thinks its socially acceptable gets called a racist LOL

Racism will be around forever, we will never get rid of it. EVERYONE is racist to a point I don't care who you are. Its part of life, its part of humans.

IS IT UGLY? Yes it can be, and is, but there is nothing anyone is going to do to end it.

Especially if mainstream media is around.

I am truly disappointed with our modern society. If everyone thoughtlike ibanezcollector, we'd be in a far better state

[pink freud]

Because people inherently dislike those who are different than themselves.

Racism/Ethnic Bigotry is the lowest hanging fruit, because it is the most obvious.
Other people dislike the ill, whether it be mental or physical.
Some dislike the other gender, others different sexualities.
Many dislike others based on others preferences (Beiber hate being a good example).

It all boils down to every being is in an existence in the first person perspective, and every being has different degrees of empathy towards others. Some can develop empathy for those they didn't have before, some never do. Likewise, some can shed empathy (usually happens in extreme circumstances, such as war against another group of people).

[ghstofperdition]

As long as there is personal insecurity, there will always be posturing and intolerance for others. Feeling worthless and self-loathing? Convince yourself that because you're white/straight/cismale/vegetarian/whatever, you're superior to everyone else. Suddenly you don't dislike yourself because then you start to feel special. Then it's ok to shit talk others because it makes you feel good. Then the circle of perpetuation continues because scapegoating comes it. Can't find a job? Damn dirty mexicans. Why are you so poor? It's gotta be those damn jews? Crime goes up? Yep, it's all on the blacks.

When the truth is there's too damn many unemployed people all fighting for the same job, which leads to not enough work for everybody, which causes poverty, which leads to some people resorting to theft and violence as a means to try and scrape a living.

Instead of looking at the problem with logical solutions, racists do exactly what Hitler did, use scapegoating as a means to unite under a common banner of hate.

[SD83]

What pink_freud & ghstofperdition said.
The situation is a bit different in Germany, with all the shit that happened towards the mid of the last century. I think, at least where I live, we have rather few people who are openly racist, and I know a handful of older guys (70+) who use the German equivalent of the "N word" without meaning it as an insult, without any racist connotation. On the other hand, I have heard my ex-girlfriend & her dad talk negativly about people of turkish/arabic origin in general a lot (which, in my eyes, definitly qualifies as racism), while they never knew any of them except out of the media and some misogynic dumbass her sister used to date... if I was going by the same rule, I would have to be convinced that white men are generally stupid drug dealing assholes while Egyptians are all a bunch of cool guys, just because the only one I know is... generalisation. It's just like people who see Manowar and think that all metal is like that. Stupid, but that's what a lot of people are like.
It gets worse the worse the situation gets. The individual might think "Oh well, looks like I ....ed things up", but as soon as someone puts the finger on another group shouting "It was them!"... it's just too easy to blame someone else, especially if that gives you the feeling of belonging to something that is good.
All that being said, I have no idea how someone can think that someone else is inferior to him because of color of skin, of hair, gender, sexual orientation or even taste in music. I think one should respect everyone & everything for what they are... unless they did something worthy of losing all respect (like, for example, Joseph Kony). If your skin is purple with yellow dots and your dating the tree down the road, that doesn't make you any better or worse than me, does it?
People should just stop teaching & preaching that one way of life, one type of life is better thant the other based on traditions and stuff like that. But I don't think that will happen any time soon, seeing that even in so called "modern" countries politicians who believe in this type of bullshit still get votes instead of stones thrown at them.
Sorry for the rant

[Hemi-Powered Drone]

Because humans are humans. A large portion of humans are always going to be afraid/angry at those different than them, they're genetically predisposed for it. Maybe racism will be bred out of humans. I doubt it, though, at least in this millennium.

[Powermetalbass]

Racism is forever. I don't say this because I'm some slack jawed bigot. I say it as a unfortunate truth. As humans we are always trying to categorize everything: Plants, animals, silverware and yes humans. Racism is an easy and visible way for people to categorize. As long as we have eyes we will categorize people by the colour of their skin.

Regardless of what people think racism is not a one way street, and does not apply only to the negative. Black, White, Yellow, Green, and Technicoloured people all are racists in some manner. Any time a person comments on any other person race probably is factored in even on a subconcious level. When people think of hot big booty they think of a black girl (Kim Kardashian or Rhianna comes to mind) thinking of big booty being hot on a white girl (most people would puke at the thought of say....Rosie o'donnell!)

Racism applies to other cultures labeling white people (its not a 1 way street). 'Cracker' for instance is a racists term. Also declaring history being made by DWG (Dead White Guys) is technically racist. Declaring your race is a racist act (I'm White, I'm Black and Proud, I'm Latina) all racists acts.

You want to end racism. Gouge everyones eyes out.

[vampiregenocide]

Originally Posted by troyguitar

There is still racism because there are still different races.

This is pretty much what I was going to come and say.


As long as human nature remains unchanged, we will force each other into social and racial groups and discriminate accordingly. It's a lot easier to hate someone and blame problems on a group than to look at something logically, and figure out why something is the way it is.

[TemjinStrife]

Originally Posted by Razzy

Because people still talk about it.

Because not talking about something makes it go away

[Konfyouzd]

Originally Posted by JWGriebel

This.

I think that things such as BET, Black History Month, Puetro Rican pride parades, and racial groups and networks in general help keep racism alive, because in the long run all it is does is serve to separate races into categories, "uniting" "them" and yet building this huge wall between "them" and every other race


When there is no "them," and only one "us," there will be no racism.

Having pride in one's origins is by no means an excuse to hate a person. That said, it wouldn't be the first time something existed for the sole purpose of opposing something else...