Racism is very real in some places, and nearly gone in others.

What planet do you live on? Racism is still everywhere it's just not out in the open as it was before.

I agree! Perhaps, the fact that it is not being paraded out so willingly is a good step. I have a tendency to use the word fuck as an adjective because I don't see anything wrong with the word itself. However, as I have witnessed others discomfort with that word, I have decided to say it less. Consequently, I find, since I don't want to use it quite as often, it is leaving my vocabulary and my mind as well. Perhaps the same can happen on a socitial level with racism and bigotry in general.

I think bigotry and racism come from fear. Fear is loud and unreasonable but persistant.

And fear comes from ignorance.

Probably..But ignorance is unavoidable. No one can know all things. Well, ones god could, I suppose. Anyway, back to racism and ignorance. If ignorance is unavoidable, is racism and/or bigotry unavoidable?

yes, and it is growing again...

I would assume that we live on the same planet. I live in Toronto, though. There are racist neighborhoods here (although the boys at Jane and Finch will shoot and rob you no matter what colour your skin is), but there are many neighborhoods where racism is truly a thing of the past. There are a lot of mixed marriages, and very mixed groups of friends all over the place.

Sure, there are some people who are secretly racist here, but they don't really worry me. They rarely form groups, and pretty much never act based on their hate.

If you do something like switch your seat to get further from a black guy on a bus, you would get pretty much 100% disapproving stares.

First, I would say that a certain amount of ignorance is inevitable, but we can always improve. I was never racist, but I did have a strong dislike for homosexuals... until I had a class with a gay guy who was completely normal and an alright guy to hang out with. So ignorance can be fixed.

Second, I would say that ignorance CAN lead to fear and thence to hate, but it doesn't HAVE to. If we can just make the effort, we can get past this stuff. We all have a tendency to feel hostility against the unknown, but many of us are also able to overcome that and move on.

Here's hoping.

I'm not so sure hate is an entity in itself. At least not all the time, if at all. Pehaps hate is not even the proper word to use. The saying 'we kill what we fear' does not suggest hate at all, in my view.

Many moons ago, one night, when I was 16 years old, I and my girlfriend were walking on a sidewalk, not far behind us was a mentally handicapped person. The girl I was with, turning and seeing this person, grabbed my arm very tightly. I asked her what was wrong. She gestured behind us. I assured her there was nothing to be concerned of. Her response was very interesting. She said, 'those things are strong'.. I laughed and was suprised to hear this from a very bright person who didn't have a hateful bone in her body.

I try to make a habit of touching people. I do that because I believe human contact can overcome many phobias regarding people to people. It helps me break through when I am feeling afraid of a person for no good reason, and I have noticed it also relaxes the other person as well.

Hate, for me seems to be an adolescent feeling or emotion. Whether it is voiced or interpreted as such, doesn't matter to me.

Some people don't like to be touched.

Racism is bad but people are much more aware that it is not OK.

I pity the fool who don't have no dream.

Well, I'm disgriminate about it. What I mean is, offer to shake hands often, pat a person on the arm or back. For people whom I know are comfortable with it, I may hug them, male ar female.

OK. I'll buy that. I was thinking more of the actions than the feelings. In my mind, if you kill someone because of race, you're acting in hate, even if you don't feel hate. But I'll go with your terminology.

I can agree that hate can be an automatic, trained response. A military does that to it's soldiers. But, I'm still not convinced hate is anything other than a sloppy expression by a person whose maturity has arrested. In the end, I think it still comes down to fear. Hate may be the nerve, but fear is the motive..

Testing, Testing...

I, personally, feel that racism is still prevalent in society today. It is in the form of Affirmative Action.
Let us allow someone into a position due to the color of their skin? Sounds like racism... Give someone extra points on a placement test because of their race? Sounds like racism to me.

Plus, take a look at what the fine gentlemen Rev Al Sharpton and the NAACP tend to feel is important.

Not many "Real News Agencies" are carrying this story due to its racist content, but I am more than willing to talk about the young high school girl that was the

first white graduate.

from this high school. OK, no tthe greatest source, but there aren't many...

I feel racism is alive and kicking. My wife is Mexican and I am white. You would be surprised at the reactions of some people. I have been told things like "How cute, you have a mixed marriage.", our "What is a mixed marriage like?", and "So what does that make your son?"

We are two people in love and married. It is a marriage, just like any other. We are a family, not any different from any other. Putting a label like "mixed marriage" on it is forcing the issue that it is somehow different. In my opinion this is a racist action.

I am not meaning to insult anyone with this. I just take having my marriage labeled very personaly.

IMO, Racism will be closer to being eradicated when schools stop requiring pupils to fill out 'Ethnic Background' sections on various forms.

I'm getting the impression (and I may be wrong of course) that we are only getting views from wasps and other white people. Am I correct?

That's an awfully racist and religist viewpoint to take in assuming that so many here are White, Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASP) instead of simply listening to the discussion.

Thanks for proving the point that racism is alive and kicking - even on the reverse side of the coin.

I'm offended by that statement! Are you trying to say that non-whites are not smart enough to use the internet? I demand monetary settlement for that racist remark! Pay up right now or Al will sue you!

Just kidding of course, but we all seem to be a little too sensitive to things. Why do certain groups get protection while others are screwed? "Political correctness" is doing much more harm than the remaining racist and "reverse racist" segments. It's to the point that only members of your protected group can criticize or make fun of that protected group. Anyone else is racist, sexist, or whatever else and risks getting sued or fired.

If you want to make fun of me for what I am, fine. If it's funny, I'll laugh too. If not, I might give you a weird that-doesn't-make-sense look. If you do it because you're trying to be mean, tough. I don't really care. If you're that way, you're not worth paying attention to.

Just don't give me special consideration (positive or negative) over my abilities , experience, and personality. Anything else is just not right.


Disclaimer: The ideas posed in the above statement may not be representative of the views of the poster. Said poster hereby disclaims any damages, emotional or otherwise, that may arise from this post. Said damages shall include, but not be limited to, hurt feelings, loss of sleep, mental distress, and hyperoxia due to extensive huffing.

Just an observation..It seems I may be correct..