Why are we so scared to have a genuine conversation about race?

1. 59

   reallifesituationposted 14 years ago

   Why are we so scared to have a genuine conversation about race?
   
   I don't mean that conversation where we have built our repertoire of accepted and racially sensitive words, lingo and phrases. I mean that conversation where we sit across from each other, and are not deathly afraid to be open, where we are encouraged to offend, because this is the first step to awareness.

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2. 0

   Olivviatposted 14 years ago

   Fear of stepping on toes i guess. Fear of being seen passing ignorant judgements. Fear the "other" one just might turn out to be just like you. Hell you could just blame it all on fear.

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3. 59

   Kandle Smokeposted 14 years ago

   In my own opinion, the reason we are so torn over a straight forward and on topic, no holds barred discussion over race is that most of those who want to talk about it are wary to do so because of the dreaded 'Pubic Opinion' that Mark Twain spoke about.  When it really gets down to the true 'black and white' of the situation, no pun intended, a lot of the stress in the matter finds its roots in the slavery issue.  There's so much anger, confusion, and straight up apathy about the matter that few are willing to confront the topic head on, and fewer still are really willing to put aside their differences to make any advancement past the matter.
   
   Slavery, as we all know actually happened.  Slavery has been an issue with every race of humans that have ever populated this floating ball of rock in space, since the very beginning.  It is only in the past five hundred years or so, when most everyone is starting to realize that colors don't mean much and that we're all human, that the issue really begins to heat up.
   
   While it may not ring as true to the rest of you, a quote from Dr. Seuss sums it up for me.
   
   “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

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4. 71

   wyanjenposted 14 years ago

   It is a conversation that is much more possible recently.  Our attention is turning that way, I think. I live in the Detroit area which is highly segregated. I hear this conversation beginning to rumble along, especially on our local talk radio. I hear black people assuming that white people are prejudiced, and white people assuming that black people are too.
   I almost never hear anybody who actually IS though...
   Let's get talking.
   Be prepared for the haters to storm in. But I'm ready!

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5. 60

   aoiffe379posted 14 years ago

   I am not afraid because I am the product of mixed races. My elementary school teachers instilled in us a sense of God not having favourites. He sends the rain on the just and on the unjust. My high school was multiracial.At college I was involved in a Student' Program of Recreational Activities For Youth. That taught me that children are often blind to race; and adults can follow their example.One time the bus taking the children home was delayed because my charge was upset. She wanted me to ride the bus with her; and that I did.Our final activity was rollerskating and I had not been on skates for a long time. i fell; but my charge got her friends to assist. We all fell together and it became a game for them.At the end of the night, thanks to these racially different kids, I was skating without falling!Like i said, i am not afraid to talk. But,we may be culturally different; and that is another matter.My culture does not make a 'big deal' about race though we are aware of differences.When you get a cut, what color is your blood?

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6. 59

   EdG.posted 14 years ago

   Because the only conversation about "race" is not genuine to begin with. Race is arbitrary so nobody has any excuse to be saying anything about it except when putting jackass racists in their place.
   
   You can have genuine discussions about differences in culture, political preference, and even religion, but in the end, race is meaningless. How could a discussion about looks be anything more than skin deep?

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7. 60

   adayatechposted 14 years ago

   In my opinion, race is meaningless. You can't categorize people by the color of their skin. We are all members of one race, the human race, and each one of us is an individual. A conversation with people who have the same skin color as me, will give you no real insight into me. If you want to know me, you have to sit down with me.

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8. 60

   Whitney Manposted 14 years ago

   I Think you all have some interesting Point's on this Issue ! ! !
   
   Please Nothing I am writing here is ment to be Tacken wrong here but ment to help us understand thing's in a Differant light.
   Some times it is our choice of word's that we use.
   kandle smoke I do not know you. But here is a for instent's you used the word's ( with every race of human's ) as a intelegent Person I would not take offense to it But May be some one else
   See it as putting a division in  what Color their skin is. Because you used the word's every race of human's. Human's are one Race and not any Color. Even thow God Created us in differant Color's. But once we can get past this First step of understanding and learn to choose our word' more Carefully we can start to sit down and Have a Conversation.
   
   Let us look at another Issue To this !!
   
   Since the Dawn of time Human's catagorized thing's and put label's on them. example what political party you are, what religouse beleif you are, what sexual preferance you are and so forth. All these thing's are ment to do is to divide up the Human Race and bring Hatered to one another. If we can Keep from putting Label's on People and Dividing them into Groups we could get past allot of this Tenstion. We are all individual people
   who have their own thought's and Ideal's and should be able to share them with out fear of be Condemed for them. We need to come together with our Thought's and Idea's and sit and talk about them with out fear and compramise for a Better tomorrow.

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9. 0

   onadateposted 14 years ago

   Politically correctness both helps and hurts humans this way.  Our words, or semantics, differences in culture, religion, ettiquete, and social skills all can hinder conversations so most people chose to listen rather than to offend.  As people we are conditioned to  describe things using color, size, and shape.  This is a different issue than people who intend to bully by being "name callers."   Add into any mix a couple of "name callers"  and then watch the pot boil.  All name calling is hurtful and unfortunate.  Unfortunately, there are "name callers" everywhere in all colors, sizes and shapes.  Often when around "name callers", people become uncomfortable and don't know how to react to their conversations which sometimes is misconstrued as acceptance of their ignorance.  I met a lady once who came right out and told a person in line at the gas station, the "name caller",  that they were out of line and their words were unacceptable.  The silence that followed was amazing.  The look in the eyes of the 12 or so other onlookers confirmed her words.  This one lady politely stopped hate that moment and I will never forget that.

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10. 77

    Beata Stasakposted 14 years ago

    Great question and very important one in out time and age. It is so unfortunate that we can advance so fact in every area of life except our own human nature.
    When I was little growing up in the 'close to other world' tiny Communist country in the Eastern Europe, where people of other nations not to mention other races were very rare, I realised that my Grandmum's negavite attitude towards different people is based on ignorance. I also believe that old Christian representation of Jesus as a white man and representing evil in black colours helped to make wrong associations in my Grandmum's head. Believe she was the kindnest, very religious and
    trustworthy, caring person you could every meet, however she was scared of other races based just on her ignorance.
    
    Once I managed to leave my Communist country behind, I realized that there are still many 'racists' in open multicultural western world,
    I wondered why?  I have met many white people who lived in South Africa in the time of apartheid, they never shook of idea of supremacy of whites, just because it helps them to feel more important. It shows their own lack of selfesteem and selfworth.
    I meet a lot of Eastern European migrants who fled their poor countries in the pursue of materialistic goals, which many of them have not manage to meet. They feel ashamed and the colour or race is the only one last thing it makes them feel superior.
    
    Sometimes awareness is not enough I sadly realized some people do not want to change their attitudes because just than would nothing left for them to feel worthwile.
    
    I am so happy that great people like Mandella, Gandhi...Obama exists and manages to succeed in spite of so many odds built on this superficial theory that one race is better than other.

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11. 84

    Springboardposted 14 years ago

    I think it boils down to the simple reality that a lot of people on both sides have a tendency to sit down at the table with a preconception about the other side. It stifles conversation. It constricts thought and ideas. And quite frankly, people are too easily offended by what they hear, especially if it happens to be something they wish not to. Even if it happens to be the truth.
    
    I'd like to see it happen. An open debate, that is. I'd love to see race put to rest in this country for good. My fear is that too many people may have a lot to lose by giving it up as well, if you know what I mean. Some people capitalize on the idea of racism.
    
    Again, that's on both sides.

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12. 60

    couponmichaelkorsposted 11 years ago

    hold on please ,let me think a while.i believe that your word is right.and so on,you
    can scan other people's answers,follow them,make your think more big

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