Why Is Skin Color Such An Issue In The United States?

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   vveaseyposted 10 years ago

   Why Is Skin Color Such An Issue In The United States?
   
   

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   CraftytotheCoreposted 10 years ago

   I can honestly say skin color has never been an issue with me.  Maybe I'm color blind.  I don't know.  But I have never looked at someone for the color of their skin.  I think the heart speaks in tones that portray the inner beauty of a person.

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      NornsMercyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Same here. I hate how most people are so obsessed with race.

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   AVailuuposted 10 years ago

   Discrimination is a symbol of power, control, and/or the superiority of man over man. The United States is built upon the backs of laborers dictated by British royalty. Those in power realized that in order to enact their will over others, they needed to enforce the philosophies of classism, racism, and discrimination in a way that would convince nobility that their actions were justifiable. I'm just volunteering my opinion without applying any current research to support my statement.

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   sheilamyersposted 10 years ago

   Because there are some people who need to make themselves feel better by belittling people who aren't the same as them. It's just stupid! I'm one of those people who think this country and the entire world would be a much better place if no one judged anyone else by the color of their skin.

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   bethperryposted 10 years ago

   I don't know that it is an issue any more. My husband is a Native and quite darker than me. It never bothered anyone in my family or our friends.

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      vlogan25posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      A native of what?

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      itssarahjposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      It is a large issue that still exists, perhaps subtle to some people but it is definitely an issue

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The U.S. - a native American Indian.

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   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   It appears only to be an issue for (some) people when it comes to black and white skin.
   In fact when the words "interracial couple" are used people jump to the conclusion that it's a black person with a white person.
   No one seems to think it could be an Asian person with a black, white, Hispanic, or Native American person. There are several combinations such a relationship could consist of.
   Nevertheless the U.S. has come a long way. If someone were around from the (1700s) they would be blown away by the progress of race relations in this country! Naturally the media and news tend to focus on sporadic tragic events that occur from time to time between people of different races.
   The black race for instance only makes up about 13% of the nation and that includes children. Clearly for President Obama to get elected he had to receive several millions of votes from whites and Hispanics.
   The U.S. is not "perfect" but then again no other nation is either. As each generation dies off the newer generations tend to be more accepting of people and their differences.

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      skytreeroadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Too be more honest it is Caucasian with any other race. As long as one is "white" or Caucasian it seems to be called a mixed race pairing. A friend of mine's daughter is Asian and married a Hispanic descendant but that is not considered to be  mixed

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   AmandaStyles13posted 10 years ago

   I don't think it's an issue at all. It may be an issue to some individuals, but overall as a country, I don't believe it's an issue. There are many different people here will all sorts of different backgrounds, religions, cultures, skin colors, you name it. I think America has become more accepting of the fact that we are not a country of one type of anything.. We have come to acknowledge that this country is very diverse and it will only continue to become more diverse in the future.

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   wba108@yahoo.composted 10 years ago

   The issue started because institutionalized slavery existed where the slave owners and slaves where of exclusively different races. Segregation continued this type of separation between races. Two hundred years ago slavery was common all over the world but usually it involved similar races or cultures making assimilation easier once slavery ended.
   
   Unfortunately, many in politics and the media have exploited cultural and racial differences and prejudges for their own benefit. Politicians have fanned the frames of division for votes and money. Many in the media has sensationalized racial tensions to raise their ratings.

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   Sullen91posted 10 years ago

   Some people genuinely believe they are superior by circumstances at birth. Some people have no other paradigm to evaluate their measure of being. Some people pass down intolerance to the generations through their kids. Some influential people help establish and facilitate institutional racism. Some policymakers promote casting blame on other races, as a means to divert attention from the salient factors impinging on members of all races.
   
   Ultimately, it makes sense to analyze the idea of "white privilege" from a historical context to better understand contemporary manifestations.
   
   One striking idea that theorists posit from white privilege is the right to assume that one's own experiences prevail everywhere and are the normal mode for assessing common reality. That is, other experiences or a manner that is seen to be outside of this frame of perception impel the recourse thinking that other people are understandably different and peculiar and that their perspectives would naturally make little sense because they emanate from unusualness and strangeness.

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    Cassie Smithposted 10 years ago

    Because race baiters will be out of a job and they won't be able to find a position just as lucrative.  There is a large race grievance industry in the United States and people make money by creating issues around skin color.

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    married2medicineposted 10 years ago

    This is seriously a big issue in America. I have never been to the US, but from the look of things, from youtube videos I have watched and most unfortunately from comments (on youtube videos, press releases, blogs, yahoo/aol/hotmal/huffington posts) you see clear demarcations and drawn lines in terms of race.
    
    I was initially thinking it was all about black vs white (even though it is still the major racial line drawn), but surprisingly I have encountered a lot of hispanic vs caucasian racial attacks on the internet. This is so ridiculous! Here in Europe, even in the racial corners (a large part of Eastern Europe), you hardly feel or see this situation and everyone treats everyone has HUMAN! This experience has provoked my thoughts a lot that I had to center my book on it.
    America has a lot of re-orientation to make and I hope these racial lines will soon disappear! Try reading my novel: "The Soul Talkers" by Dr. Funom Makama and I am sure you will never regret doing it.
    This is a lovely question!

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       vlogan25posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       it has been 237 years to date and while it appears that much has changed on the surface.  You can see that when it comes to race will still have much to learn and a long way to go.

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    duffsmomposted 10 years ago

    Is it an issue here? I would think it depends on the region. I have no problem with it, nor do any of the people that I know. It is a non-issue for us.

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    skytreeroadposted 10 years ago

    I guess because we went to war in America against America for the equality of black to white, or Caucasian. We didn't fight wars for women's rights, Asians, or men vs. women. It is just a more sensitive issue because of the war. That and the fact that after the war there was racial unrest in America until the mid 1970's. That's a lot of years of struggling and fighting for the justices of skin color. Now white or Caucasian people are becoming the minority in the world. They predict in less than 100 yrs the average man/woman will be of Asian descent. Or from India, or Hispanic. America is also the only country that people bought people from different races than themselves. English bought white slaves and black masters owned black slaves there, too. Asians used Asian slaves, etc. Africans bought and sold Africans. Only In America.

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    Kametre Adkinsonposted 10 years ago

    Melanin is the key to survival....some may feel that whom you share it with is critical.
    Although, you love who you love.  The heart does not always listen to the mind.  The only person responsible for your life is you.  People need to realize that racism in this country is, and will always be a BUSINESS, a corporation.

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    itssarahjposted 10 years ago

    Because people are so "stuck" in their ways. Remember many of these people are "baby boomers" and belong to parents who lived through the 60s. A lot of people shares beliefs that their parents presented to them growing up and some are just "stuck" on that prejudice.

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       lone77starposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I'm a boomer and it never was an issue with me. It wasn't with my parents or brothers, either. I think when you start using labels like "boomer," you create division -- just like racism.

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    IDONOposted 10 years ago

    I don't believe skin color is an issue in itself. To me, skin color is nothing more than an identification of not just a race, but of a culture. Forgive me if I seem to stereotype, but I don't want to write a book. If you look beyond all skin colors, you will see that each culture differs tremendously. Some examples are the way they dress, diets differ, music differs, speech differs, they name their children with many names that are all but exclusive to their race, they worship differently. The list goes on. The problem is that we, as humans, can't seem to grasp the idea that differing cultures CAN actually co-exist. No matter what the combinations of cultures they are, we feel that one always has to be dominant. The key word all these cultures never could get was "acceptance". No person should have to sacrifice their individuality for the sake of a relationship or acceptance in society.
         I graduated from high school in 1972 and there was a couple, the guy white, the girl black, that married right out of high school. Now, 42 years and 7 children later, they are together and as happy as any couple could be. Why? Because they looked at each other as people. Not white people or black people. They were realistic in knowing each other's differences but felt their love could persevere. But they decided that it didn't need to be a battle. So while respecting each other's cultures and not expect each other to give up that individuality that is so precious, they created a culture of their own, that satisfied their relationship as a couple as well as individuals. In other words, they accepted their differences and made it work. They also agreed that what society thought of them as a couple was not important enough to even make their list of priorities. After 42 years, who could argue.
         If our societies could learn from examples like these and realize that it can be done, you would never have to ask this question again. Unfortunately, it seems that our society is going the exact opposite
    direction. Sad but true.
         I hope this makes a little sense anyway.

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    ravenlt04posted 10 years ago

    Ignorance! That's a beautiful picture, by the way! Do you know them? Some people have been brainwashed since they were little; others make unfair judgements about entire groups of people based on television or one isolated experience. It's definitely an unfortunate societal issue. Many communities are segregated and scared of change; that stagnation leaves room for little to no growth.

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    lone77starposted 10 years ago

    The media does a lot of divisiveness. People are obsessed with labels. Labels are simple; many people have become lazy. Also, calling a person with pale mocha color, "black," is hilariously inaccurate. Obama isn't black; he's mixed. What's important is love -- not labels.
    
    In this microwave, instant-gratification world of selfishness, stereotypes and labels are emphasized by our media, creating destructive polarizations -- us versus them. Why? There are an elite, psychopathic few who would love to be rid of us "useless eaters." Their methods are downright clever and race is only one of dozens of dividing lines they're accentuating. Those in the public who don't think critically are easily swayed by their "Jedi mind tricks."
    
    I grew up in West Texas, but my family and I always felt close to people who were loving individuals no matter what their background was.
    
    Nice picture; lovely couple. Reminds me of my wife and I.

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    christiananrkistposted 10 years ago

    i dont know. i think its pathetic how we are in 2014 and still talking about race issues. i also love how the U.S likes to give the portrayal of tolerance and equality when its in a way one of the most obsessed nations about pointing out the differences all the time. ironic from a country that has so much diversity.

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