Is race really a big deal in the US?

1. 68

   ilmdamailyposted 14 years ago

   A question to all the North Americans on the forums:
   
   Is race really a "big thing" in the US?
   
   The general impression I get from news, movies and just general social interactions with American citizens is that race seems to play a significant role in the national psyche.
   
   If you are a US citizen, does race play a part in your interactions with your fellow countrymen, conciously or subconciously? Are "mixed relationships" a big deal? If you have children, does the ethnicity of their partner come up on your radar? If so, why?
   
   Is this actually the case? What do you think is behind it?
   
   Just curious.

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      Originposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Q: If you are a US citizen, does race play a part in your interactions with your fellow countrymen, conciously or subconciously?
      
      A: I think media sometimes blows it out of proportion for the sake of news. But, other than that no.
      
      Q: Are "mixed relationships" a big deal?
      
      A: To most people no, sometimes you get those purists out there that dislike it, but that is like 0.849%.
      
      Q: If you have children, does the ethnicity of their partner come up on your radar?
      
      A: Nope, there are so many people in the US with mixed nationalities, it's not a problem. My friends and I have had relationships with people of different ethnicities, it's never been a problem (Some of my friends are of different backgrounds as well themselves).
      
      I don't think it's a big thing really in the states, it's a giant melting pot after all, many people of different ethnicities, many different religions, many different lifestyles, and so forth.

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         Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I wonder what Pollyanna umbrella you live under? If you want to know what I mean by that, take a look at the comment I left on Shade's Hub.
         
         On the other hand, perhaps you are the product of a new kind of acceptance and tolerance, in which case I hope you would tell us how that came to be.

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            Originposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            After I wrote that earlier, I started to think to myself that it's probably different in other parts of the country. After all, our country is quite big. It could be that I'm born and raised in a northern yankee state, I don't know. But I haven't personally seen much racism happening in regards to the questions that the OP posed. Also, I'm not including "what I see on tv" because media can be quite bloated, but instead only going by my personal accounts.
            
            Or perhaps, I do live in a bubble.

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      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I don't know if Americans themselves are the right people to ask, since their racial views for granted.   For instance, I find it unsettling that the US feels the need for separate "black" and "Hispanic" television shows and music charts.
      
      I'm sure racial attitudes vary across the country.  I had an American friend who emigrated to Australia because he loved the more tolerant attitude here.  He told many stories of racial prejudice in his home town of Chicago.

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   3. 70

      rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Since the founding of this country race has been a very big issue when first dealing with the Indians and then the Africans.
      
      When Jamestown was settled in Virginia the local Indians were thought of as savages and percieved to lack intelligence equal to the european.  Their land was deemed more useful to those who could utilize it better and therefore confiscated.
      
      Once it was proven that the Indians made lousy slaves because of their ability to escape the African solution was developed to import slaves from another country to tend to the crops and plantations.
      
      What could possess intelligent people to think that for one you could take a persons freedom, enslave them, and in many cases abuse their human rights without long reaching repercussions?  These are deep wounds and by saying time will heal these wounds because they have been freed by some laws is silly at best.
      
      A close friend of mine once told me that "white people see nothing in a  racist light, while black people see everything having a racial element to it".  I think it is true now more than it ever has been.

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         Padrinoposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Do you know a lot of former slaves? Should I feel hatred towards the English because ancestors of mine were treated badly simply for being Scottish?
         
         Resentment should be reserved for those who have actually been harmed by someone not because of something that happened to an ancestor they never knew!

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            rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            My statement was merely an attempt to put into perspective what so many dismiss by stating that they did not know any slaves nor did they keep them.  You obviously are of that opinion.
            
            I know it is hard to step back and take a look at the country as it has developed but many minorities feel slighted by being summarily dismissed such as your statement implies.  A simple what was then was then and what is now is now is a very narrow view of the development of the iniquities that are still in place today.
            
            While many Black Americans has risen above the odds stacked against them there are still so many more left behind in our inner cities where a culture has developed that keeps them in their squalor.
            
            If you take someone under force from their home, enslave them, destroy their family dynamic, remove their dignity, once again enslave them to a welfare system of dependence and then expect the whole situation to cure itself because they are now free to do so, you are blind to the problems depth.
            
            America has a very long history of making messes and then walking away after throwing a bunch of money at a failed attempt.

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         Shadesbreathposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Your friend's attitude is exactly the problem.  Big sweeping statements that lump all people of one "group" or another into absolute categories IS the problem. It was the problem in distant past you quote, it was the problem in pasts far more distant, and it is the problem now.  By clinging to that sort of mindless nonsense,  stupidity and cruelty can be justified by anyone. 
         
         It's amusing to watch someone attempt to make a profound statement about the continued problem of racial stereotyping by racially stereotyping.  The lack of intended irony is ironic.

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            rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I was relating one persons perspective on the racial divide and how so many times it has been reproven to me.  Notice I did not say everytime.
            
            Your take on the problem seems to speak to the statement quite well. I also find it amusing in your answer that you attempt to put away something so simply by erasing someone elses feelings with attacks on their intelligence.  Perhaps this is just another form of the very things you have tried to dismiss.
            
            There are deep wounds that you cannot ignore by simply ridiculing and not internalizing what others feel.  If you wish to continue a cusory glance at the issue you will never understand it.

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      Phoenix Poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I predict that only people who are NOT white will say it IS a big deal. 
      truth is, the pendulum has swung so far the other way that non-whites and women are now getting jobs simply because of that and NOT because they are more qualified than white males.
      Now, in fact, unemployed white males over 40 are a minority--the ONLY minority that no one has ever given a d@mn about  in fact.
      It's 2010.  We need to all just be people.  I'm tired of all the other nonsense!

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      1. 70

         rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         So by grouping "them" all together and saying that whites are at a disadvantage means that we have finally met the criteria that race relations are now on an even keel.
         
         I agree that in a lot of cases there has been a swing the other way and race has become the defining point for some peoples being hired and others left behind.
         
         I don't think the question is whether or not there should be a law to fix it but rather a discussion to see how the iniquity of it can be addressed and understood on a societal plane.

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   5. 74

      AEvansposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Is race really a "big thing" in the US?
      
      Personally I believe it depends on which part of the Country you reside. Overall I would say that it isn't like it used to be, when our grandparents and parents grew up but we still have a little distance to go. 
      
      
      
      If you are a US citizen, does race play a part in your interactions with your fellow countrymen, conciously or subconciously?
      
      It does not matter to me what race someone is, what matters most is who they are as a person. Our blood runs the same color. Red.
      
      
      Are "mixed relationships" a big deal?
      
      I am in an interracial marriage it really isn't any big deal it just depends on who you are speaking too. We have been accepted by everyone we have met. We haven't ran into any issues and we have traveled to many parts of our Country, education, professionalism and where you reside play a part when it comes to acceptance.
      
      
      If you have children, does the ethnicity of their partner come up on your radar? If so, why? Is this actually the case? What do you think is behind it?
      
      
      Ethnicity will not play a part when our children date or marry, love does not have a color. We believe so long as they both treat each other with respect, love and kindness that is all that matters. We will not care if they are Black, White, Asian, Indian, it does not matter when it comes to love.
      If you educate your children and teach them respect for others without looking at the color of another person's skin then you are teaching them unity.

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2. 83

   Rafiniposted 14 years ago

   oh, wow, what a topic!  Okay, here's my take:
   
   I grew up with a minority step-father.  I never witnessed any issues based on race although my parents both told me about their experiences when they were out by themselves. 
   
   At school while growing up, I saw quite a few differences in behavior depending on race.  It was kind of strange, though.  No matter what race the student was, I saw they were treated equally (can't say about behind closed doors, obviously) but depending on their race they reacted differently to being in trouble.
   
   As an adult I've witnessed more on the side of people being racists, although refusing to admit it for obvious reasons. (who wants to be known as a racist??) I wouldn't say I'm racist, however, there are times when I'm accused of it based on my 'skills' of treating people based on their personalities, attitudes, speech, actions.... In other words, no matter what race you are, if you're disrespectful to me I'm not going to appreciate it!!
   
   There are sooo many mixed couples nowadays, I think racism is inching ever closer to being a thing of the past.
   
   The cause?  Isn't it obvious?  Slavery.  Today's attitudes (on both sides including top and bottom) are leftover remnants from the days of slavery.  Time heals all wounds, but how much time is required is a different story.

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   Sab Ohposted 14 years ago

   Mixed race people are the fastest growing demographic in the country.
   
   Race relations are better in the US than in most parts of the world, but we talk about it so much and the media dramatizes it so much (and certain people profit from it so much) that it seems a bigger deal than it is. I suppose there are positive and negative aspects to being so hyper-aware of it.

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      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      How many other parts of the world have you lived in?

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         Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         A few, but I have worked closely for many years with people from nearly every single nation on earth.

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4. 66

   Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago

   Race is still "a big deal" in the U.S. but nothing like it was before the civil rights movement in the sixties. It's much less of an issue than it was when I was growing up in Louisiana. Young people are much more racially tolerant than their parents and grandparents. Interracial couples are common and hardly anyone gives them a second thought in most of the country.

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   Pandoras Boxposted 14 years ago

   I think there are things which go back centuries which still affect attitudes. I think it's a bit too PC to pretend there are no general differences between the races. I also think that things on that front are always improving.
   
   I am positive racism still exists. I'm not sure it's productive to have a conversation about it. I don't mean here, in particular, I mean in american society. Too many people aren't looking for solutions.
   
   It will die its own natural death.

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      Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Racism will never die. We will always need to be aware of our weaknesses.

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         Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Racism will die eventually - when all races are mixed into one.

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            Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            You cannot mix all races into one Rafini. There are differences in the human biological make up of the different races. Thus, why human beings, the species, is broken down into racial demographics to begin with.
            
            It is the "view" that needs to change. A human being is a human being, regardless of what they look like and should be treated in that manner. One is not superior for whatever reason, even if smarter, prettier, wiser or anything else.
            
            The human species, as a defined, is what brings about races. So, in a way Sab Oh is partially correct, it is unfortunate that no one who is living now will ever see it happen within their life span, unless things begin to change now. If now is the time(begins) to change, then newborns(would grow into adults) can help their children's children into a world where race no longer is on the minds of the people, it would still take a good 100 years to change it.

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            bsscorpio8posted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I doubt it.

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6. 59

   Padrinoposted 14 years ago

   Its only an issue when it serves to advance a liberal cause.
   
   As in
   Conservative
   "I disagree with  Barack Hussein Obama about health care reform!"
   
   Liberal
   "Why did you have to use his middle name? You know there are some blacks in this Country who do not have health care, you don't want black people to have health care you friken racist!"
   
   Conservative
   Uhhhh, what?

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7. 76

   Shadesbreathposted 14 years ago

   I just wrote my last hub on the topic of Racism in America as a matter of fact, about it as it plays out right now in big and little ways.
   
   (I know, gross self promotion, but it is a big issue and it's important.  So, yeah, go read it. It's totally on topic, and I have zero SEO skills, so I'm fine with shamelessness of the conversation gets furthered some.)

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      Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Don't fight the shamelessness! It worked and I'm going to read your hub now.

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      ilmdamailyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Shade! Don't apologise, i'm off to read it too :-)

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8. 71

   thranaxposted 14 years ago

   "Black" and "Hispanic" are just groupings. Black is like BET the Black television channel...its aimed for black people and there likes. Hispanic is like Tv En Espanol. It contains some English shows but there corny shows from South America etc that are not filmed or made here that appeal to spanish people.
   
   Don't judge the whole US on that...
   
   I'm from Massachusetts, were racial tolerant - don't mean you will catch me in the slum areas. The south is a different story.
   
   ~thranax~

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      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      But that's what I mean, thranax.  Black and Hispanic are races.  Why do they feel separate channels are necessary?  Why don't they feel mainstream television is serving their needs?

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         thranaxposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Thats like saying if you like Country music then you must like all music. I bet you don't like Rap music, but that doesn't mean you don't like music at all. A lot about race has to do with there culture and a normal tv show might not capture that culture.
         
         Comedy is a great example. Different races have different backgrounds. Comedy can be separated in Hispanic, Black, or just Comedy.
         
         I wrote a hub about Bob Marley (Maine Comedian). Yes, his jokes are funny but they focus on "Maine Humor" if you haven't been to Maine, you might not get the jokes and not like him. That is separated comedy by geographical location, so why wouldn't you categorize it by race (or more likely culture)?
         
         ~thranax~

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         Rochelle Frankposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         When you have 200+ channels to choose from, there are some that will specialize in a certain market niche. There are also sports channels and arts channels.

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         bsscorpio8posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Because there were times when "they" were trampled under foot JUST for being their respective races. It only becomes a problem when people say, "well why do THEY have to have their own channels?"
         
         Perhaps "they" are not in the main stream because the demographics are too small to generate an audience that is big enough to compete with the mainstream, so they purchase channels in a smaller more specialized market that is geared toward "their" taste in entertainment. Remember, we are considered "minorities".
         
         "They" are allowed to air more programs that would never have made it to the mainstream.

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      Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      "I'm from Massachusetts, we're racially tolerant "
      
      LOL! Yeah, right.
      
      
      
      
      And please learn the distinction between "there" and "their." You're hurting my eyes.

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      bill yonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      the funny thing about that  thranax,(BET) is more WHITE people watch it than black people.

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   ilmdamailyposted 14 years ago

   Thanks so much for the replies everyone - that is quite illuminating!
   
   Now, if I may be so statistically lazy as to extrapolate the opinions here into a few broad take-home observations about race in America:
   
   a) That race exists - the word and concept can be used in general conversation with US citizens and there will be a shared understanding of its meaning. Regardless of whether or not race should or should not be viewed as being a "big thing", it is nonetheless acknowledged as existing.
   
   b) That there exists a tension between the fact that race is acknowledged as being "real" but that people are not supposed to notice it.
   
   c) That this tension can manifest itself in a hypersensitivity to issues of race, as Rafini points out should somebody be criticised that they may "play the race card" rather than accept the criticism as valid, or look towards another cause for the criticism.
   
   Fair assessment?
   
   I would not be so bold as to say this is an exclusive list, nor that it applies purely to the US - it's just my attempt at getting my head around perceptions of race in the US psyche.
   
   That's an interesting point you make Marisa, though I think the creation of separate media channels based on language or race is more a function of economics (ie, different "races" prefer to view material relevant to them to the extent that it becomes financially viable to establish stations along those lines). Though having said that, I guess the way in which people choose to spend thier money also speaks to the way in which they would like to be identified. Interesting.
   
   I was born in Australia - one of the reasons I left was because of a latent attitude of racism I saw developing in the country. I'd be interested in your friend's experience - what was their background, and which part of the country did they move to?

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      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      My friend worked as a janitor and he told the story of when he worked in big commercial buildings in Chicago.  He frequently worked late and would drive home late at night or in the early hours.  He just accepted that he would be pulled over night after night and "frisked", because he was driving a nice SUV.  Often it was the same cops who had stopped him often enough to recognize him, but they went through the whole charade every time.
      
      In Australia, he said he could go about daily life without any awareness of colour. He loved how we could all go out for dinner, and no one would turn and look at him because he was sitting at a table with a load of white people.

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         Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         "In Australia, he said he could go about daily life without any awareness of colour. He loved how we could all go out for dinner, and no one would turn and look at him because he was sitting at a table with a load of white people."
         
         
         I am highly suspicious of any claim that anyone anywhere is "unaware" of race, and it is NOT a big deal to see a black person sitting at a table with white people in the US.

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10. 79

    bgpappaposted 14 years ago

    Race is a big deal but certainly not as blatant as in the past.  America is still trying to find the right balance but there are still racial divides and they are not always between black and white but across the spectrum.

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11. 59

    saltposted 14 years ago

    I cant see anything wrong with having tv for your own cultural perspective. We have sbs here, which does a little of that. I can understand that people want to have their own cultural representation.
    
    I also can understand racial matters can be bizarre, I might be upset with someone in the supermarket, yet if they are indian, I am suddenly racist, although, one girl was really rude to me and I stuck up for myself. The supervisor was indian too and she understood what I said was not based on race, but attitude. And that is the difficulty, different cultures have different standards of norm.
    
    What I might think is rude, might be quite ok for someone from somewhere else, where what they think is rude, might be something I wouldnt even think about or know. So ... sometimes its just cultural differences not racism.
    
    Sometimes too, people carry racism in their aura. It can be part of their own psychi or belief of how the world works and that is something for them to work through. It could be they have had many racist experiences and that sits with them. Or even ancestoral links.
    
    We were staying somewhere with a black american and he was lovely. He started to fix the fire and do things in the kitchen. They were things he didnt have to do.. I suddenly got the sense that his family tree would have included slaves. His ancestoral links were carrying him through this. I wanted to share this with him, as I do a bit of psychic work, especially on ancestoral links - there just wasnt the right opportunity and I was unsure if he would understand that I was trying to show him something, not put him in a category.
    
    Often our ancestors are with us in spirit or in our dna.

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       "We were staying somewhere with a black american and he was lovely. He started to fix the fire and do things in the kitchen. They were things he didnt have to do.. I suddenly got the sense that his family tree would have included slaves. His ancestoral links were carrying him through this."
       
       
       That is an unbelievably offensive statement.

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          Paradise7posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          So right.  You see what I mean about being subconciously racist.  The person who posted that didn't mean to sound so godawfully patronizing.

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             Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Witholding my frank opinion about the person who posted that...

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          Pandoras Boxposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Okay I gotta agree with ya on that one. Though I doubt it was worthwhile to point it out.
          
          It brings up a good point though. Racism isn't just about hate or intolerance. And also it has alot to do with ignorance.
          
          I doubt the poster could even really see why the statement is offensive in more than one way.

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          TMMasonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          "We were staying somewhere with a black american and he was lovely. He started to fix the fire and do things in the kitchen. They were things he didnt have to do.. I suddenly got the sense that his family tree would have included slaves. His ancestoral links were carrying him through this."
          
          
          
          WOW!...
          
          And I am a Racist eh?...
          
          
          Hahahahaha....

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             Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Could be.

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       bill yonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       its a good thing you didn't share it with him because he probably would have gotten pissed off! that statement pissed me off!Don't make me jump through this screen and open up a can of whup ass on you!

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    rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

    I think some people make it an issue, but for myself and my family, there are no issues. my sons don't even see color, they were raised that way.  we have friends from different cultures. we live in a neighborhood with all kinds of people.
    
    different parts of the country may be different. some areas are more tolerant than others.

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       MordechaiZoltanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       "Race" is an interesting word to identify lineages of humans. It implies a winner and a loser.

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       "my sons don't even see color"
       
       Unless they are suffering from a specific disorder, yes they do.

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    Raven1001posted 14 years ago

    In general I think there is alot of prejudice but most people are willing to change their minds after they get to know someone.
    The most racist people I come across today are those that have spent any length of time in jail.
    And as someone who has lived both in the deep south and north I can tell you that the amount of racism is not that different, the only thing different are the races involved.

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14. 68

    Paradise7posted 14 years ago

    Here in the US, people don't realize it when they are being racist.  I've seen this, these very subtle assumptions that people make even tho they are trying their hardest to be politically correct.  It's something I've been hoping for a long time, that time will cure.

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Some people realize it, some don't. Same as elsewhere.

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    Madame Xposted 14 years ago

    Hear, hear!

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    MordechaiZoltanposted 14 years ago

    This is from an article on the guy that tried to blow up times square. Does it add any value to the story to comment that the neighborhood was "mixed-race"? To me it does not.
    
    "Authorities removed filled plastic bags from the house overnight in a mixed-race, working-class neighborhood of multi-family homes in Connecticut's largest city. A bomb squad came and went without entering as local police and FBI agents gathered in the cordoned-off street."

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    Phoenix Poetposted 14 years ago

    "If you take someone under force from their home, enslave them, destroy their family dynamic, remove their dignity, once again enslave them to a welfare system of dependence and then expect the whole situation to cure itself because they are now free to do so, you are blind to the problems depth."
    I was okay until I hit this patch.  It's a bit melodramatic.  plus, let's not forget that when it comes to slavery, it was not unusual for a chief to sell his own people.  having said that, how can you expect more from strangers at that time?  it's the way people behaved back then really.  I mean it was a human shortcoming not a racial issue.
    I don't think it's fair to say anyone is "enslaved" to welfare either.  Besides, a welfare check or two could certainly buy a plane ticket and passport to another country, right? 
    We have problems here in America but it's still the best country there is.
    Where else can you talk sh*t about the government and NOT have someone put you in your place?  In SOME countries i would have never had a chance to learn your opinion because you would have been dead by now.
    
    But, I digress . . .

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       rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       The selling of people in the past was always a part of the human condition.  It has been around since biblical times.  Many vanquished foes were enslaved as a spoils of war reward to the victor.  Maybe it is a human shortcoming as there are still places in the world that this type of trafficking goes on.
       
       However the scale that was exercised by the colonists for economic gain was not a part of the chief selling a few tribal members for a cow or something.  The scale desimated the family dynamic and that is where the true harm came into being.  Teaching people to scam the system by throwing money at them for numbers of dependents shows a steady stream of neglect and lack of responsibility on both parts.  The society and the government.

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          Phoenix Poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I am with you on everything here, too except the government NEVER taught ME how to scam the system.
          I'm not presently employed full-time and I am behind on my debts and child support. 
          If you know anyone who can clue me in . . .

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             rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             I am in the same boat although my children are out on their own.  The debt is crushing never the less.
             
             I think that the governments attempts to help the slaves out of captivity was well intentioned but not cognizant of human dynamics.  When given something without any sacrifice there seems to come an expectation of entitlement to it.  Over many generations the support becomes normal and almost as a job.  Mind you I could not live off of the support supplied nor would I choose to.  But there is a mindset with some that if you have enough children you can get enough money to survive.
             
             I don't think that you or most people would wish to exist under these conditions.  But if you grow up in it you become accustomed to it and it is a learned skill.  The question is how do you break the cycle?

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    MikeNVposted 14 years ago

    For some reason there are people who just can not get over people who look different than they do.  And this occurs in all races.
    
    Racism is fueled by hatred closeted or not.
    
    I can tell you this... if any racist person was mangled in an automobile accident and the race they choose to hate was on the other end of the rescue team their view of that race would change in a hurry.

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    Madame Xposted 14 years ago

    Hatred is a cover for fear. A lot of people just need to calm down.

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       rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       "Prejudice is the child of ignorance."
       
       William Hazlitt
       1778-1830 English writer

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    Madame Xposted 14 years ago

    Looks like we're agreeing rhamson. Fear is usually because of ignorance.

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21. 62

    JON EWALLposted 14 years ago

    HUBBERS
    The world today is much different than it was say 20, 30 or 40 years ago. Yes it was true that racial bias was prevalent in certain parts of the country. As each passing generation comes and goes, the world is much smaller, color or ethnic background appears to be more acceptable.
    In some of those who lived in the past with racial prejudices, there passing were eventually be a part of history.
    Today we see more mixed marriages and companionship's than before. That means to me that color will eventually be a none issue argument.
    One must not judge one by the color of ones skin but by the actions and character of one's self.
    We are in fact all brothers and sisters in the eyes of our maker. Love and peace are much better than hate and war.

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    TMMasonposted 14 years ago

    NO.
    
    It isn't.
    
    It cracks me up though, the way the left uses it as a club to beat anyone who deosn't see issues the same as them.
    
    But no race is not a huge issue todday in America.

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23. 60

    SpanStarposted 14 years ago

    For those who are not faced with the problems pertaining to racism then it is no big deal but to those who are faced with the evey present pressures of dealing with this menace it is a very big deal.  People believed that bullying wasn't a big deal can anyone say Columbine....

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24. 73

    Jeff Berndtposted 14 years ago

    Is race really a "big thing" in the US?
    Yes, it is.
    
    The general impression I get from news, movies and just general social interactions with American citizens is that race seems to play a significant role in the national psyche.
    Yes, it does.
    
    If you are a US citizen, does race play a part in your interactions with your fellow countrymen, conciously or subconciously?
    It does, both consciously and subconsciously, whether I want it to or not.
    
    Are "mixed relationships" a big deal?
    Not to me, and not to my friends and (most of) my neighbors, but it's a really big deal to a lot of Americans. I've had a total stranger come up to me and point at a biracial couple and tell me how disgusting he thought they were. (I was sixteen, and the bigot was a customer at the restaurant I was working at. I was so taken aback that I couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't get me fired.) Also, a justice of the peace in Louisiana
    recently refused to marry a biracial couple in a civil ceremony, on the grounds that their (entirely hypothetical at this point) mixed-race children would suffer by virtue of being mixed-race.
    
    If you have children, does the ethnicity of their partner come up on your radar? If so, why?
    I do, but they're too young for this to be a worry yet. When they are old enough to date, I would worry if they dated someone not of their race not because I would disapprove, but because I worry what might happen to them if a crowd of bigots in a bad mood happen to see them together and decide to put their bigotry into action.
    
    Is this actually the case? What do you think is behind it?
    Not sure about the specific "this" you mean, but I'll assume that you mean "Race is a big deal." Yes, it's a big deal. We'd like for it not to be a big deal, but it's a big deal.
    
    I'd really like to go on, this thread caught my attention at a bad time; I have to get some chores done. But I'm glad you brought this up. It's something we Americans need to think critically about.
    
    Just curious.
    Curiosity is a good thing.
    
    Cheers,
    JB

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       ""Race is a big deal." Yes, it's a big deal. "
       
       
       Not as big a deal as some make it out to be. Racism will always be an issue in that it will always exist, but people think it is a bigger deal in the US than it actually is because we never stop talking about it.

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          china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          So - if we all stop talking about it it will go away maybe we should stop talking about the invasion of Iraq then nobody will be dying  - or anything.

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             Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             "So - if we all stop talking about it it will go away"
             
             Certainly not. Who said that?

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          Jeff Berndtposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          "Not as big a deal as some make it out to be."
          
          Well, racism in America is not a big deal to most white people. We mostly benefit from it. It's a pretty big deal to people of color, who get treated really, really badly.
          
          Do a google search on the term "White Privilege" or "Race Fail" and take a look at the discussions that come up.
          
          A big part of the problem is that people like to pretend that the problem is either a lot smaller than it is or that it is nonexistent. But the problem is real, and it's pretty big.

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25. 77

    Uninvited Writerposted 14 years ago

    True, it always seemed that biracial couples were made a bigger deal of in the US than elsewhere. I remember all the hullabaloo over a biracial couple on a soap opera less than 10 years ago. And in TV or movies you rarely see biracial couples, it does seem to be changing though, but slowly.
    
    Of course, it's not limited to the US. A biracial couple in Canada recently had a cross burned on their lawn and their car set on fire. But, for some reason, Nova Scotia has always had more racial troubles that the rest of the country.
    
    However, I never see anyone pointing out how terrible they think biracial couples are.

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       "And in TV or movies you rarely see biracial couples"
       
       I don't think that is true.

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26. 65

    prettydarkhorseposted 14 years ago

    does biracial means for example American and Asian couple like that or is it more stronger concern when it is between a white race or other race?

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       "American" is not a race, so I'm not sure what you mean, but by and large interracial couples are no longer remarkable in most places in the US.

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27. 0

    ahorsebackposted 14 years ago

    I , as an American, beleive race is just one more evil from within mans heart, and it to some degree is in everyone. We as a people have to treat the issue in each moment that we live.
    Only by honest and deliberately treating all with the dignity they deserve will we beat it. What I am tired of is the assumption that it is an American trait only . There is far more prejudice in many other cultures ,but ours is more open , thats it. Reverse prejudisness is just as big a problem to deal with as well.  Political correctness is fanning the flames of this issue, in America, as well . We have to hold each other accountable now.....

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28. 61

    eli greyposted 14 years ago

    It is a big deal in the U.S. and other countries. Specifically focusing on the U.S. yes it is. Think of all the coverups in our nation's history or the in your face racial violence. It still happens. If the government wanted to get rid of it, they could pass a law amending the freedom of protest and speech on certain things. they are the government and can do anything they want right? Problem is, and no offense to anyone, we have a bunch of old white men from the times when segregation was slowly being depleted and they didn't like it. Some of them have ties to some disturbing, morally demoralized folk in the country.If the government has the power to know what I am typing right now, then they could put a stop to the supremicsts. It's a big deal because it happens and little to nothing is being done about it. I say be the government of yourself in times when your government will not.That's part of having courage, it's part of becoming united, it's part of being patriotic.

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       " If the government wanted to get rid of it, they could pass a law amending the freedom of protest and speech on certain things."
       
       The government can make racism go away by suspending the 1st Amendment? I don't think so.
       
       
       
       " they are the government and can do anything they want right?"
       
       NO, THEY CANNOT.

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          eli greyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Well you get my point.  maybe not amend the amendment but rewrite it.

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             Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             NO, 'they' can't just do that either.

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          eli greyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          that wouldnt get rid of racism itself, but not allowing certain practices would be the first step.

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             china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Legislating against racism is a minefield, like the sex discrimination laws - The UK has race laws and while the courts seem to be busy the issue remains much the same.

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             Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             "that wouldnt get rid of racism itself, but not allowing certain practices would be the first step."
             
             The first step toward eroding the Bill of Rights.

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                eli greyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                Then, Sab Oh, it's a lose-lose for us all. Good point by the way china man.

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    2. 0

       china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       In the 70's I visited an American battleship that parked next to the submarine I was serving on. This was in Bermuda during the time of the Vietnam war.
       
       A few of us were taken on board for a beer with some crew members and I asked where all the black guys were as every face on the mess-deck was white.  We were directed to another mess room where all the guys were black - we were advised not to go in but as is our wont we went on to get a couple of beers there also.  The racial tension and language was almost unbearable, and the unfortunate necessity of the segregation obvious.  I don't know if this is still the case with the American military, I would hope not.
       
       On our second visit to Bermuda in the same period the Black Panther movement assassinated the Governor.

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29. 61

    eli greyposted 14 years ago

    and yes it does effect our daily interactions because of the music we listen to, the clothes we wear, the places we hang out... but they know what divides us and they'd let it thrive because they are corrupt; our loss is their gain.

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30. 83

    Rafiniposted 14 years ago

    I think it depends on what race you are, where you live, what you do for a living, whether or not you have a higher education, whether or not you're an active member of the community and so on.
    
    
    I don't have too many issues unless I come up against a drug dealer or someone with a limited education (usually at my last place of employment) and then I'd be accused of being racist due to enforcing policy.
    
    
    For the most part I think inter-racial relationships are accepted and there aren't too many issues left with it.  I seriously think there has been a shift toward individuality and away from what race people are.

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31. 67

    Pearldiverposted 14 years ago

    Is race really a big deal in the US?
    
    - Only if you run last!

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32. 67

    Flightkeeperposted 14 years ago

    Yes it is a big deal.  If it wasn't a big deal the race peddlers wouldn't have a job and a reason for existing.

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33. 74

    jennshealthstoreposted 14 years ago

    In a lot of places it is. It really depends on how and where you grow up. Like anything, racism can be taught. If you are use to hearing things from people around you, then that is going to be the norm for you.
    
    But I really do not understand it. I have a mixed child, and so do half of the people I know. Maybe one day we will all blend together so much that we will not have separate races. We will all just be "mixed".
    
    The way I see it, there is good and bad in every single race, color  religion etc. Putting yourself above any other human is just not right.

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34. 58

    Studio Eposted 14 years ago

    Race is a big deal i almost won the boston marathon last year
    
    oops wrong race. :}

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35. 68

    ilmdamailyposted 14 years ago

    Am loving the diversity of opinions in this thread.
    
    Thanks to all who've shared their views/experiences:-)

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36. 66

    Ivorwenposted 14 years ago

    Where I came from, race was not a big deal.  Every person was judged by the type of person they were.  All outsiders were/are strangers.  All strangers had to prove themselves.  When the issue of racism was raised, it was not uncommon to someone quip, "I'm not racist.  I don't trust anyone!"  And that was the truth of it.
    
    If someone, or a group of someones proved themselves to be unreliable, then they would be watched.  Do to crime, skateboarders and hispanics were not overly trusted, but few ever let that stop them from getting to know individuals.
    
    Where I am at now, the racial climate seems to be about the same.  No one really cares what color you are, but if you lack manners, then there is no place for you.
    
    Edit:  This is the type of thing that makes people distrustful:  http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=6172 
    This man has been deported three times.

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37. 0

    klarawieckposted 14 years ago

    I think the government makes a big deal about defining race, although I don't think people are too concerned about mixing races anymore. At least not in South Florida - we've got people of all colors down here.
    I get extremely upset with the whole HISPANIC thing since it's not a race, it's not even a culture! It was a term used by the spanish conquistadores to define the slaves and indians that belonged to the Spanish Royal Crown. I have a theory about this - I think the government implemented this Hispanic category in order to avoid looking at the true race of most central and south americans. Most of them are Native American. Think about what would happen if they considered the true ethnicity of most immigrants! The Native American population would stop being a minority in this country!

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       "I think the government makes a big deal about defining race"
       
       I suppose the census form supports this contention.

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       Ivorwenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       When I worked the census in 2000, we were supposed to ask if anyone was Hispanic, and then what race they were.  Most Hispanic I met had no clue how to answer that question.  They said they were Mexican, and when asked to choose Black, White, or Native American, they often chose White.  Those who didn't, said Spanish, so Other was marked, and Spanish was written down.

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38. 74

    AEvansposted 14 years ago

    Is this still being discussed? lolololo Carry-On I am enjoying the discussion.

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39. 72

    Cagsilposted 14 years ago

    Is race really a big deal in the US?
    
    For the most part, on the individual level, absolutely. It is still a huge problem.
    
    A prime example: the largest "white power" group in North America signed up 2000 new members, on the day Obama was elected.
    
    Yes, there is a problem. Unfortunately, it is not restricted to just these types of groups. There are plenty of people who's actions clearly show racism.
    
    It comes from both sides, not just one.

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       china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Absolutely correct.

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40. 91

    livelongerposted 14 years ago

    I think it's still a big deal, in that society continues to struggle with ongoing changes in ethnic demographics, norms with respect to culture and relationships, feelings about slavery and continued inequity, etc. For such a complex and changing issue, it's probably a good thing that it's a "big deal." While there is racial equality under the law (finally), there is still a long way to go to make racial equality a reality in matters beyond the purview of the law.
    
    My experience is that when things are ignored or deliberately denied to exist, they tend to fester into bigger problems.

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41. 56

    Sab Ohposted 14 years ago

    Let me state again that the fastest growing demographic in the US is mixed-race people.

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       china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       But that has nothing to do with Racism.

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          Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          ???

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       Jeff Berndtposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       That's an interesting claim. Where'd you get that info? Because I thought the fastest growing demographic was hispanic/latino (or 'beaners' as Carlos Mencia likes to say).

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          Jim Hunterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I'm pretty sure that you are correct.

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          Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30986649/
          
          
          Of course you have to understand it in light of the relative numbers involved, but there it is.

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          bsscorpio8posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Yea, that is what I am aware of. Viva Mexico!!!

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42. 72

    Diane Insideposted 14 years ago

    I think it depends on what region you are in. The South to me seems less tolerant. But not as bad as it used to be. But it seems to be slowly changing. I'm from the upper south, but I remember my grandmother telling stories about the KKK from when she was younger. So as far as that goes we definately don't see that as much around here, I never see it. But I know there is probably some white supremeists out there who still follow this notion that they are better than any other race, I just think they hide it.
    But they are becoming few and far between. I hope it vanishes completely. But you know it probably won't. As long as there are different races there will always be some level of racial tension.

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43. 77

    Uninvited Writerposted 14 years ago

    Eventually we will all be the same color and it will disappear

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       Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Actually, it leads back to what I have been saying all along. What color? We are all human beings.

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I doubt it.

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       klarawieckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I agree... but then again, that's what I predicted about sexuality too. About ten years ago I said by 2010 everyone will be bisexual. LOL I still don't like women, so I could be wrong on this too.

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       Jeff Berndtposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Wasn't that theory preached in the movie "Bulworth?"

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          klarawieckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          For real?!!! They stole my prediction??!!!! Ah! I'll have to rent the movie now!

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44. 89

    BeccaHubbardWoodsposted 14 years ago

    The answer depends on what part of the US you are talking about. Racism is well and thriving in the south. I'm from Alabama, and I see it everywhere.
    
    In defense of my generation, we are a hell of a lot less racist than our parents and their parents. I never understood why I was supposed to hate a person because they didn't look like me, and I let them know about it. We weren't allowed to have friends of a different color, or we were considered trash. God forbid you date a man or woman who isn't the same race! You will be stared at and talked about. I swear some of these people would take you out into the streets and stone you to death if they could.
    
    I am not prejudice or racist or bigoted in the least. Nor is my husband. I simply hate people for who they are. My children are taught they are no better than anyone and no one is better than them, and race has never even been brought up. We talk about people as a whole.
    
    Although it is thriving down here, it's going to take people raising their children differently than what they were raised to eradicate the problem. I see it more and more often, and that makes me happy. You can't change the old folks around here, no matter how much you prove they are ignorant.

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       bsscorpio8posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I too am an equal opportunity disciminator.

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45. 58

    tonyknowsposted 14 years ago

    no matter what color we are all americans....   http://hubpages.com/hub/Black-Racist

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       "no matter what color we are all americans...."
       
       
       THAT's the idea!

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46. 64

    alexandriaruthkposted 14 years ago

    racism is alive everywhere!

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47. 0

    Lady_Eposted 14 years ago

    "Ofcourse not".

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Of course not what?

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48. 59

    TMMasonposted 14 years ago

    I think you will always be able to find individual racists peppered throughout all races and nations. But there is no institutional racism in America.
    
    It isn't allowed by law, and it isn't tolerated by Americans.
    
    I think if one were to open any type of company and practice racim in your day to day operations. You would find yourself out of business in a matter of minutes.
    
    We as a people do not like it, or abide by it.

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    lovemychrisposted 14 years ago

    But it goes on in the justice system big time.
    On national tv and radio too.
    And when you call them on it, they dismiss it like you're crazy.
    
    When is the last time a national figure used the word "cracker"?
    Rush Limbutt.
    Why'd he use it?
    To try and show that racism is used against white people in the media, when it isn't!!!
    
    Black and Hispanic men are incarcerated for drug crimes far more than white people, yet white people committ more drug crimes.
    
    Norm Stamper and LEAP...google it! They say it all has to do with race!!! And I think they would know better than any of us.....

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50. 58

    ecriderposted 14 years ago

    A persons race or nationality is no big deal. Understand, there is good and bad in every race. The only difference is brain power. Some use their brain power better than others. Other than that, we all bleed the same color of blood.

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       starme77posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       right on - nice way of puttin it   I say we all use the toliet  and it all stinks -

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