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DontTreadOnMe

(2,442 posts)

147. Racism seems to be very regional in the United States

Tue Jul 30, 2013, 02:09 AM

Jul 2013

I live in the NorthEast, and I rarely ever see overt racism. Of course it exists, but at least younger people do not express it so openly. Racism is a learned trait. Someone teaches this behavior. And it is often encouraged in some communities.

Such an ugly part of our society.

I wonder if there are any studies that indicate any relation to poverty levels to racist attacks. It seems to me that when times are good, racism goes down. When times get tough, especially unemployment levels - racism goes up.

I remember when I was in Junior High School, and we started listening to Frank Zappa records. The classic 1967 song "Trouble Every Day" really stuck out to me... in the middle of the song Frank interrupts and and declares

"Hey, you know something people?
I'm not black
But there's a whole lots a times
I wish I could say I'm not white."

That really hit me, and I was only 15 at the time.

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I am 58 years old and this has never happened to me until today. [View all] iemitsu Jul 2013 OP

I am sorry to hear this happened to you. Behind the Aegis Jul 2013 #1

I'm fine but thanks for your condolences. iemitsu Jul 2013 #6

When you build your lesson plan, be sure to consider integrating the HardTimes99 Jul 2013 #8

Thank you for the suggestion. iemitsu Jul 2013 #19

One that may not be as "harsh" as that experiement, is "Brown Eyes/Blue Eyes." Behind the Aegis Jul 2013 #29

Thank you. I've used Brown Eyes/Blue Eyes too. iemitsu Jul 2013 #33

Pls explain brush Jul 2013 #69

I'm caucasian, just a regular, avarage white guy, and I've been called that Papagoose Jul 2013 #100

Sorry that happen to you brush Jul 2013 #107

That is horrible, Papagoose. iemitsu Jul 2013 #150

Damn. WHERE DO YOU LIVE? trof Jul 2013 #162

I live in Polk County, Georgia Papagoose Jul 2013 #164

I'm not mixed race but I was wearing a batiked shirt. iemitsu Jul 2013 #149

It is fashionable for the young to be mean, to bully, to be snide. MADem Jul 2013 #2

Hell, bullying and snideness have become fashionable on this very website. villager Jul 2013 #4

I agree, you are absolutely right on that!!! meti57b Jul 2013 #68

It's embedded in the larger culture. LWolf Jul 2013 #86

Yes, it's a shame in many ways, isn't it? MADem Jul 2013 #104

The name calling and snide attacks are puzzling, to some degree villager Jul 2013 #113

The old "battle lines being drawn, nobody's right, if everybody's wrong!" MADem Jul 2013 #114

Well, something *is* definitely happening here.... villager Jul 2013 #117

I agree. We're in a period of change right now. Who knows what the future will bring? nt MADem Jul 2013 #123

If lovin' you is wrong, I don't wanna be right? AAO Jul 2013 #140

I like that tune much better! nt MADem Jul 2013 #142

It just dawned on me what your reference was to! DOH! AAO Jul 2013 #143

Hee hee! nt MADem Jul 2013 #146

You describe the teenagers I know, especially the boys. iemitsu Jul 2013 #7

Yes. The meaner they are, the more they need some guidance, attention, notice. MADem Jul 2013 #14

Your description fits my experience. iemitsu Jul 2013 #16

I am a teacher also and I like your idea of a lesson. JimboBillyBubbaBob Jul 2013 #70

I'd say you have a couple of Ph.D's in the topic!!! nt MADem Jul 2013 #106

Weird. I really don't recall either myself or my friends Jackpine Radical Jul 2013 #53

Me neither...then again, I will acknowledge that my upbringing was atypical. MADem Jul 2013 #103

I loved my father for instilling in me, liberal values. AAO Jul 2013 #141

fad? heaven05 Jul 2013 #75

Was the person who committed that crime a teenager? MADem Jul 2013 #101

Yeah heaven05 Jul 2013 #124

Why are you yelling at me? MADem Jul 2013 #126

phhhffft heaven05 Jul 2013 #128

You are apparently operating under a misapprehension as to my ethnicity. MADem Jul 2013 #130

doesn't heaven05 Jul 2013 #131

You're plainly confusing me with someone else, and I don't want to indulge your MADem Jul 2013 #132

I don't know what to say Mojorabbit Jul 2013 #3

Thanks for your compassion. iemitsu Jul 2013 #11

+10000 heaven05 Jul 2013 #76

I have had bottles thrown at me from cars as Downwinder Jul 2013 #5

That sucks, iemitsu Jul 2013 #12

Nope. The only thing that comes in glass bottles these days is beer. Downwinder Jul 2013 #31

A bottle is better than bumper. iemitsu Jul 2013 #34

It is nice to have options though I am not really sure Downwinder Jul 2013 #39

One kid alone is unlikely to do this; a group of kids- LeftinOH Jul 2013 #77

Nasty little pigs. Give it the thought it deserves, then let it go. geckosfeet Jul 2013 #9

Thanks, they were acting like nasty little pigs. iemitsu Jul 2013 #13

The Republicans ran the last election as if White Rule was on the ballot... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2013 #10

Yes. Open racism was popularized under W Bush iemitsu Jul 2013 #15

I was going to post something about Nixon's Southern strategy and Reagan's welfare queen nxylas Jul 2013 #25

That's what I see too. iemitsu Jul 2013 #27

You have to admit. Thanks to the web this period in history is being well documented.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2013 #30

The documenting is good. iemitsu Jul 2013 #36

Makes it harder for them to deny it. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2013 #95

At work last week Sherman A1 Jul 2013 #17

My day wasn't ruined. iemitsu Jul 2013 #21

Some people only feel good about themselves if they demean others. TexasTowelie Jul 2013 #18

Yeah, and those some people, who iemitsu Jul 2013 #22

That's horrific. Sadly I think it means your neighborhood is deterioating. joshcryer Jul 2013 #20

Well, my story pales alongside the nasty encounters iemitsu Jul 2013 #24

I've since moved, thanks! joshcryer Jul 2013 #32

I'm glad you moved. iemitsu Jul 2013 #35

That story actually warms my heart. joshcryer Jul 2013 #38

Holy crap sakabatou Jul 2013 #120

I'm a white female and ever since I can remember I've hated to be around a group of boys or men Raine Jul 2013 #23

All the behaviors you describe are unacceptable iemitsu Jul 2013 #26

That's the whole point: it is intended to be intrusive and threatening, NOT flattering. nt tblue37 Jul 2013 #91

As odd as it sounds, Shankapotomus Jul 2013 #46

That cultural stain . . . brush Jul 2013 #71

Oh, heavens, I hate groups of men/boys, too. Being a young female around such groups Nay Jul 2013 #63

I'm 53 and a grandmother now. LWolf Jul 2013 #88

probably not the first or last time they will do it JI7 Jul 2013 #28

I don't get the thrill of being nasty toward strangers. DeSwiss Jul 2013 #37

There is much wisdom in your post. iemitsu Jul 2013 #155

De nada. DeSwiss Jul 2013 #160

I am so sorry this happened to you. LiberalLoner Jul 2013 #40

I never understood that nastiness towards strangers either belcffub Jul 2013 #41

How awful. So much hatefulness and stupidity. Two weeks after I was born, lunamagica Jul 2013 #42

You've got some nerve, watering your own garden Orrex Jul 2013 #43

I just avoid eye contact with people - too many drama queens. closeupready Jul 2013 #44

Why are some people nasty to strangers? Two reasons I can think of right of. raccoon Jul 2013 #45

You fail to account for motive, though. closeupready Jul 2013 #56

Motive: Just meanness. nt raccoon Jul 2013 #67

Hoddang. I'm so sorry a ratty bunch of kids tried to steal your day HillWilliam Jul 2013 #47

so sorry you had to endure this steve2470 Jul 2013 #48

This reminds me of an incident several years back justiceischeap Jul 2013 #49

oh heaven05 Jul 2013 #79

Yeah, it's never comfortable to see that look of hatred aimed at you for justiceischeap Jul 2013 #81

yep heaven05 Jul 2013 #84

I find that it is fairly typical of the young hfojvt Jul 2013 #92

They suffer from an acute case of Javaman Jul 2013 #50

I'm so sorry treestar Jul 2013 #51

societal degradation Puzzledtraveller Jul 2013 #52

been heaven05 Jul 2013 #80

it has become cool to be as racist again dembotoz Jul 2013 #54

The teenagers displayed some very bad behavior. However, I doubt that it was directed at ladjf Jul 2013 #55

I love your response... to teach!!!! robinlynne Jul 2013 #57

I drive a prius ctsnowman Jul 2013 #58

The word "n****r" is in common use by many young people now in large part to .... Botany Jul 2013 #59

Kick Scurrilous Jul 2013 #60

Lord of the Flies JEB Jul 2013 #61

I guess the media, the courts and vocal racists have all Sheepshank Jul 2013 #62

Sorry this happened, glad you are a teacher, hope you are allowed enough time/leeway to introduce KittyWampus Jul 2013 #64

Hey, your not in the special minorities club until someone slurs us! Here's your toaster!! ;) nt cecilfirefox Jul 2013 #65

I'm proud to finally be a member of that club. iemitsu Jul 2013 #153

Shit heads! one_voice Jul 2013 #66

The reason you don't get "the thril of being nasty to strangers" is that .... marble falls Jul 2013 #72

Well... AlbertCat Jul 2013 #73

Wow. narnian60 Jul 2013 #115

I'm no martyr AlbertCat Jul 2013 #133

that's heaven05 Jul 2013 #74

"I don't get the thrill of being nasty toward strangers" abelenkpe Jul 2013 #78

I used to take long walks along the back roads Flatulo Jul 2013 #82

I'm sorry this happened to you, iemitsu. Apophis Jul 2013 #83

It sucks that life is still like that in small town America. iemitsu Jul 2013 #156

Great that you will use this to foster discussion in class. Another good piece that gets kids LuckyLib Jul 2013 #85

Not sure why random nastiness is so unsettling - wtmusic Jul 2013 #87

ashamed to be white ellennelle Jul 2013 #89

sometimes the "childish internet mentality" acts out in real life... Blue_Tires Jul 2013 #90

Those kids think it's OK since respect, tolerance, and consideration for others are foreign to them AndyA Jul 2013 #93

I was raised to be very respect toward the elders... TRoN33 Jul 2013 #94

shame that happened Chaco Dundee Jul 2013 #96

As a friend of mine once pointed out... ewagner Jul 2013 #97

Teenagers, possibly drunk, do find a thrill in being hateful Warpy Jul 2013 #98

Inexcusable...and cowardly DissidentVoice Jul 2013 #99

I am so sorry this happened. hrmjustin Jul 2013 #102

I'm so sorry this happened to you. myrna minx Jul 2013 #105

Cultural entropy. Common Sense Party Jul 2013 #108

When I was 11, our adult male neighbor looked my mom in the eye and called her a dirty Jew. mountain grammy Jul 2013 #109

Dirty Jap Generic Other Jul 2013 #148

car full of losers Liberal_in_LA Jul 2013 #110

I'm so sorry this happened to you LiberalEsto Jul 2013 #111

K & R SunSeeker Jul 2013 #112

As you said, age is a factor, too. hamsterjill Jul 2013 #116

Shame you had to put up with that crap. Have you ever watched The Dome ? BlueJazz Jul 2013 #118

Sorry this happened to you. William769 Jul 2013 #119

America is mean. roamer65 Jul 2013 #121

Two things I just want to share: chervilant Jul 2013 #122

Once, about 20 years ago, I attended an educational conference iemitsu Jul 2013 #152

abuse ` kardonb Jul 2013 #125

Dear iemitsu, johnnyreb Jul 2013 #127

Thank you Johnnyreb. iemitsu Jul 2013 #157

you heaven05 Jul 2013 #129

PLEASE video or record your lessons around this event... stlsaxman Jul 2013 #134

i can imagine the father of many of the kids such as the ones you mentioned coming busterbrown Jul 2013 #135

Sorry this happened to you. kairos12 Jul 2013 #136

good for you for wanting help their ignorance. Blue Palasky Jul 2013 #137

They were The Wizard Jul 2013 #138

Talk about making lemonade! AAO Jul 2013 #139

I doubt very seriously any of those boys will be in your history class.. sorry to say. YOHABLO Jul 2013 #144

I'm horrified tavalon Jul 2013 #145

I like your phrase,"... a leaking wound is preferable to pretending iemitsu Jul 2013 #158

Racism seems to be very regional in the United States DontTreadOnMe Jul 2013 #147

I live in NYC and I'm a native New Yorker. vaberella Jul 2013 #151

Don't mean to hijack this important topic but.. great white snark Jul 2013 #161

Hey GWS! How are you?! vaberella Jul 2013 #163

Damn. I'm so sorry that happened. Arugula Latte Jul 2013 #154

Horrible! Rosa Luxemburg Jul 2013 #159