White people, it's time to come clean White Conservatives are racists

[TrueAmerican]

When they think you are one of them you will hear the most racist hate rants coming out of their mouths.

Should we continue to grin and bear it or should we expose them for the racists they are?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. I never grin and bear it

If a person says something racist to me, I clock them right then and there.

If they say it in my house, I ask them to take it back or leave.

I've lived too long to believe I need to tolerate poor behavior in that regard... for that matter, I think the word TOLERANCE is pure elitist shit that assumes I must "tolerate" certain people who are "less than" me...what utter crap.

[TrueAmerican]

3. That's exactly what we should be doing

I am real uncomfortable when they think I am one of them.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

14. This is the end result of the Reagan years

with his 'welfare queen' code talk, it became fashionable to some once again to be a knuckledragging racist. They claim it was a backlash to feminism and affirmative action but I say, "my ass." They resisted equality and dug their heels in...I dug mine back and I NEVER shrink from a racist....I will publicly embarrass anyone who pulls this shit with me and send them off with their tail between their legs.

[David Zephyr]

26. And Rosalyn Carter Agrees With You.

Rosalyn Carter spoke boldly on this subject saying that President Reagan's era made people feel comfortable with their prejudices.

[lottie244]

34. I agree with you too. That's why they can garner 50% of the votes

at least half of America feels the same way they do. The other half is non-white. I just wonder what has turned the white conservative man into the monster of killing their preganant wives. One more case like the Lori and Laci cases and we have a real problem out there.

Of course, the many non-white women who are killed by spouses and others never hit the media breaking news.

[Misunderestimator]

67. Well "the other half is non-white" isn't true, though I get your point.

Plenty of non-non-white people here on DU... :)

There really ARE some minority idiots who support Bush... amazing as that is.

[fortyfeetunder]

78. Most of us non-whites are invisible

As we are law-abiding, tax-paying contributors to society, nary a word is heard from most of us that are not in the limelight (like entertainers and athletes). But what does the media like to portray in the spotlight? Think about it...

[Cybergata]

80. I on the other hand...

love it. I just site there and listen to their racist BS, and then point out my last name and heritage. I also explain to them very nicely just how wrong they are. I can only hope I can make even the slightest dent in their thinking.

I understand that people can be very ignorant of the things they do not have experience with. I've seen people change & toss aside their racism as they get to know people outside their own race. I teach at a school that has a wide racial mixture. When kids grow up knowing other kids of different races, they just don't carry much racist baggage. :hippie:

[salinen]

5. When some punk spews racism

in my vicinity, I always say, "well what do you think of those horrible Innuits"? They always have that same blank WTF look on their faces.

[David Zephyr]

8. Yep. And If You Lose a "Friend"...

because of it, you're better off.

Never tiptoe around bigotry because the sole purpose of expressed bigotry is always intimidation.

I am with you NSMA.

The few members of my natural family and the few "friends" that I lost over the last thirty-plus years only provided me with more time for the great crowd that currently surrounds my life...the people who make me a better human.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

15. If someone is a racist, I don't consider them a friend

so I've lost nothing..they are creating a world I don't want to live in..one of us needs to shift our interpretation of life or die.

[blm]

9. That's one of my peeves, too.

I also hate the word 'colorblind' as if it's ok as long as you don't look at the color. I think that's mealy-mouth HORSESHIT.

I LIKE color. I LOVE color. Why can't we just ENJOY the colors we see?

People are basically just the same colors that you find in wood. Hell, how many people prefer walnut or mahogany over pine or ash? heheh

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

57. God I loved that post

that is EXACTLY how I feel. I LOVE color, too!

[CarinKaryn]

22. A racist would never get INTO my house.

I usually ask them a question that forces them to elaborate on their statement before I lay into them. A blank but plesant look helps to draw them in before I let them have it.
Most of the time they seem to feel they have some kind of birthright to act the way they do.
No way. Not no more.

[ariesgem]

61. As an African American,

I HATE that word. I don't know anyone who wants to be merely "tolorated". "Acceptance" or "appreciation" would be more appropriate terms in my opinion.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

75. Thanks...and to the degree that you and I connect and share

basic human values, I accept and appreciate you...much as I appreciate that you and I connected on this point...it has only to do with our humanity...not your skin color or mine. Welcome to DU BTW.

[jeffrey_X]

100. Props to you.

Most people don't have the balls to do it.

I cut ties with most of my high school and post college when I married my African American wife.

Some asshole from college was invited to my bachelor party in Chicago and used the N word. I told him to get the fuck out of my face and get back to Indiana.

[jeffrey_X]

101. this affects me so much now...

I actually feel really uncomfortable around a group of all white people. Especially when I'm on the road with work. You just never know what is going to come out of someone's mouth.

[indepat]

2. Please forgive any political incorrectness, but in the Old South, what

you suggest would not be "right white."

[cprise]

4. We could take lessons from the gay community on "Outing"

And you're so right... I think they're getting more racist, not less.

[proud patriot]

6. I always call them on it publically

They are always surprised .

[ulysses]

7. perhaps a *bit* of a generalization

but yeah - actually, I was relating to some of my non-white colleagues the other day my experiences as a white man in the south. It really is true - if other white men are of a conservative bent and don't particularly know my own politics, they'll freely share some of the most obnoxious and horrifying opinions on race, secure in the assumption that I believe as they do.

Of course it should be challenged.

[FrankBooth]

11. It is probably a bit of a generalization

but every white conservative I know is racist ... every single one without exception.

[ulysses]

21. I've for some time followed the idea

that, if you were raised in the US, you've internalized the culture's racial divide to some degree, no matter your political affiliation, no matter your race. The difference is in what you do with that bigotry and the knowledge of it.

I keep thinking of Ms Uly's youngest brother, who is deeply conservative but who, at the same time, has traveled the world with his job and has been exposed to a much greater variety of human experience than their middle brother has. While the middle brother is just barely on this side of yelling "nigger!" out the car window (being quite the unreconstructed redneck), the youngest, for all that he keeps trying to "Hannitize" me, is relatively progressive where race is concerned for a young, southern, white conservative and is *very* aware of the familial shortcomings, which I think shame him far more than he lets on.

None of which is to say that the generalization isn't generally true, of course, at least down here.

[wildeyed]

25. I am new to the south,

but I have experienced this phenomena,too. They want to have the 'just us white folks here' talk. Wimpy of me, but instead of confronting them, I try to head it off. For instance, they say 'did you see that Al Sharpton on TV the other night' in a really nasty tone of voice and I say 'yes, and wasn't that a wonderful speech he gave.' So they know I won't play.

[ulysses]

27. see, that's the fun part, though.

The talk moves from the "darkies" to how much of a communist *you* are. :D

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

59. Yep

I'm a white woman in the south and it's happened to me my whole life.

It used to just leave me slack-jawed. But now I put that jaw to work and start telling them what I think of it.

None of that shit around me, EVER.

[Misunderestimator]

68. I'm with you! I never shy away from alienating a racist!

Even if it's in my own family.

[ladjf]

10. Correct. That is precisely why white conservatives left the

Dem party after the Dems began to help the blacks with the civil rights issues. I'm a older white Southerner and I grew up watching that transition. The "Southern Strategy" was just code for let's get the racist to quit the Dems and join the Repubs. And it worked, big time.

[lastknowngood]

12. All repugs are racists be they black or white. I am white and have

known them from many races and listen to their moronic blathering and then stun them when I call them on it. For some damn reason just because I hunt and believe in the 2nd amendment these damn fools assume I'm just one of them. It's very enlightening to be able to be within their midst when they make these statements and see their faces when I call them on it.

[Eloriel]

13. Surely it didn't take you this long to figure that out?

?

[Swamp Rat]

16. The only two "White Conservatives" I know that claim they are NOT racists

are fundies. They claim it's not Christian, yet both fly Confederate battle flags, and talk about executing ALL homosexuals and nuking every Muslim nation. To listen to them "rationalize" their hatred (or use of words like "sandnigger" or "raghead") is not an easy thing. The ONLY cure for their affliction is a frontal lobotomy.

The GREAT thing is, I have convinced them that Bush is the anti-Christ, so they will NOT be voting in November. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What a bunch of maroons!

[TroubleMan]

17. My wife is black, so I call them on it everytime

Usually not in a nice way.

However, you can't say all conservative whites are racist. That's not true.....maybe a lot of them....but not all of them.

It's unfair to label someone like that. You sound the same as when the conservatives say "all liberal are this....or all liberals are that." It's not right for them or us to do that.

[dumpster_baby]

35. When I changed from paleo to leftist, I accepted the idea that I have...

When I changed from paleo to leftist, I accepted the idea that I have more in common with the average black person than I do with any rich white person, or any white politician or white celebrity. I think a lot of white racism has to do with social status anxieties.

[JanMichael]

18. Hell I saw it in the elevator at work last week. "Stupid N*gg*r" is what

...a secretary from another department called a black kid (Out of earshot, the elevator doors had closed and she whispered the vulgar words) that walked by the elevator right before it closed.

Why did she utter that you ask? Because his mobile phone had gone off and rang more that twice. Apparently that was appalling to my half-wit, troglodyte, illmannered, co-worker as she commented to her friend (Another secretary from that side of the building) that it was an aggregious offence to not immediately answer a mobile phone, the other secretary agreed with her then the "moran" uttered her statement, to which the other secretary (After seeing my appaled expression) said, "No hush up!", and then they scurried out of the elevator to go do more evil in the world.

It happened so quickly that I didn't say anything, I was also unsure that I'd heard her correctly but realized too late that I had indeed heard her clearly, but also have noticed that those two have avoided me in the common areas of the building.

Scum. That's what they are, scum.

[Bucky]

19. Hogwash. I work with 2 conservatives and meet others all the time

I know some are racist. But most are not. We rarely agree and for my two friends at work we usually end up in very heated arguments. At no time have I ever seen, even in the heat of argument, any indication of racism or racial prejudice. They're wrong, but they ain't THAT wrong.

[madmom]

20. Try to show them the error of there ways.

This is the only way to stop this plague on society.

[anelson]

23. All white Cons are not racists

but a large proportion of that group certainly is. I have a con friend who claims that he NEVER pays any attention to skin color. In his mind, it is the Democrats who are the racists since we make note of it. I, of course, told him he is full of shit.

[wurzel]

24. Nearly EVERYONE is a racist.

The difference is whether you are ashamed of it, or proud of it.

[Columbia]

40. Strike the nearly and I would agree with you

[wurzel]

41. Well, I was trying to give at least someone the benefit of the doubt.

But you are probably right.

[Catherine Vincent]

28. And to all the Whites on DU, I thank you.

For calling out the racists in our society.

[proud patriot]

30. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't

:hi:

[DemWitch]

29. Not all Conservatives are racist...

And not all Dems are not. I work with a dyed in the wool Democrat who said she just couldn't vote for Carl McCall for Governor, because she just wouldn't feel right about voting a n*****r into office... I was like WTF... totally floored...

I do think however, that Conservatives tend to be more racist than Liberals, percentage wise.

But what's being missed here, is that it's so sad, that here we are 4 years into a new millenium, and the color of someones skin still is a factor in judging what they are all about, the type of worker they are, the kind of human being that are by some people... that's just fucking sad...

[anelson]

31. A very true point here

There are dems who are also racist, but I bet there far fewer racist dems than racist repubs.

[Djinn]

33. thank you

many conservatives aren't racist in the slightest and plenty of liberals are, these days particularly towards Arabs and Muslims.

I know plenty of dyed in the wool lefties (this is in Australia but I doubt it's much different in US) who talk about how the "mooslums" want to take over "our" country and convert all of us, how they all want to rape "our" women (the result of a spate of gang rapes in sydney that let ALL the bigots out the closet..story for another day) these were the same people whinning about how Asians were "taking us over" ten years ago and before that it was about "wogs taking our jobs", now of course they have no problem with asians and greeks/italians because a new group to kick down to has emerged.

Bigotry crosses political boundaries I'm afraid

[Bowline]

32. Repugnant as it may be there is no law against being a racist.

Let 'em spew. Nobody important is listening anyway.

[tedoll78]

36. In my limited experience, I find there to be a correlation. Kinda sad.

I have a number of family members (ugh) who vote for "the guy that the n*****s want to lose." And when I got to college (University of Mississippi), I ran into that same mentality more times than one would expect by the year 1995.. Disgusting.

[Millions]

37. Oh wow

So what facts lead you to believe that all (or even most) white conservatives are racist? Don't be so ignorant when making blanket comments. Yes there is racism in America and it's sad that it's more inherent in some people than in others, but I'm confident that truthfully most Americans aren't racist.

[leesa]

93. We just like blowing up Muslims.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

97. Most Americans aren't racists?

Sorry, but as a woman of mixed ethnic heritage who appears totally white, I get to see and hear the racism of white America every single day.

I have witnessed it personally in Virginia, in Maryland, in Texas, in New York, in Washington DC, in California, in Nevada, and seen it in the people I have met from every region of the counrty.

America is full of racists, far more than we should have as a country who has entered the 21st century.

[The Backlash Cometh]

38. You go boy!

or girl...

[Seeking Serenity]

39. Hey now! DH is a white conservative

but he is no way racist. I oppose, in the strongest possible terms, the overly broad brush you are painting with.

Not every white conservative is racist. I live with one who is not.

Shove it!

[MadHound]

42. Do what I do

Tell them that you have African American ancestors(I truly do, my racist father nearly had a stroke when he found this out) and that you are highly insulted by their racist and bigotted attitudes. Then give them a little lecture on tolerance and treating everybody with respect. It can very well make a difference when a white skinned person makes this kind of statement.

[ProfessorGAC]

43. You'll Get No Argument From Me

I'd say that's true of at least 2/3rd's. The other 1/3rd are selfish, two dimensional thinkers who like the world in nice, neat, and tidy bits, and don't want any "leadership" that confuses them with complex concepts.
The Professor

[FatSlob]

44. Bullshit.

Your post is an embarrassment to DU.

[Carson]

49. I agree. I have steered

...a few conservative friends to DU. "Read a bit. I promise you'll learn something."

But guess what they pick out and throw back at me? Posts like this one. Mass generalizations that are idiotic and a short-cut to thinking.

Yes, it can be embarrassing. I just tell them that this is a message board and all comments do not represent the Democratic Party platform.

[Skittles]

45. I agree

I have often thought that being a conservative is a socially acceptable way of being a f***ing racist.

[sleepystudent]

46. again, it's all "them" and not "you"?

I'm black and believe me, don't let yourself off the hook just because you aren't conservative. Any white person in this nation that benefits from the privileges afforded whites in America is benefiting from racism and perpetuating it, no matter whether they call other whites on their racism just to feel good about themselves. Just because someone isn't spewing racial slurs doesn't mean they aren't bigoted it just means they are more subtle about it-that cuts across political affilations.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

58. BULLSHIT on your logic..just because you are black doesn't mean you get a

free pass.

That is the most open ended generalized statement I have ever read and you do yourself no favors by pretending those who stand up FOR social justice are the enemy.

Your statement is tantamount to saying if yoou drive a car, you killed Iraqi's and if you use a computer, you killed Africans...in the BROADEST sense that is TOTALLY true...but in the direct and proximate sense it is not.

I MAY not be declined entry into a place nor scrutinized closely in a grocery store because of my "whiteness"..that does NOT make me part and parcel of the profiling racists that do it. Furthermore, once it comes to my attention that an establishment DOES that, I won't spend my money there.

[Karenina]

63. NSMA, Sleepystudent is new here

and not so well acquainted with our "cast of characters." Please read the post again without taking it personally... Please.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

65. K , I totally appreciate you

but SS has been here since 02 and started a similar flame war with a few valid points but again a VERY generalized statement attacking DU with a very broad brush for racism several months ago...when someone does that on EITHER side of this argument..I get suspect...it is also one of the ONLY subjects on which he posts and this trend in posts is one of the only types he makes.

Again...when one looks at responsibility from a VERY BROAD scope, he MAY be correct...in the sense that "everytime one eats meat one does violence."

In the sense of what one RIGHTFULLY owns through their actual actions, would you say he is correct?

[Karenina]

71. Frankly, the OP had me

digging through the broom closet for the air freshener.

"In the sense of what one RIGHTFULLY owns through their actual actions, would you say he is correct?"

WOIK WIT ME HEAH, GIRLFRIEND.

One "rightfully" owns white privilege just by being born white. It is IMPERSONAL and has NOTHING to do with intellect, understanding, spiritual development, actions or anything else. It is what it is.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

74. I completely agree with that

One "rightfully" owns white privilege just by being born white. It is IMPERSONAL and has NOTHING to do with intellect, understanding, spiritual development, actions or anything else. It is what it is.

But rightfully owning white privilege does not entitle me to a shiny new "racist" placard over my door, desk or grave. How I rightfully OWN my white privilege is to rail against the fact that it exists, promote and support programs and legislation that serve to rectify the ills it has created societally and economically, and work to kill the ignorance that perpetuates it.

How's my driving, dear heart? :loveya:

BTW...the reason the OP can get away with it is BECAUSE of WHITE CONSERVATIVE ECONOMIC policy....one can't embrace it without embracing and perpetuating racism..ala..screw AA..."colorblind" tripe etc.

[Karenina]

76. You're the BEST!

Now WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!!! ;-) :loveya: ;-)

[Misunderestimator]

69. What?? That's tantamount to saying that all heterosexuals hate gays

Your statement describes SOME people, but certainly not all. So should I say the same to you that you enjoy all those straight rights that I don't, so therefore you are homophobic?

[JayS]

47. To varying degrees, I find your statement describes ALL...

...people that I know. There is no person that does not harbor at least a little racism, classism, ethnocentrism, etc.

[The Wielding Truth]

99. Prejudice

Yes everyone has their preferences, but when you go out of your way to ignore, abuse, stifle, segregate,or deny anyone from a certain group you are a racist a classist etc

[JayS]

104. Yup, but one does not have to go far to go out of the way. n/t

n/t

[AbsolutSprint]

48. Ignorant

Thats a completely ignorant statement. No offense there are plenty of white republicans that aren't racist. Actually one of my Pakistani friends often says all White people are racist, what do you think of that statement?

[Pithlet]

50. I used to. Not anymore.

The reason they automatically think we agree with them is because too few of us open our mouths to say otherwise.

[John BigBootay]

51. Crap. SIte your sources--anecdotes don't cut it. n/t

[Rich Hunt]

52. well.....

Well, there are a lot of people who say things like:

"I'm not racist, but blacks are just less intelligent on average"
"I'm not racist, but x group has never made any important cultural contributions"
"I'm not racist, I'm prejudiced"

I've heard all of these. The funny thing is that they are always said by a white person against dark-skinned people.

[John BigBootay]

54. Riddle me this, Bat-Woman...

What exasperated liberal radio personality recently referred to black / conservative radio personality Larry Elder as a "house Negro?"




A. Janeen Garofolo.



Here is a perfect and telling example of how the left can ALSO be racist-- and GET AWAY WITH IT.

When you paint with that broad stroked brush, everyone gets coated with the same crap.

Now give it a rest.

[DrWeird]

55. Was it racist?

I didn't listen to it, but how do I know to whomever she wasn't refering to wasn't, in fact, a "house negro?"

I mean, if a black guy is conservative... that's like a jewish nazi. "House negro" is essentially the same thing as "self hating jew." Agreed, it's not the word I would use, but I'm not going to call somebody racist for using it. Especially if she's right.

[sangh0]

60. No, it was not racist

"house negro" is not at all racist, by itself.

This is sort of like the way racists like to justify their use of the word "nigger" with a "Well, that's what they call each other". IOW, someone else did it, so it must be OK.

[John BigBootay]

64. COME ON!!!!!!

You would NEVER (and rightly so) tolerate singling a man out by his race in ANY manner or form if this was coming from a conservative-- and YOU KNOW IT.

YOU KNOW IT!

Truth is-- as has been stated elsewhere in this thread-- we're ALL racist to some extent, whether we're white or black, liberal or conservative, we ALL do it or think it or feel it at some time in our lives.

[sangh0]

91. Your argument is a sure sign of BS

You don't know me, and you don't know what I would approve of or tolerate. You are pulling facts out of your ass.

And as I said before, by itself those words are NOT racist. In certain contexts, they might be.

[jeffrey_X]

102. Anytime someone has to state "They are not racist, but...."

You know they already are.

If you weren't you wouldn't feel the need to defend yourself, let alone speak the words that prompted you to say it in the first place.

[durutti]

105. Large numbers of white Americans polled...

Consistently say that they think blacks are, on average, lazier than whites, not as smart as whites, etc.

[Joanne98]

53. We should start wearing wires

record them making their racist republican remarks and then buy ads on TV exposing the FAKERS for what they really are.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

56. Ah one of my favorite topics

see I am a white woman and I live in TX. I have some VERY conservative friends (whom I have distanced myself from a bit in the last couple of years, for obvious reasons).

You are absolutely FRIGGING right. When YOU are white, and there aren't any "Canadians" around (some of my neighbor's code talk for African-Americans) they get to where you swear they are going to bust out white hoods and burning crosses.

Well, I DO speak out. As long as you SIT there, you IMPLY agreement. And as long as I LIVE AND BREATHE I will NEVER imply that I agree with racist bullshit. It's all fear based bullshit.

I hate hate. LOL, but I do.

And I'm quite intolerant of intolerance. An irony, yes. But I am. And I make no apologies for it.

I speak up loud and clear when I hear racist remarks come from anyone around me whom I am in conversation with.

What happens is, they stop saying the stuff around me and mine, but I doubt they feel any differently.

I have had COUNTLESS conversations with white friends trying to expose their prejudices to them and I make more progress beating my head bloody on a brick wall. One friend started off with this:
"See the problem with blacks is this..."
And I stopped him. "The PROBLEM with them??? You mean they pose a problem to you by their very EXISTENCE?"

He explained he saw two black boys walking on the street recently and they had big baggy pants and do-rags on and they looked like "gangsters or something." I laughed and asked him how their clothing harmed him. He admitted it didn't. He stayed with the conversation so long, he finally admitted he just didn't LIKE blacks. When I asked him where he learned that, he said his parents.

That was actually an eye-opening conversation for him, I think. He sits there and prides himself on being a Christian but looks down on other people and that is a HUGE contradiction. We haven't talked race since that day.

It's frustrating to me. But I will NOT sit idly by.

[pifflePill]

62. What is the plan to expose them as racists?

What documentation do we have handy?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

66. They expose themselves on it daily.

What you do is point it out. Then walk away. Often it just becomes so natural to them to make such comments they hardly pay attention to what they are saying!

[poliguru]

70. I dislike anecdotal based blanket statements

First off, there are a lot of racists. They belong to every party in the country. They are the ones that talk about n**s, ragheads, slants, etc.

But there are people who say things like the examples already given: "blacks are less intelligent" "arabs hate america" etc. Are they racist? I'm not sure. Cause they also say things like "single mothers are sluts" "welfare people are lazy" "southerners are dumb".

I'm wondering if perhaps they are just people who have been very isolated from anyone not resembling them and have been brought up with a strange sense of entitlement. That's not racism, that's ignorance.

When I was in college, I was a single mom. I went to school full-time, worked full-time, raised my son (and did a damn good job, might I add), and got As in my classes. My classmates knew it and respected me (of course, I was also smarter than them, and they knew it :)). I took a class called "Poverty and Policy in America." It was a great class, and my professor, a good friend of mine, was relieved to have me there because I was one of two liberals in the class - the rest were all naive, uninformed conservatives. They would say things to me like, "Single moms are ruining our society - well, not you, Lisa, you know..." And they actually meant it. I was probably their only in person experience WITH a single mom, and I didn't fit the stereotype. But they couldn't let go of the crap they'd been told.

I have known some white conservatives that I have had great respect for and tremendous conversations. Usually we would both learn a little everytime we talked, and that's the way it should be. I don't have issues with people who disagree with me, as long as they can back it up and be civil. But I'm unwilling to call the whole group racist, because I know it to be untrue from my own experience. And to be honest, even if I didn't have those experiences, I would still know it, because we should all know that generalized, inflammatory statements are almost never true.

Sorry for the length.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

77. Welcome to Du. I appreciate your desire not to generalize BUT

white conservative economic and law and order policy IS racist. It is intended to be so. They have engaged some African Americans in their game in order to hide that fact but at the bottom of their policies IS racism.

They use the drug war in order to lock up young black men at a rate that they don't lock up young white men. They especially do this in states where they will ensure that by locking them up under a felony conviction they lose their right to vote.

I started two threads about two years ago with links etc demonstrating that of the 2 million people in US prisons, over 50 % were African American and over 10% of that 2 million were FACTUALLY INNOCENT. The constitution is SUPPOSED to protect from that but with White Conservative males such as Anthony Scalia stating that mere "factual innocence is no reason to set aside a sentence properly arrived at" (and it was a death sentence) it will be a frigid day in hell before the constitution actually PROTECTS an innocent person from being punished for a crime they did not commit.

With poster boy intellectuals such as Dinesh Di Souza saying that ghettoizing of African Americans is "good for them" as it allows them to rise no further than "their level of arrested development" and with books such as The Bell Curve (handily debunked by Stephen J. Gould in The Measure of Man ((GOD REST HIS INTELLECTUAL SOUL)) as the policy framework for white conservative policy, I believe the RACIST label IS INDEED appropriately applied in the case of white conservatism. It simply happens to be masked in code words such as "welfare queen", "productive members of society", Law and Order (code for lock up all the n****'s) and the like.

Old DU is no longer available but here is a link to a very excellent academic sociologist's site:

http://www.paulsjusticepage.com/elite-deviance.htm

I will give you this...some conservatives eventually come around and realize they had a prejudice rooted in racism and denounce it...but after YEARS of dealing with these people in the arena of labor policy as I have for two decades..the number likely to recant is slim.

Anyway...your post was great and was food for thought...welcome to DU.

[poliguru]

90. Thanks

Question - I agree some of them have their economic philosophies because of racist attitudes. But just because their policies negatively affect minorities doesn't necessarily mean the people are racist. Some conservatives genuinely believe that this country was built by those who worked hard, and they actually believe that it is up to the individual to make sure they have the skills necessary. They truly believe there are opportunities for everyone. To which I would say, why don't you take a walk with me through Chicago? But because so many of these conservatives spend almost no time in poorer areas, they don't have a grasp of the complexity of the situation. Same with drugs - "just say no" summed up their naivete pretty well. I don't think they're saying "Let's enforce stricter drug laws to get rids of these damn blacks," I think they believe that drugs are insidious and dangerous and they can't understand the issue. But since a large percentage of blacks are near or below poverty level, they are the ones most affected.

I just think there's a difference between "racist," which is an attitude, and a policy which inadvertently affects minorities, which is ignorance of the issue.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

94. Well is ignorance ever an excuse?

You and I are people that talk to people it seems. Tell them a law is applied unevenly and inequally and see what response you get.

As to the country being built by people who "worked hard." I agre...many of them were slaves and never got their 40 acres and a mule. The entire southern economy from which everything from textiles to mining to the insurance industry (via cotton revenue) was built on hard labor...done by slaves.

If one brings up AA, aren't these the first people to claim it is "special treatment" while ignoring the policy that made the remedy necessary?

[poliguru]

107. sometimes

they are genuinely shocked at the real stats, becase they've been fed so much bs their whole life. Believe me, I agree with you...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

108. I'm pretty clear we're more in agreement than not..I was just enjoying the

exchange and the cut we were taking at it...:hi: and thanks again.

[poliguru]

109. In that case...

:toast:

[Tweed]

72. Or greedy

[DaveSZ]

73. Yes many of them are,

but some are not and agree with the right on things like taxes, etc.

I don't think it's fair to paint with too broad a brush.

When Bush talks about "Southern values" though, he is talking about racism and gay bashing, etc.

[mitchum]

79. I get angry at them for 2 reasons:

The idiocy of their beliefs

Their assuming that I will agree with them because I am also "white"

[mellowinman]

81. Try this...

I worked as a waiter with a guy who was a real stereotype southern white racist. He was going around the restaurant telling the following "joke." (there is no way this is even a little bit funny)

Q: How do you know the future will be great?

A: Ever see any black people on the Jetsons?


That's the whole fucking joke. How that's even a fucking JOKE is beyond me, but this guy already had a history, and he was telling fucking CUSTOMERS this joke, and I had overheard him.

He approached me, a big grin on his face, and told me his little joke.

I made the best look of SHEER HORROR I could ever make, and I replied, "I don't think my Black wife who recently died of cancer, or our two children would find that funny."

He about shit himself.

Now I'm going to be honest. I had never been married at the time, and I still have no children, but I think you get my point.

ALWAYS claim to have family members who belong to whatever group the person is degrading with their remarks. It is IMPORTANT to do so, because it plants a little seed in these peoples' minds that maybe not everyone who LOOKS like them IS like them, get it?

This public service brought to you by the sick mind of mellowin man.

(no attempt to tell me I did something wrong will work, so save your breath)

[NuttyFluffers]

84. you have an entertainingly devious mind

you have made my day. thanks.

[mellowinman]

82. Oh, and I need to add

this "White Conservatives" generalization is wrong. Unfortunately, there's plenty of White liberals who are racist too, and conversely, there are plenty of White Conservatives who are NOT inherently racist.

I mean, of course, ALL of us are racist to some degree, but I in this context I mean WILLFULLY racist, or even PROUD to be racist.

I, myself, have looked upon the ugliness in my soul, and I highly recommend you all do the same, no matter what color your skin is. Humans are not nice, by nature, but we are blessed with an evolved mind, and are capable of being pretty damned decent, should we desire it.

Sorry about that. I try not to get all serious like that.

But its fucking TRUE, and don't anyone DARE argue that point.

[hiphopnation]

83. We're all racist, man.

Some just try and recognize within themselves and correct the problem more than others.

I'll never be calling out other people for being racist because we are all in some way or another. All I can do is do the best I can to reduce the trait in my everyday life. Castigation and calling others out on thier faults just ain't my thing.

[NuttyFluffers]

85. keep racism and prejudice separate.

racism has a distinct sociological meaning. it is reserved only for those who are part of the institutionalized favored racial group and revel in their prejudice mixed with institutionalized power. this is the only group in a society that gets to fall into the racist category.

on the other hand everyone can be prejudiced.

quick way to keep it straight -

someone can be prejudiced all they want, but they are generally impotent about doing anything about it. society would beat them down if they tried.

a racist is juts as prejudiced, but they are able to do something about it and get away with it. society gives them a pass.

-easy, k? now keep racism reserved for the proper group :D

[poliguru]

92. Not separate

Racism is just a subdivision of prejudice. They are related, not separate.

Prejudice is defined as, in the application we are using -Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion.

Note the word "race." That's because things like racism, sexism, agism, anti-Semitism are all forms of prejudice.

The definition of racism, if you still doubt me, is - Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

Those definitions were cut and pasted out of the dictionary.

The reason I'm even bothering to argue this is that I have heard clearly racist people say, "I'm not racist, I'm prejudiced." Like that's OK.

BTW, it is also untrue that racism only occurs from the group in power. That is nowhere in the definition. I can tell you from personaly experience. I am a white teacher in an all-black inner city school. I have been told by parents that their kids are failing my class because I don't understand their culture. Parents and students have told our (black) principal that they want their kids moved from my class because I'm white. And a few kids have said, both to me and the one other white teacher, "I hate white people!" I've been called a honky numerous times. Are you saying that's not racism?

[NuttyFluffers]

111. true, racism is a subdivision. btw - sociological term.

my sociology professors and sociology textbooks say what i say. and it is best to keep the distinction in one's head. too often people conflate both words as meaning *exactly* the same. this is incorrect (as you have shown through your dictionary), these words are not completely interchangeable. there is a point of difference and that difference is power, immunity, and priviledge offered by society. now most dictionaries don't bother with such things, most people can't be bothered to care. remember general dictionaries give vernacular definitions. professional dictionaries give professional definitions. (you should see how wiccans piss their pants over the professional sociological definition of "witch". no matter how much they want to change the meaning into something positive, "witch" has a distinct meaning to sociological professionals.)

it is an issue of society's bias (power, immunity, priviledge) that's the big separator. so where do you have the problem? that your anecdotal experience seems to defy it? no, it doesn't. you work in a subsection of society where you, and your race, is not the majority and thus does not weild the power, immunity, and priviledge. and yet, i can assure you that if you step outside of this small enclave you are the one with more power. at any time this small bubble of minority power can be squashed. it also explains why this enclave of power doesn't galvanize and spread further than its well defined boundaries. so, within the subsection you are not as powerful as without - but should anything really bad happen to you you have recourse to the greater society at large to galvanize and crush the opposition within this bubble, as has been the case countless times in history. too often people assume that since there are bubbles of influence in which they are not as powerful that racism is this nulled word completely the same as prejudice. they forget nuances of society, such as subgroups, while also forgetting how fragile these bubbles have been throughout history.

[Piperay]

86. Yeah, and what really pisses me off

is that they think they are safe in spewing that stuff in front of me. I don't know why the hell they think that just because I'm white that they can get away with that kind of crap, I find it highly insulting to be included in their way of thinking. :argh: :mad: :grr:

[deacon]

87. They wink and nod for the bigot vote time after time, "nascar dads"

pickering, hart and holmes, lott. Anti woman and anti minority.

Say no to the bigots. Vote them out!

[0007]

88. There's something to what your saying.

Trying to expose one will win nothing, except hatred and mistrust.

[Tight_rope]

89. They may try to hide it ...but we see straight through it!

[JayS]

95. All people...

To varying degrees, I find your statement describes ALL people that I know. There is no person that does not harbor at least a little racism, classism, ethnocentrism, etc. Some show it, some don't, but it is still there.

[mzmolly]

96. By and large, YES they are.

:hi:

[Cats Against Frist]

98. O tell me about it

It's not just race -- it's liberals, and feminists and the French and the goddamn AMISH.

I just had someone at a family get together start spouting off about the Amish, without knowing that one of my best friends is Amish.

Plus -- they're all racist as fuck. It blows my mind when I hear the GOP talk about "no problem of race in this society." It's another one of those "smokescreen" things that is wiped away if you actually spend two minutes TALKING to a GOP supporter. Their constituents always betray their "public face."

I was watching a lot of "Washington Journal" during the lead-up to the Iraq invasion, and no matter how much they'd have some neocon on there denying that the war was over oil, or claiming it was not about Israel, one of their contard callers would call up and say, "We just gotta secure that oil," or "We should protect Israel."

It's the same thing with the race issue. Pure white-bred racism. It's really a chuckle when they try to deny it. I'm from Southern Illinois -- proximal to two towns who LITERALLY run blacks out of their towns.

[donhakman]

103. 0007t

[vincent_vega_lives]

106. Racism has nothing to do with political leanings

In my own experience. Some of the most racist people I know are what would be considered left leaning Europeans.

[FlaGranny]

110. Generalizations -

I know some conservatives. Actually they are pretty close friends. I've never heard a racist word from them.

[Behind the Aegis]

112. Interesting

I have read this thread many times before joining DU (tonight!! yea for me)! I have enjoyed reading the comments. However, I would like to offer my opinion...

I feel that is a disservice to paint any group with a wide brush. I doing much training on issues of diversity and that includes the topic of racism. The definition of racism can be tricky as many see it only as "discrimination on the basis of race." However, there has been newer definitions that include the paradigm of 'power.'

I do feel that bigotry, however, is rampant in all communities. Where ever bigotry rears its ugly head, I feel it important to combat it. That being said, sometimes I find it more 'powerful' to not address it right then, but rather let those being mislead by the bigot know that s/he speaks out of both sides of her/his mouth.

There is a Paula Cole song that says bigots no longer wear the Nazi armbands or KKK sheets, but wear suits and are housewives. This is so true! One cannot walk down the street and see bigotry outright, but it surrounds all of us like a dark cloud. How you combat it is personal. Sometimes, we feel that all bigotry should be confronted "right then and there." However, that may not always be the safest or best way to fight the hate. Follow your heart!