Racism on the forum / Treyvon Martin

by Simon 96 Replies latest forum announcements

• 

  tornapart
• 

  Celestial

  First, none of us should EVER forget the crimes committed by the Klan. Those crimes are part of OUR LEGACY.

  Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

  Second, Trayvon's killing was not 'random violence.' George Zimmerman was a self-appointed neighborhood watch guy, looking for 'suspicious' people who did not belong in the neighborhood. Zimmerman saw black, sober, teenager Trayvon 'walking' and 'looking' and what zimmerman's mind saw was an 'asshole' (his words 'these assholes always get away') who looked like he was 'up to no good' ...like he was 'on drugs or something' and he called 911! Emergency! Danger! Back kid 'walking and looking'!

  It was not 'random'.

  Race IS a part of the story.

  I've never thought of myself as racist. Quite honestly, I just wasn't raised that way. I was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. When I acquired a shred of maturity and scientific insight into humanity, racism simply didn't make any sense.
  
  I can't say the same thing for the white boys that lived a few houses down. They were kickers, cowboys, country western, etc.
  
  I was gothic, new-wave (a totally different social scene), so we didn't freely associate with each other although we'd hang out and talk from time to time.
  
  The year was 1987 and I'll even tell you the school: Sharpstown high school.
  
  There was a race-war going on between “kickers” and blacks. This didn't even involve people like me because I wasn't a kicker, although if you were in the school bathroom at the wrong time with the black “gang bangers” you could be in trouble.

  Once, I remember listening to the Kickers a few houses down saying, “people keep warning us that (n-word) have guns...”

  “We have guns...”
  
  “(N-word) think they're going to rule this school. They're sadly mistaken...”
  
  My family left the inner city in 1988 and moved to the suburbs of Houston, TX. In Cypress, TX, in association with the alternative scene, I at times brushed up against some idiot white-supremacists (skinheads). The truth of the matter, with most of these kids, it was just an adolescent phase, a momentary lapse of reason. They grew out of it.
  
  That was over twenty years ago. After 1990, I really can't recall any exposure to the slightest notion of racism in my immediate social environment.
  
  That's why I'm not particularly accepting to any racism or “race related incidents” without legitimate backing being fed to me via electronic communications.
• 

  blindnomore

  Can any indivisual who's never been parent to a child, no matter how intelligent and well meant he/she is, trully have a blanced opinion on child rearing let alone offering a counsel to parents what and how it should be and so forth? (No wonder JWs kids don't get any real help since their parents are counseled/directed by CO,DO, the GB, most of whom never raised child). So then,

  How many of you have exprienced racism or are victims of racism or are victims of hate crime? I do not mean like you got your feeling hurt for being overlooked or excluded from invitations or bullied by loosers (alothough there's no excuse for bullying and it's dead wrong ) or some misunderding or heart aches caused by self infliction or suffering with poor me syndrom etc.

  Someone on this thread said let the court decide.(underline mine) Would you have the same casual attitude if he/she is your own or if he/she were you? (If latter, you can't speak out for yourself since you were dead. And I am not pointing out this particular incident but in generalization)

  I used to suffered greatly from the racism by both non-JWs and JWs. To be honest, JWs were the main source of my suffering in this regard. And then One day it dawned on me! The racism is really a bad abstacle of its possesors and the racists alone should suffer its consquence not its victims. Bascially it's their problem not mine. Why should I suffer over their problem? They need work on their own issue while I work on my own, which is plenty.

  One thing I am not going to do is give my 2 cents on topics on social issues unless I have been in their shoes.( I can offer my sympathy if anything or try to be in their shoes at least. You see, I used to persecute apostates by wholeheartedly supporting the bOrg. Now I am in their shoes. Boy did I ever know what I was talking about)
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  I grew up in the deep south and esp Miami, and I am here to tell you that racial prejudice, while shrinking , is still out there big time.

  This post is not directed towards you, Jeff. It is for everyone on this forum and reading this forum:

  Racial prejudice and racism never was and still is not confined to the deep south. Jim Crow was spread from East to West Coasts and from Northern to Southern borders. Segregation was practiced everywhere, including my current home state Michigan. I hear the N word thrown around often here, up north/midwest. I hear a lot of prejudice against hispanics and immigrants.

  I am tired of hearing about how racist the white south is. This is not a southern issue. It is a worldwide issue. It is not okay to talk in a derogatory way about white southerners either, as if each and everyone of them is prejudiced, racist and has a white robe and mask with KKK embroidered on it, hanging in the coat closet. This kind of racism, culturism if you will, isn't okay directed towards anyone, whites, southern whites included.
• 

  undercover

  I grew up in the deep south and esp Miami...

  Miami isn't Deep South. It's more like North Cuba

  Seriously though... Racism and prejudice exist everywhere, unfortunately. You see it down South, up North, out West. It exists in Europe, Asia, Africa. It will not be eradicated in our lifetime. But we can personally refuse to be caught up in it and help to teach the next generation to avoid it. Maybe if enough people make a conscious effort, it will be much better for our great-great-grandkids.
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  Undercover, this is true, your comment. Florida is filled with people from northern and other states, especially in the colder months and foreign tourists. There is a large hispanic population as well. It's a diverse culture that differs a lot from the deepest, southern states.
• 

  talesin

  Yeah, there were some pretty disgusting comments on that thread.... tx Simon, and agreed!

  t
• 

  AllTimeJeff

  FHN, good point.

  Frankly, it is a stereotype attached to the south, and it is a problem everywhere.
• 

  thetrueone

  Unfortunately if the police who were investigating this case did investigate it properly, Zimmerman would

  have been arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a weapon and manslaughter.

  As a result of these incompetent actions, people are calling this racism and maybe rightly so
• 

  AllTimeJeff

  Btw, I have experienced racism, big time.

  When I was attacked twice in Cameroon as a JW missionary, it was because of the color of my skin. The first time because I was seen walking in FS with a teenage girl, which ticked off the crazy dude who pulled a knife on me. The 2nd time, well, I stood out like a sore thumb, and was mugged, almost killed in a taxi.

  I do know what it's like to look different and be scared out of my mind. Now mind you, the people who took care of me and defended me were Cameroonians. Without their interceding, I would be dead. But I learned the hard way that racism is indeed everywhere.

  Racism is bred on ignorance and fear. Some people are very proud of their ignorance, sadly enough. Without an open heart and an open mind, nothing will change. Thankfully, it seems like more and more people are doing just that. (opening up mind and heart)