What are your thoughts on racism (against any "race") in the United States? Does it exist? How bad is it?

[C M B]

I'd like to read a composite of opinions. Please lock if this is an inappropriate topic.
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http://chickhearn.ytmnd.com/

[dont_be_a_wuss]

Some races are stereotyped as better at basketball.

[tlim]

Driving in Orange County here in LA, I still get derogatory Chinese names.

I hate going down there, tbh. My brother lives there and he's just plain accepted it and thinks it's "OK". Brainwashed Republican that he is.

[NickF]

racism probably has a genetic component, and almost everyone (black white, asian whatever) IMO is racist to a degree, just as long as people don't let it influence the decisions they make

[NickF]

[Jeffs]

Of course it exists.

There is prejudice against every race, religion, and culture. It is all equally repugnant, and I detest those who assert that certain racism is okay while another sort is not.

Unfortunately, everyone has some inherent prejudice. The key is whether someone decides to act on it, or chooses to remain a fair and kind human being. We should all strive to be the latter.
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Jeffs

I feel like I just watched someone TRULY give 100%. Not the BS I'm-gonna-give-a-110%-just-like-everyone-else-says platitudes, but someone that went until he just....broke. - GT

[ocho]

On the same weekend an acquittal was handed down in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager, I saw a movie, "Fruitvale Station", inspired by the true story of a 27 year old unarmed black man getting fatally killed (the cop who killed him served 11 months in prison and is now free) and was reminded of "Do The Right Thing", a film that also climaxes with the death of an unarmed black man at the hands of police. That movie came our 24 years ago.

You tell me.
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14-5-3-12

[Jeffs]

And here comes the lock.
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Jeffs

I feel like I just watched someone TRULY give 100%. Not the BS I'm-gonna-give-a-110%-just-like-everyone-else-says platitudes, but someone that went until he just....broke. - GT

[Don Draper]

It exists. But it is dying. As a mixed race person I have trouble taking this issue seriously though (being white and something else makes it difficult to connect to racial squabbles) so I may be biased.

[ocho]

[yinoma2001]

My kids are half Korean and Jamaican. I went through hell because my parents couldn't accept my wife. Yes racism exists but I changed their hearts and minds. And now we are all good.
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From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals

[Chronicle]

[Omar Little]

Racism is merely one manifestation of xenophobia, or fear/mistrust of the "other". It is built into our limbic system as part of the fight/flight response of social animals. Our entire existence is built around in and out groups. The first differentiation we make is mother/not mother, and from there we move to family, friends, neighbors, fellow citizens, etc.

It is important to realize that like violence, xenophobia is natural to, and inherent in, all of us. We are civilized by conscious desire, not by nature. So we are never "over it". Like the rest of civilized behavior, it is but a thin veneer that can be stripped off rather quickly.
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“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel

[JoJo Dancer]

It exist and it's as bad as it's ever been IMO. I've lived in about 10 states and 2 countries outside the United States. I have so many police stories that I have lost count but I have never been in trouble with the law.

[jodeke]

I was raised in the north. Went to school with all races.

As I youngster it didn't dawn on me that because Caucasians lived on one side of town African Americans on the other it was racist. I thought racism only existed in the south.

As I grew my parents explained racism to me. My father taught if a person calls you a N..... don't get angry with them, understand the person was afflicted. They had a illness that could only be cured by themselves.

Steer clear of such people and as long as they just talk it won't hurt. If they touched you get Newark on them.

I didn't then and don't now think I'm beneath anyone regardless of race. I've dated all races of females but feel most comfortable with my people.

Those who are in interracial relationships I applaud for having the strength of their convictions. I don't feel I've achieved the necessary awareness to step to the world in a mixed relationship.

I'm still in the mode, if I see two men fighting and know neither, if one is Black the other White, I pull for the Black man.

Racism exists and will do so. How you allow it to make your path is on you.
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Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

[Wolverine]

[kinchan]

Apparently my post in the Travon thread was labeled "racist" by one of the mods. I put:

[Wilt]

Race is an ideology and it's used to maintain and legitimize unequal power relations. It became politicized in the 19th century and has been a primary driver of how empires and states have functioned ever since. It's similar to gender, which is the politicization of sexual difference. Thus, it's a social construct, at least the political manifestation of it.

So yes, race and racism are still relevant.
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¡Hala Madrid!

[Wolverine]

[SilverBullet]

Racism is still exist in any place of the world. I don't think it will ever go away. IMO

It just that nowadays you can be put on the spotlight (internet, media, newspaper, social network, etc) if you act out your racism in public places. So I believe that is why most people put on that non-racist mask that is acceptable in our society; which is not to appear as a racist. The whole cyber thing really play a big role in helping people hide their identity when it comes to free speech. That is when it enables them to say the things they really want to say, which can be very racist. I know this because I go on internet a lot. I'm also a member of many websites. I notice racist everywhere. Lets be honest, even here too. I saw many OP made racist jokes and got away with it.

But I think deep inside, you always have that racist thing toward certain races. Whether black, white, Asian, Israel, or whatever. One day when things go chaos, I bet people will start to act out their racism toward other races.
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You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.

[Christopher C]

A little sampling from twitter over the last few months:

http://publicshaming.tumblr.com/post/55400524628/post-racial-america-finds-george-zimmerman-not-guilty

http://publicshaming.tumblr.com/post/52763976629/racist-basketball-fans-pissed-a-mexican-american-boy

http://publicshaming.tumblr.com/post/53331740426/racists-still-dont-like-that-a-mexican-american-kid

http://publicshaming.tumblr.com/post/49744332332/happy-cinco-de-mayo-now-go-home-says-historically

http://publicshaming.tumblr.com/post/51026830519/wheniseeaobamabumpersticker-a-grammatically-incorrect

http://publicshaming.tumblr.com/post/48093470152/two-explosives-went-off-at-the-boston-marathon-on

[Omar Little]

[kinchan]

[Omar Little]

[yinoma2001]

As long as there are different races, racism will inevitably exist.
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From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals