I have had the subject of racism and bigotry brought up to me twice in the past week and a half. I am really beginning to think that we are either very confused as a nation on what these two are, or we have become really hypersensitive since becoming a politically correct majority. It would seem we have also lost our ability to laugh at ourselves, or have a sense of humor at all.
Racism: hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
Bigotry: stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.
Now I believe these two things to be very much alive and active in today's society. But I think the reasons they are still here have changed drastically since earlier years. People today are far less likely to actually judge someone based solely on their outward differences. I am not saying that there are not those who still do this, but it is no longer the vast majority doing so. It is actually a small minority of people that still do this. (He ain't as good as me and mine cause he ain't white!) This is not the view of many people today. Now I will say that I have heard a lot of people say things such as "I don't like him cause he's a lazy thug." I would have to say that is not a racist remark, it's a judgment against someone's character. I have heard people making race related jokes, black, white, hispanic, chinese, indian, and so on...it would seem that most comics have a set based on racial jokes nowadays. And then there are those who sit around with their friends and make racial jokes. (Not so nice, but come on, I've heard lots of people of different races doing this).
Some words have been marked unsafe for certain races to use. Why is it that words can be deemed not ok for one race but absolutely ok for another race? It's a word. I get called cracker or hear it as well as honky and I say cracker all the time. (I am white by the way). I hear the word nigger used by blacks and whites alike all the time. Only when it's used by a white guy/girl, it becomes a bad word, (I guarantee I will be called racist 100 times because I just typed that word out. Watch), whether used in that context or not, we are not to utter the word or else. I hear spic and wetback used by hispanics. But you let a white man or black man say it in the exact same sense it was used in by the hispanic guy...it will get a much different reaction. Why is a word used by those it was meant to hurt, ok, but if it is used by someone of another race, it is derogatory and wrong? It's still just a word, it holds the same power no matter who's tongue it rolls off of. The difference is how it is used. Such as cuss words. Someone can say, "Fuck! I stubbed my toe!" and someone else say, "Fuck you!" It's all in how it's used, right?
Hypersensitive? Politically Incorrect? Racist?
Chris Tucker can stand up in front of audiences for an hour screaming hateful racists jokes, mostly about white people, and people in the audience and at home will be laughing their butts off. It's ok for him, right? Why?
Racism is being kept alive because it seems to be the focus of everyone's attention-still! We are not allowed as white people to say "Black people", it is offensive to so many. I don't mind if you call me white, I am white-kinda, I'm more of a mutt. I think also that many black people, as well as those who believe themselves to be defending them are the ones keeping racism alive. Many people can find racism in anything. Even when it's not truly there. If I am in a group of people and I have a question about a race related issue, what makes it wrong for me to turn to a person of that race and ask them their opinion on the subject? How does that make me racist? Because I acknowledged they were of that race? I could do the same thing in a religious conversation. I wouldn't mind if someone of a different race asked me a race related question. It would only be offensive if it was meant to be hurtful and was used in a hurtful way or tone.
I do understand there are people who still have a hard time seeing us as equal to each other. There are people who hate just to hate. But that is not the case with so many. So many people are quick to scream "Racist!" without having any truth to their accusations. You can not call someone racist just because you don't agree with what they are saying. (That is bigotry).
A lot of people are being called hate mongers and racists, bigots, because they do not agree with illegal immigration. How does that make them any of those things? It has nothing to do with race. It has to do with people coming here-illegally, and not having to live by the same rules and regulations that us legal citizens are living by. They get a free pass while we pay their way. Not to mention that a lot of these illegal immigrants are coming over here sick, so they are bringing us disease. Some are criminals, they come here and continue their life of crime, as if we do not have enough criminals, here legally, of our own. We send them back to their home if they are caught
and they come right back. It has NOTHING to do with being a racist!! It has to do with being a law abiding citizen watching the law being broken and it being ignored by everyone because they are afraid of being called racists!
A common argument here is..."We all started out as immigrants". To that I say, that was a different time. We had different laws, less citizens already here, more land, jobs for the majority, and enough food for everyone. Not to mention, oh I did already, DIFFERENT LAWS!
And we must also remember, our ancestors were the bad guys. Oh! Oh! Yep, I said it!!
We often forget that don't we? We weren't just good guys coming as immigrants to claim some land. The land was already occupied, we came in, pushed our way through, killed, raped, and stole to get it! We were not the good guys. And neither are the ones coming over here illegally now.
It has NOTHING to do with race!! So stop screaming racist! Call it what it is-concern for our safety, our way of life and our laws. (Can anyone say Latin Kings? or whatever gang it is that's really big right now.)
I do not believe that racism would be so alive today if people would stop screaming it for every little thing. People need to stop being scared to have a thought that just might go against the masses or the small minded. Just think for yourselves.
I do not hate any one person because of their race. I do not hate anyone. I do not dislike any one race. I think there are good and bad points about every race, because we are all human and there is good and bad that comes with being human.
So many people now are also bigots. If you have a different opinion than theirs, you are wrong and they can't stand you. There is no longer a mind of "To each their own". It is "I am right and you are wrong!" We hate that, that is different than us or differs from us, don't we?
If people would just live and let live, stop being so full of hate and so quick to blame others as being something they think the other person is, we might be able to get along and move away from this.
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