On racism and the sexual insecurities of white men
IMHO, a lot of the persistence of racism in the U.S. can be at least partially explained by the sexual insecurities of white men in comparison to Black men.
FWIW, the word "miscegenation" originated in a racist anti-Lincoln pamphlet from 1864. A couple excerpts from that tract which you might find telling:
"In the latter (white men) are seen unmistakenly the signs of physical decay... The white man is going to seed; the black man is adding vigour and freshness to the trunk" (p.34-35)), and ("The leaders of progress - (abolitionists) - urge miscegenatic reform" (p.38))
"Yes - the Southern Beauty, as she parades her bright dresses and inappropriate colours in our Northern cities and watering places proclaims by every massive ornament in her shining hair, and by every yellow shade in the wavy folds of her dress, "I love the black man"" (p.43); and "she treasures the looks from those dark eyes which made her pulses bound; every spot of earth where he had awaited her coming, is, to her, holy ground" (p.44))."
Furthermore, fears of black men raping white women have become a ubiquitous cultural stereotype in the U.S. For example...
Sullivan, 18, met at the circus and ended up behind the big top, watching the black workers dismantle the menagerie tent, load wagons and generally get the circus ready to move on. What actual events took place between Tusken, Sullivan and the workers are unknown; however, later that night Sullivan claimed that he and Tusken were assaulted, and Tusken was raped and robbed by five or six black circus workers.
In the early morning of June 15, Duluth Police Chief John Murphy received a call from James Sullivan’s father saying six black circus workers had held the pair at gunpoint and then raped and robbed Irene Tusken. John Murphy then lined up all 150 or so roustabouts, food service workers and props-men on the side of the tracks, and asked Sullivan and Tusken to identify their attackers. The police arrested six black men in connection with the rape and robbery.
The authenticity of Sullivan's rape claim is subject to skepticism. When Tusken was examined by her physician, Dr. David Graham, on the morning of June 15, he found no physical evidence of rape or assault.[5]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1920_Duluth_lynchings
Another one:
The 2000 official commission report notes that it was unusual for both Rowland and Page to be working downtown on Memorial Day, when most stores and businesses were closed. It suggests that Rowland had a simple accident, such as tripping and steadying himself against the girl, or perhaps they were lovers and had a quarrel.[9]
Whether – and to what extent – Dick Rowland and Sarah Page knew each other has long been a matter of speculation. It seems reasonable that they would have least been able to recognize each other on sight, as Rowland would have regularly ridden in Page's elevator on his way to and from the restroom. Others, however, have speculated that the pair might have been lovers – a dangerous and potentially deadly taboo, but not an impossibility... Whether they knew each other or not, it is clear that both Dick Rowland and Sarah Page were downtown on Monday, May 30, 1921 – although this, too, is cloaked in some mystery. On Memorial Day, most – but not all – stores and businesses in Tulsa were closed. Yet, both Rowland and Page were apparently working that day...
What happened next is anyone's guess. After the riot, the most common explanation was that Dick Rowland tripped as he got onto the elevator and, as he tried to catch his fall, he grabbed onto the arm of Sarah Page, who then screamed. It also has been suggested that Rowland and Page had a lovers' quarrel. However, it simply is unclear what happened. Yet, in the days and years that followed, everyone who knew Dick Rowland agreed on one thing: that he would never have been capable of rape.
The above is what led to a riot which killed anywhere from 55 to 300 Black people and destroyed the wealthiest Black neighborhood in the U.S. at the time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_riot
Not to mention, the murder of Emmett Till for whistling at a white woman, or Dylann Roof telling Black churchgoers in Charleston that "You rape our women" as he massacred them. Pretty heinous.
Anyway, this aspect of racism, combined with sexism (the idea that white men "own" white women, for example, is central to white men's fear of relations between Black men and white women) is a big part of the racial anxieties that persist in white American culture.
That's my view, though...what do you all think?
= new reply since forum marked as read
100 post in one day, then MASSIVE flameout. 
Someone should text the admins since I *believe* there is nothing MIRT can do if the are 100+ posts.
On Edit: Go MIRT!!!!! Way to be!
You cannot have this discussion without taking the accusations and the 'stereotype' of black men and holding the mirror up to white men in regards how they DID (not just accusations but did and HAVE - sundown integration) treated black women.
If you leave that out of the discussion - you can't pinpoint the 'fear'.
Without black women being perceived as 'sub human' by white men - you can't see how they projected their beliefs onto black men in America.
My husband was reading with an espresso and sent me a text. As a sort of 'outsider' to America - spending a few years in the north east as a kid - it's very apparent to him that the stereotype of white American mens' treatment towards both black men and black women (American) is well known at least in the parts of Europe he has lived in . . .
Hence why when the Jena 6 Incident happened a few years ago the international media (La Republicca and Le Monde) were the worst showing images of hangings/lynchings from the 1920's next to the story. 