Why don't DUers recognize racism when they see it?

[Thtwudbeme]

Yes, yes...I am aware of the demographics of that part of Louisiana...however, I grew up in the South, and maybe I see something that others might not...

Many of the folks who pictures we are agonizing over today, and yesterday are just a few generations away from the cotton fields.

I don't mean before 1864 either folks...the south didn't quit growing cotton because of the war-

Do you not understand that the fact that MOST of the poverty stricken in New Orleans are black? Why is that?

See the roots first, then go from there.

This is a damned shame, and and embarrassment...hopefully when things get better, you people will do some homework on racism and figure it out.

Stephanie

[qanda]

1. Because the vast majority of DUers have never and will never

Experience racism. It may be a hard pill to swallow, but most non-minorities just don't get it.

[Maple]

2. DU has said that repeatedly

from day one.

[txindy]

3. What threads have you been reading?

We've been saying it's racism all along. :shrug:

[Rude Horner]

9. I agree

I've been reading for days, here on DU, about the racism part of this story. It's undeniable.

[Lex]

4. DU'ers have been screaming about the racism for DAYS.

Seriously.

[Thtwudbeme]

10. SOME duers have been screaming about racism for days...

There are some claiming it's not racism because the city is mostly populated by minorities.

It's chilling for me to read.

[Maple]

12. Same thing

'blacks' and 'minorities' are interchangeable words.

Blacks are only 12% of the US population...that's a minority.

[Just Me]

5. I am a white woman. I am not in denial.

Of course, as a woman I am quite familiar with discrimination.

On the other hand, as a member of a discriminated class, I must say that, the class inequity crosses all lines.

I believe the economic injustice is greater than the racial discrimination.

[Niche]

6. Genocide is what I'm seeing.

I think a lot of people are seeing this as a racial issue. Yes.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

38. A little earlier, I was thinking precisely that.

Dumbyass should be arrested for crimes against his people.

[ofrfxsk]

7. Many people have been saying this

It's so obvious now. This is the utmost shame of America.

[Kralizec]

8. It is, without a doubt, racism. There is no way that this would be

happening in a large city with a majority of white people being the refugees. I just can't believe my eyes...

[gumby]

11. The ENTIRE "Conservative Agenda"

is FIRMLY rooted in racism, sexism, homophobia and religious bigotry.

Since the end of the Cold War, "they" can just exterminate "those people" in plain sight.

Who are The People gonna turn to? "Communism" and "Socialism" are "dead." And the death follows.......

[Booster]

13. I know I have been saying this on almost every damn thread I've

been on. I'm beginning to think the conservatives want the poor black people to die so they can get them off of welfare and Medicare. As a white woman I am ashamed of my race. This really is blatant genocide and it needs to stop now. When the Republican pundits on tv start saying this is ridiculous, you know it's racist.

[Frances]

14. I see racism

but then I grew up in the South.

Back in the 60s a friend from Massachusetts came South. She told me about going shopping with an African American woman who asked her, "Did you see how rude that clerk was to me?"

The friend from Massachusetts told me that she didn't think the clerk was rude.

I didn't understand the situation until I moved to Massachusetts myself and discovered that none of the clerks there behaved in the friendly, very helpful, patient way that Southern small town clerks behaved.

In other words, my northern friend didn't "get it" because her culture was so different.

[Journeyman]

15. For you to make such a broadbrush accusation. . .

offer no proof, and couch your argument in such simplistic terms, renders your outrage impotent and diminishes your anger to nothing more than bombastic bluster.

[ofrfxsk]

17. I really don't understand your argument.

Probably 95% of the people stranded without water or food are black.
Yes, there are hundreds of thousands of white people who have lost everything too but they are not caged with no way out.

[Journeyman]

19. I would suggest you read the OP, then re-read my post. . .

and if you still don't understand what I'm saying there really isn't much I can do for you.

[peacetalksforall]

16. I think this is a massacre. I tend to believe that Black Americans have

been targeted for aids, drug addiction, and prisons.

There are many in the U.S. who would be happy for elimination in multiples, but not just of Black Americans.

Of course, when Black Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Africans, and peole of other heritages pay taxes, serve in the military, and give to Pat Robertson, they are OK.

[tnlefty]

18. I see classism and racism laid bare for all to see.

That is if they care to see and are paying attention. This isn't even being shielded from us by politicians and media who usually don't want us to see the aftermath of "Welfare Reform" - no this is quite out in the open.

[stillcool]

20. The worst part of what we are witnessing.....

is that racism is being spread by way of the media. They are beating the drums of war here at home.

[tamtam]

21. I think some just don't want to see it

I think some people just don't want to believe that others can be evil like that. :shrug:

[sniffa]

25. i hope that's it

:(

[QC]

22. There have been thousands of posts affirming the role of racism

in the government's response to Katrina these past few days, along with a few discussing the role of class.

Have you been at another forum?

[Used and Abused]

23. American Psycholog. Assoc. says...

A series of laboratory studies have shown that almost all people have trouble detecting a pattern of discrimination unless they are faced with a flagrant example or have access to aggregated data documenting discrimination (Clayton and Crosby, 1992). This inability to make accurate judgments about discrimination from isolated incidents or comparisons is just as true for fair-minded and intelligent people as it is for others. Aggregated data are needed, therefore, if decision makers are to avoid or correct imbalances before they become flagrant. As shown in the table opposite, affirmative action is the only policy that requires an organization to collect and scrutinize aggregated data.

http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/affirmaction.html

[TahitiNut]

24. I'm a 'white' northern male who lived in the South in the 60's.

There's no way in hell I don't see the institutionalized racism embedded in the culture. It's appalling. No ... it's NOT limited to the South. That becomes glaringly obvious when one listens to Limbaugh, Savage, O'Reilly, Hannity, and the other fascist scum on the radio and reads damned near anything from FReeperville.

They can dress it up in ever more obvious phrases like "ownership society" (like slave days, right?) but it's the same ol' ante bellum racism and classism.

[Used and Abused]

26. del nt

[DWolper]

27. Ahhh......Roots

"See the roots first, then go from there."

Well, I can tell you a thing or two about ROOTS.....I agree your heart is in the right place and history certainly plays a part. However, if we are going to blame any kind of criminal behavior on history, I beg to differ. I have a problem with poverty = crime. There are too many instances along the timeline of history when they do not coincide. New Orleans has always been a city of extremely high crime and seeing it now is not surprising, especially when the criminals who have made NOLA home are free to exploit those who are already exploited. This is not a black versus white issue. This is a matter of criminals versus everyone else.

[gumby]

29. No, this is a matter of people with a functioning brain

versus someone like you with your prepackaged brain who pukes :puke: right-wing vomit.

The REAL CRIMINALS are in the White House.

It's SO SAD that you don't realize the difference.

The DU rules restrict me from writing what I'd really like to say to you.

[DWolper]

39. Excuse me?

Right-wing vomit?? Was ROOTS right-wing vomit? Was IMAGINE: JOHN LENNON right-wing vomit? Was RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH right-wing vomit? Was NORTH AND SOUTH right-wing vomit? Gumby, I am a Democrat and have been since I first passed out leaflets for --------- FDR! Prepackaged brain? I may be an old fart, but my mind still opens and closes fairly regularly. I may be a more _traditional_ Democrat than many here, but I am every bit the Democrat that you are (if you are at all). You sound like you have a personal vendetta against me. Is there a problem? Or, do I just not see things exactly the way YOU do? Right-wing vomit. That would be news to a lot of people in my neck of the woods!

[bliss_eternal]

40. ?????

:shrug:

[marlo]

41. Freep.

:puke:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

28. In fairness, Steph, most DU'ers do see the racism

Almost every thread is about 75% willing to admit this is institutional racism at its most blatant and about 25% see something else.

[Solon]

30. Actually that 25% are simply blind to reality...

They don't see a damned thing.

[Vektor]

31. I have been seeing a lot of it at work.

Mean, ignorant people blaming the victims, saying "it's their fault they didn't get out" like it was just that easy for poor and disabled people to just trot out of the city.

I cannot tell you how sickened I am by the utter callousness of some people.

[undergroundpanther]

32. because some people have

Internalized racism and think it's normal. The racists don't see thier own racism!

[Ladyhawk]

33. Racism is definitely involved, IMO. I'm white, blond and blue-eyed. n/t

[porphyrian]

34. The problem is that racism and classism are intertwined.

It's difficult to separate the two sometimes, and usually wrong to assume it's only one or the other. Having grown up in Florida, I can verify that racism is definitely a factor. In North Florida (might as well be Southern Georgia), I met an older black man who wouldn't look me in the eye and spoke to me with "yezzuh" and "nozzuh." You'd think the civil rights movement had never happened in some of those hick towns.

[bliss_eternal]

35. Because they don't want to.

you can't see anything until you become willing to consider the possibility. Apparently some here, are unwilling to do so.

If it bit them in the ass, they wouldn't see it. Pity.

[melody]

36. I think it's primarily a matter of economic class

They look down on "poor white trash" as much as they do minorities. They hate the poor, working class and middle class. However, minorities who happen to be poor/working/middle class fare worse than all the other folk because of the racism.

[bpilgrim]

37. at least they might learn somt'n on DU - corp america got MANY programmed

with their CARTOON WORLD VIEW and now they wanna teach creationism in our schools and a good majority don't see nutt'n wrong with that :faint:

some folks got the NERVE to attack people for even mention the sad and terrible fact :eyes:

thanks for sharing Thtwudbeme and good to see you again :toast:


http://media.globalfreepress.com

peace