Do a majority of Americans approve of the "separate but equal" doctrine?

[_Jumper_]

If facilities were made completely equal, would a majority of Americans support reviving segregation?

[Romulus]

1. I say *yes*

I've seen and heard too much crap during my 32 years here in the U.S. (Where I've been since birth).

I've also read too many critical race theory/critical legal theory books, which further warped my perceptions of how things run around here . . .

[lcordero]

2. why if we have always been separate and not equal?

[papau]

3. "facilities" meaning toilet segregation? Get real - that is history

"If facilities were made completely equal" - I do not understand the question - are you saying that somehow you find unequal "facilities"?

What do you mean?

[_Jumper_]

5. Is it?

A poll conducted a few years ago found that approximately half of teenagers--the most socially liberal age group, especially on race--would approve of the "races living separately but equally."

[papau]

7. Stupid kids reflecting their OK for no change in current living/housing

patterns.

And indeed there need be no change if that is what folks want - but if folks want change - thats OK too.

I suggest a poorly worded survey question.

"race" does not exist - shades of color does exist but means little - but folks do hang with folks culturally like themselves. And to that I say, so what? I think most shades of skin that don't define themselve's by choice of music or by ability to move from standard English to either another lanuage or to "street English", find that living together, next to each other, is just something you do not think about - it is "OK" - and that is good -

and the kids of the 50 and 60's - MLK's kids which included a lot of "white" kids - are to be thanked for this current situation.

I know of no one that "wants" to go back to segregation - other than KKK nuts.

[arewethereyet]

12. they have couches in ladies rooms, I rest my case

n/t

[Cleita]

18. Not all ladies' rooms.

Demand a couch. Speak up. That's how we got ours. No one offered a couch until labor laws insisted on it.

[ecstatic]

15. unequal facilities = schools, hospitals, public facilities/offices

and the list goes on and on.

[AP]

4. Hell no. I think that one of the things that has changed significantly

for the better in the US over the last 30 years is that overt racism is no longer tolerated in all but a few strongholds (in Texas, mostly).

This is a very complicated issue, and I do feel that there is some very pernicious covert racism in America, and that the right wing is still trying to figure out new ways to exploit anxieties about race, and I think some people still have trouble seeing how racism works in America. However, I'm fairly certain that America is way past the point when "separate but equal" and segreation could ever become a doctrine of public policy.

Why do you ask?

[Robin Hood]

6. Most americans are to stupid to know what that even means.

i've been temping for a national survey company and doing surveys. It has become my opinion based on the surveys that I have done that Americans are stupid. Whether it's their fault or the medias fault at this point is irrelevant.

[rucky]

8. I Rented "Sunshine State" Last Week...

and there was a recurring theme in the movie that touched on this.

It was about the days of segregation where there were black-owned businesses that were supported by a black clientele. Desegration ruined the black businesses - the black-owned businesses & properties all got bought out. The freedom dispersed their clientele. In a way, it brought short-term financial gain (probably a screw-job) to the business owners, but in the end they lost control of their livilehoods.

Later, a white owner of an inn & diner was talking about the first black customer that came into his cafe. He was shaking with fear, but it wasn't that bad. He asked the customer if he'd be back & the customer said no, the food was better at the barbecue shack in his neighborhood. The man's inn was being sought-out by developers for a strongarm buyout when he was discussing this.

I don't think Sayles was trying to say that we should go back to old Jim Crow, but it was an interesting perspective on segregation as it relates to the need for people to support their own communities. IMO, there should be more protections of the small business owner - minority or otherwise - from the corporate vultures. That's what the movie was really about, IMO: first is was about race - now it's still about race, but also about class & community.

[_Jumper_]

9. kick

:kick:

[Terwilliger]

10. oh sure

lets have beheadings back too!

[_Jumper_]

11. Did I say I supported segregation?

My record on these issues has been very consistent. :eyes:

[Skittles]

13. I don't like the sound of "separate"

NO INDEED.

[_Jumper_]

19. Obviously most on DU would oppose it...

...but would the majority of Americans oppose it? Like some have stated, we are already very segregated. Case in point: the very, very damning segregation in American churches.

[ecstatic]

14. communities are already overwhelmingly segregated

The only places that are really *somewhat* integrated are businesses and other public areas.

[_Jumper_]

21. It was fitting for you to post that...

I agree. That why I posed this question. The typical person talks a good game about integration and color-blindess but then look at the overwhelming segregation that still exists.

[Cleita]

16. I hope not. It's very racist.

I don't know what people have against living and working with people who are not like them. In the past, they clamped chains on them, made them work for and with them for no pay and they lived with them. Then after abolition they don't want to live or work with them. It seems really hypocritical to me.

I mean where is the separate place going to be? Who gets the beach and the nice property and who gets the swamp? I think you know the answer to that.

[_Jumper_]

20. Right

"I mean where is the separate place going to be? Who gets the beach and the nice property and who gets the swamp? I think you know the answer to that."

You are right. It will not happen because "separate but equal" is inherently unequal. What I seek to do is try to gauge what the majority of Americans think. If they had a choice, would they follow the path that religious people follow each Sunday or would they tread the road of MLK, RFK, and LBJ?

[Mattforclark]

17. They do for gay people