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Truthiness Inspector Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:03 PM
Original message
Racial relations today?
Do you think things are better, the same, or worse today in day-to-day life?

Use any timeframe that applies to your life since we are of varying ages and races.

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Captain Hilts Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:05 PM
Response to Original message
1. MUCH better. But then again I live among the military community. nt
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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:05 PM
Response to Original message
2. Much better. However, I have fears. Especially if President Obama fails and especially
in the Southern states, who do not think much of him already.
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rurallib Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:07 PM
Response to Original message
3. genrally better, but there is an extreme edge that is making a lot of noise
Plus certain media are pushing divisiveness. I don't think I need to say who.
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crikkett Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:08 PM
Response to Original message
4. Depends upon where you are and how you look at things.
Where I live, people are by and large snooty, regardless of race. In the greater area people are by and large flaky, regardless of race.

Back where my folks live, people are by and large assholes to each other, regardless of race.

But that's just what I see.


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Rebellious Republican Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:25 PM
Response to Reply #4
7. Well said! N/T
:applause:
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BlooInBloo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:18 PM
Response to Original message
5. (shrug) A little better than when I was a kid, I suppose...
But such comparatives are a rather low bar to set, and commonly used only by white folks to make ourselves feel better.
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Fire1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:23 PM
Response to Original message
6. I'm a boomer and I say, much better.
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noamnety Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:27 PM
Response to Original message
8. Worsened.
The income gap has widened in the last three decades.

Some niceties between races may have improved and laws have improved rights-on-paper, but that doesn't compensate for inequities when it comes to living in poverty and all that that entails. As the economy worsens, that will become even more extreme.

As more and more white middle class people feel economically threatened, they will/do turn their anger toward The Other in an effort to find a scapegoat without confronting the real problems in the system. So we have Muslims being made into The Other, and people in India (and Egypt!), and The Mexicans (used as a shortcut for anyone who looks vaguely Latino, regardless of their actual nationality), immigrants in general, people who are being foreclosed on (mostly the poor - i.e. disproportionately Not White). I see a lot of that resentment (aka racism) in progressive communities, and we all know it's worse if you venture into other communities.
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politicasista Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:42 PM
Response to Original message
9. There is still room for progress
Edited on Sat Feb-21-09 10:58 PM by politicasista
and dialogue.
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Occam Bandage Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:45 PM
Response to Original message
10. Better than they've ever been.
That isn't saying a whole hell of a lot. Just that we're slightly less likely to kill people who aren't part of the same tribe.
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vaberella Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 10:55 PM
Response to Original message
11. Compared to 40 + years ago...it's better. However, I have dealt with some shit as a 28 year old.
It's nothing to the violence my dad endured in this country. My parents are from Haiti, so that was never a problem. But my dad cam here about 20 years before my mum (he was older). And his life was no joke. But I have grown extremely hypersensitive over racism.

I think it's a bit better in today life. However, I think its more hidden than in your face before hand. I have and my other classmates have been denied positions because of our skin colour. I've had horrible comments made about me because of my skin colour. I and an Indian friend of mine was almost attacked in England because of our skin colour.

Actually in the ways of opportunities there's more chances of recognition and building a career, but racism is alive and well and very healthy.
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Undercurrent Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 11:02 PM
Response to Original message
12. .
Much better, but not nearly enough better.

I grew up during segregation when racism was open, and tolerated. The Klan operated with impunity, and lynchings, rapes of black women, beatings, and burnings were not a rare occurrence.

The main stream culture accepted the most perverse racial stereotypes, and even many common children's toys were racist. I remember going to the one room country store in my little town, and seeing *n* baby licorice candy for sale. A friend had a "Jivin' Jigger" black man dancing doll. (Sorry, that's what it was called, and it was made by a big name toy company.) My family received racist Christmas cards with pictures of little *pick...s* dressed as elves eating watermelon on them from family in South Carolina.

I cut my political teeth during the Civil Rights Movement in the 60's. It was a violent, bloody time -- bombings, assassinations, horrendous beatings, murders, and countless arrests of protesters. It was a time of intense hatred, a lot of fear, but also a time of amazing courage, and grace. We overcame a great deal as a country during that period. We're not done yet, but it is definitely better.
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PFunk Donating Member (687 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-21-09 11:39 PM
Response to Original message
13. Better and Worst.
Edited on Sat Feb-21-09 11:41 PM by PFunk
Overt racism is now rarely seen. And there's alot of racial intermingeling going on.

However covert racism seems to be on the rise-along with racial media and properganda as the few racist out their somehow feel this is their time.
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nsd Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-22-09 12:24 AM
Response to Original message
14. Better.
I'm 40 and not white, and I would say they're better than ever before in my lifetime.
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angee_is_mad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-22-09 02:53 AM
Response to Original message
15. When someone starts conversation saying I'm not racist
when speaking to a person of color, then precede to say something ignorant there is a 99.9% chance he/she is racist or at the very least prejudice.

Speaking as a black woman in her early 40s things are better than they were 40 years ago. Hell things are better now than 4 years ago.But for many people, I know that the issue of racism is better to be sweep under the rug than discuss. If it isn't discussed, we can pretend it doesn't exist.

We are not a post racial society, yet. But things are definitely better now than years past.

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uponit7771 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-22-09 08:17 AM
Response to Original message
16. Better, but NOT to the point were most Americans would openly talk about it
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