I had a supervisor some years back who stated "I thought that stuff was all done with?" in response to my sharing the big secret that racism never went away, it just changed shapes.
Evil lives. It is our duty to be vigilant in observing and countering its ever-morphing iterations.
The truth of equality and peace is a living practice, never a destination. A day we anticipate where all things are well and our lives are nothing more than biology-on-autopilot is a day that does not exist.
This Report made me do an inventory of my own history and how I knew, even in my teens, racism was wrong. I was surrounded by it, most were and still are. I made a conscious choice. Similarly, these days I have to put myself in check from time to time about cultural differences.
I KNEW because I had not just one mentor but millions. It didn't include my parents; eventually I tried to teach them. I learned from the nightly news, books and magazines; they taught me about the hatred and those fighting it. But, the decision to pick a side was mine. Republicans are consciously choosing to divide our nation along racial lines, because they fear the truth and our history. They choose to manipulate to gain power. Cowards.
Seventeen year old "alis" would tell Republicans to grow-up. Teens today are way ahead of any Republican agenda to divide them racially. Clock's ticking, Republicans! Now we have to convince young people politics matters in everything they do, everyday of their lives.
Hi Alis. Don't think Tim read Thom's piece, the point of which was, racism factors into just about any "angle." I'm not sure it isn't beat out just slightly as eternal evil influence on human culture by misogyny. No, wait: if misogyny is generalized as drive to control female reproduction, (not just hate/fear of women) look how there is a racist "angle!" Paranoia about black men's sex drive. And that Bill Bennett quote, holy cow. Mass abortion, race-based? Notice Tim didn't suggest another "angle."
Tim, I have to agree that people are tired of hearing about racism. However, I believe that the victims of racism are considerably more “tired” of having their lives affected by the criminally stupid decisions that are made because of racism. We have millions of fellow citizens who learned to be bad at learning, thus making them poorly educated and much more likely to make crappy choices. They are victims in the sense that their defective decision-making skills make them easy marks for the griftings of the morbidly rich (and we all pay for their bad decisions). Racism and the other wedges of bigotry (like misogyny, xenophobia, sexual identities, the “wrong” religions, etc.) are used by hired gun propagandists to frighten and enrage the poorly educated. Promoting racism, misogyny, (and the rest of the wedges), are essential tactics that oligarchs need to manipulate enough stupid voters into electing enough criminally stupid public sector decision-makers. And one other element that they need to cultivate unquestioning loyalty is some flavor of tribalism to help perpetuate their status quos with the powers of corporate personhood. People whose bigotry blinds from using critical thinking skills are both mal-educated and poorly educated. They are mal-educated in the sense that they learned to be bigots, and poorly educated in the sense that they learned to not use their heads. I suggest that we confront racism with role model education and if you’re tired of hearing about it, turn the channel. I believe that if having children discuss racism in school (or any of our 21st Century bigotries) makes folks afraid that their kids will somehow feel guilty, anguish, or uncomfortable, then they are probably racists (or some kind of bigots), and afraid that their kids will find out.
I had a supervisor some years back who stated "I thought that stuff was all done with?" in response to my sharing the big secret that racism never went away, it just changed shapes.
Evil lives. It is our duty to be vigilant in observing and countering its ever-morphing iterations.
The truth of equality and peace is a living practice, never a destination. A day we anticipate where all things are well and our lives are nothing more than biology-on-autopilot is a day that does not exist.
This Report made me do an inventory of my own history and how I knew, even in my teens, racism was wrong. I was surrounded by it, most were and still are. I made a conscious choice. Similarly, these days I have to put myself in check from time to time about cultural differences.
I KNEW because I had not just one mentor but millions. It didn't include my parents; eventually I tried to teach them. I learned from the nightly news, books and magazines; they taught me about the hatred and those fighting it. But, the decision to pick a side was mine. Republicans are consciously choosing to divide our nation along racial lines, because they fear the truth and our history. They choose to manipulate to gain power. Cowards.
Seventeen year old "alis" would tell Republicans to grow-up. Teens today are way ahead of any Republican agenda to divide them racially. Clock's ticking, Republicans! Now we have to convince young people politics matters in everything they do, everyday of their lives.
Most people, both parties and Independents, are tired of hearing about racism. Try another angle please.
Is that because they are too lazy to try to fight it? Is it because they are still in denial? At least your request was polite.
Hi Alis. Don't think Tim read Thom's piece, the point of which was, racism factors into just about any "angle." I'm not sure it isn't beat out just slightly as eternal evil influence on human culture by misogyny. No, wait: if misogyny is generalized as drive to control female reproduction, (not just hate/fear of women) look how there is a racist "angle!" Paranoia about black men's sex drive. And that Bill Bennett quote, holy cow. Mass abortion, race-based? Notice Tim didn't suggest another "angle."
Tim, I have to agree that people are tired of hearing about racism. However, I believe that the victims of racism are considerably more “tired” of having their lives affected by the criminally stupid decisions that are made because of racism. We have millions of fellow citizens who learned to be bad at learning, thus making them poorly educated and much more likely to make crappy choices. They are victims in the sense that their defective decision-making skills make them easy marks for the griftings of the morbidly rich (and we all pay for their bad decisions). Racism and the other wedges of bigotry (like misogyny, xenophobia, sexual identities, the “wrong” religions, etc.) are used by hired gun propagandists to frighten and enrage the poorly educated. Promoting racism, misogyny, (and the rest of the wedges), are essential tactics that oligarchs need to manipulate enough stupid voters into electing enough criminally stupid public sector decision-makers. And one other element that they need to cultivate unquestioning loyalty is some flavor of tribalism to help perpetuate their status quos with the powers of corporate personhood. People whose bigotry blinds from using critical thinking skills are both mal-educated and poorly educated. They are mal-educated in the sense that they learned to be bigots, and poorly educated in the sense that they learned to not use their heads. I suggest that we confront racism with role model education and if you’re tired of hearing about it, turn the channel. I believe that if having children discuss racism in school (or any of our 21st Century bigotries) makes folks afraid that their kids will somehow feel guilty, anguish, or uncomfortable, then they are probably racists (or some kind of bigots), and afraid that their kids will find out.
Excellent comment. Alabama, home to Brad B and Bryan Stevenson's Social Justice Initiative. There is hope in the world, yet.
Alabama, 27% black population, now reduced to one plausible congressperson, thanks to shamelessly corrupt Supreme Court.
Sadly, we have one of their plaques here where I live, and our soil went to the memorial. Thanks so much for the story of your visit.