Thread: Athlete shot for the fun of it.

You know, more than RACE, in the whole sense of the word, I´ve seen more tension with people that aren´t able to speak the language (english) fluently. It can be black, brown, yellow, red, white, whatever. I´ve seen more tension in this sort of situation than just skin color or race.

Originally Posted by Warprosper

UOENO

You are truly more ignorant than I expected. You don't deem yourself racist because you profile a black man dressed like a "gangsta"? Since you're a fashion guru please proceed to tell me how a gangsta dresses because I'm not aware. You are most definitely a racist, and there are plenty more of you in here that wreak of it too. Do you profile eminen, is he threatening? How about Justin bieber, he wears baggy clothes and hoodies. I got an idea how about you profile the fucking lunatics who go shoot up schools. Oh yeah they're white btw, yeah I went there.

For you fucking clowns that cry about the media not making this a black and white issue when do you ever hear about race issues with massacres? You don't see a black man come on tv and say white people are crazy do you?

You think it's funny to poke fun at a song made by black people and somehow it relates to the op? Obviously you feel like you're better right?

Xav couldn't be more right , racism in the south is more prevalent now than ever. It's more accepted, this thread is proof.

You guys sit here cry foul because this isn't big as the Martin case? There's an outcry in the Martin case because he got away with it. None of you (I think) know what it's like to be a black man in today's society so don't talk like you understand both sides. Some of you have issues.

Originally Posted by CivilWars

I freely admit I am not, have never been, and will never be black. I also don't disagree that racism, but more realistically prejudice, is not rampant in America. I think the term racism is thrown about far too frequently to be honest. If I see a person, regardless of color, walking in the shadows late at night with a hoodie on then I am going to assume that the potential for a problem is much higher than if I see two dudes in dark suits, white shirts and black ties riding bicycles through my neighborhood. Is that racist? I personally don't think so, but others may disagree. Does that mean that every person that goes out at night with dark clothes and a hoodie on is up to no good? Of course not. I actually own a few black hoodies myself.

So now, is it racist to see a black male that is tatted up, sagging pants, and whatever other stereotype you want to use and think he is some sort of trouble? I see that as prejudice, not racism. If I were to see the same black male and think he is a piece of shit who does not deserve to share the same planet as me then I would agree that is racism. We are all prejudiced. If you see some white dude get out of his shiny BMW and walk into Starbucks with a teacup poodle under his left arm do you not form impressions in your mind of some of the characteristics of this man? What about if you see a man/woman of middle eastern origin wearing clothing that is traditional in their land, but not so common in America. Do you form any thoughts, good or bad, about them? Or better yet, what about when you see a female at the bar, or some other public place. Do you not make assumptions about her based on her clothes and demeanor?

If you say no to all of those then you are full of shit. If you answer honestly then you are prejudiced, just like everybody else here, but that makes neither of us racist until we start believing that "those people" are inferior because of their skin color, and not just because of their actions.

Yes to all except the last paragraph, that's where it changes for me. Read this thread from start to finish in my shoes and you'll understand my perception. But you can't, because you're not me.

I do appreciate your level headed approach though. This thread makes me upset for reasons none of you will probably ever understand.

Originally Posted by iLLusioN

I don't have a problem really with people that don't speak English(or speak it well)- as in it isn't their native language. Our whole country is founded on the idea of having people from all over the world migrating here to live freely. I do have a problem with people born and raised here, put through English speaking schools, that can't speak or comprehend the language past a 4th grade level. My problems there are partially with the individual, because anyone can learn to speak correctly if they want to, but mostly with their parents and education system...because it's very unlikely anyone that can't even speak correctly, much less read or write, is going to be able to anything beyond menial labor/fast food.

Yea, I´m not talking about people that say " we ain´t" or "fo shizzle" or "helluva"...I´m talking about obvious foreigners that probably learned english late in their life or have just come to the U.S. from ________. I´ve seen alot of apprehension on the side of "fluent" english speaking Americans whenever they encounter the kind of people I´ve just described. I don´t know what it is, though. Personally, If I encounter someone that doesn´t speak fluent english or spanish, I get a feeling of intrigue more than apprehension or prejudice.

It´s an uncomfortable feeling, to say the least, when this happens in front of me. And I´ve seen it happen more times than I care to remember.