Other Gotta rant a little...

[TeaMMatE11]

Ugh.  Here we go.


From a historical standpoint, America has not been kind to many ethnic groups over the course of its lifetime.  African Americans were enslaved and treated lesser than human.  Before WWII started, America turned around a ship full of Jews, many of them dying because of the Holocaust throughout WWII.  The Chinese were discriminated against in the 19th and early 20th century, essentially forced to work on the railways.  The Japanese were put in interment camps (50 miles from the coast) during WWII after Pearl Harbor was bombed.


Ok, that's great and all, TeaMMatE11, but what's your point?  


I am so SICK and TIRED of people picking on us minorities "just because we're different."  Now, if you take a look at my blog, I have a rap written out about this topic.  Stereotyping is not good - it DIVIDES US.  For a country that wants to bring people together, we sure as hell are not.  Just because a person is Latino/Latina, does not make him/her dumb, a rapist, etc.  There's an article out there about a Latina in college who is currently being discriminated against because of the way she is.



WE DID NOT CHOOSE OUR GENETICS.  WE WERE BORN WITH THEM.  If you have a problem with accepting of WHAT people are, you need to learn how to see people as WHO THEY ARE.  Does it matter that I have a more yellow tinted skin tone, with smaller eyes and dark hair?


I'm going to say this now, America is one, big, fat, hypocrite.  We say we have equal opportunity for all.  Do we really when racism and stereotyping is around?  Are we really giving EVERYONE a fair shot at life?  


I'm just so sick and tired off people treating others poorly just because they look different.


I know I have made some extreme examples, but this is EXACTLY what is happening in America.  We're separating and judging others because of their looks.


I don't know what to say, other than I'm pissed off that these things are still happening.  America hasn't changed one bit - still as unaccepting as ever.

 

[SimpleGuy]

True I agree with you wholeheartedly but that's not just America. It happens everywhere and it always has happened everywhere. 

 

[Abendrot]

I also agree with you, but like @TheBlackSwordsman said, every multiracial society is going to have its fair share of racial issues. Just because America has some too doesn't mean they're all literally Satan.

 

[SimpleGuy]

I also agree with you, but like @TheBlackSwordsman said, every multiracial society is going to have its fair share of racial issues. Just because America has some too doesn't mean they're all literally Satan.

The expectation that people should live their lives and not be hurt by anyone at all is a sinister lie. No matter where you live your gonna have to deal with this kinda stuff. It's just something you'll have to deal with in life 

 

[Boethiah]

Some of those examples were more economically driven rather than racially, but even in those cases racism did play a factor. Say somebody defends the Confederates for slavery, it's still racist hypocrisy due to it only being blacks who were slaves. If their argument was true and slavery actually was driven purely off of greed, then the slaves would be from multiple races. Although keep in mind that the blacks weren't the first people the Europeans thought of enslaving when they came to America, it was originally the Native Americans who managed to escape and get away (until Manifest Destiny was fulfilled at least).

 

[CastoffCaptain]

Some of those examples were more economically driven rather than racially, but even in those cases racism did play a factor. Say somebody defends the Confederates for slavery, it's still racist hypocrisy due to it only being blacks who were slaves. If their argument was true and slavery actually was driven purely off of greed, then the slaves would be from multiple races. Although keep in mind that the blacks weren't the first people the Europeans thought of enslaving when they came to America, it was originally the Native Americans who managed to escape and get away (until Manifest Destiny was fulfilled at least).

The creepy thing was the freed slaves who then turned around and had slaves, themselves. Native Americans did it, too. Almost every culture can trace back to slavery in their roots. Pretty eye-opening. Hell, we still have it today in the sex trade. It's terrifying. 


People treat each other like crap everywhere in every country. It's our job to fight that every step of the way, and to teach our children a better, healthier, more compassionate mindset. 


So, to echo many statements made above, it's not just an American thing. And it's not new. 


Just fight it at every opportunity. 

 

[TeaMMatE11]

The creepy thing was the freed slaves who then turned around and had slaves, themselves. Native Americans did it, too. Almost every culture can trace back to slavery in their roots. Pretty eye-opening. Hell, we still have it today in the sex trade. It's terrifying. 


People treat each other like crap everywhere in every country. It's our job to fight that every step of the way, and to teach our children a better, healthier, more compassionate mindset. 


So, to echo many statements made above, it's not just an American thing. And it's not new. 


Just fight it at every opportunity. 

This is true.  It's widespread, but I see this in America the most prominently.  Even though I don't feel the stereotypes where I live ( California,) I know millions of people feel it every day.


I don't think these things will ever end.  People still call Japanese people "Japs," which was a term developed during WWII.  People still call black people the N word.  


It's so easy to stereotype people when they're not in your life constantly.  You just hear a certain ethnicity is this way or that way and the stigma sticks.  


TLR racism needs to end.

 

[Abendrot]

I don't think these things will ever end.

That's the ugly truth, I suppose. No matter how tolerant our society gets, there's always going to be a few of those people sticking around. Discrimination is a natural human instinct, and while it might have been a necessary tool/evil we used to survive in our primal days, it does far more harm than good in our cushy modern society.


The best I can say is to stay strong and spread lots of love.

 

[Fistfullofjam]

This is true.  It's widespread, but I see this in America the most prominently.  Even though I don't feel the stereotypes where I live ( California,) I know millions of people feel it every day.


I don't think these things will ever end.  People still call Japanese people "Japs," which was a term developed during WWII.  People still call black people the N word.  


It's so easy to stereotype people when they're not in your life constantly.  You just hear a certain ethnicity is this way or that way and the stigma sticks.  


TLR racism needs to end.

Every Race and nationality has it's own "nickname" although some are racially sensitive in some places, in other places It can be acceptable to use them. The term "Jap" was in fact not developed during World War II, the word was in use as early as the late 1800's and only picked up its negative connotations during WWII. Kraut as well was an old term popularised in the US specifically during the world wars as slang for Germans While other countries used other terms such as Fritz or Jerry.


Different parts of the world and different communities use and develop words differently, in the US a Japanese minority may take great offence at being called a Jap but over here it has no huge stigma surrounding it.


In fact I bet lots of people should take offence at me calling them a , but guess what. That's just what we do over here, it's part of our bloody culture to do that.


The point I'm trying to get at is that everybody is different in how they use language, and with the Internet all of these different people collide, of course someone's going to get offended. Do I believe we should just make everything into a hugbox, of course not; Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me. After all they're just words, they only affect you if you let them.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Every Race and nationality has it's own "nickname" although some are racially sensitive in some places, in other places It can be acceptable to use them. The term "Jap" was in fact not developed during World War II, the word was in use as early as the late 1800's and only picked up its negative connotations during WWII. Kraut as well was an old term popularised in the US specifically during the world wars as slang for Germans While other countries used other terms such as Fritz or Jerry.


Different parts of the world and different communities use and develop words differently, in the US a Japanese minority may take great offence at being called a Jap but over here it has no huge stigma surrounding it.


In fact I bet lots of people should take offence at me calling them a c**t, but guess what. That's just what we do over here, it's part of our bloody culture to do that.


The point I'm trying to get at is that everybody is different in how they use language, and with the Internet all of these different people collide, of course someone's going to get offended. Do I believe we should just make everything into a hugbox, of course not; Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me. After all they're just words, they only affect you if you let them.

Ima add onto this.


Eveyone no matter what race you are has the ability to be stereotyped and discriminated against when they're a minority. I, a white American living in America doesn't face this because of where I live and was born. But if I were to go to another country where I would become the minority, I would instantly be tagged with the "rude, bitchy ass, and insensitive American who wants everything done for them" and other stereotype similar to that. 


I might be exaggerating a bit, but I think I got my point across. (I had caffeine to early...not a good idea, so this might come off as blunt. 0-0)  

 

[Fistfullofjam]

Ima add onto this.


Eveyone no matter what race you are has the ability to be stereotyped and discriminated against when they're a minority. I, a white American living in America doesn't face this because of where I live and was born. But if I were to go to another country where I would become the minority, I would instantly be tagged with the "rude, bitchy ass, and insensitive American who wants everything done for them" and other stereotype similar to that. 


I might be exaggerating a bit, but I think I got my point across. (I had caffeine to early...not a good idea, so this might come off as blunt. 0-0)  

Literally everybody is stereotyped an discriminated against, you don't have to be in the minority for this to happen.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Literally everybody is stereotyped an discriminated against, you don't have to be in the minority for this to happen.

Very true. The latter was just the first example that came to mind.

 

[CastoffCaptain]

This is true.  It's widespread, but I see this in America the most prominently.  

I call bullshit on this one, sorry.  I mean, just watch the news.  Look at all the refugees.  Read the articles about how in India, they no longer officially have caste systems, but are still throwing acid in the faces of the "Untouchables." Hate doesn't just come in color, it comes in gender, religion, creed, ageism.  

 

[hadal]

I understand what you mean. And as a religious minority in the US, I have to some degree, felt what you mean. Bigotry and hatred based off race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, ect. is a major problem in the US. Cops are shooting down unarmed black men in the middle of the street, and then if they even go to trial, they're acquitted. It's sad and enraging and appalling. And then our Republican candidate for president runs a campaign rooted in bigotry, and this has created an environment in which America's bigots  feel free to express their hateful beliefs, with little to no fear of repercussions.


I certainly don't think this issue is the most prominent in America, but it is a major issue nonetheless. I think one of the reasons Americans feel this hatred is more prominent in America than in other countries is because of to the dichotomy between what America is supposed to be, and what America actually is. As a country, we supposedly honor the idea of liberty and equality above all else. These ideals are the basis of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and of the country itself. Yet, these ideals are not honored, and they never have been. That's why America is such a big goddamn hypocrite, and that's why issues of hatred seem more common (to Americans)  in America, than in other countries. 

 

[norway]

Slavery, though, doesn't start in the US. The arabs enslaved millions, the irish were screwed over, the first slave owner in America was a black man who had white slaves - the narrative that America is just a god awful place that owes anyone reparations is incorrect, slavery is awful, but it did not start here and this country should not bare the blame of what was a common practice  and still is, while it's still here it's also prevalent in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Southeast Asia, Romania, Sudan, Haiti, Brazil, Latin America - Islam has enslaved nearly 180 million african americans in their time - At least America made it illegal. People do have equal rights, but today's fight for equality isn't the same as what's been given - the truth of the matter is that equal rights enables anyone a fair shot regardless of their skin color, etc. Today's equality war, though, is for people who aren't qualified, to be affirmative actioned into getting freebies or positions they can't handle. Equality and nice aren't the same thing. You can't force a country compromised of millions of individuals to be nice - create a movement that slams stereotypes and shows others who you are and what your culture is worth, but trying to stop people from having a preference or opinion is kind of what the fight is right now. Don't fight to change, just try to enlighten in a country that is pathetically ill educated on all subjects, including slavery facts that don't fit this political shit.


Regardless, that was entirely relevant, I'm so sick of the slavery thing, it was awful, but it did not start here and we aren't nearly as bad as some places (unless you've seen Hillary Clintons emails LOL child exploitation is a thing in governments period.) Also, China owns us now if that makes people feel better for the Chinese - And if it wasn't for America (teaming up with many other allies, it's not sorely their win) Hitler would still be running the holocaust, so the ship full of jews is terrible if it happened, but we also liberated many and allowed them to come here and restart their lives in displaced people camps. (The jews own us, too, if that makes anyone feel better). Meanwhile, no one mentions the religious war, because it's irrelevant that we're letting in ten thousand refugees, but our government purposefully turns away the Christian ones. (Yes, that's happening, no, no one cares if Christian's get it bc people don't read.)  


Also try to remember that stereotyping is a way of learning - preferences should not be shamed, if someone dislikes you for a minority or body size or belief - you can add isms and ists to it, and no ultimately it's not right and they should get to know people for being individuals not minorities - but if they're not harassing you, it's their preference and another aspect of individuality that shouldn't be turned into this emotional warfare of let's change everyone and force them to like things they don't for personal reasons. Also, if minorities label themselves as minorities or whatever all the time, how's anyone going to get to know you as an individual? Stop identifying as a quantity or collective, then. We do sadly have to expose people to different ways of thinking for them to understand, they aren't mind readers - most of America and just the world in general is ignorant and hardly exposed to the other side, so. Introduce yourself as a name or a talent, sometimes you have to make that effort to change a persons mind. But minorities can't ever be represented or spoken for one hundred percent because a third, sometimes half, don't feel the way some do - they either feel more ridiculed than ever, or like they've hardly experienced racism but the war from a few representatives themselves is causing a lot of division and tension. I personally feel like you should offer what you uniquely are to empower America, but assimilate as American's - everyone wants to wave the flag of the country they'd never live in or escape from because America is better. If we all saw each other as one nation, one species, you can decide whether it's under God or not, but governed by the same Judeo Christian values that keep our morals in tact (well, did for a while, anyways) I think we'd be better off than referring to ourselves as minorities: islander, black, asian, hispanic, 'estrogen american' and god forbid what they're trying to bring out now, Feline American. That is segregation. Period. 


And I don't give all the empathy to minorities - while I like to blame individuals, not groups or the collective, there are some incredibly racist minorities that are fed absolute BS and have an agenda against Americans, or whites - starts with all those lies in your text books that natives were absolutely innocent and Columbus was evil, that America just invaded and stole from everyone, anti-capitalism BS. I can say that, considering my own islander cousins hated me just for being half white, wouldn't even let me sit at the dinner table. (I have to say I'm pacific islander here, specifically maori/Samoan, or my argument will be discredited for being too white - hows that for equality!) My former hispanic room mates hated me for being a white snob and only changed their minds when I made the effort to show them who I was. My black room mates would laugh at certain things I was interested in or talked about, I even had hispanic friends at school who straight up told me don't talk like that because I was too white to say certain things, or respond to situations that I couldn't possibly understand. 


It's everywhere, and it's not just minorities that have it hard, the majority is absolutely under attack and no matter which side you're on attacking isn't the answer, that is what division is. There's animosity between everyone. Whites are the robber baron high class who're out to get everyone and get a free pass everywhere they go - which is funny, considering there is no scholarship for being a white male, just a minority, like woman or immigrants. Whites have to have voter ID, illegals don't. Syrian refugees get free health care and housing, while our vets are dying on the streets for serving our military and coming back too sick to take care of themselves. If you can't speak english in school? No problem! No one can grade you for not knowing the language of America, because that's discrimination, so here's an automatic A, and a bilingual job so you don't have to ever learn more than what a toddler knows. Women are twice as likely to graduate college, minorities are the top priorities of the housing lists, women are twice as likely to get custody and are basically always right in alleged rape cases (even when they aren't true, which is quite often), the list goes on. 


These are facts and advantages that white kids don't have (we can say that they don't need them bc 'white skin means privilege' but 40 of whites are on food stamps, so, yeah they need help too, they're human remember? not whiteys). I'm not arguing for either side, I'm just stating the truth. Doesn't mean stereotyping isn't hurtful, I absolutely believe that communities should come together and get to know each other (though multiculturalism is just a way to end America, it's not the goody two shoes assimilation everyone's chanting about) I grew up with a lot of racism in the family, have had it proven wrong and turned around repeatedly and find myself surrounded by a rather diverse group of wonderful human beings that happen to be different from me and then? not so much different. (: But America isn't as terrible as you say, Indians weren't the saints text books write them to be - before you hate on the country that gives you and everyone else a better chance than you'll find ANYWHERE else, I encourage you to research outside of what schools and buzzfeed give you, because they're absolute lies no matter what you stand for, they're a narrative given to fit an agenda that everyone's far more oppressed than they are which rakes in votes for policies that keep failing you, like the ones that want to keep you on welfare and give you shit education by giving the schools to the government (who wants to get rid of 'racist math, sexist science and history that doesn't remind minorities that they're pathetic' if that's a win for minorities, good for you I guess). Think of how far we've come from the darker days and find that as encouragement to keep a clean fight going - remember it's in this country that you can even get online and talk about what upsets you, like equality, no other country will let you do that without some censoring and perhaps a 'camp' like North Korea or decapitation like the Middle East. Not stereotyping, just laying out some facts. (:


Watch a video by Milton Friedman sometime, he's a classical liberal that actually knew the facts and unfortunately couldn't save our failing generation from it's own BS.

 

[The Mechanist]

Just gonna point out the first slave owner In the states was actually black, and the tribal leaders in Africa were selling their own people, they werent being kidnapped and dragged away. Racism is everywhere, it just all depends how you deal with it, I mean hell, I can joke about being a "I'm uncultured" or a "I'm uncultured" it really isn't a problem to me. 


And i just realized rpn sensored my racial slurs....I'm a bloody Hispanic for crying out loud living on the borderlands so you can go ahead and mentally fill in the blanks there for Mexican/Latino/Hispanic slurs.

 

[fattiest fat cat]

just gonna pop in and say racism blows, op.  it's pretty fucked up here in canada, too, but at least we'd never seriously consider trump i guess?  im white, but im part of a bunch of other minorities, so i dont really get it, but i at least kind of get where youre coming from, and it's awful.

 

[GearedPepper]

just gonna pop in and say racism blows, op.  it's pretty fucked up here in canada, too, but at least we'd never seriously consider trump i guess?  im white, but im part of a bunch of other minorities, so i dont really get it, but i at least kind of get where youre coming from, and it's awful.

I am not severely racist but to say we still hold those beliefs is false. That's why it is history and belongs in the history books. Everyone is racist To a degree because we like people who are the same as us. White people are not devils. If anything we have become less racist than alot of other groups. Thanks

 

[Axel The Englishman]

If one were to ever mock my ethnic genetics, I would rip the DNA out of my cells, construct an organic mallet and chase that person around for little like a Tom & Jerry episode. Because, why not?

 

[JujuBee]

Just gonna point out the first slave owner In the states was actually black, and the tribal leaders in Africa were selling their own people, they werent being kidnapped and dragged away. Racism is everywhere, it just all depends how you deal with it, I mean hell, I can joke about being a "I'm uncultured" or a "I'm uncultured" it really isn't a problem to me. 


And i just realized rpn sensored my racial slurs....I'm a bloody Hispanic for crying out loud living on the borderlands so you can go ahead and mentally fill in the blanks there for Mexican/Latino/Hispanic slurs.

Take note that yes, while there was slavery within Africa- their slavery was a lot different from the slavery that occurred within America. The Life of Olaudah Equiano gives a very good example of slavery within Africa (though the rest of the narrative is a bit wonky as he was a teeny tiny bit wonky himself). Not trying to disagree with you or anything but just thought I'd add that in.


And can I also say that my heart swells over the fact that a forum such as this one hasn't turned into some all out fight. Everyone is all calm, cool, collected. Factual. Actually having a discussion. If only it could go this way in real life and not just virtual. Props to y'all.

 

[The Mechanist]

Take note that yes, while there was slavery within Africa- their slavery was a lot different from the slavery that occurred within America. The Life of Olaudah Equiano gives a very good example of slavery within Africa (though the rest of the narrative is a bit wonky as he was a teeny tiny bit wonky himself). Not trying to disagree with you or anything but just thought I'd add that in.


And can I also say that my heart swells over the fact that a forum such as this one hasn't turned into some all out fight. Everyone is all calm, cool, collected. Factual. Actually having a discussion. If only it could go this way in real life and not just virtual. Props to y'all.

I guess I should've clarified, the first American slave owner was black


oh wait I already did that in the first sentence, ma bad

 

[JujuBee]

I guess I should've clarified, the first American slave owner was black

Yes I saw that. But I'm not talking about him specifically. I'm talking about the way Slavery was handled between both America and Africa as a whole.

 

[GearedPepper]

Yes I saw that. But I'm not talking about him specifically. I'm talking about the way Slavery was handled between both America and Africa as a whole.

Slaves are slaves. The fact we used them differently does not mean much.

 

[JujuBee]

Slaves are slaves. The fact we used them differently does not mean much.

Please realize that I'm not trying to say 'oh America is a piece of shit with their slavery and Africa's slavery was beautiful'. I'm not trying to say anything like that. I just wanted to add into the dicussion that different slaveries had different standards. Slavery was terrible in every way with every place that chose to do it. Like I said before, I wasn't trying to disagree or anything. I simply wanted to add my two cents into the discussion. I'm sorry if that wasn't clear!

 

[Fistfullofjam]

There are more slaves in Africa right now then there ever were in North America, slavery in the world right now is the biggest it's ever been