Racism Is Alive and Well

[Jaffa 5]

Do a search on google for "race versus weight discrimination". If you can't read all the information out there and realize that being fat makes you more likely to be discriminated against then being some other race, then you are just kidding yourself.

Would Barack be president if he were fat? NOT A CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!

[BJean 16]

Steve please lift that passage that you think I wrote saying, to quote you: "Racism is NOT more likely then prejudice against someone being fat..."

In fact I think that there is a ton of prejudice against fat people. I have an older sister who is humongous. Everywhere we ever went together I was made well-aware of the horrible prejudice against fat people. And I myself have been a victim of weight discrimination. I am not sure what I said that made you accuse me of stating that one type of bigotry is more prevelant than any other.

Bigotry against people of color is what this thread is all about. It got side tracked by someone other than me.

[Jaffa 5]

Sorry, but I was busy working and couldn't post early on, when it was more relevant.

I can't believe no one else bothered after my post to do some searching.

[BJean 16]

Whoa just a minute, Jaffa. Are you claiming that no fat man has ever been elected president?

And I really wish you would tone your rant at me down. I have never said that racial prejudice is more common than any other. That doesn't mean that I couldn't say it, though. I just didn't say that.

[BJean 16]

I'm assuming you're taking the time to find the part of a post of mine where I've said what you're accusing me of. And perhaps you're doing some research on fat presidents. I dunno, but please find what I said that convinced you that I in any way denied the prevalence of weight discrmination. You can't just hit and run, at least I hope you won't.

[BethFromVA 5]

Steve please lift that passage that you think I wrote saying, to quote you: "Racism is NOT more likely then prejudice against someone being fat..."

In fact I think that there is a ton of prejudice against fat people. I have an older sister who is humongous. Everywhere we ever went together I was made well-aware of the horrible prejudice against fat people. And I myself have been a victim of weight discrimination. I am not sure what I said that made you accuse me of stating that one type of bigotry is more prevelant than any other.

Bigotry against people of color is what this thread is all about. It got side tracked by someone other than me.

I hate to admit it, but I'll be honest and say when I see people that are "humongous," I have stared. I don't mean to, but I think it's because, being big myself, and knowing how miserable it is, I can't imagine being "that big" and living with that. :thumbup:

[Headhunter 6]

This is really a thread on human interaction.

And there was an interesting change in the dynamic between Beth and Bjean, when Bjean asked Beth how she perceives her (and i'm assuming Bjean is a woman....that's ANOTHER discussion of perception!). And Beth replied bluntly and honestly, to her immense credit.

I have been online since way before the internet was the internet. Old Bulletin Board systems, the arpanet, etc. I've been around a long time. And the Internet IS my business. I'm a Computer Engineer by profession, I own a web Hosting company, i'm an "internet entrepreneur", and I own/manage a number of sites like LapBandTalk, but with different subject matter, of course.

I mention this all because for many years I have been conscious of and aware of an interesting dynamic in myself, and in other people as well. Here's an example:

There are people on THIS board that I hate with a real passion, at least emotionally. There are people here that treated me like crap when I first joined this system, and the exchanges I had with them were quite personal and, at time, quite nasty. I thought I had outgrown that kind of stuff many years ago, but I had never been attacked in quite the personal way that I was here. So, I developed some real "virtual" hatred for some people, some of which I harbor to this day.

Now, I have these feelings on an EMOTIONAL level. INTELLECTUALLY, I understand that I would probably be capable of being good friends with many of the people I despise. It's just that because of THIS MEDIUM that we are using (an internet forum), we are seeing only a SINGLE DIMENSION of each other. And sometimes that particular dimension is not all that pleasant. So, it is interesting to watch when two people are "going at it", and then it calms down to a point where they are asking what they think of each other.

Because, in SPITE of some of the name-calling and vitriol that is displayed amongst some people here on this forum (and elsewhere), if we were all together in a room, with NO history, we would all probably get along pretty well, and some great friendships would probably be made.

Just an Observation....

HH

P.S......that doesn't mean that there aren't some a***oles on this forum......:thumbup:

[IndioGirl55 32]

But don't you see how sad it is that it may have been something totally unrelated to race, and here she is feeling hurt over it, thinking it's racism? I find that almost sadder than racism itself! It imprisons people and makes them victims all the time, and I feel that is very hurtful to one's psyche. AND unnecessary.

But Beth you aren't black so you don't know what it feels like - and it does feel diff than being white

You haven't grown up that way - you haven't had your whole like molded by the experiences of your grandparents - parents and your own personal experiences with racism etc.

I totally agree - it could have been her weight - it could have been her color - but you don't understand one iota what it is to grow up as a person of color in America...

So don't preach that you think it's sad and limiting (it is but it's the way of the world) - to have that hanging over their head - if time after time your life experience has been negative due to your color you may assume that was the reason and not the fat - I get that..

That has been her life experiences and again not being a person of color you really can't understand til you have walked a mile in their shoes

Take the story of the mother touching her hair and realizing she was a black child and then the next day her little friend said she couldn't invite her over again cuz she was black.

These's are only little stories of her life that have formed her life - this is her mindset..

I wish that you would take the pills that make your skin dark and live just 24 hrs as a person of color - I think your whole mindset would change... It's not as easy as you think - and yes things are somewhat better than they use to be - but the key word is SOMEWHAT - that in itself is sad - when in all reality we are all the same and there should be no diff at all on how a person is treated due to the color of their sink

I can't debate as well as you all do here - and other places on the boards - so I am saying Peace Out - But You really got to me on how sad it was that the OP had this mindset - Well, ya it's sad but that's been her life - that's what's really sad... That she has been discrimated against period..

[Headhunter 6]

Would Barack be president if he were fat? NOT A CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!

I think a more interesting question would be:

If Barack were WHITE, would he be President?

Not a Chance!

(Headhunter is ducking behind a very large couch.....)

[BethFromVA 5]

But Beth you aren't black so you don't know what it feels like - and it does feel diff than being white

You haven't grown up that way - you haven't had your whole like molded by the experiences of your grandparents - parents and your own personal experiences with racism etc.

I totally agree - it could have been her weight - it could have been her color - but you don't understand one iota what it is to grow up as a person of color in America...

So don't preach that you think it's sad and limiting (it is but it's the way of the world) - to have that hanging over their head - if time after time your life experience has been negative due to your color you may assume that was the reason and not the fat - I get that..

That has been her life experiences and again not being a person of color you really can't understand til you have walked a mile in their shoes

Take the story of the mother touching her hair and realizing she was a black child and then the next day her little friend said she couldn't invite her over again cuz she was black.

These's are only little stories of her life that have formed her life - this is her mindset..

I wish that you would take the pills that make your skin dark and live just 24 hrs as a person of color - I think your whole mindset would change... It's not as easy as you think - and yes things are somewhat better than they use to be - but the key word is SOMEWHAT - that in itself is sad - when in all reality we are all the same and there should be no diff at all on how a person is treated due to the color of their sink

I can't debate as well as you all do here - and other places on the boards - so I am saying Peace Out - But You really got to me on how sad it was that the OP had this mindset - Well, ya it's sad but that's been her life - that's what's really sad... That she has been discrimated against period..

Indio, I may not be black (and I'm giving you that because you really don't know), but frankly you don't know WHAT I am other than I'm not black. You don't know my skin color, what my hair looks like, if I have an accent, you don't know my background, where I grew up, what sorts of people I grew up around, what people influenced me -- good and bad, what my experiences were/are/continue to be. Nothing. You claim I know nothing about the "black experience," and that's true. But you know just as much nothing about me and mine.

With all due respect, the only one who seems to be preaching right now is you towards me. You know absolutely nothing about me, yet you speak as if somehow black people have a corner market on racism, bigotry, or mistreatment in general. I think we've already proven here that racism goes all ways. Bigotry goes all ways. -Isms are directed towards all people.

I wasn't preaching to the OP about anything. I was simply offering up another possibility. Somebody simply moving seats could have to do with her color, sure. But it could ALSO have to do with her weight/size, the perfume she is wearing, room on the bus, any number of things. And I still hold to the belief that it COULD have been any of the things listed here, but I don't automatically jump to the belief that it was racially motivated. I do no service to her by automatically jumping on that bandwagon, further victimizing her, now do I?

If these people's actions were innocuous, then she is feeling pain over nothing -- in these instances.

You know, life is always going to put shitty people in our paths. What we do with that is what makes us. We can either be victims or we can rise above it. Though what we are confronted with is not our choice, what we do with it is.

[BethFromVA 5]

And for what it's worth, Indio, you're not looking too dark there yourself, so how is it you're the expert on the black experience? Serious question that I know sounds snarky but isn't.

[BethFromVA 5]

I think a more interesting question would be:

If Barack were WHITE, would he be President?

Not a Chance!

(Headhunter is ducking behind a very large couch.....)

If Barack were white, the left would likely have played the gender card and gone Hillary.

[luluc 6]

If Barack were white, the left would likely have played the gender card and gone Hillary.

yep - agreed....my mom still won't get off that soap box (big hillary fan)

i leave for a bit and a great thread finally pops up.

racism is alive and well in the good ol' us of a and i never seeing it leaving - really.

i was raised in the northeast - NY, been in TX way too long it seems , but i never - EVER heard the remarks about race / gender / ethnicity till i moved below the mason dixon line. sorry if i offend here - but that's my experience.

to the OP, and this might not be popular as well - but i would have moved from you as well. not based on your race, weight, hair color - but because if there is an open seat w/no one near me on any kind of public transportation...i'm taking that open seat vs sitting right next to someone else. like the movie theater - why on earth in a huge theater does someone need to see right next to me when there are other vacant seats.???.

i'm not an overly sensitive person, nor black, nor overweight any longer - my radar isn't up on others peoples behaviours......i just try to do as mom says, judge the content, not the pretty cover.

[BethFromVA 5]

Maybe it depends on where you are in the south, Lulu...? I lived in Houston for 27 years and frankly I never got a sense of racial issues. Maybe because Houston is big and no longer considered a "southern" city. It's a hodgepodge of a bit of everything.

I didn't hear friends/family/neighbors/residents say anything racist about people and didn't see it outright. Nor have I been a party to it myself.

And before anybody thinks I was insulated, I was far from it. We lived in an area that became VERY mixed over the years.

Again, not saying it doesn't happen, especially in "good 'ol boy country," but maybe in the bigger southern cities not so much...?

[luluc 6]

Maybe it depends on where you are in the south, Lulu...? .?

actually i am talking about TX.

while i've never spent time in houston - i have lived in north TX (dfw) for close to 15yrs. i'm amazed at how easily certain words are used - even in professional life.

i was in a traffic incident a few yrs back - i bumped another persons bumper. man (black) was irate w/me, i get it - i caused damage....but that's why i have insurance.

i get out call 911 - get my necessary paperwork......man still freaking out. i finally told him to chill the f^*k out, i got it covered. by then other cars have pulled over - cops show up and see us two yelling at one another. guess who got thrown in the police car? black guy.

white police officer told me "i can tell by your accent your not from these parts - you'll learn soon enough, you'll never be at fault if your white". that was a dallas police officer.

is this an everyday occurance - have no idea.....i'm going with yes, just again based off my experience.