What causes racial hatred: racists or racial friction?

[JosephMorgan]

What causes racial hatred: racists or racial friction?

Does anyone else appreciate the irony that we rhetorically attack racism, yet support increasing racial diversity in communities? Racial hatred is caused by racial friction; racial friction is caused by two or more races trying to share the same territory. Racists are the symptom, the byproduct of racial diversity.

 

The greater the racial diversity, the greater the racial hatred in a community. Right? Isn't that we have been discovering in this noble experiment to get humankind to transcend its tribal nature?

 

-- Promote mono-racial societies, and you are promoting societies that are free of racial hatred.

-- Promote multi-racial societies, and you are promoting racial hatred.

 

The dilemma for us who support multi-culturalism is what balance do we strike between the benefits of multi-culturalism and the amount of racial hatred we can tolerate.

 

[Advisor Jim]

I think there really isn't too many racists out there. there are probably more culturists out there. What i mean is that peoples of a certain race are of different cultures that others do not like. but there are peoples of all races in these different cultures.

Take the black gangland-white thing is it really racism or culturism?

[JosephMorgan]

Jim: I think there really isn't too many racists out there.

 

I don't know how to gauge that personally. Blacks say that the degree of racism hasn't changed, but has become more covert.

[silver-shark]

I don't think that it is either.

 

I believe that prejudice or bigotry of any type, are the result of personal insecurity. By that I mean that everyone has a basic human need to feel good about themselves. The more insecure a person is, the more they have to justify their self worth by belittling others.

 

This comes in many forms, not just racism. It can be about another religion, another countrys beliefs and practices, or even the type of music that someone prefers to listen to.

 

When we make ourselves feel better at the expense of others long enough, we need it to keep us going, and this is what builds into hatred.

 

If you want to stop this hatred, all you have to do is find a way to help all of mankind feel good about who they are.

 

Seems simple enough in theory, but Im afraid that mankind isnt very close to being ready to make this happen, and Im afraid that trying to force the issue only seems to add fuel to the fire.

 

[Zahnada]

There may not be as much overt racism these days, but there're tons of subtle or aversive racism. Basically, it's not socially acceptable to be a racist anymore. Many people speak against it. But these same people have very subtle racist attitudes towards other races. They get very anxious and uncomfortable when around other races so they attempt to avoid such confrontations whenever possible. These people then decry overt racism, but often refuse to see the racism in society. They will say that there is no racism except for the actions of a few individuals. This is all an attempt to maintain the unequal status quo.

 

So yes there is racism in our society. But it isn't overt anymore.

[mama_bear]

Mr. Morgan, as a victim of racism, I can honestly say that racism is promoted by separation and isolating of the races. Racism is like a disease that feeds off of ignorance. It always amazes me when people make comments to me. Instead of becoming angry and storming away, I feel as God has opened a door for me to educate and communicate with this person that we are not that different after all.

That what makes us different, also makes us special and unique and its hard for anyone to see the beauty in themselves when you can't see the beauty in others.

 

Mr. Morgan, do you have a diverse pack? I hope your views on separation of the races are in no way apparent to these children.

 

Let us not forget that there have been too many wars fought and lives lost over the separation of races and "territory". When will we learn that this is an idea that should not be allowed to fester. Can you honestly tell me that when children of different races play together that they truly care about each other's skin color. No.

[JosephMorgan]

Silver: If you want to stop this hatred, all you have to do is find a way to help all of mankind feel good about who they are.

 

If this is the case then name the multi-racial country that exists now or has existed that was free of racial friction?

 

Does Israel boil over with racial hatred and cruelty because the Jews and Palestinians don't feel good about themselves?

 

I think human beings are tribal by nature. You see this happen naturally in high schools. You see the tribes form: blacks hang out with blacks, nerds with nerds, jocks with jocks, etc.

 

We need to take this and try to use it to create a more workable and safe multi-cultural society, trying to balance the benefits of multi-culturalism with the amount of racial hatred we can tolerate.

[sst3rd]

Same old, same old.........nothing new here. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

 

On the other hand, who gets to determine this great multi-cultural balance?

 

Why can't people hang out with those who are similar to them (race, culture, religion, career, hobbies, sports)? WHY OH WHY does everything have to be mixed, merged, thrown together, and who gets to say when enough is enough ??????

[Bob White]

I honestly don't know what causes someone to be racist. I wish I could remember the comedian, perhaps it was Steve Martin, who said "There are some people in this world who can't get along with some other people...and I hate people who are like that!"

 

BW

[eisely]

Racists are made, not born.

 

There is a song from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific." It is kind of a lament sung by Lt. Cable about his reluctance to get involved with a polynesian woman. The words, if I recall them correctly, run something like this...

 

You have to be taught to be afraid

Of people whose skin is a different shade,

or people whose eyes are oddly made,

You have to be carefully taught.

 

You have to be taught year by year,

It has to be drummed into your dear little ear...

 

You get the drift.

[JosephMorgan]

eisely: Racists are made, not born.

 

One reason I would outright reject this is because you would have to include that the reason that Israel suffers from intensely from racial cruelty and hatred as because the Jews and Palestinians were made there, as opposed to their innate tribalism being stimulated by the multi-cultural environment, and the extremely limited living space.

 

Human beings are tribal by nature. So, if we recognize that racism is caused by racial friction and that racists are simply a byproduct, we might be able to make better decisions concerning how to make a multi-cultural society more workable.

 

[berkshirescouter]

Great Topic. Racial friction, for want of a better term, is part of the world. Why, who knows. We will not be able to wipe it out but maybe deal with it. How is the question. Forced separation does not work, look at Jim Crow laws and South Africa. King said it best you deal with each person by the content of their character. Scout oath and law sets a standard for this. Remember a TV ad that Scout National did many years ago where a white person saw some black teenagers walking up behind him and he/she was scared. The boys all were scouts. The person then relaxed. He knew they had character. The solution we get as many boys from everywhere in Scouting and live/teach the Scout oath and law. Thats the how it could be done.

[dsteele]

I agree with Trail Day.

 

I guess I'm luckier than I thought. I honestly can't think of a single race on this earth that I have an ounce of hatred for. There are people I don't like, but most of those feelings have to do with their behavior rather than skin color or religion. Politically I'm a conservative. I tend to lean to the right even when I'm walking (which is odd for a left-hander (the minority of the 21st century. Our time will come!!!! ) However, I guess I'm not particularly tribal in the sense that I prefer the company of white men.

 

I guess the closest I've come to hate (I prefer loathe -- it's sticker, sneakier and sounds better) is when I met a man on a train who told me he's a white supremicist neo-nazi. This was in 1987 and I was in my early twenties. I let him go on for a bit of a tirade. He finally asked me my name and I told him it was Hiram Goldburg. The look on his face was priceless. Then I walked into another car and found a different seat.

 

I don't remember if the people I sat with in my new seat were african american, palestinian, indian, native american, whatever. It made no difference. They weren't nazis (to my knowledge) and I do remember that we had a nice chat.

 

I don't think I would have been too upset if the nazi had been hit by the train. Does that make me a racist? Could be, I suppose.

 

 

The Israeli and Palestinian (I'm pretty sure I just mis-spelled both and I'm sorry) arguement seems to jump out in this thread. I'm not convinced that it's a tribal issue. I think there are legitimate beefs on both sides that perpetuate. Somehow the chain of violence needs to be broken, but it's way beyond my skill level to do so. If there's a way I can help solve the problem, I wish someone would let me know what it is. All I can think of is to pray for both sides . . . and I'm doing that much.

 

DS

[SagerScout]

I've stopped filling in the voluntary race disclosures on forms, not that I'm embarrassed to be white but that I'm getting irritated at being asked to file myself in a subset of the human race.

 

My beloved step-daughters, all half Mexican-American (Astec - how DO you spell that?) lived with us during their elementary years. The oldest, who looks like the model for a Disney Indian Princess, was a poor math student in 4th grade despite good attitude and effort. Concerned about her, I asked for several teacher conferences and was assured that the teacher felt she was doing just fine.

 

Some years later, my son - quite white - was a simillarly poor student at the same school. The teacher called ME to express her concern about his performance, and to examine all our options for helping him.

 

My conclusion, reluctantly reached, is that the expectations for my brown daughter were lower than those for my white son. Whether due to race or gender, I have no idea. I do NOT believe it was conscious at all - these teachers were fine and dedicated professionals.

 

The answer? I don't know - but I think dsteele's prayer is a good place to start. And parents of children of color - oh, and poverty too - need to be alert to lowered expectations for their children.

 

 

 

[scoutldr]

When given the choice, I check the box for "native American." I was born in Pennsylvania, so I guess that describes me. It doesn't ask for the nationality of my ancestors.

 

dsteele has a good point...behavior is more important to me than skin color. But, unfortunately there seems to be a correlation more often than not. Case in point, yesterday, I had the privilege of taking half a day off to spend it waiting in line at the DMV office. 3 hours for a 5 minute transaction. But while there, I got to observe. 4 young men wearing "hip-hop" garb came in and commenced to converse in very loud voices. Every adjective was the F-word or the N-word which they used to describe themselves, the DMV staff, other patrons and others. Proper English, grammar and complete sentences were non-existant. Sitting all around them were children, an older lady of about 75,and others shaking their heads in disgust. The deputy sherriff did come over and made them throw away their food that they had brought in although "NO FOOD OR DRINK" was plainly posted on the door, but didn't seem to object to the language.

 

I guess the moral of the story is, if you insist on socially rude or aberrant behavior, you run the risk of contributing to the stereotypes and of NOT being accepted as equal.