Minneapolis PD Suspect Dies On Video While Handcuffed. FBI Investigating.

[JHC]

In regards to race, while we've come a long, long way, we still have a long way to go.

It's been decades since the last white riot burned down the black part of town because a black man allegedly raped a white woman. Segregation as the written rule of the land is gone. Lawyers representing black defendants are not literally being chased out of the county, and black men aren't being kept off of juries. The very idea of a black or mix race kid attending a white school brought about riots, death threats, and a lot of nastiness. Now, even in the heart of the county Willis McCall ruled with a fist of iron (and blessing of the KKK), one of the biggest old Southern Baptist churches in the area didn't blink an eye to marry a black man & a white woman, and make him a deacon- but, his dad is one of the pastors.

But, this shows we have a long, long way to go. While a lot of the legal fight has been won, a lot of the cultural fight for hearts and minds is really just beginning. And it's not going to be easy, or quick.

A lot further to go than I would have guessed 5 or 10 years ago. I thought racism was but a sliver left. Boy that was I fucked up. In the last few years they seem emboldened to fly their freak flag.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/06/wat...s-cops-on-him/


And I figured the Glynn Co GA boys were racists. Now, not much of a doubt.

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile...him-a-fing-nr/

[WobblyPossum]

A lot further to go than I would have guessed 5 or 10 years ago. I thought racism was but a sliver left. Boy that was fucked up. In the last few years they seem emboldened to fly their freak flag.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/06/wat...s-cops-on-him/


And I figured the Glynn Co GA boys were racists. Now, not much of a doubt.

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile...him-a-fing-nr/

I truly believe that all the racism remaining in our country is individual racism. There are still some individual people who hold racist views and will occasionally act on those views. It’s a damn shame that we haven’t been able to purge that type of hate and ignorance from our society. I believe that institutional/systemic racism is over. It took a long time to end, way longer than it should have, but it’s done.

[peterb]

You put a lot done, and I’m on a phone, but most of what you wrote are either non issues in reality or people looking at issues via race instead of life is just difficult for us all.

Could be. I don't know. I'm just a cranky old fart in a small town in one of the whitest states in the country, which means I've had the luxury of being able to pretty much ignore race for the last 20 years.
As a very average white guy, I'm the default. I'm normal. Anyone who doesn't look like me or talk like me is different. And I think it must be tiring to be reminded every day in a hundred small ways that you're the "other".

If you are white would you want to be black? If you could choose, would you want your kids to be black? If the answer is "no", think about why. And think about the people who don't have a choice about it.

It seems shortsighted to say "Racial discrimination is illegal! Sorry about screwing you over for the past 250 years, but it's a level playing field now, right?"

Hell. I've got no answers. I'm not even sure what the right questions are.

[TheNewbie]

Could be. I don't know. I'm just a cranky old fart in a small town in one of the whitest states in the country, which means I've had the luxury of being able to pretty much ignore race for the last 20 years.
As a very average white guy, I'm the default. I'm normal. Anyone who doesn't look like me or talk like me is different. And I think it must be tiring to be reminded every day in a hundred small ways that you're the "other".

If you are white would you want to be black? If you could choose, would you want your kids to be black? If the answer is "no", think about why. And think about the people who don't have a choice about it.

It seems shortsighted to say "Racial discrimination is illegal! Sorry about screwing you over for the past 250 years, but it's a level playing field now, right?"

Hell. I've got no answers. I'm not even sure what the right questions are.

I don’t care if I’m white or black, and if I have the kids they very well may not look white. I do not care, I do not care and I do not care. If every cop in my town was black I wouldn’t care, as long as they had good values and were competent.

As far as screwing people over, I’m not to blame. We have a pretty good system now, though imperfect. It’s up to you to take advantage of it.

Now I will admit I was lucky that I had two parents growing up, was taught I’m the biggest issue in my life, and that life’s not perfect. I wasn’t taught that everyone hates me, the system is against me, and people look at me different because of my skin color. Yes, that does give me a privilege others didn’t have, but it’s based on values not race.

[BehindBlueI's]

If you are white would you want to be black? If you could choose, would you want your kids to be black?

I married a black woman, so I guess I didn't care if my kids were black. Most whites who pretend to be another race tend to claim some native american tribal affiliation. Being white is vanilla and boring. Being a Cherokee or whatever is storied and interesting while also not being too exotic or foreign. I've seen it at pretty ridiculous lengths were even if technically true is just trying to borrow an interesting background by a boring person. "I'm 1/128th apache!" Nobody gives a shit. Of course I feel the same about the Suddenly Irish at St. Patrick's Day, so maybe I'm just cranky.

[blues]

I married a black woman, so I guess I didn't care if my kids were black. Most whites who pretend to be another race tend to claim some native american tribal affiliation. Being white is vanilla and boring. Being a Cherokee or whatever is storied and interesting while also not being too exotic or foreign. I've seen it at pretty ridiculous lengths were even if technically true is just trying to borrow an interesting background by a boring person. "I'm 1/128th apache!" Nobody gives a shit. Of course I feel the same about the Suddenly Irish at St. Patrick's Day, so maybe I'm just cranky.

You'll realize that being white isn't boring at all when you look white but others consider you a guinea or a kike. Oh, to be white, then.

When you listen to others denigrate the people you come from because you don't look the part...oh, to be white then.

Or, when they find out you are one or the other...but they tell you you don't look like one, or you're one of the good ones. Yep. You got it.

Growing up wishing you could be like those families and kids on TV. Nice thought, but it ain't gonna happen.

I'd have taken boring. Would have saved me some skin on my knuckles.

[Totem Polar]

Hell. I've got no answers. I'm not even sure what the right questions are.

The more I think on this topic, the more my thoughts align with this.^^^

[olstyn]

Of course I feel the same about the Suddenly Irish at St. Patrick's Day, so maybe I'm just cranky.

Suddenly German for Oktoberfest is a thing too, and it's just as silly. If you want to drink, just drink. Don't use cultural appropriation as an excuse to make it socially acceptable.

[BehindBlueI's]

You'll realize that being white isn't boring at all when you look white but others consider you a guinea or a kike. Oh, to be white, then.

It's not a position I espouse, just what I think is the default for those who feel the need to be "else".

And, yeah, it's sometimes interesting to not fit what somebody thinks "they" look like. Being in a small town gun shop listening to the owner talk about his dogs hate Amish but he sells them guns but he wouldn't sell Muslims guns. Of course he was also telling me how "rare" his "factory nickel" rusted piece of shit model 28 was anyway so he didn't get the chance.

[blues]

It's not a position I espouse, just what I think is the default for those who feel the need to be "else".

And, yeah, it's sometimes interesting to not fit what somebody thinks "they" look like. Being in a small town gun shop listening to the owner talk about his dogs hate Amish but he sells them guns but he wouldn't sell Muslims guns. Of course he was also telling me how "rare" his "factory nickel" rusted piece of shit model 28 was anyway so he didn't get the chance.

I often get a kick out of picturing some of the situations you could find yourself in. On the bright side, you're not a kike.

(And you got to choose. )