Racism...

[The_Tick]

Not a big fan.

I wonder why as a country we are still pretty racially insensitive.

Now I am not having this turn into an illegal immigrant thread. I am talking about the way people talk about other ethnicities when they aren't around.

Things I hear in the oil field on a daily basis that get me upset. And Drunk_Tank can verify that I speak my mind when this happens.

The following have no place in society:

Nigger
Porch Monkey
Raghead/Towelhead
Wetback
Spic
Chink
Jap
Slant eye

Most of my relatives (I should say my Aunts/Uncles and up) are racist. My folks aren't as much but their siblings are. (My parents are converts to the church. They are racist in that they aren't too comfortable around non-whites [something we see with some LDS folks] but they never ever use the words I have listed)

I remember when I was probably 12 and we were at my Aunts house for the holidays and I was snacking on a can of Mixed Nuts or Party Mix or something and I asked what "this" was and my mother called it a Brazil Nut...and my Aunt looked at me and said "Don't let her fool you, it is a N*gger Toe". I couldn't believe she said that word.

As a people, how long will it take for us to ever really overcome this issue as a society? I really do hope the answer isn't NEVER.

I absolutely detest racism.

[JohnnyLingo]

Where do you live, Tick?

I've lived in overwhelmingly white, Mormon towns my entire life and never run across anything like what you're describing.

I believe once a friend of mine referred to the practice of ringing someone's doorbell and running off as nigger knocking, and I repeated it in front of my dad once and really got beat down for it. I was six at the time.

Other than that, I have to strain to find an example of people being obviously racist in my presence.

[RockyBalboa]

Where do you live, Tick?

I've lived in overwhelmingly white, Mormon towns my entire life and never run across anything like what you're describing.

I believe once a friend of mine referred to the practice of ringing someone's doorbell and running off as nigger knocking, and I repeated it in front of my dad once and really got beat down for it. I was six at the time.

Other than that, I have to strain to find an example of people being obviously racist in my presence.

It's because you're oblivious and used to it.

I grew up in the same overwhelmingly white, Mormon towns you have most of my life and saw plenty of what Tick was describing. Sometimes I still do. It's not as much as it used to be....granted once is too much.

[The_Tick]

I live in Central California. I would say Southern Cal, but the folks in LA and SD take offense to that.

I spent up until 12 in Utah and heard plenty. We also had the same name for ringing and running that you heard.

[JohnnyLingo]

It's because you're oblivious and used to it.

I grew up in the same overwhelmingly white, Mormon towns you have most of my life and saw plenty of what Tick was describing. Sometimes I still do. It's not as much as it used to be....granted once is too much.

Oh, right. I forgot I hear those words all the time because I hear those words all the time.

Thanks for setting me straight.

[All-American]

I had a friend from Southern California. She said that she noticed that people in Utah were a lot more sensitive to racially charged comments than people in Southern California were. She said it likely has something to do with the fact that less exposure to minorities translates into less exposure of idealism to the cold hard facts. Say what you will about treating others equally, but a girl learns very quickly that there's a difference between two well-dressed white boys looking at you and two shabbily-dressed Mexicans looking at you.

[RockyBalboa]

Oh, right. I forgot I hear those words all the time because I hear those words all the time.

Thanks for setting me straight.

Anytime.

[mUUser]

Where do you live, Tick?

I've lived in overwhelmingly white, Mormon towns my entire life and never run across anything like what you're describing.

Utah's kind of a funny place for African American's. It's as if they just don't know how to act. I don't know if it's changed over the last 25 years, but we only had 2 or 3 African Americans in 4 years of HS. I found Utahn's bent over backwards being friendly -- smothering AA's with love bombs in an attempt to show just how non-racist they are.

I once talked to a former black Utah football player who had married a white woman -- who said he felt the people of Utah treated him like a rock star -- nary giving his wife a second look <chuckles>. They've since moved to SoCal where they feel more comfortable.

[wuapinmon]

Say what you will about treating others equally, but a girl learns very quickly that there's a difference between two well-dressed white boys looking at you and two shabbily-dressed Mexicans looking at you.

WTF?

What about two well-dressed Mexicans vs two shabbily-dressed white boys?

¿Idiay, mae?

[All-American]

WTF?

What about two well-dressed Mexicans vs two shabbily-dressed white boys?

¿Idiay, mae?

Like I said, that kind of a description clashes with our ideals. We wouldn't want to think that there would be any difference, but . . .

For the record, I don't condone that kind of talk. I'm reporting, not supporting, what she said.

[byu71]

WTF?

What about two well-dressed Mexicans vs two shabbily-dressed white boys?

¿Idiay, mae?

If I saw two white boys, shabbily dressed, with tatoo's and weird hairdoo's, I get nervous if I am in an alley with them alone. I guess that is prejudice, but I don't know if I could overcome it.

[I.J. Reilly]

I had a friend from Southern California. She said that she noticed that people in Utah were a lot more sensitive to racially charged comments than people in Southern California were. She said it likely has something to do with the fact that less exposure to minorities translates into less exposure of idealism to the cold hard facts. Say what you will about treating others equally, but a girl learns very quickly that there's a difference between two well-dressed white boys looking at you and two shabbily-dressed Mexicans looking at you.

It sounds like your friend might have a culture or a class problem. I doubt she would be opposed to two nicely dressed Latinos approaching her. If so, then she has a real racism problem.

[RobinFinderson]

If I saw two white boys, shabbily dressed, with tatoo's and weird hairdoo's, I get nervous if I am in an alley with them alone. I guess that is prejudice, but I don't know if I could overcome it.

Sure you can. Get a motorcycle, and before you know it, you'll be talking shop with those guys.

[All-American]

It sounds like your friend might have a culture or a class problem. I doubt she would be opposed to two nicely dressed Latinos approaching her. If so, then she has a real racism problem.

You just graduated from the Y, correct? Where you from?

[I.J. Reilly]

You just graduated from the Y, correct? Where you from?

I graduated in '08 and I lived in Missouri and Washington State with a couple of years in Illinois thrown in there. Why do you ask?