Is racism worse or only more visible?
 

I thought for years that the US was finally getting over racism. Then when President Obama was elected, I hoped that put an end to it once and for all.

Instead, the left says that everyone who disagrees with the President's agenda is a racist. The right claims the reason for the decline of America is that minorities are give more rights than the majority. Everyday it seems the US is getting more and more divided.

I know several people that I have respected in the past, but now appall me with their new-found racism.

I would like to know if the US is in fact getting more polarized or if the hatred has always been there, but can now be communicated more easily due to Facebook, Snapchat, etc. and I have been totally blind for years.

Not sure if it's a result of social media, the election of a black or not-fully white president or the legitimacy endowed on white supremacists by Trump's campaign but something is different. A high school classmate of mine wrote a horrific racist and sexist piece on Facebook a few weeks ago. It wouldn't have come to the surface 10 yrs ago.

I find myself getting pretty pi$$ed at blacks sometimes lately, those that I encounter. But I keep it together and stay civil. I've had good and bad relationships with blacks in total over the years. There is a lot of stuck behavior in that demographic IMO. Not that the same isn't true of whites as a whole.

There is a great deal that has never healed left over from Jim Crow and before, IMHO.

I agree with Cmac. it seems more divided today but probably things are just out in the open more. The election of Obama no doubt energized Black folks to be more assertive because it seemed possible things might be changing for the better. More assertive black folks has energized the racists too so both groups have taken to the streets.

Unfortunately people are dying now and that is forcing people to choose sides I suppose when many of us just sat back before and thought all was well.

I believe the racism, bigotry, misogyny and general hatred has always been there. For various reasons it has been given legitimacy and it is percolating to the top.

Nutcases of all stripes used to only have street corners and sandwich signs to vent their spleens. Now all they have to do is go to the library and log on.

Yup. The web has brought us many good things ... it has also helped fringe haters to find a home, to find their 'community.'

This should be moved to the politics and religion section.


I don't think racism has gotten worse. In some ways, I would say we are much better off now than 8 years ago. Why? Many more people are acknowledging the issues we are having. Stuff that has always been there is being brought to the surface and we are being forced to face it. Before, many more people would deny that racism is an issue or that that there are privileges enjoyed by certain groups. Many people still will deny that, probably someone in this comment thread will too but there is evidence to support that.

BTW, the bolded line is purest bull-bleep.

Agreed. Absolute rubbish.

Racism will end when everyone is the same 'skin shade',
'course, they will find new ways of 'classifying' each other, , , ,

I really like your motto: "I applaud your elaborate system of denial"

It is a perfect response to the comments in this thread.

Everyone seems to be so concerned about looking good, or not looking bad, or staying well-paid and hidden.

I like inspections, audits and examinations because they force people to admit their reality, good or bad, cool or not.

<!-- / sig -->

Case in point.

The History of Hutu and Tutsi Conflicts

I also think that the racism, sexism and bigotry has always been there. I think the big change has been the advent of social media - now everyone can see what used to be hidden.

I do think that if anything good is coming out of these searing experiences of the last couple years, it is that we've restarted a national conversation on racism and what it is to be African American in this country. I mean, when Tim Scott, a sitting US Senator, has had three department supervisors or Chiefs of police call him to apologize about his treatment at the hands of law enforcement in the last five years, something is wrong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(1) Some people are still 15 (emotionally) and never got over high school. Those are the people calling Obama a closet gay and making Photoshops of his family as monkeys as opposed to calling him on policies they disagree with.
(2) Funny thing was that in high school, the black and Latino (mostly Costa Rican) kids were nicer to me than people of my own color :(