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.

__________________
1983 300SD "Guderian"
1987 MR2
2015 Camry
2015 Chevy Spark
2006 Hyundai Tucson

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.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

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.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

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.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

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.

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

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.

__________________
You're a daisy if you do.
__________________________________
84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

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

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

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.

__________________
Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

BTW, the bolded line is purest bull-bleep.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Agreed. Absolute rubbish.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

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

__________________
"I applaud your elaborate system of denial"

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.

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Case in point.

The History of Hutu and Tutsi Conflicts

__________________
“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

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