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[akira28]

Take off that O's avatar. You're disowned.

 

[Jangocube]

And that's what these fear mongers want. They want US to hate each other without reason, to never forgive or move on and sit in the same putrid rot of guilt, animosity and mistrust that is so easy to run and cling onto. And I was helping to aid in that terrible cause. So you know what Jangocube, I agree with you wholeheartedly! And yet I'm still not that happy of a person to this day. There is a lot for me to work through before I can "be myself" and I want to blame them for that, say it's not my fault. And you know what? It really isn't my fault. But if I let my anger and frustration get a hold of me and I one day say or do something so vile, I will only be setting up some poor future child to go through what I did, and for nothing.

Great post man.

What you go through is shitty, but you become a better person because of it BECAUSE of the way you handle it. Don't bottle up your anger and just stay positive. You'll be a happier person at the end of it all. Least, one can hope.

Take off that O's avatar. You're disowned.

Glad you read my posts!

 

[JoeBoy101]

Edit: I have to say that my time in North Carolina was great and everybody there was super nice. I was in Chapel Hill. Of course, at my business meeting I was told not to go 20 miles either way from where we were. We all laughed, I thought it was a joke. I'm beginning to realize that it probably wasn't...or a half joke at best. :/

Depends on the direction. Heading to Cary/Raleigh and those areas, it'd be fine. North, west, or due east could get dicey.

As for the thread, I'll admit that I get suspicious of black guys in hoodies. And white guys in hoodies. And girls. I just find hoodies suspicious in general.

 

[Timedog]

Go into northern Idaho and go into a store as a non-white person. I was actually laughing out loud at how bad it got. Actually the ladies at the deli were nice, probably because I'm sexy as hell. But yeah, If people want to stare at me or follow me in a store I just stare or literally follow them back.

 

[akira28]

Glad you read my posts!

I think you're here to troll the thread, to be quite honest.

But I really admire your transcendence.

 

[kame-sennin]

One of the better posts in this thread.



Only other thing I am going to say in this thread is that it annoys me when anyone tries to portray what minorities (whether it be racial, gender based, or sexuality based) go through in a way that insists that experience X, Y, and Z that they have seen or heard are standard for the experience of that minority group.......... when they may or may not be................. and they attempt to drown out anyone who claims that it may not be that severe or a certain experience really isn't common.

Also going to say that bigotry is a human trait in a lot of ways. We like being us vs them and sometimes the "them" is based on something like race or sexuality. I also think its universal and no group can really claim a moral high ground on the issue.


I also think that threads like this are not healthy for anyone. Premise was flawed to begin with and only got worse with discussion.

Holy shit.

 

[Jangocube]

I think you're here to troll the thread, to be quite honest.

To be quite honest I still think you haven't read much of this thread. But go ahead and say you have, doesn't matter much to me.

I was just stating my opinion on the subject. If a different opinion is trolling, well, that's a weird way to describe one side of an argument. You handle different opinions pretty negatively without contributing anything other then pointing figures and saying that they are wrong. I'll leave you to your opinion though.

But I really admire your transcendence.

If you are implying what you want me to think you are implying then you couldn't be more wrong. But like I said, your opinion is just that.

 

[Black Republican]

just let you know, we've disowned Slay from Black Gaf

He's been OJ'd, you can have him now.

 

[akira28]

I think you know what I think you want me to think you know.

just let you know, we've disowned Slay from Black Gaf

never underestimate a man in a Doom mask. Those things can breathe underwater, you know.

 

[Magni]

Lol, at white people saying this is only about how you present yourself.

For some it is. I'm great friends with friends from all over at my engineering school (at head of the "international club" it's kinda in the job description), but the local "racailles" as we call them in French, whether the be white, Maghrebi, or black, I always keep an eye on. I don't care about your skin color, your behavior is what I'll pay attention to. I realize not everyone is like that unfortunately, but some of us have moved past race.

Concerning clothing, as someone who's lived as much in the US as in Europe, I'll admit I'm a lot less intimated by people in oversized baggy clothing and hoods/flat baseball caps in the US than in Europe. Just from personal experience in the US I'll see these people stand up to leave their seat to an old lady, and in Europe I'll see them sprinting (holding their pants up of course) away with a handbag in their hand.

For me: Behavior >>>>>>>>> clothing (and race doesn't even factor in)

What about the policy at my local high school that says 3 black men that hang out together is classified as a gang? Does that sound normal to you?

Is that even legal? Wow :/

 

[kame-sennin]

To be quite honest I still think you haven't read much of this thread. But go ahead and say you have, doesn't matter much to me.

I was just stating my opinion on the subject. If a different opinion is trolling, well, that's a weird way to describe one side of an argument. You handle different opinions pretty negatively without contributing anything other then pointing figures and saying that they are wrong. I'll leave you to your opinion though.

You might have missed it, but I asked you this on a previous page:

What social or political problems have ever been resolved by not talking about them?

 

[Dreams-Visions]

You know what's hard?

Going into a random grocery store and not seeing ANY black haircare products! Walking in needing Sta-Sof-Fro and walking out empty handed is an emotional experience.

But I bet they had Pantine Pro-V and Herbal Essence! Sonsobitches!

 

[Jangocube]

I think you know what I think you want me to think you know.

ZOMG I'M RACIST!

Yes, you got me. I hate people that don't have the same skin color as me. I'm all like, "Hey, I can't get that tan! Screw you buddy." It makes me mad, and I break things.

 

[06nbarnhill]

Holy shit.

lol I really don't see how any of what I said is controversial.

ZOMG I'M RACIST!

Yes, you got me. I hate people that don't have the same skin color as me. I'm all like, "Hey, I can't get that tan! Screw you buddy." It makes me mad, and I break things.

Clever. Read the rest of your posts and agree with many positions you took. Very nice to see someone willing to take positions other than the ez hipster cookie cutter ideals.

 

[akira28]

ZOMG I'M RACIST!

Yes, you got me. I hate people that don't have the same skin color as me. I'm all like, "Hey, I can't get that tan! Screw you buddy." It makes me mad, and I break things.

umm...o...k.

..? at least you admitted it.

Also, blah blah blah negative space, and I think I was fairly spot on re your arcane ability to be 'above it all'. I bow to your racial zen. "Just be cool."

 

[DY_nasty]

You know what's hard?

Going into a random grocery store and not seeing ANY black haircare products! Walking in needing Sta-Sof-Fro and walking out empty handed is an emotional experience.

But I bet they had Pantine Pro-V and Herbal Essence! Sonsobitches!

"Welcome to Wendy's - can I take your order?"
"Umm... I'm thinking I'll have a Baconator"
"Coming right up! (fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu I already rang up a chicken sandwich!)"

 

[Karsticles]

You know what's hard?

Going into a random grocery store and not seeing ANY black haircare products! Walking in needing Sta-Sof-Fro and walking out empty handed is an emotional experience.

But I bet they had Pantine Pro-V and Herbal Essence! Sonsobitches!

If it makes you feel better, my wife has the same experience with white haircare products where we live. Have to order it all online or drive out a ways.

 

[Black Republican]

Bill Clinton knew what it was like growing po[or) and black in the south

 

[Bollocks]

I still remember going to lunch with a couple of friends from work. We sat down at a table (fast food) next to the table occupied by an elderly white couple. The woman stared at one of my friends like she had never seen a black person before. They then decided to get up and fucking move to another table! That was one of the most fucked up things I've seen in my life.

That thread is actually depressing. I thought all that racial profiling and shit would be history by now.
So US GAF you are telling me that the one time I was at a fast food joint in NYC and had a conversation with a black family wasn't because of the $allamericansarenicestereotype but because I sat right next to them and thus did something unusual?

 

[Trojita]

Black people that come from poorer areas also have to deal with people from their community including their own family bringing them down as well, ie crab mentality. White people and others have problems with it too in some areas, but it is uniquely prevalent in poor black areas. Success is envied and looked down upon. Common insults are you dress white, you sound white, you act white, and you work for "the man". These insults are racist.

 

[Karsticles]

That thread is actually depressing. I thought all that racial profiling and shit would be history by now.
So US GAF you are telling me that the one time I was at a fast food joint in NYC and had a conversation with a black family wasn't because of the $allamericansarenicestereotype but because I sat right next to them and thus did something unusual?

Americans have an "All Americans are nice" stereotype? That's honestly news to me. I can't speak for other people, but I talk to black people all the time no matter where I am. Even though it has all-too-often ended in being asked for spare change in my current place of living, I try to be nice and say hello to everyone where I live, or at least smile.

Black people that come from poorer areas also have to deal with people from their community including their own family bringing them down as well, ie crab mentality. White people and others have problems with it too in some areas, but it is uniquely prevalent in poor black areas. Success is envied and looked down upon. Common insults are you dress white, you sound white, you act white, and you work for "the man". These insults are racist.

Obviously I have no personal experience with this, but I read that in many black communities, speaking "white" is also considered a feminine trait, so if you are a guy who speaks "white" you get called a fag. If anyone's interested, this was the book:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/081433248X/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[Timedog]

If it makes you feel better, my wife has the same experience with white haircare products where we live. Have to order it all online or drive out a ways.

Err what? Do you not live in America?

 

[The Faceless Master]

I remember I went to a store one time and the sales person didn't ignore me. In fact, he was so helpful that he followed me around everywhere!

try that in a big box store where you can't just walk out with the merchandise.

 

[SonnyBoy]

I'm waiting for white folk to provide me with a list of acceptable clothing. Clothing that combined with my skin tone will not make U feel uneasy. When that clothing is invented, use our reparation money to provide it for all of us.

Thanks.

 

[Trojita]

"Welcome to Wendy's - can I take your order?""Umm... I'm thinking I'll have a Baconator""Coming right up! (fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu I already rang up a chicken sandwich!)"

Do you really feel like this happens?

 

[Karsticles]

Err what? Do you not live in America?

I do, but there are no major retailers around me, and all of the local shops are oriented toward the local demographic, which is probably 90%+ black.

I'm waiting for white folk to provide me with a list of acceptable clothing. Clothing that combined with my skin tone will not make U feel uneasy. When that clothing is invented, use our reparation money to provide it for all of us.

Thanks.

You really want to mischaracterize what people have been saying, don't you?

 

[Air]

-When in a store don't have your hands in your pockets.

-When buying something from the store always get it in a bag.

-Don't stand too close to women.

-If you are with a group(of black guys) don't look like you are up to something.

-Always have you hands visible and open when talking to police.

I have to keep in mind all of these. It's really annoying. I don't even look intimidating. I'm so lanky, why would people be afraid of me

I'm always hesitant of going up to woman in public because that stuff. Somewhat ironic: white woman have been the most receptive to me in recent years.

All I want to do is walk down the street with my skittles without being harassed.

 

[Devolution]

I'm waiting for white folk to provide me with a list of acceptable clothing. Clothing that combined with my skin tone will not make U feel uneasy. When that clothing is invented, use our reparation money to provide it for all of us.

Thanks.

Bright colors. No baggy pants. No hoodie. Get more tips from Timedog.

 

[soundahfekz]

Black people that come from poorer areas also have to deal with people from their community including their own family bringing them down as well, ie crab mentality. White people and others have problems with it too in some areas, but it is uniquely prevalent in poor black areas. Success is envied and looked down upon. Common insults are you dress white, you sound white, you act white, and you work for "the man". These insults are racist.

Yep. I dealt with this as early as 6th grade because I decided to do my work. Got called white boy, got jumped, blamed for shit, etc. I think the only thing that kept me sane was joining the Basketball team and kind of bonding with some of the kids who didn't like me because I wanted to excel.

A lot of those same kids are dead or locked up. Out of the three including myself that I know to have above average careers, I became a music producer, one of my friends just had his first PPV undercard fight, another is into marketing.

The pressure from being black poor and picked on either burst pipes or made diamonds in some respect, and those of us who were made into "diamonds" were just extremely lucky to make it out. I was a couple bad choices from walking down that dreaded path of destruction. It was right there every day staring you in the face, and it would've been so easy, almost (sadly) natural to succumb to it.

 

[Bgamer90]

Bright colors. No baggy pants. No hoodie. Get more tips from Timedog.

Stefan (Redfoo) from LMFAO???

 

[neojubei]

Bright colors. No baggy pants. No hoodie. Get more tips from Timedog.

dem legs, nice.

 

[IceCold]

One of the better posts in this thread.



Only other thing I am going to say in this thread is that it annoys me when anyone tries to portray what minorities (whether it be racial, gender based, or sexuality based) go through in a way that insists that experience X, Y, and Z that they have seen or heard are standard for the experience of that minority group.......... when they may or may not be................. and they attempt to drown out anyone who claims that it may not be that severe or a certain experience really isn't common.

Also going to say that bigotry is a human trait in a lot of ways. We like being us vs them and sometimes the "them" is based on something like race or sexuality. I also think its universal and no group can really claim a moral high ground on the issue.


I also think that threads like this are not healthy for anyone. Premise was flawed to begin with and only got worse with discussion.

Bigotry isn't but tribalism is. We like to have our group or little gang. It might be based on family/blood line, religion, skin color, beliefs, sexuality, liftestyle etc. We're hard wired to think this way I think because with large numbers you get strength. I can imagine such a mentality was pretty important for our ancestors to survive.

 

[mavs]

one step at a time

Is that Gil Kerlikowske? Really looks like him.

 

[DominoKid]

Walk around campus.

"Don't you play for the team?"
"No."
"....."
"....?"
"Soo.... do you work here?"

man i get asked if i play on the school teams all the time and im fucking 5'4" lol.
although if i had my same athleticism in a bigger package (say 5'10") i'd be D1 at something easily. football, bball, soccer, whatever.

 

[TheOMan]

Depends on the direction. Heading to Cary/Raleigh and those areas, it'd be fine. North, west, or due east could get dicey.

As for the thread, I'll admit that I get suspicious of black guys in hoodies. And white guys in hoodies. And girls. I just find hoodies suspicious in general.

They specifically said east or west. Funny that you mentioned that too. Good to know. :/

 

[Foxy Fox 39]

And I just remembered, last week I overheard:

"You're not like other black people. You're, like, white on the inside."

A mess. I need to transfer.

I heard many variations of this all said directly to my face like it was a compliment.

 

[Vyer]

The way I see it is that the racist person just uses their racism to hurt others and get attention. Kind of like when a girl in school is loud and screaming at someone even if what she is saying is fucking stupid and doesn't make sense. If you ignore them, yeah, it pisses them off even more, but if everyone collectively ignored the ignorant people, society would be a lot better off.

I don't really think that's what such a person is going for. Especially the attention. Probably the opposite in fact; that way they can carry their prejudices, teach it to their family members, pass it on to their kids as they raise them, use it to guide the businesses they own or the classes they teach or the governments they run without any real fear or concern. We aren't exactly just talking about some sort of backwater small knot of people here than you can safely ignore. This is very real in places that will directly impact the everyday lives of other people, whether they want it to or not.

There's no way that ignoring it helps it to go away. When people are educated, and understand the fallacy of it, there's at least a chance of breaking the cycle.


I really don't think ignoring races is plausible; too many physical and cultural aspects that don't make that logical. Perhaps, genetically, in some far future this is attainable as biracial relationships continue to grow; but I don't see how such a premise really can be logically approached.

Better then to try and see, accept, educate and understand the races around us. Everyone has an experience where when they actually get to know someone of a race/culture/heritage they lose some preconceived notions they may have had. That has a better chance of countering racism, imo, than pretending it doesn't exist.

And I can see that it could be much more then that, but it seems like people are happy with separating themselves when it's, in my opinion, not beneficial to do so. Take the kid getting shot in Florida. It was immediately made a race issue when almost all rational people see that their was an injustice. If it was more of a human issue, and not just focused on race, I think it would bring a lot more people to the side of the child that was shot and it wouldn't divide people and get people up in arms and talking about race riots(check the main thread)..

Yeah, I don't know the latest news on it so I'm not sure what they've determined thus far. I understand what you are saying, but I think if it's discovered that their was an 'injustice', well the cause of it is very much worth discussing.

 

[kame-sennin]

Black people that come from poorer areas also have to deal with people from their community including their own family bringing them down as well, ie crab mentality. White people and others have problems with it too in some areas, but it is uniquely prevalent in poor black areas. Success is envied and looked down upon. Common insults are you dress white, you sound white, you act white, and you work for "the man". These insults are racist.

When racism is so pervasive in the media and in culture, it's not surprising that even members of the marginalized group will internalize racist ideology.

Do you really feel like this happens?

One of my friends told me he got chewed out at his job waiting tables because he brought a black family a round of Sprites before they had placed their order. In his view he was just saving time because, "you KNOW that's what they were going to order".

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Having a large dick is a burden us black men share.

Sigh. :-(

 

[TheKaeptain]

man i get asked if i play on the school teams all the time and im fucking 5'4" lol.
although if i had my same athleticism in a bigger package (say 5'10") i'd be D1 at something easily. football, bball, soccer, whatever.

5'4" is perfect soccer size.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Oh and another reality: rhythm. It's SO HARD to fit in when you naturally clap on rhythm. TBH, it's hard to NOT do things in rhythm, making it really hard to fit in.

qq

 

[Magni]

Oh and another reality: rhythm. It's SO HARD to fit in when you naturally clap on rhythm. TBH, it's hard to NOT do things in rhythm, making it really hard to fit in.

qq

Us whities are so jealous of you for that, I hope you realize that.

 

[shanshan310]

I can't quite put my finger on why, but some of the responses to this topic have brought this to mind:

For example, people of African descent often express outrage and irritation at the fact many white people believe they can freely touch their hair. This invasion of their personal space is dressed up as flattery - “oh, what beautiful hair you have!” and permission is not sought or granted before the action is taken. “That happens to everyone!” you must exclaim. “My child has beautiful white-blonde hair and people are always touching it!”

Is this a thing? I mean, I get it when I go overseas (it is really uncomfortable), but I didn't realise it was something that happened in the US/ western world, in particular to black people. Its not really culturally acceptable to touch a strangers hair, right?

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Us whities are so jealous of you for that, I hope you realize that.

lies! I see how you clap in public! All off-rhythm and happy!

 

[RedSwirl]

ABC news had a great video on tonight(trying to find online) that talked about the conversation every black male in America has had by the time they are 15.

-When in a store don't have your hands in your pockets.

-When buying something from the store always get it in a bag.

-Don't stand too close to women.

-If you are with a group(of black guys) don't look like you are up to something.

-Always have you hands visible and open when talking to police.


I was like damn, this is stuff I still hear from my mom when I 30 years old. And I look at my 5 year old nephew and think I going to have to teach him this stuff too.

Holy shit. I'm 25 and my mom still tells me all that shit (except the women thing).

 

[squidyj]

Is this a thing? I mean, I get it when I go overseas (it is really uncomfortable), but I didn't realise it was something that happened in the US/ western world, in particular to black people. Its not really culturally acceptable to touch a strangers hair, right?

Of course not. Surreptitiously taking locks and keeping them in a scrapbook to smell on the other hand...

 

[RedSwirl]

UUUUUUUUUUUUUGHSJGFKBNSsvhgcvsb

"omg can i touch your hair?"

NO

i'm not your dog

This annoyed the shit out of me in high school when I grew my hair out.

 

[Sohter.Nura]

I'll probably get criticized for this...
But African Americans really need to start focusing on breaking their own cycles instead of trying to blame the cycles they are in.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the racism in this country runs much deeper than I can possibly understand; I am a first generation Brazilian immigrant and quite frankly have never suffered racism because I am white and quite fluent in English (a lot of people assume I am dutch instead...)

But I don't need people to tell me "when cops are around, make your hands as visible as you can" or "try to not look like you're up to no good if you are in a group of males". I mean, stuff like is just by the book social behavior...

I really feel that the poor people in this country (not just african americans, but hyspanics, etc) should try to focus on getting themselves out of ghettos and get their kids in better schools, and really make education a priority throughout their cycles.

It's a shame that the public school system really goes against that; if you live in a poor city, you can only send your kids to that poor city's schools, and if you are in rich city then you send your kids to the better schools. It's a tool in social organization to keep people advancing to higher social classes.

 

[SolidsnackooFoxhound]

I think everyone feels awkward when they go into a store and end up not buying anything.

Yup, pretty much.

 

[Bgamer90]

But I don't need people to tell me "when cops are around, make your hands as visible as you can" or "try to not look like you're up to no good if you are in a group of males". I mean, stuff like is just by the book social behavior...

It is but in many cases it has to be stated with more emphasis for minorities due to possible racial profiling.

I'm going to relate it to the statement, "You need to eat healthy". The statement can be said to anyone; we all need to eat healthy. However, a person may say it with more emphasis to a person who is out of shape for obvious reasons.