The challenge of talking about race is due, at least in part, to the fact that there is only one race that is indigenous to planet Earth - the Human race.

The challenge of talking about race is due, at least in part, to the fact that a dictionary definition of racism doesn't completely define what racism is.

The challenge of talking about race is due, at least in part, to the fact that some Humans use the existence of real racism as a cover for their misdeeds, so that whenever their misdeeds are exposed, they falsely cry, "Racism" in an attempt to distract others' attention away from the misdeeds.

racism- the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

That is what is going on. You are claiming white people have more advantages and thus aren't allowed certain privileges because of their race. You can't support equality and separatism at the same time. If you are for equality then you should either support that any race can form separatist groups or none can.

The definition of race is not objective.
It is subjective and is decided by the dominant culture at the time.

For example, according to the definition of race that was used in ancient Mesopotamia, two people can have the same physical features but be of different races because they speak different languages and worship different gods.

That is why the Tanak (a.k.a. Old Testament) describes different ethnic groups as being different races, despite the fact that the members of those group had the same physical features.

How I Overcame My Soul-Crippling, Deep-South Addiction to Whiteness in 5 Steps
In Mississippi, the drug of choice is racial superiority. But there are ways to kick the habit.
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July 25, 2014 |




I am a Mississippian as well as my family’s most notorious drunk. But six years into sobriety, I discovered that alcohol wasn’t my only addiction. Even more insidious was my soul-crippling dependence upon whiteness. I couldn't get through the day without seven or eight stiff shots of feeling superior. That began to change when I decided to write novels about Mississippi. I knew very little outside the white-bubble in which I was raised, and therefore was blind to the story of nearly half the population. Only after interviewing hundreds of black Mississippians, listening to their stories, did I begin to fathom the immensity of the lie behind my superiority and the real cost of my addiction.

Will my home state, which I dearly love, ever overcome its addiction to racism? The recent nasty fight that gave Sen. Thad Cochran a narrow victory in the GOP primary runoff election over tea party favorite Chris McDaniel was fueled with accusations by Cochran that his opponent had ties to the KKK. That's just the latest indication that the Deep South is still sick with racial bile.

It’s not that we haven’t had our share of interventions. I was thirteen in 1964 during Freedom Summer. That’s when hundreds of Yankee college students intent upon registering blacks to vote showed up at our door uninvited to let us know how far our disease had progressed. They kept after us even after we murdered three of them, Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney. But like the Civil War, Reconstruction, Brown Vs. Board of Education, and the Ole Miss riots with the Federal Troops, we chose denial over recovery.

Of course we attempt to appear in control of our racism by following the law. On paper, blacks can vote, live where they like, have better shot at jobs, run for office and get elected, go to school with whites (at least the few whites who haven’t fled to segregated private academies), and they can’t be refused service for the color of their skin. They can live mostly without the fear of white violence.

But white superiority lives on, because our hearts were never committed to recovery.

Unlike the rest of the former Confederacy, these changes didn’t come because we saw reason or had a change of heart or even acted out of our own economic best interests. The Federal Government had to intervene, sometimes with guns, to force us to change our ways—we would never have done so voluntarily. This only increased our resentment and our commitment to get even.

It shows itself today in any measurement of public or individual welfare. Mississippi is fiftieth at anything that has to do with quality of life—income, health, lifespan. education, public services—you name it. If we’re not last, it’s only because Alabama put in overtime that year.

Why, after centuries living side by side with black folks, can’t we get it right?

To defeat any effort aimed at the welfare of the general public in Mississippi, all one has to do is claim that the effort is going to dilute one’s stash of whiteness by disproportionately benefiting blacks. It’s the easiest way to get poor whites to vote against their own self-interest. During the depression era, Mississippi refused funds to train farm workers to operate tractors because blacks would be allowed to develop those same skills. Today, it’s health coverage, educational initiatives, voting rights, public services of any sort. The objections offered are frequently couched in terms of economics, fraud or local autonomy. But those aren’t the real reasons. Just like the Civil War, it’s about protecting the purity of our drug of choice, whiteness.

It will be a while before the majority of Mississippi whites see blacks as true “fellow citizens,” deserving of the same kind of government patronage and quality of life we ourselves feel entitled to. I don’t think this attitude is limited to Mississippi, of course, but if there’s a skid row of racism, it’s us. Everything in Mississippi is seen through the lens of race. We can’t approach the simplest of questions without knowing who’s white and who’s black. And whatever the question, more often than not, blacks are viewed as the problem, the burden or the threat. Always have been, since that day they were brought over in chains. I believe there will be a polygamous gay marriage officiated by the head of the Mississippi Southern Baptist Convention before the average white Mississippian admits that the Civil War had anything to do with the evils of slavery or that things weren’t better under Jim Crow.

I’m not saying that breaking an addiction is easy. It’s tough, especially with so many enablers like the GOP, right-wing media, and the history textbook editors over in Texas telling students that our cravings are justified—even virtuous.

But, if you happen to hit bottom, there is hope. Recovery is possible. I’m not the best example, I still struggle. But I’ll share my first five steps with you:

1) I came to believe that I am powerless over my racism. I’ll always be a racist, and might as well stop pretending otherwise. Voting Democrat or watching Oprah won’t cure me. It goes too deep.

2) I came to accept that racism was a gift of love. No evil person made me a racist. Racism was given to me by those whom I love the most, because they wanted me to feel special. Nor am I evil because I accepted the gift. But I today I will be responsible.


3) I admitted that it feels good.I enjoy the privileges of whiteness. As soon as I stop pretending otherwise, then I can begin spreading it around.

4) I seek out other recovering whites and listen to their stories. It’s important to find a way out of the rightwing noise machine. Stop listening to those who try to incite the anger and fear that drives my craving.

5) I continually share my story. Not about how I used to be a racist, but how I still struggle with racism, day by day.

Denial will be your biggest enemy. Become familiar with common rationalizations, such as: Yankees are just as bad. Blacks are worse racists than whites. It’s about heritage, not hate. Slavery wasn’t so awful. I loved our maid like a mother. I read The Help.

You will develop your own list. Mine’s inexhaustible. But remember, even if they were all true, that’s doesn’t change the fact that I’m an addict. I crave whiteness every day.

Why should you change? A lot of reasons : emotional healing, creating a stronger nation, increased capacity to love, ensuring a brighter future for our children.

Mississippi may be last in many things, but we’re first in one: we’re the most religious. It would seem, then, the most important reason to get sober is for the eternal state of our souls.

That definition of racism is incomplete. The definition if racism is not objective.
It is subjective and is decided by the dominant culture at the time.

Racism is also the belief that a person must a certain way just because that person has certain physical so-called "racial" features.

For example, Latina actresses Rosario Dawson and Zoe Salda�a have complained about being wrongly typecast as African-Americans when they are really (and identify themselves as) Latinas.

Racism is seen whenever people assume that a black American must have certain political and/or social beliefs in order to be an authentic black American. NFL member Robert Griffin III was on the receiving end of such racism when African-American sports commentator Rob Parker referred to Griffin as a "cornball brother".

Here is an excerpt from an interview that Parker gave to NBC's affiliate in Detroit. Parker said the following:


So, Parker promotes the racist belief that a black American must act a certain way and believe a certain way in order to be a good black American.

Whether or not he knew he did it, Parker revealed the racism that is too common among Democrats, racism which says that a black American's place is in the Democratic Party.

you actually did not provide FACTS, but opinions, which is fine, most posts in politics are opinions that people wish to spread as if they are facts,,,

so, you should please contribute some things that are 'wrong' with black people,, and then let me tell you what is 'wrong' with white people

ad hominem, as I type without looking at the keyboard my finger hit the wrong key, I am perfectly aware of how to spell, won several spelling bess in my life

I am also perfectly aware of OCCASIONS when both liberals attack conservatives and conservatives attack liberals, to say that one is any more prevalent than the other is proof of one choosing not to observe anything more than their side of things,,,,

in this thread, it is a very popular TREND to attack black democrats, question their intelligence or awareness of history

the race discussion is much more complex than political posturing, labeling, and personal attack,, which , by the way, is another definition of AD HOMIMEN in a discussion when instead of addressing the TOPIC, one distracts by directly attacking an INDIVIDUAL in the discussion

but

I can always do that. With exception and explanation.

It is easy to think 'we are equal now' and it is easy to get comfortable enough to just eradicate everything and hand all over to someone else to decide AGAIN, but I doubt blacks, as a group, will ever have the trust to do that and HISTORY

(the bulk of it in America, not just the last 50 years since legal discrimination and segregation happened, but the hundreds since the first slaves were put on auction blocks)

I believe, gives them good reason not to let down that guard and get comfortable

are people over vigilant ? definitely, many see everything as black and white without looking deeper at the SITUATIOON, which is what I have referred to as situational blindness or deafness.

one example, in a situation at a parking lot where handicapped may have obstacles that arent easily visible and park in a handicapped only parking spot,, that is in no way unfair to able bodied people who dont have able bodied only spots, and it is also not an indication that any of us dont feel we are all 'equal' and should be treated that way., THE SITUATION and CONTEXT Matters , not JUST the race

in a situation where there is A white person and A black pwerson and the white gets the job, many might assume its racism,, similarly if the black gets it, many ASSUME its because of AA without looking further. It may not be either of those things in that SITUATION.

in a SITUATION where say, 100 blacks with 'similar' credentials apply to a position and 100 whites apply to that position, and NONE Of the blacks are hired,, it may be more reasonable to at least SUSPECT racism, and if none of the whites were hired it would be reasonable to SUSPECT something foul,,but the SITUATION matters more than JUST THE RACE

we can never say what MUST be the cause, but it is logical to SUSPECT different possibilities when the information seems to point that way logically,,,,

agree to disagree about whether thinking we are equal means we are truly demographically 'equal',,,,

yep, these are a few of a long list of challenges, I agree

it is a challenge that the FACT is we are all one race, but we have historically and SOCIALLY, and CULTURALLY, and eCONOMICALLY, and POLITICALLY been treated otherwise, with disparate and long reaching effects


it is a challenge that the dictionary definition of racism or any other word is constantly changing based upon how it is used in the cultural vernacular

it is a challenge that some humans cry 'racism' in an attempt to distract others, and that, like women crying 'rape' when it hasnt occurred,, those people make it easier for others to discount and suspect humans who truly are experiencing what they say they are experiencing,,,

I have not claimed any of this. Nothing I am talking about has to do with a collective CHARACTER or ABILITY,, but political and financial POWER are a real and resarchable factor ,, not merely a 'claim'

and I am still not sure what 'privilege' white people arent allowed,,,can you enlighten me?

is the issue really about being able to form a 'seperatist' group,,,,when you are the dominant majority, who are you 'seperating' from?


havent those 'seperatist' groups existed throughout AMERICAN HHISTORY already, via slavery and jim crow laws that excluded minorities from the club?

havent those 'seperatist' groups been the REASON blacks had to form groups of their own, being unwelcom in the MAIN Group themself?

good points Dodo

our language changes and evolves

for purposes of 'talking about race' in this thread, I am referring to the Western racial classes of people and dicussion of race as the historically social category that has been used in the west

Dodo, in america , Rosario is seen as black because she has african heritage (half Afro Cuban and half puerto rican),, she may choose to identify either way she wants, but technically, she does fit what is considered African American

I dont think serious actors appreciate being 'typecast' period, and I certainly respect her right to self identify as whatever she wishes

same thing with zoe , half puerto rican, and half dominican republican, meaning, african ancestry is also present

what she has said about it?

"��When I go to the D.R., the press in Santo Domingo always asks, '��¿Qué te consideras, dominicana o americana?'�� (What do you consider yourself, Dominican or American?)

I don'��t understand it, and it'��s the same people asking the same question. So I say, time and time again, '��Yo soy una mujer negra.'�� (��I am a black woman.��)

[They go,] '��Oh, no, tú eres trigueñita.'�� (��Oh no, you are ��dark skinned�”) I'��m like,

'��No! Let'��s get it straight, yo soy una mujer negra.'�� (��I am a black woman).�"


and as far as 'cornball' brother, that is no different than 'goofy man' or 'loose woman',, its not at all indicative of what a whole group should be, but more about how that SPECIFIC individual comes across....

the racism that says a black persons place is in the democratic party wasnt mentioned in your example, so Im not sure what thats about,,,but it seems those troubled by blacks being in the democratic party are equally 'racist' in believing they shouldnt have whatever choice they wish,, just like whites do

and I have heard more than once how inferior it is for blacks to choose democrat,, but those arent the race discussions that are significant to me

things like the economy, the justice system, the educational system, housing, employment, media imagery,,, are more of the types of things that have an INSTITUTIONAL and therefore demographic, impact,,