Hampden-Sydney College, an all-male school in central Virginia, is investigating an election-night incident in which a group of students upset about President Obama’s reelection set off fireworks, threw bottles and then shouted racial epithets at members of a minority student organization, officials said Thursday.
Some in the group also threatened violence against the Minority Student Union members, college officials said, but there was no physical contact. Officials said about 40 students were involved, but it was unclear how many were active and how many were bystanders.
College president Christopher Howard expressed his disappointment in those students who participated:
“I am terribly disappointed with the students who participated in this harmful, senseless episode including those men who stood idly by and watched it happen,” college President Christopher B. Howard wrote in a statement addressed to the Hampden-Sydney community. “There is no place for bigotry or racism of any kind on this campus.”
The incident at Hampden-Sydney, a private liberal arts college in Prince Edward County, occurred as another racially charged episode was unfolding at the University of Mississippi. There, the Daily Mississippian student newspaper reported, hundreds of students “exchanged racial epithets and violent, politicized chants” about midnight as the nation learned that its first black president had been reelected.
At Hampden-Sydney, about 300 people attended a forum Wednesday to address the incident. “We were all impressed with the number of students who stood up and condemned this,” said college spokesman Thomas Shomo.
Christpher Howard himself is Hampden–Sydney’s first black college president. The college is also one of the few all male colleges in the United States.
I watched raw video of the uprising at Ole Miss. It made me sad to think that in the United States young people were acting so immature and hateful. However, at Indiana U security has to take down brass fish from a fountain to keep those fish from being stolen and these schools are all far away. At UWV there is a favorite pastime of burning sofas after a big win. In other words, it was there, not here. Students get liquored up and do stupid things. I know this. I grew up in a college town.
Hampden–Sydney is another story. The college is a Virginia college. True, its private but it’s in Virginia and those students who participated in racial uprising have disgraced this state. There is no place in Virginia for race riots. That chapter of our history closed in the 60’s.
I would hope that President Howard orders an investigation of the incident. Those students, regardless of race, who participated or aided and abetted should be expelled and sent home. They have disgraced their college and their state. We are Virginia and we don’t do race riots. The People of Virginia have spoken and have chosen their president.
The people of the United States have selected their president, by 3 million popular votes.
Commenting in general, and not on the above topic:
It may be because white males are getting fed up with getting absolutely no credit for having created and defended the greatest country ever formed by those who have never played a major role in its development, success, or defense. Give positive credit where positive credit is due. It’s for sure we’ve been blasted with all the negative credit from those very same groups. It isn’t racism that the majority of historical films of WWII show predominantly white males in combat, because that is predominantly who saved this country from tyranny. Unfortunately I don’t think that is any longer possible for many coming here seem to want to transform this country into what they left behind.
Those boys need to be treated appropriately. If they broke the rules of the college…discipline them.
Otherwise, everyone has a 1st Amendment right to be a jerk.
Yes, and every can join the KKK if they want. Ain’t America wonderful.
@SA-
Females, both white and non-white are also fed up. Bring it!
I understand white males fearing that their reign is over.
I don’t know of anyone grousing that WWII films show white people getting killed in combat. What an honor.
How about all those blacks who served in the quartermaster units? Do they get credit for saving the country? 7 people to get one person into combat?
Furthermore, I don’t know why we have to go around kissing everyone’s butt over contributions to this country. It certainly wasn’t all done by white men. Let’s see, the women had the white men, often at great detriment to their own health and lives, slaves did much of the labor as did immigrants who came in from every god-forsaken spot in the world.
@Second Alamo
Your statement has be to the most ignorant, racist statement I have seen today. Not only have hundreds of thousands of black Americans served and fought in the defense of this nation from the Revolutionary War to today. Who do you think did much of the work in the South? It sure as hell wasn’t the plantation owners–it was their unwilling slaves. Moon is right–many black Americans never were given the chance to serve in combat units because they were in quartermaster units, they were cooks, stevedores, stewards and other segregated jobs. Although the Armed Forces were integrated by President Harry Truman in 1947, when I came in the Navy in1951, there were still many ratings that blacks couldn’t serve in. Of the 3,464 Medals of Honor awarded as of June 2009, 88 have been awarded to 87 different African American recipients. One African American, Robert Augustus Sweeney is only one of nineteen men, and the only African American, to have been awarded two Medals of Honor.
And there are thousands of blacks working very hard in this country, many of them doing jobs that none of us would do or they are doing jobs that pay very little. Some of them, particularly coming from African nations have very good educational credentials but they can’t get meaningful jobs here. Why? I suspect much of it is because they have too much melanin. And I second Moon’s remarks about the roles women have played in the building of this nation. So why don’t take your racist, misogynistic comments and shove them where the sun doesn’t shine.
I don’t have a problem with these students being expelled. If they are allowed to stay, that will signal that the school allows this sort of thing. It’s one thing to do it in front of your own house, but another to do it on campus.
nod
Hey George, look up the word ‘predominant’ in the dictionary. I didn’t indicate that they were the ‘only’ ones now did I? You chose to make it racist, which proves my point exactly. My statement was not to discredit non-whites, but to show that whites deserve much more positive credit than the negative credit (as clearly given in Moon’s response) that is presently being passed around. So once again it is nearly illegal to compliment the white race without first speaking volumes about other races before hand, otherwise the statement is deemed purely racist. That is what I don’t get. This country was founded by a bunch of old white guys, but somehow I’m sure that will be erased from future history books to appease those whose ancestors had no part in.
Speaking of racism, why is it that Obama doesn’t identify himself as mixed race, but rather chooses to in essence disown his white mother by referring to himself in the census as black? Is it purely based on skin color, and not heritage?
He doesn’t disown his own mother or grandparents.
My guess would be, if you are correct about the census, that he said black because his family is black. What difference does it make?
Geez.
The difference is that he felt it necessary to stretch the truth about his heritage, and one has to ask if a person is non-racist then why deny his partial white heritage.
Oh dear God. Is that how you really think?
What were the choices? Is bi-racial an option even? If people even have a choice of “mixed” or “bi-racial” now it is only a recent addition to official forms such as school enrollment or census. Was it all racist before them? According to your calculations, yes.
Moon, the census information was made public back when Obama filled out the form. There was another choice for those of mixed race other than black. I don’t recall the exact terms, but it was all brought out in the news. I’m not making it up, but why do you get so defensive when discussing Obama? It is legitimate to ask questions about the president, and his attitudes towards race is it not? In four years he will no longer be president, and so you really need to stop worshipping him and realize that he is a politician first and foremost like all the rest.
Would you admonish me so much if I were talking about George Bush?
How about Bill Richardson? He is half Mexican. How would you like him to designate his ethnicity on the census?
If I am defensive over Obama it is because it started even before he was elected…this general nastiness. It never stopped. it was over really stupid stuff. Not over policy.
Why do you want to run him down all the time. I dont think you have ever said anything nice. If someone told me they would give me $500 if I found anything nice you had said about him I would probably tell them to keep their money…too much work.
You are dead wrong about the worship. Respecting someone and liking them is far from worship. Clinton? That’s another matter. We might be able to work up the W word involving him. It isn’t even rational.
I also don’t hate George Bush. I don’t like his policies but I think he was a sincere man. I liked his daughters and wife very much. I also liked his mother and father.
I really really like Ron Reagan Jr. I will change a TV channel to watch him, and that includes watching dog shows just to hear him.
Good morning Moon. Well, for me the two things that I remember most when Obama was running for office the first time was his comments about the military’s actions, and his comment about spreading the wealth. Those will forever be imbedded in my brain. He’s backed off on the military, but I still don’t think he is sincere in their support, but the spreading the wealth is his entire focus for solving all financial problems, and that just isn’t fundamentally sound or fair to those who worked for that wealth. After all, isn’t that why people come to America in hopes of prospering, so why diminish that hope by penalizing those who have? It makes no sense, and is counterproductive.
Good morning, SA. Beautiful day.
I think he has shown his support for the military. I just wish Congress would pass that jobs bill that particularly singles out Vets to ensure they get jobs. I am not sure I understand what the hold up is other than its congress.
Spreading the wealth…well, first off, it is an expression. When I worked we used to laugh about spreading the wealth sarcastically, meaning everyone taking their fair share of the crap part of the job.
I think sharing the wealth is what has made America great. I don’t think it is holding up someone, taking their money and giving it to someone else. i think of it as you showing a neighbor how to fix their lawm mower so they don’t have to buy a new one. Me telling a neighbor about the consignment sale at the fairgrounds when the baby toy and clothing show comes to town, my friend Connie donating her time to teach her Korean ladies how to speak better English, or Moe teaching his classes at the University where he works, or George helping people select medigap insurance or putting on his facebook page to call him if someone needed a ride to the polls or BS working the polls all day even though he really didn’t feel well.
How about the millions of dollars Americans have given to hurricane victims? Isn’t that wealth sharing?
That is to me what sharing the wealth means.
@ SA;
“White Heritage” ???? There is no such thing. The Ainu people of Japan (classified as caucasian), the Somali people (also classified as caucasian), the Latinos (caucasian again) and the Italians, Boers, Laplanders, and you-name-it do not share a “white heritage”. President Obama’s heritage is parallel to mine . I was born here, I live here, I am a citizen of the US, I have relatives born in other countries, I speak English as my native tongue, I married a woman who was also born here, I was educated here, I was brought up in the Christian faith, I have served my country, etc, etc, etc. You my friend are a racist.
Ah BS, once again you prove that to even attempt to be positive with respect to ‘whites’ is to be racist. Speak positive about any non-white, and you are revered, otherwise you are reviled. Racism comes from any racial group. Those entities that are formed with the sole purpose of supporting or catering to one race above all others are the true racists, but then there are no such groups allowed in the ‘white’ (as in white/black reference for God sake) community. (and please don’t bring up the dead argument about the KKK from 50 years ago)
SA, it isn’t dead. Plus you don’t have to wear a sheet to think like them.
I saw some prancing around over something about 10 years ago.
Virginia still has some strong pockets. I actually know one here in PWC as does another blogger.
I think he is harmless but that doesn’t make him not real.
I was just thinking about BS’s rant. Just because I even used the term ‘white heritage’ he goes off. So now I guess that even the term ‘white’, as in a black/white racial reference, must be stricken from the social dialogue lest you be labeled a racist for having even made reference to the word. I have to ask then why is it acceptable to refer to ‘blacks’ as a race? Is that then not also a racist term based on his analogy? BTW, I’m not a racist, but I’m getting tired of being labeled one simply because I have an opinion about other races. No race is without its faults, but it just seems that the only faults that are allowed to be openly discussed are those involving the, dare I say, ‘white’ race these days.
Ok, SA, I might even jump in and help a guy out since you said good morning so pleasantly to me. Being Caucasian and and being white aren’t synonymous.
I know many Latinos who would bristle about being called “white.” I don’t know what you call yourself. Anglo? it isn’t that latinos don’t like white people (some do some don’t I suspect) its that they view their culture as Latino.
I think people are what they say they are. I don’t care if the Prez says he is black. It deosn’t bother me at all. I know for a fact thaat in my lifetime in Virginia, he would have been pounded, at least verbally, if he had said he was white. I also know that racial classification was determined by proportion. I also know that terms like mulatto and Octoroon exist. I avoid using them. They somehow seem unamerican to me unless used in an historical context. I don’t think those words have a place in modern America.
On another note, are you aware that you can buy flesh colored crayons and colored pencils? they come in sets of 8 with all different flesh colors being represented. Its sort of neat. I remember the old coloring books where you had to either leave white people uncolored at all, or color them pink which made them look like porky pig. You could use a very light brown but that was like a bad tan streak.
If a black man tries to tell me that blacks are superior in every regard … he is a racist. We are a species that is still acclimated to small tribal groupings. We instinctively distrust other groups because that tribe across the valley want to take our goats. Technology, especially travel and communications, have outpaced our social evolution. Therefore, we are thrust upon and among other small tribal groupings and we still feel that instinctive distrust. Distrust and fear of other groups is normal because all of us are still socially retarded. It seems to me that President Obama is a symbol that, socially, we are now changing to reflect modern reality (immigration, rights of individuals, civil debate about ideas, respect for others, freedom from religion, etc.). So, if you continue to tout whiteness as a distinct and therefore different aspect of being a human, you are just expressing the feeling of distrust and fear. It is time for you to come into the modern here-and-now and to stop worrying about goats.
I actually agree with your last post BS. Please tell that to the members of the National Black Caucus, the NAACP, etc. etc. I can live with that. As MLK stated, judge not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Now, if I find a flaw in the character, and I point that out, then by MLK’s very words I’m adhering to his philosophy. The problem is that if I’m referring to someone who happens to be of a different race than myself, and it’s for sure if I’m white, then I’m labeled a racist. The character flaw goes unnoticed, and the discussion then revolves around skin color only. As a matter of fact you are suggesting that race should no longer be recorded in the census. That would be fine for me, but focus on race in this country seems to be systemic in all aspects for fear that some minority isn’t getting a fair shake. If we stop labeling people by race as you suggest, then that would diminish, but then I’m not the one worrying about goats. I have plenty for I’ve earned mine. It’s those without goats that want to keep the focus on skin color!
We are half-way there SA. One more half to go and I will feel successful. So here goes. The main reason that we are still recording race on the census is to quantify the success of correcting past inequalities. As an example, at one time, women could not vote. So once they received their voting rights, it was up to the government to track whether or not they were being able to exercise their rights. Similarly, at one time, African-Americans could not vote, we continue to track racial numbers to monitor our success at voting, housing, education, employment, etc. When everyone stops being concerned with their own tribes’ goats and allows, ensures and fights for equality of all people in our country, counting becomes less and less necessary. The focus on race from the progressive side stems from the historical fact that white males had every advantage in this country and that it needs to be rectified. Conservatives focus on race because they feel that they do not have an advantage now and even that non-whites and females do have all the advantages. I personally believe that I benefited from the advantages and opportunities that my white grandfathers had in a racially segregated country. They could get jobs that minorities could not compete for, they could get business loans that women and others could not apply or qualify for, they could attend schools that prohibited non-whites. I profited from their accumulated wealth, status and connections that were unfairly attained by modern standards. If we are going to have an even playing field where we can all compete fairly one day, our generation must fill in the ruts and rills on the womens’ and minorities’ side of the net. Keeping track via the census is a step in that direction.
Women more than made up for lost time this last election. Of course, we had a lot to lose this time. Nothing like a few Mourocks and Akins to get out the vote.
Ok, given that inequalities existed, and to a much less degree still may exist whether real or perceived. However, to believe that true equality in any society is possible is to expect that human beings would also be equal in all respects. That simple isn’t possible. We have passed laws and regulations over the past 50 or so years to help all those that are deemed to have suffered from inequalities, and yet the cry of inequality keeps surfacing. I truly don’t believe that total equality is ever achievable, because it is human nature to look for differences in their environment. It may be as trivial as the next guy got a slightly larger portion of desert or something, and as long as we go to court over every minor difference, then forget about it. At what point is society prepared to call it even? I get the impression that there is an underlying war on all those who are perceived to have benefitted by not being a minority. I can tell you that our family and myself never received government benefits that we did not earn beforehand. All this country should provide is the equal opportunity to succeed, but if you aren’t up to the task, then it’s no fault of those who have. I don’t think that this will ever be resolved.
If I were really going to jump on the inequality bandwagon, I would probably give much more to American Indians than I do.
There is no more beaten down group in society. What we haven’t dont to them, they have done to themselves with substance abuse. We have stolen their land, their culture and pretty much their identity. Most of them live where no one would want to live. My jewelry ladies who live out in NM of the Navajo Rez don’t have freaking electricity. It costs too much to run it out to their home.
They don’t have something so basic as electricity…it must be a real bitch in the winter.
Ah-ha !!! Maybe we discovered something together. You don’t believe equality in any society is possible and are, maybe, advocating that we stop trying to make things equal, thereby benefitting those that are on top. I believe that while things are not equal now, that they can get closer and ever closer to equality as long as we continue to try. I believe that we can make social progress as demonstrated by improved social conditions of women and minorities in this country. Even with 50 or so years of trying, I think white guys have a leg up on everyone else just because they are white and male.
White males have definitely owned the power in this country, that’s for sure.
I cannot imagine anyone who would deny that.
As far as the 3 main groups: White, Black, Hispanic–I will work to keep things from going backwards and to oppose open discrimination. Some states do have voting restrictions that I think are discriminatory. I also feel it is up to people of all races to be all that they can be and that their greatness has to come from within. Kids need to take full advantage of the greatest American gift, an education. Too many squander that. Far too many.
Meanshile, I think we have to pay attention to that forgotten, nearly invisible group of people who have been ravaged by alcoholism, poverty and disease–the American Indian. We truly have F-ed over the indigeous people of this continent. it continues. No, we can’t give them the land back but we need to pour our resources in to make it better, especially for the children.
I’ll steal a line from Clinton; It depends on the meaning of the word equality. No, there is no way that everything can be equal to everyone. I didn’t advocate stopping the effort, but unless you’re advocating that we all get paid the same, do the same job, live in the same style house, commute the same distance to work, eat the same foods, wear the same clothes, and on and on, then no we will never be ‘equal’. You don’t believe that within even a group of white males that no individual has ever felt that they weren’t receiving equal treatment of some sort? Come on, now that is a huge crock, and we all know it. So how do you tackle that problem? Simple, you can’t. So that’s why I say there will never be across the board equality, for to accomplish that we would have to be clones, and even then there’s no guarantees. So now do you see my point?
No, things aren’t equal as far as material goods are concerned. I am not sure they should be. I don’t think realistic people want that.
I do think that everyone should have the basics. Food, shelter, clothing, and an education. Not everyone will have a mansion, steak and a mink.
Equal access to health care, equal access to education, equal access to housing, equal access to opportunity, equal access to employment are our goals. Not equal access to your pasta, or the houses on your block, or your clothes, or your location, or your job or your goats. See the point??
I tell you what. Make a short list of the inequalities that exist for a young minority person recently born in this country that isn’t negated by some law, or rule, or society, and no advocacy group exists to defend them should the need arise. With all of that going for them you would think that society and the government has done enough to ensure equality. If not, then the list will reveal where we fall short. ( I’m referring to 2012 conditions, not ancient history) Come to think of it how much of todays ‘racism’ is taught versus actually experienced? I know someone who had the phrase “The struggle continues” scrolled on their house window after having moved into a predominantly black neighborhood. Really? Please pick from the list the ‘struggle’ to which they refer.
I am not comfortable assessing some other groups needs like that. I think it lends itself to stereotyping.
I have already stereotyped a lot to do with the American Indian. Not comfortable thre either but it needed to be said.
Access to those things which cost money will always be somewhat limited to those who have little money. Otherwise what would be the point in trying to increase your income above a certain level if it is handed to you? We tried bussing inner city kids to ‘access’ better quality schools for many years, and yet that didn’t improve anything either. So now what would you suggest in terms of education? They got a shot at the better schools thereby providing the ‘equal access’ you say they have been denied. A great deal depends on the individual making the most out of the opportunities, however limited, that are provided to them. I started in a community college, but I guess I could have moaned that I was being treated unfairly since I wasn’t able to attend an Ivy league university. I made the best of it instead, and graduated with honors. The effort served me extremely well when I finally was able to attend a four year university to finish my degree.
How do we know busding didnt improve anything? What standards did you use? What metric? Sez who?
“They get a shot at better schools” Who is they and what better schools?
I agree, the individual has to make the most of what he or she is offered. Many young people of all races do not.
You are aware that more white people are on “welfare” than any other race?
I don’t know of any minorities that whine because they have to go to community college. Most are glad they have somewhere to go.
I’m on a roll it seems. Speaking of equal access. A friend of ours is about to place their ailing father in a nursing home at the tune of $10,000 per month while those on Medicaid don’t pay a dime. So how’s that for equal access?
Let’s talk abot that….what happens when the money runs out, and it doesn’t take long. Guess what, your friend’s father will go into mediaid. It isn’t just for poor people. You have to run your assets out first.
They just don’t roll old people out in the street to die. Everyone has equal access.
You’re right. You have to use up your hard earned assets first. Nothing left to help your surviving family members even though you may have worked your whole life to save the money. I don’t consider the cost of a life savings versus a thin dime as ‘equal’.
Come on Moon, the community college thing was a first hand example. Now you’re starting to find fault unnecessarily. Let me explain it to you. Some people will always complain that they don’t have it as well as someone else instead of making use of what they have. Minorities use this to their advantage all the time, because that is a fact that exists for most people it’s just that when they complain it is taken as an inequality issue rather than a fact of life issue.
I am not finding fault with a lot of what you are saying. I am chiming in. Do you want to just have a soliloque or however you spell it?
I think you just have some serious stereotypes about minorities.
The minorities I have known at community colleges are damn glad they are there. In my world, its the white kids who moan and piss and groan about having to go there. Now it might be because they didnt study hard enough to get in the college of their choice or it might be they didnt save enough money or their parents didnt have it.
White kids whine a lot. I guess I have just known some real appreciative black and hispanic kids. That’s not to say that I think all black and hispanic kids are perfect. I do not. They have their fair share of brats also.
I agree with you. I’m just stating the fact that if and when a minority complains about a lack of something it seems to be viewed as due to some inequality rather than a fact of life that exists for all people. (which now days means white, since every non-white is viewed as a minority I guess) When I say minority I’m referring to all those that seem to be the in-your-face groups that complain openly and continuously about their plight in life. Quite honestly it boils down to only two groups I’d say, but then I’ll let you figure that one out.
pppssstttt minorities aren’t just in your face types, SA.
@Second Alamo
I reread our original comment and I still stick with my posting. You make it sound like whites are the only people that counted in WWII.
As to your comment about mixed race people, I must ask why doesn’t Tiger Wood identify himself as Oriental? I have two mixed race grandchildren (African American/Caucasian American) and they are almost force to identify themnselves as black. Why is that so? I believe it is so becasue it is we whites who identify thnm as black when their skin is darker than ours and their hair in more kinky than ours.
Whites may be the majority in this country, Canada and in Europe, but those are about the only places and in the case of this country, that is not always going to be the case. More than half the population of the world is made of up people of a color other than white. Your comment about “thsoe that seem to be the in-your-face groups” says one hell of a lot about your and racism. If you were plunked down in the middle of say China or India or pick any country on the African continent, I wonder how long it would be before you would be the one who would, “complain openly and continuosly about [your] plight in life.”
To claim you are not a racist is to claim the world is flat, which I suspect it is in your case.
For all on this particular subject, if you want to attempt to understand the true “plight” of blacks, then may I suggest you read, “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson. lI suspect some of you might see some change in your attitude but perhaps others never will.
Geroge, tell that cute story about your granddaughter please.
Also, brief synopsis of the book you are recommending.
SA, where did you grow up? Are you a southern?
I grew up for the most part, Charlottesville. I went to segregated schools my entire life.
I never knew racism, and had no reason to even object to people of other races. I still don’t, and work where the majority of people are from all over the world. Of all the people I’ve hired to date I have yet to hire a caucasian. I am not a racist even though George swears that I am, but then he has an obvious dog in that fight. My first encounter with what you may call racism was in the Navy when the blacks started to band together in the black power movement. I couldn’t understand what that was all about since we all had gotten along just fine before. That sort of drew my attention to people acting differently towards other people based solely on race. The strange thing is it was racism of blacks against whites for no obvious reason. My opinions are learned ones from personal experience, and the wealth of news information over the years. And to George, why is it that I can not utter one negative word about any minority. How is that in itself not racist? I guess no successful black person has ever felt that there are those who have no room to complain, but only have themselves to blame? Oh that’s right there are, but they are disowned by their own community just as the black actress was for wanting people to vote for Romney. If that isn’t racism of the first degree, then I don’t know what is.
SA, I am glad you shared that. (I still don’t know where you grew up)
I understand that things like that are very real and can leave a real bad taste in your mouth. I ran in to it once when I worked in PWC. All it takes is a couple of nasty people to bully others into acting that way also. However, I only ran into it for a brief period of time. I changed job sites. It was time for me to go and that helped me make that decision.
Its a real shame because most of the people I have worked with have been decent fine people. This one ‘tour of duty’ was just horrible though. I guess what I had to tell myself was that for every jackass there were 5 really nice decent people.
So yes, there are A-holes of all races.
I thought at first you were going to tell me that you were hiring Chinese to dynomite through the rockies so the railroad could go through. Just kidding just kidding.
I left out that I think we have to judge each person as an individual, regardless of race. When we stop doing that, then we become …what we don’t want to be.
I totally agree with that tenant. What got me into this entire sequence of posts is this whole forced negative connotation that whites have never done anything good for anyone other than for their greedy selves while on the other hand minorities have done nothing but a stellar job in trying to create a just and moral society. Any faults within any minority group seem to always fall back on the whites as being the underlying cause of such faults. I guess I’m just tired of being a scapegoat for everyone’s problems. Especially since I’ve done my best to not judge people by anything other than their character, and believe me some are pretty bad characters and deserve the reputation they get.
I know some real scum from every race imaginable. I don’t know any American Indian scum but I barely know any indians. I am sure that is what saves them.
SA, I dont know anyone here who thinks that white people are bad. That is just sort of self deprecating.
I told a group once that there were no sacred cows and everyone had to do something and I’ll be darn if someone didn’t accuse me of picking on their religion. Some kid once told me i was prejudice because I had said I didn’t like rap music. Someone else said I was an elitist because I don’t like a lot of country music. I think there might just be no winning with some folks. There are people who always want to find fault. I say screw them!
Here here! … or is it Hear hear! … whatever. Ok, that raps it up for me. Have a nice remaining weekend.
“As to your comment about mixed race people, I must ask why doesn’t Tiger Wood identify himself as Oriental?”
I think that Tiger actually REFUSED to identify himself racially at all…calling himself American.
SA,
You were a squid, too? Go Navy! Or did you tell me this before and I forgot. If so, sorry.
@Moon-howler
One of my granddaughter, Winona, is a beautiful, mixed race young woman who grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood in Texas. When she was still in grade school, one of her friends asked her if she was black or white to which Winnie replied, “I don’t know about that, I’m just Winnie.” I believe that is a very astute observation for a child who could have been forced to make a choice she refused to make.
Here is information about the book that I have plagerized but it best tells the story. What I found most interesting is the story behind the story. When you read what black Americans were going through in the South, you begin to see the visible and invisible racism that continues to this day is this country. People like SA can claim they are not racists or that the learned racism from black American, but they really do need to look in the mirror.
The book, “The Warmth of Other Suns” is about the black migration from the South that took place between 1915 and 1970. In some circles it is being called the , Black Grapes of Wrath.” The author, Isabel Wilkerson, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. [Here is the plagerized part] The book brings to life one of the greatest underreported stories of the 20th Century, a migration that reshaped modern America. Wilkerson interviewed more than 1,200 people, unearthed archival research and gathered the voices of the famous and the unknown to tell the epic story of the redistribution of an entire people. She chose to tell the story through three unforgettable real life protagonists as they make the decision of their lives.
Warmth won the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, the 2011 Anisfield-Wolf Award for Nonfiction, the 2011 Hillman Book Prize, the 2011 Lynton History Prize from Harvard and Columbia universities, the 2011 Heartland Prize for Nonfiction, the Stephen Ambrose Oral History Prize, the Independent Literary Award for Nonfiction, the Horace Mann Bond Book Award from Harvard University, the NAACP Image Award for best literary debut and was shortlisted for the 2011 Pen-Galbraith Literary Award for Nonfiction and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.
Wilkerson won the Pulitzer Prize for her work as Chicago Bureau Chief of The New York Times in 1994, making her the first black woman in the history of American journalism to win a Pulitzer Prize and the first African-American to win for individual reporting. Wilkerson has also won the George Polk Award, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, and she was named Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists.
@Cargosquid
You may be right about Tiger Woods, but while he may not identify with one group or another, he is considered by a great many people to be “black”.
There is an interesting article about racists attacks in Athens, Greece today.
http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20121112/EU.Greece.Racism.on.the.Rise/
It seems we fair skinned people just can’t help but pick out someone who has more melanin that we do to blame for their problems. And it has been ever so–5,000 years ago, the Egyptians enslaved the Nubians–a dark skinned people from Egypt itself.