Ray

I was being a bit kind.....

YankeemovingAbroad

Were you now? Got abit carried away when I saw this thread.It made me register and that seldom happens to me online. Any way down with racism, up with proper paragraphs and semi colons,and the occasional period when ending a sentence.

There, see I can be equally kind. In any case, I'm an American from the northeast,Jersey to be exact. Stumbbled on to this interesting website because of my search for info about living in Europe. I will soon post a thread to inquire about it.


I was caught off guard by some of the opinions in here which appear to believe that ignoring our difference some how makes everything all right between the various ethnicities. Being that I have a PHD in African Americans studies, I had to register my opinion on the subject.Well not a real PHD, but trust me life experience as a African American merits doctorate knowledge.


You know when talking about these serious subjects I like to enjoy a cold beer with those in the discussion. Any one up for a Miller or a Budweiser? Anything but one of those dark warm beers, I've heard about them.

Leslie

Thank you.

I've stayed out of this thread because I do believe (in their defense) that the European experience shades most of the posters viewpoints. They do not have the appalling history (with regard to people of African descent) that we have here in the US and are operating from a completely different place. I think they are good people but unless one has grown up immersed in social and institutionalized racism, they really don't know how insidious it really is.

I completely agree with everything you've posted.

Jaxbar

Thank You both, this thread had really begun to depress me

Leslie

It'll be ok. Tomorrow is another day.

anotherlimey

Are you and Yankee advocating dual cultures then?

Because that seems to be what's happening.

Leslie

How is appreciating a culture advocating dual cultures?

However, I'm not suggesting African Americans assimilate and become more "white" if that's what you mean. It seems that is what you are advocating. Should we somehow ignore the fact that black folks were forced (by the letter of the law) to develop their own separate culture because of segregation. Their history is different than mine. I'm sorry if you don't see that.

anotherlimey

No, I'm saying that when we define something as "Black", i.e. BET or "Black" movies, then we also create a subculture and therefore it promotes segregation.

You're talking about the past, times have changed; now's the time we should be looking to create a single culture in America, one that's diverse but also integrated.

I don't think that will make anyone more "white"; maybe we're advocating the same thing?

neil

The US is not that advanced yet - that's the point. It probably is much, much better than it was 20 years ago but the shift is bound to take time.

Celsius

How about multiculturalism?

anotherlimey

You're probably right - I still hear "white" people <cringe> and "Hispanic" people <cringe> moaning about "black" people <cringe> all the time.

anotherlimey

That would be fine if they weren't so prejudiced against each other

Leslie

I really don't see how remembering the past promotes segregation. Intolerance and prejudice promote segregation.

Slavery was abolished 141 years ago. However, segregation (the situation where there was a different set of laws for white people and black people) only began to be dismantled approximately 40 years ago. The process of de-segregation was only partially successful and is far from complete. Segregation is more recent than the Holocaust. At what point shall we tell the Jews to stop bringing up the Holocaust because it's in the past and times have changed?

Ray

Is this offensive????????

anotherlimey

I didn't say don't remember it; I would have thought it's beneficial for everyone to learn the wrongs of slavery and segregation, no matter what time of the year it is!

But as someone else mentioned, the US tends to only teach it's 'good' history.