LeedsGirl

I live 20 minutes from East Palo Alto, several years ago named crime city of the US. My husband and I have many friends who live there, my husband works with these friends every day. They don't steal, don't sell drugs and they are always welcome in our house. There houses have been shot at, they have seen people shot, they have drug dealers dealing outside of their houses but just because they live in that neighborhood doesn't mean that they deserve to get caught up someone else's racism!

anotherlimey

Really you'll just get some other people's opinions and experiences, then we'll all be forced to admit that it's "in my experience", and the debate will end.

Sorry to take the fun out of it...

peterbainham

Yes I have heard it before and I still don't like it.

Not once did I say it was a deliberate reference to a "us and them" race war. Please check my posts if you don't believe me.

Yeah, I try to avoid people like that. Like people who say they going to "hit the ground running", "push the envelope" or other wanky phrases that make themselves sound more macho than they really are.


I understand that but I don't think you understand that - in this context - it's a very politically loaded turn of phrase which only causes more problems.

Have you bothered to read my other posts?

peterbainham

Stop ruining it for the rest of us. I'll never surrender.

brindlebrundle

Yes I have, but you are guilty of the politically correct nitpicking and over-analysing that I said I have no time for. Let's just get to the meat and potatos of the discussion rather than nibble at phrases like "in the trenches"

As for this:
I refer to your earlier message:

I am certainly receptive to the comments of others for reminding me that not every black person is guilty of the crimes of others. Bad apples in the barrell and all that. Very true.

TruBrit

sorry m8y... having lived in texas for 5 yrs has made me view certain aspects of life differently than before and made me appreciate good old blighty however it's certainly not made me a racist....now the illegals here are another thing

gardnma

Hedgehog,
Creosote,
Alpine crotch itch,
Wankle Rotary Engine,

angelman

Could it be because racism and slavery was so much more endemic and instituionalised in america especially in the southern states.
Sure it was some time ago but I know/am sure that its still fresh in everyone's minds. Hell the Americans still havent got over there little tiff with the british all those years ago.
Whilst in the UK we had a very typical covert sort of racism (not allowing black people to stay in hotels rent rooms etc. when they first arrived) in America it was 100% out in the open blatant and fully condoned by the state government...
Latinos and other races have never had quite such blatant discrimination especially based on their skin colour.

peterbainham

Sorry for using my brain.

I'm not nibbling at it - only that it says more about you than me.


And at what point did I use the phrase "us and them"?



There's a glib platitude if ever I heard one.

brindlebrundle

That's interesting, TrueBrit. Five years in Houston and no bad experiences with the less affluent black population?

The idea of the arrogant, ignorant African American is so ingrained in American popular culture that comedians like Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock make millions from it. Jokes about certain groups of black people not paying their bills or calling women "hos" is an accepted part of life here. The sun will rise each morning, dogs will bark, the rain will fall, and blacks will take another shortcut. Welcome to life in the USA. That's what makes me sick.

Leslie

That is until I demand my Senior Citizen discount at Wendy's ..... then everybody gets all pissy.

brindlebrundle

Sorry mate, I can't be arsed with all this linguistics bullshit. Maybe you should become a politician.

Bob

There's a few, certainly a couple spouses.

Sarah

What for? Surely you can realise that poor black people are about as truthful a reflection of the black population as chavs and the lower working classes are a reflection of white people.

LeedsGirl

In your previous post you were only talking about where you lived, now you've changed it to the USA. Racist! That's my opinion not the friggin PC opinion