I never said it would be easy, or even desired by black people. From my experience with the blacks in Detroit, I think they enjoy having their own "turf". Evidenced by the last Mayoral election where the incumbant used rhetoric like "the suburbanites are telling you what to do and they're trying to take over the city". Or how about the Mayor of New Orleans and wanting to keep N.O. CHOCOLATE?

From my experience I don't think blacks are particularly interested in white-black unification. But IF THEY WERE, the first step would not be more segregation but a desire to integrate like immigrant groups do.

That's the only point I'm making. I don't agree with Malcolm's comment about unification.

And yes, I understand the history of blacks. I'm not sure how that's relevant however. Am I supposed to feel guilty or ashamed? I know a lot of poor white folks that can't even trace their ancestors to an ocean, should you feel bad about them as well? It's been a while since "the masters" roamed the country is there a need to keep rehashing it?



I don't know, which white people are you talking about? The million white people that marched with the Mexican flags just recently? THe million white people that just arrived in the US illegally and speak Polish? The white people in Dearborn, Michigan, that run through the streets with Iraqi and Lebanese flags?

Apparently those WHITE PEOPLE need some protection. Or the 10,000s of white people about to lose their jobs to downsizing the auto industry? Yeah, I guess they need their interests protected.

Oh wait, I just realized something, all those white people cutting jobs are not helping those white people that are losing their jobs!! HOLY CRAP!! You mean all white people don't stick together???AFTER ALL, AREN'T ALL WHITE INTERESTS ALREADY PROTECTED???

Like I said, the only reason "white people" are a group is because they contrast black people. Instead of saying "not-black people", you say white people.



Hey, the Asians that have assimilated or even fresh off the boat seem no different to me than the arabs or the italians or Pols or whoever. They seem to assimilate fine. Heck, even some Africans I know are white even though their color is dark. What about Obama? Most of these people are white because they aren't shackled by "being black".

Should they feel complimented? Sure, why not. After all, whites have all the power, right? And according to Chris Rock, if you're white you're right. So I guess it's pretty good to be white.



Are you familiar with the Hindu caste system or are you assuming "white people" hate black folks regardless of origin?



http://www.friesian.com/caste.htm

Now you need not wonder any more.

Well this thread certainly pointed out that racism as an issue is certainly not dead within any specific group in America, it seems like everyone’s got beef!

So I have to ask whats the central point or thesis of the issue, does anyone really know? I certainly dont anymore. I think America is developing to much bad karma, to misuse the term artistically. Like Ghostbusters 2, all the hate slime or whatever it was, or just bad feelings overall, swallowing everything up.

The Hindu system just shows how ignorant some customs can be, and how wrong or offending of me it is to even say something like that, but i guess working on issues in just the fashion I typed probably will not aid Americas melting pot. I hate watching political movies, be it liberal or conservative, they always show the same ignorance and basically attempt to disenfranchise the other side, so it leads to a cultural arms race, I find it hard not to think this was all birthed a terribly long time ago somewhere in the various genetic strains of life really, but hey, just another opinion, dont trust anything with teeth lol.

I will say this, I never really notice teh fact I am white, but I can go and read a book on say what its like to be white in America, or black in America, and the main point of the book, or the mechanics of it is that person for whatever reasons external and thusly internal had to really notice his or her labels as existing in that particular environment, what would be the reason for this. TO me I think it would be silly for America in general to think that from the end of slavery to the civil rights movement and now AA, that for blacks to not have that be part of the cognitive process, or to see that aspect of racism in some issue I think is silly. I can turn on the t.v and see the past of cultures still alive in well in everything, its just like evolution, or we do not live like Rome, but you can still see the impact of such in our culture, and of course Rome came from something other then itself, or not from thin air, so when you go look for the cultural primitive, dont count out genetics lol, or other aspects of it all, its a developmental process that takes time and of course is bent on its environment, I cannot perceive the world the same as a 98 year old man in china that spent his life fishing, and vice versa.

so basically, what should race relations in America lead to, I would hope with what bush said it would be progressive to something better as for person to person relations, but then again bush before this last election was going to support gay rights I think, I am not to sure though, but I will say political stunts wont help people live in peace, or for that matter gain trust, it will just be more bad karma sliming all of us.

Neither your guilt or shame is needed or wanted, RedCedar, however, if you don't understand the relevance of history, then it goes a long way in explaining why you're not grasping the concept. It's also not so much about "rehasing" history as it is in recalling it. Something about George Santayana's caution that still has value even here, even now.



If assimilation means as you suggest becoming "White" I can understand why so many Black people have trouble with the concept or want nothing to do with it. I had the wild idea that assimilation in America meant becoming an American, not becoming White.

Yes, RedCedar, Whites do have power. But a better observer of race in America than Rock was James Baldwin and he wrote, The only thing that white people have that black people need, or should want, is power-and no one holds power forever.

I'm not sure that that quote is appropriate as I doubt very much that slavery will again be politically accepted or become en vogue. Believe me, WHITE PEOPLE will never be ALLOWED to forget.



Well I thought "the man" was anyone who was white? Isn't that "white people", the oppressors? the all powerfull? the ones who don't need their interests protected? the always rich and never poor? the never exploited?

And pretty much anyone that assimilates and is successful.....must be white?



Tell that to Oprah.