Shocked & Disgusted

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

That is not how I think. I don't expect everyone to hug and sing Kumbaya tomorrow.

Good. There are so many more interesting things to be over.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

A schoolmate of mine, someone I've known since before either of us even applied to this school, just put up an American flag with Communist symbols photoshopped onto it on her facebook. I don't think I've ever been so angry at her and she's talked a lot of crap over the last few months. I am EXCITED for our future as a nation. I'm ready for what's in my sig to come true. I don't want to be divided into Obama supporters and McCain supporters anymore, we are one whole country and it's time we acted like it. Saying we're becoming Communists or that we're "damned to hell" or whatever despicable crud she's spouting is a wedge that divides us, NOT a joke, NOT good fun, NOT sarcasm to make a point. Just....DAMN, JUST GET WITH IT.

So I'm assuming you didn't want to be divided into Bush supporters and Bush critics previously, right? You thought everyone should just unite behind Bush, and get with it?

Not picking on you, but as I've mentioned before, not everyone is "excited" for the future with Obama. There are some who will have to be convinced that he was the better choice. Nothing wrong with a difference of opinion - but you can't expect people to jump on the Obama bandwagon a couple of days after the election.

It's much easier to talk about unity when you want everyone to unify behind your candidate of choice...

[agzg]

On Oprah today they were talking about whether or not Obama could take us back to the "good old days" where Democrats and Republicans sat down to dinner, enjoyed fellowship, and hashed out a few deals in the process.

I have no insight here. I think at this point I'm typing random nonsensical tidbits.

I LIKE PICKLE JUICE!

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by lovespink88

I've known that racism is still alive in our country. But I am appalled by the reactions and feedback that I saw in my Facebook “News Feed” on Tuesday Night regarding Obama’s win

I understand that McCain supporters are going to be upset that their candidate lost. I would feel the same if I was in their position. But I couldn’t believe the ignorance and hatred I witnessed moments after Obama’s win. I saw a countless number of “Status Updates” from people voicing their displeasure about Obama’s victory. Yes, everyone has the right to do this, but what disgusts me is how many people were making it blatantly obvious that they’re mad at the fact that a black man won. I knew racism was still around, but I guess I was just naïve, not realizing just how bad it really is still.

I’m not accusing all McCain supporters of being against Obama just because he’s black. Everyone has their differences in opinions about political issues and I know these are reasons that many people disagree on candidates. But immediately following the election, I witnessed an overwhelming number of people express their anger about our next President because of his skin color. To these people I say: If you’re going to hate Obama, at least make yourself sound educated and hate him for a real reason—not because he’s black.

It’s 2008. When will we move past this race thing? There are so many other things that we could be doing with this hateful energy. We all know that our country needs some serious changes but we cannot do this divided. We must work together as Americans to help our country out of this mess! I sincerely hope that everyone will soon realize that the racism is useless and will only hinder our progress.


^^^ So that there was a little editorial I wrote and submitted into my school's paper....I'm crossing my fingers that it gets published soon. I just felt so disgusted after seeing a few people's reactions to Obama's win that I felt I needed to do SOMETHING...

And for some of you who may think I'm over reacting, here's a few of the status updates I saw....

"Katie ------- says obama is a poisoin to this country. he is a sin. disgusting."

Sure, that comment is not particularly racist, but here's what she also wrote on someone's wall:

"he's just after money for all the dirty black people like himself"

.....

Another girl wrote

"Samantha -------- think's it's called the WHITE house for a reason"

And another...

"Frankie --------- FREE FRIED CHICKEN AND KOOL-AID IN GRANT PARK"




Is anyone else experiencing or witnessing anything like this? If so, how do you feel about it?

Ya know, lovepink88, I agree with you 100%, but unfortunately racists, sick human beings are going to be here until hell freezes over, and that's because racism is a human made, human enforced phenomenon. No one is born racist, it's a learned behavior and learned emotions on the part of a group of people towards another group whose physical characteristics are dissimilar to the former group. The problem is that people learn to discriminate, learn to segregate and learn to believe that whites are better than blacks, which to me is a mental illness. When people live in a society where such things are formally and informally taught and learned, and are practiced, to me it's inescapable that the ideology of racism does become a functional institution, organically blended together with every other ideology and institution of that society. It's sad, but racism in America is as much a part of the American way of life as anything else. Not only am I referring to our economic and political system, but our social structure, and the way power, jobs and life opportunities are distributed in this country simply on the basis of physical characteristics, which to me turns into a sickness after being taught.

[Zephyrus]

I think people knew Obama was going to win and already had the racial jokes set aside and waiting. I saw one that said chicken, watermellon, koolaid, gold teeth, and grape pop are going to be tax exempt. I saw it on youtube.

I actually voted for Obama, not because he was black, but because his political views lined up with mine.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I think it does seem odd if someone who is a very frequent poster stops posting all of a sudden. I think there's a natural curiosity about why, not that anyone is obligated to explain.

When I was in college, I would disappear for months at a time because I only accessed GC while home on break (I didn't have my own computer for most of the 4 years). I got an occasional "Welcome back!" when I resurfaced, but no one ever asked where I was. I felt painfully un-missed.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Yeah, but I think we all kid ourselves that the things we might be wrong about are complex and nuanced and require great insight even to grasp the issue, but people who actually vote differently than we do clearly base their votes on the most simplistic, self-interested, or bigoted reasons.

LOL, yes. I try not to kid myself that way, though.

And, however many pages later, co-sign with you, Dr Phil/Chaos/Queen of Sheba (), KSigKid and others.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Ya know, lovepink88, I agree with you 100%, but unfortunately racists, sick human beings are going to be here until hell freezes over, and that's because racism is a human made, human enforced phenomenon. No one is born racist, it's a learned behavior and learned emotions on the part of a group of people towards another group whose physical characteristics are dissimilar to the former group.

Prejudice is learned. Racism is purposefully built into a system over time. Prejudice is annoying and sometimes dangerous depending on how people act on it. But, racism is a widely destructive force that is impossible to get out of the system without overhauling everything. A lot of people wouldn't like the results of that overhaul though.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Prejudice is learned. Racism is purposefully built into a system over time. Prejudice is annoying and sometimes dangerous depending on how people act on it. But, racism is a widely destructive force that is impossible to get out of the system without overhauling everything. A lot of people wouldn't like the results of that overhaul though.

You've really got to stop these kinds of cryptic appeals to authority - not because you're necessarily wrong (although it is fallacious to presume that you're 100% correct based on the appeal), but because it serves as a giant stop sign for interaction in these sorts of threads.

While I mostly agree with the definitions you've outlined above, I openly question what constitutes a "complete overhaul" (and, in a related fashion, why you find it necessary to note that a lot of people wouldn't "like the results" but seem unwilling to identify whom or why) and why you have such a stark view of gradual change to a system. Racism was not instituted in a traumatic or instantaneous fashion, but rather gradually, over time, and in a robust and institutional way. Wouldn't the proper way to fight it be exactly the same?

[preciousjeni]

...it serves as a giant stop sign for interaction in these sorts of threads

I can only assume that it would be a stop sign because it makes people uncomfortable. Otherwise, it shouldn't be an issue. No one need feel uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by KSig RC

I openly question what constitutes a "complete overhaul"

It's an enormous task that would require our entire nation to be on-board and willing to come to terms with their own status as well as determining what sacrifices they'd be willing to make. For one, there has to be a massive redistribution of resources (not just money) that is hindered by capitalism. I'm not saying that we should move entirely away from capitalism to another extreme; rather that capitalism inherently drives a bigger and bigger wedge between the haves and have-nots. Capitalism favors those who have accrued wealth/resources or those who have the ability to pool resources toward a common goal.

why you have such a stark view of gradual change to a system.

Not a stark view. I'd just prefer that the change be a coordinated effort rather than a happenstance. Much energy is wasted tackling hurdles that could be removed altogether if we all decided enough was enough. I would say the same for classism as well, except that I wasn't talking about classism to begin with.

Racism was not instituted in a traumatic or instantaneous fashion, but rather gradually, over time, and in a robust and institutional way. Wouldn't the proper way to fight it be exactly the same?

You left out intentional. And, yes, a possible way to correct it would be to reverse the process. But, we have no reversal. We have small victories won in spite of the institutional barriers.

I find that people mislabel prejudice as racism and believe that the issue is solely interpersonal. If we don't understand what racism is, how can we possibly correct it?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

I can only assume that it would be a stop sign because it makes people uncomfortable. Otherwise, it shouldn't be an issue. No one need feel uncomfortable.

Right, and repeated appeal to authority can lead to discomfort, because people feel intimidated or condescended to.

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

You left out intentional. And, yes, a possible way to correct it would be to reverse the process. But, we have no reversal. We have small victories won in spite of the institutional barriers.

I find that people mislabel prejudice as racism and believe that the issue is solely interpersonal. If we don't understand what racism is, how can we possibly correct it?

"Intentional" was only left out because I took it as a given, but wholeheartedly endorse its inclusion.

I agree with you that it's important to define our terms for any discussion, but the use of shorthand doesn't constantly require us to shift the sands of the debate or give a brief, incomplete educational sermon on what is or isn't "racism" in the classical sense, does it?

[starang21]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

It's an enormous task that would require our entire nation to be on-board and willing to come to terms with their own status as well as determining what sacrifices they'd be willing to make. For one, there has to be a massive redistribution of resources (not just money) that is hindered by capitalism. I'm not saying that we should move entirely away from capitalism to another extreme; rather that capitalism inherently drives a bigger and bigger wedge between the haves and have-nots. Capitalism favors those who have accrued wealth/resources or those who have the ability to pool resources toward a common goal.

i wouldn't make any sacrifices.

[starang21]

i like capitalism.