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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ShinHakkaider" data-source="post: 6182493" data-attributes="member: 9213">Hell, I used to do this. Well not exactly but walking down the block behind white women in particular I would always either slow down (to put some distance between us) or speed up (so that I can pass them). Mostly because they would get nervous when they notice me walking behind them or walking toward them. Didn't matter if I was wearing slacks and a button down shirt or jeans and T-Shirt. But for being aware of this and responding to it I'm considered a racist by some people. To which I used to respond: If doing something to put someone else at ease and make me less suspect is racist then I guess I am.I'm 41 now (i'll be 42 in another 2 weeks or so) and NOW? I don't care. If you see me coming and give me a wide berth? THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM. If me walking down the street prompts you to grab your purse or bad or whatever then that's on you. I've just stopped caring to an extent. The other thing, I observed an exchange on another board where some of the posters said that the only real racism left in the US was from the KKK. It's a trend that I've noticed that comes out of the mouth of a fair amount of white/non-black people. Which by default means that any other type of ill treatment because of our skin color ISNT because of skin color and is because we either have really thin skins and/or imagining it. OR even better we somehow BENEFIT from calling out (presumed) racist treatment or behavior. It's pretty much a variation on shaming tactics used on women when they speak out about sexism. Do I believe that the US is as OPENLY racist as it was in the 40's, 50's 60's? NO. We can extend right up into the late 80's as well. (I remember Guilliani's NYC very well from my teens and 20's and it was no picnic being a young black or latino male here during that time. Either you were targeted by others in your neighborhood or you were targeted by the police. There was NO WINNING here.)But do I believe that this country is as racist towards blacks as it was back them? Absolutely. It's just not as out in the open. But it's still there. You have more black men and women getting college degrees than in the past 20 years or so. More of us are gainfully employed (recession aside). Violent Crime numbers are actually down (at least here in NYC. And very little of it has to do with Stop and Frisk. I'm not saying that the police arent doing a great job. But I think that any OTHER policy with like a 3% success rate would have been nixed long ago). I think that the fact that despite all of the forward steps that have been made and the good things that have happened in the AA community, the general population are still absolutely fine with criminalizing an entire race of people based on a percentage of that race being criminals lends credence to what I'm saying. There's also the fact that whenever the question is asked whites overwhelmingly think that racism isnt that big of an issue anymore while blacks when polled say the opposite. There is still a huge schism in this country regarding race. Me bringing it up doesn't make me the problem as Im sure some people are already thinking. To me it's basically the police brutality thing. Here's what I mean: After the videotape of Rodney King getting his ass beat on tv surfaced, all of a sudden white people were like: OH MY GOD! That's awful!!. While to most of us in the AA and Latino communities weren't surprised at all. Because it was on TV and other white people were talking about it it all of a sudden had validation. It's part of the reason why the LGBT community is doing well in it's fight against homophobia. ANYONE can have a gay friend, Parent, brother, sister, roommate or other acquaintance. Having that connection HUMANIZES the other. In some cases it still doesn't but there are more opportunities for humanization of the other than not. The opportunities are fewer when it comes to race especially if you're black in this country. Fewer still if you're a black male (if youre obviously bi-racial then you have a better chance). The racism is still there. It's just become more insidious and not as obvious. What's worse, and I have to admit my own culpability in this as well, I dont have the patience to seek the moral high ground anymore. I've found that in the end it's not worth it and NOONE REALLY CARES. When I was younger I used to have the energy to at least try and educate and fight against my own preconceptions and patient enough to help others get past their own. NOW? I'm tired and I just really don't care anymore. You don't like me because of my skin color? I'm not gonna try to change your mind. I DONT CARE. Take a flying **** off a tall building and I hope you're screaming all the way down.</blockquote>

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