Have African-Americans Gained Acceptance? - Page 2 - Political Forum

francois60 · #11 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006, 05:27 PM

I say yes. While dicrimination, bias, and subconscious racism is still a fact of life, African-Americans have completely been accepted in mainstream life.

Now, if only we can see a major motion picture with an Asian male as a lead actor in a romance-comedy.

francois60 · #12 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006, 09:42 PM

I believe that in the South there are still racist attitudes towards blacks. There's a huge amount of blacks in the South, but there don't seem to be many black politicians in the south. I believe that many Southerners still feel that they have to prevent blacks from gaining office. That's just my gut instinct. I have really not spent any time in the South.

Since I moved to Kentucky, some hicks in pickups have yelled "Nigger!" at me twice. That never happened in Florida. And for those who don't know, I'm not black. So these hicks are really freakin' stupid.

superbug · #13 (**permalink**) 12-07-2006, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W.E.B. Du Bois

My comment was agreeing with yours. When you say there are no African-Americans, then that to me, means that there are only Americans and no hyphenated Americans. That is the least discriminatory attitude.

Teach me to read the board, and go over paper work and calibrations at the same time.... that's it, only one thing at a time from now on.

CHUQ · #14 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 04:25 AM

Where I live they are not accepted, mostly tolerated. And they are forced to sit in the back of the bus--happened a couple months agoin Louisiana. Workers at a Chicken plant put "whites only" on the restroom.

I think acceptance is there but it will depend on where you live. My area there are two mjor groups those who think the sunrises on country music and those who dig rap. One does not tolerate the other very much. Only occassionally--after all it is the law.

I apologize for not being politically correct in the thread--you may acll yourselves anything you--Afro-Americans, Blacks, etc--semantics have nothing to do with acceptance. JUst an avoidance.

FRYandBENDER · #15 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W.E.B. Du Bois

There's a huge amount of blacks in the South, but there don't seem to be many black politicians in the south. I believe that many Southerners still feel that they have to prevent blacks from gaining office.

WEB

This isn't so much an opinion (I said I was sitting this one out), but just for WEB's better understanding. Our state, Alabama, is literally run by black people. Yes Bob Riley is white, as was his recent opponent and everyone else who was running for "major" offices, but if you take a trip to Montgomery and visit the government offices you will see that our state government offices are held primarily by black people, school boards and all that kind of thing.

I'm pretty sure that it isn't so much a matter of racism or apathy for white people, at least in the south, but resentment. Bear with me on this WEB. I can't really understand the mind set of whites who were around during segregation and civil rights (I never really met anyone who advocates segregation), but as far as what I've seen and heard, the black people, not all mind you, but the ones who are "resented" are nothing like the black people who were around during the CR movement. MLK and the like fought for whites and blacks to be equal and for people to be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Today, the modern "civil rights" movement seems to be aiming, with some success, to give blacks rights or opportunities, that supercede not only whites, but hispanics and asians. I guess to get to the point, a lot of the complaints from white people I've heard go something like this: "The blacks during the civil rights movement were attacked by dogs, beaten by police, and blugeoned with fire hoses. What would they think if they (particularily MLK) were around today to see black people yelling the N word every other word, smoking crack, recieving welfare to support their family while spending the money they have earned on 20" rims, having babies out of wedlock at an alarming rate, and listening to music that advocates the demoralization and objectifying of women?" I have also heard this argument: "You know, any little criticism can have you labeled as a racist. I'm not criticizing black people because they are black, but because their actions are detrimental to themselves and to our society. When a black man says, "the white man won't let me get ahead" I would say that he is wrong, they are given government money, free college if they work for it, and job considerations over white people just because they are black. But if they lets say, are the directors of the Birmingham school board, and 4 million dollars of government $$$ goes missing, we can't say anything because they will say we are being racist. But that is $4,000,000 that was supposed to go to our schools, and because of PC policies and fears we will never find out what happened to it."

The last statement I heard when in fact $4,000,000 went missing from the Birmingham school board directors, who are all black, and nothing, in fact was done, because as soon as questions were beginning to be asked the race card was pulled and the investigation was dropped. I think my old boss had said that one.

I hope this is somewhat understandable. As for me, I think that there are way too many BS arguements mixed in with the valid ones to ever get anywhere. I think that we will first have to forgive eachother of our tresspasses and be HONEST with each other before any progress will be made. MLK's dream has not been realized, but it is just as much the fault of blacks as it is whites. He was a damn good man and I wish he was still around.

superbug · #16 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W.E.B. Du Bois

I believe that in the South there are still racist attitudes towards blacks. There's a huge amount of blacks in the South, but there don't seem to be many black politicians in the south. I believe that many Southerners still feel that they have to prevent blacks from gaining office. That's just my gut instinct. I have really not spent any time in the South.

Could it be that those running aren't qualified enough, or they ran an ineffective campaign?
In black areas of town you can't get elected dog catcher if you are anything but black.

Gumbercules · #17 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W.E.B. Du Bois

I believe that in the South there are still racist attitudes towards blacks. There's a huge amount of blacks in the South, but there don't seem to be many black politicians in the south. I believe that many Southerners still feel that they have to prevent blacks from gaining office. That's just my gut instinct. I have really not spent any time in the South.WEB

Are you referring to black politicians in federal positions?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artur_Davis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford_Bishop
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynthia_McKinney
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Le...8politician%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_S...8politician%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Jindal
That one is not black but is the son of Indian immigrants
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Jefferson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennie_Thompson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Watt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Clyburn
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Ford%2C_Jr.

This is just in the House. I'll admit that blacks could probably be better represented in the south but they are represented. Also without taking into account the positions taken by any candidate in any election, their qualifications, or how effectively they run their campaign you can't just say they weren't elected because they're black. Some voters may use that as a deciding factor but I'll bet the majority do not.

superbug · #18 (**permalink**) 12-10-2006, 09:49 AM

Exactly how was that ad race bating?

superbug · #19 (**permalink**) 12-10-2006, 03:02 PM

WOW! I've made some streatches before in what I've seen, but that.... WOW! That takes the cake for right now. Sorry, but I don't buy that race bate crap on this one at all. Nice try though.

FRYandBENDER · #20 (**permalink**) 12-10-2006, 07:39 PM

I'm probably going to sound like an insensitive prick on this one, but I believe the reason that "African American" is still so prevelant is two fold. One being that having never really come to trust white people and having been descriminated against for so long, the resulting "black pride" (these were not smart ass quotations

) has led them to not totally assimilate into "American" culture, at least a lot of them. All the black people I know are pretty well off, and (I hate to use the expression, but THEY have got me saying it) might as well be white (again, their expression, not mine). They don't really go for the whole african american thing, they said, literally, " dude, I'm a black dude. Where the fuck is Africa anyways?" Of coarse, he was just kidding about where Africa is, but was basically saying that he was an American. They have said that they could give a fuck less about actual African culture and hate all the african colored hats and clothes that black people used to wear it the early to mid 90's. Anyhow, I think that the "roots" mentality comes into play, they just hold onto their heritage a lot more than white people do. I mean, I don't ever tell people that I'm an English-American. Secondly, I think they push it so hard because, well, they prefer it to other names that they have been called, and you can hardly blame them for that.