White people, don't you dare go there

Jewish World Review ^ | Dec. 8, 2003 | Jimmie Walker

[SJackson]

As our society becomes more and more racially splintered, there is a stark reality...white people can't speak or register their thoughts about race nor can they have an open dialog without being considered racist.

When football player, Junior Seau was asked how to stop San Diego Charger star running back LaDainian Tomlinson, he said: "Put a couple of buckets of chicken and some watermelon in front of him and maybe that would stop him." The Miami Dolphin's Seau, who is himself a minority, was wearing a Tomlinson jersey at the time. He later said Tomlinson, a former teammate, was one of his best friends and that there was no issue. Tomlinson later agreed and said he didn't know what all the fuss was about.

Yet a few years ago, Fuzzy Zoeller, a white pro golfer, was asked what he thought Black Pro Golfer Tiger Woods was going to serve at the Masters dinner, Zoeller replied, "Chicken, watermelon, or whatever those people eat." Zoeller was called a racist, had to apologize to Tiger, and the Masters Tournament. He quickly lost his gig as a K-Mart pitchman.

Gambler Jimmy " The Greek" said Blacks were better athletes because they were bred to be that way by their slave owners. He was promptly fired.

Yet Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker, who happens to be Black, was asked about his players playing in the extreme heat. He said: " That is no problem for my players, because that's what we were brought over here for, wasn't it?" Baker never backed down from his comment, stating that's what his mother told him.

HBO had a special where personal letters of slaves were read aloud by Black celebrities such as Whoopi Goldberg, Ruby Dee, and Don Cheadle. In one of the letters, a slave girl wrote: "I'm a teenage girl and my master married me to a slave from another plantation because he was strong, big, and healthy. He wanted good, strong workers for his fields and big healthy slaves that he could sell."

[xJones]

Give it up already. I can call my sister a pig. But, if you try it, I'll kick yo' az. It's the same principle.

Your sister ain't nearly as ugly as your dog. :)

[dwd1]

Some remember, some forget, some deny, and some relive it everyday, and some bring it up every chance they get...

Me, personally... I remember it, but I do not let myself be a prisoner of the memories... And it is where I come from... It is not where I am going to (at least, I hope not! :-))

[cyborg]

He's got ideas that would win points with the Pat Buchanan set too... who knew?

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1203/walker.html

[dwd1]

I am not sure if that means you know only nice and compassionate white people or does it mean that you know few black people...

It is a two edged sword and the pain and the persecution goes in both directions at times. However, your goal of "getting" over it would be much more easily achieved if more black people stopped living in the past and more white people stopped forgetting it...

Work to be done on all sides...

Obviously, you don't need work, but just like I don't know any crackheads and you don't know any racists, I can assure you, they are out there... We just happend to hang out with a better crowd... :-)
IMHO...

[dwd1]

I should say that I think it goes back to what we were talking about the other day... In this country, we try to get better as a nation and as a society... We fail but we don't quit trying... If we were not able to solve such problems regardless of how much time it takes, who knows... Perhaps the great, great, grandsons of Lee and Grant would be slugging it out over the city of Los Angeles...

[cyborg]

Some people are their own worst enemies. We build our own prisons. There were black slaves who were more free in their minds and their faith even while they were not free to do what they wanted to do. The best thing I ever did was to stop allowing myself to be a prisoner of my past on so many levels.

As far as black people are concerned, I know too many black people to say they all think alike. Everyone is different, and have their own problems. As far as I can see, the only black people doing all this smack talking about slavery are those who make money off of it (people's bad memories).

[BraveMan]

I still want to take Taj Mahal fishing . . .

[dwd1]

I was thinking about someone's writing I read when I was a kid... "We ain't poor! We're just broke!" Broke is a condition... Poor is a state of mind... And it takes a lot more work to deal with an attitude than it does a situation... Serenity prayer is very applicable...

Reparations would not cure the pain of the black community towards the past.... That would be treating the symptom and not the disease... There needs to be a widespread feeling that the only limits we have are those we place on ourselves... Too many people of all colors don't have hope... Those are the poor people in this country... I know how to help someone who is broke... It is going to take someone a lot smarter than me to figure out what to do about the poor people... And I don't think Bayer, penicillin, or any amount of money is going to cure that problem...IMHO... And I truly hope I am wrong...

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

I would say something but i'm an "American White Christian Male" So therefore any statement made by me would be construde as racist and bigoted given in the spirit of fun or in earnst or just as a complimentary statment it would still be wrong ?

[dwd1]

What was it they recommend you do to people that can't take a joke?

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

What was it they recommend you do to people that can't take a joke?

"Kerrey" If they cant take a joke ? "Kerry" = F bomb

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I really do not know any white racists. I do know a few "black" Americans who are racists. I worked in Social Work for years and that is where I met many "black " racists. The ones who had nothing good to say about "white " America.

Also in college getting my BSW. I was taught that "Black" Americans could not be racist and anything they said about whitey was okay, because that was freedom of speech and hatred that resulted from so many years of white racism.

Here is my question, where is the racism today? Not years ago.. not generations ago... right now. How many students are being denied college entrance because of the color of their skin.. indeed they are given more money than any other group to get to college. How many in this group are being turned down for employment, which they are qualified for because they have darker skin? I know of none. There are federal programs to keep that from happening. Who would get caught these days not giving a dark skinned person a job, if there is an opening. Where are the people who have been denied anything because of their color? Denied today?

Every crime that has been committed against my family has been committed by a "black" American. Some very serious crimes too.

My history does not make me think all "black" Americans are criminals, or lazy ,or hurtful ,or hateful, or guilty for the crimes of others who have hurt my family. "Black" Americans do not owe me anything as a group , because of my history.

I also know non- racist "Black " Americans, who would like to live in a free country and not have a stereotype, or a label attached to them where ever they go.

Who is putting this stereotype of victim on them.. it isn't me, I don't think they are victims of anything. It is the people who keep demanding every "white" person remember that their dark skinned ancestors were indeed victims. Guess what , so were mine. So were many people.

No one in my family's history , as far back as I can trace to the pilgrims, ever owned a slave, of any color skin, of any nationality.

But I do have ancestors who have fought and died for this country, whose families lived and died in poverty as a result. Some of them were mistreated by the government . Some were promised things that never came to fruition. Guess what , I am not the only one wither . People gave life and limb for this country.

Does that make me a victim? Does it make anyone a victim? I say NO.

Sure, there is some racism left in this country, but I say it is the people in this country with the agenda of keeping "black " Americans victims who are racist. I want ot live in the present, not the past.

I will not see dark skinned Americans as victims. I won't teach my children these people are victims. I just will not do it.

I am going to stay color blind, my kids are going to be color blind. I believe in equality ,and that means that I am not going to feel sorry for anyone.

[verity]

Your sister may kick YOUR ass.:~)

[XtreMarine]

S.S.D.D. Don't make me spell it out...

[onyx]

Mississippi DYNOMITE ping

I'm so happy to be included with yall.

Jimmie Walker is one funny comedian and he's a smart man also.

[SerpentDove]

>>Many of us have known for years that Jimmy "Dyno-mite" Walker was on the side of us good guys.<<

He was hilarious on Good Times. About the ONLY funny person on there IMHO, but he was worth watching the show for.

[Wright is right!]

"His reaction to the stereotype that Asians were smarter on average than the US population in general? For the ones who are in North America, it's true; but it isn't backed up by his experience in Asia. His conclusion: only the smartest or the most focused/determined made it here, so the stereotype is based upon a sample that's not representative."

There are two sides to the Asian model. One side is exemplified by the overachieving young Asians who can kick 1600 on their SAT's in their sleep, the other side are entire Asian families who do well for themselves due to a strong family-work ethic.

Here in Nashville, we have a sizeable Asian population, and they follow a predictable pattern. Entire extended families will occupy one house, and not necessarily a really large one at that. EVERYONE will work, and for a short period, everyone tosses most of their pay into the family pot. With a lot of income and few expenses, the family quickly acqires the means to buy or open several businesses, and within a few years, all the businesses are thriving and the extended family has dispersed, each to their own new homes. The Asian families will make the short-term sacrifice for the sake of opportunity, and they all will take maximum advantage of it. Asians have a strong spirit of entepreneurship that you find a great deal less of in other minorities, especially Black. This is fatal, because the key to wealth and empowerment is thru entepreneurship. Asians understand this, whether here or IN Asia.

Michael

[dixie sass]

I don't believe it because it makes me feel good Rebel Coach, I believe it because we all want a good education for our children, a nice place to live, a good job, etc, etc.

A lot of people make themselves fail and then blame it on others. A lot of parents but the burden of failure on their children by telling them they will never amount to anything and they will never rise above the level they are at now. It's also not just the parents and grandparents, it the leaders in the communities who refuse to allow them to better themselves.