As I said, I am a man of the people. And I hear it from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Maybe you guys need to be more observant of the world around you. You can't build up gates to keep out everything you don't like or understand, you must confront it.

You completely ignored my question about how you have solved anything by hanging out in bars in which you frequently hear racist slurs. Do you confront those bar patrons? Do you lecture them about the evils of racism?

 

What do you personally do to combat racism among your white "brethren" that solves anything. Racists, regardless of their own race, will seek out others who share their views. By hanging out with them in places like bars, one is supporting the owner of an establishment that obviously turns a blind eye to the offensive behavior of his customers. When customer behavior begins affecting the bottom line, then business owners will take action. Being a paying customer, especially a repeat customer, just feeds the bad behavior and the best way to voice your objection is to vote with your feet.

 

Very few hard core racists are going to change their attitudes and doing business where they do business indirectly supports their behavior.

 

You can't just accept that the white people he hangs out with aren't racists? You accused him of just ignoring it and pretending he didn't hear words. Or did I read that wrong?

 

That post makes it seem like you believe it's not possible that the people he hangs out with do not say racist words about black people.

 

All I said was that a lot of white people ignore the awful things that come out of fellow white people's mouths. Only he knows for sure if he falls in that group. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't, depending on who's doing the talking, and whether it's worth the trouble or not.

You completely ignored my question about how you have solved anything by hanging out in bars in which you frequently hear racist slurs. Do you confront those bar patrons? Do you lecture them about the evils of racism?

 

What do you personally do to combat racism among your white "brethren" that solves anything. Racists, regardless of their own race, will seek out others who share their views. By hanging out with them in places like bars, one is supporting the owner of an establishment that obviously turns a blind eye to the offensive behavior of his customers. When customer behavior begins affecting the bottom line, then business owners will take action. Being a paying customer, especially a repeat customer, just feeds the bad behavior and the best way to voice your objection is to vote with your feet.

 

Very few hard core racists are going to change their attitudes and doing business where they do business indirectly supports their behavior.

 

You keep seizing on this detail about the bar, as though I live there or something. This is just the most recent incident of many over my years, incidents that have occurred in every possible scenario you can imagine. Racists hang out in corporate boardrooms just as frequently as bars.

 

Or are you one of those holier-than-thou types who looks down your nose at people who might visit a bar on occasion?

You keep seizing on this detail about the bar, as though I live there or something. This is just the most recent incident of many over my years, incidents that have occurred in every possible scenario you can imagine. Racists hang out in corporate boardrooms just as frequently as bars.

 

Or are you one of those holier-than-thou types who looks down your nose at people who might visit a bar on occasion?

The bar is the example that you used. As the aspersions you cast on fellow white folks were more general, it would not have been appropriate for me to assume that you had heard racist slurs in corporate boardrooms. Have you heard such language in corporate boardrooms, or are you just making assumptions based on your status as a "man of the people?"

 

It is none of my business how often you visit bars. On the rare occasions that I visit bars, I assume that I might encounter drunks saying things that might be offensive. I tend to overlook them and I am guessing that you do too. As I said, if you frequently hear racial slurs made by white people, then maybe you should make some adjustments to your routine.

 

All I said was that a lot of white people ignore the awful things that come out of fellow white people's mouths. Only he knows for sure if he falls in that group. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't, depending on who's doing the talking, and whether it's worth the trouble or not.

 

The only options you could come up with were: 1.) he ignores it

2.) his white friends use racist code words instead.

 

How about this option? Maybe they're just not racist and they simply don't say racist things?

The only options you could come up with were: 1.) he ignores it

2.) his white friends use racist code words instead.

 

How about this option? Maybe they're just not racist and they simply don't say racist things?

 

 

Then he has lived a privileged life to have never been around one single white person who harbors racist feelings. Especially in Kentucky. Assuming he resides in the home state of BGP.

 

Then he has lived a privileged life to have never been around one single white person who harbors racist feelings. Especially in Kentucky. Assuming he resides in the home state of BGP.

 

He didn't say he's never been around a single racist white person. Try again...I'll wait.

Especially in Kentucky. Assuming he resides in the home state of BGP.

 

PP, I am from Alabama and IMO there are more racist in Western Kentucky.

He didn't say he's never been around a single racist white person. Try again...I'll wait.

 

He's acting like he has never been around any racist white people at all. For whatever reason you and Mitch are turning Jim's personal experiences into generalizing all white people. I do see it as his own experiences shaping his views and beliefs and whether that is generalizing all white people is up for debate. I clearly see the point Jim is trying to make but I am not on the defensive either. You guys should be fortunate you only know open minded individuals who never make racial comments.

He's acting like he has never been around any racist white people at all. For whatever reason you and Mitch are turning Jim's personal experiences into generalizing all white people. I do see it as his own experiences shaping his views and beliefs and whether that is generalizing all white people is up for debate. I clearly see the point Jim is trying to make but I am not on the defensive either. You guys should be fortunate you only know open minded individuals who never make racial comments.

 

I wasn't gonna comment on this particular sub-thread that popped up, but I think I just got to. The more Jim S posted, the more it seemed fairly obvious to me that he was stating that a whole lot, if not the great majority of white people are racist, and his comments back to Mitch and hb20 leaned towards saying if they aren't hearing racists comments it's because they either aren't listening to what's being said or just decide to tune it out, to me meaning at some point in time all/most all "white people" conversation will eventually have racist statements in it. And then he talks about walking in his shoes, and completely dismisses what Mitch and hb20's say their experiences are when they state they DON"T hear all the racist talk that Jim evidently does.

 

Jim's using an awful broad brush here and Mitch and hb20 called him out on it and said they couldn't be painted that way. Add me to that mix as well. Do I hear conversations at times where a racist word or statement/overtones might be made? Yes, and I either speak up and say that language should not be used, and/or dismiss myself from the conversation. However, are those conversations common place or even the majority of what I hear? Not even close and only very infrequently do I hear conversations that might be deemed "racist". I surely don't experience them as frequently as Jim seems to.

I wasn't gonna comment on this particular sub-thread that popped up, but I think I just got to. The more Jim S posted, the more it seemed fairly obvious to me that he was stating that a whole lot, if not the great majority of white people are racist, and his comments back to Mitch and hb20 leaned towards saying if they aren't hearing racists comments it's because they either aren't listening to what's being said or just decide to tune it out, to me meaning at some point in time all/most all "white people" conversation will eventually have racist statements in it. And then he talks about walking in his shoes, and completely dismisses what Mitch and hb20's say their experiences are when they state they DON"T hear all the racist talk that Jim evidently does.

 

Jim's using an awful broad brush here and Mitch and hb20 called him out on it and said they couldn't be painted that way. Add me to that mix as well. Do I hear conversations at times where a racist word or statement/overtones might be made? Yes, and I either speak up and say that language should not be used, and/or dismiss myself from the conversation. However, are those conversations common place or even the majority of what I hear? Not even close and only very infrequently do I hear conversations that might be deemed "racist". I surely don't experience them as frequently as Jim seems to.

 

 

Jim's initial post says, "in my experiences". That's all I need to see. Again, if HB20 and Mitch have never been around racist white people then again, I applaud them for living such a privileged life. I'd have loved to have never been around racist white people.

I keep seeing the words "racist white people" being thrown out left and right here. What about the racist black people? They exist as well, my friends and unfortunately, I have been around both in my life. The problem with racism, in my opinion, is that everyone is working so hard to fix the problem whites have with blacks but no one wants to complete the circle and work on fixing the problems blacks have with whites. It's a vicious cycle that will never end until we all work together to learn more about each other and stop being so afraid of each other.

Jim needs to find new friends or new places to hang out if he experiences it as often as he claims. It is not difficult (even in this racist redneck cesspool we call Kentucky ), to find people who don't use that kind of language. Have I come across people who have used it in a racist manner? Absolutely, however it's rare. As to his generalization of country concerts (and rednecks), I've been to upwards of 50+ country concerts and can honestly say I've never heard the word uttered once there. Does that mean it isn't? Absolutely not, but Jim needs to stop trying to paint anyone who likes a certain type of music as having the propensity to be a racist. It's ignorant and insulting, but frankly it's what I would expect from Jim. If he's constantly hearing it, I think that says more about the people he chooses to associate with than it does an entire segment of the population.

Jim's initial post says, "in my experiences". That's all I need to see. Again, if HB20 and Mitch have never been around racist white people then again, I applaud them for living such a privileged life. I'd have loved to have never been around racist white people.

 

Oh come on PP dude, that's not what either one of them said. And I wouldn't have responded to this side thread if Jim had let his first post stand and that was it, but he kept getting deeper with the hole he was digging as he went along and the way I see it dragged a BUNCH of people into the conversation with his assumptions and denial of what Mitch's and hb20's experiences are. And I don't espouse to agree with everything Mitch or hb20 post, but I have to agree with their sentiment here.

I keep seeing the words "racist white people" being thrown out left and right here. What about the racist black people? They exist as well, my friends and unfortunately, I have been around both in my life. The problem with racism, in my opinion, is that everyone is working so hard to fix the problem whites have with blacks but no one wants to complete the circle and work on fixing the problems blacks have with whites. It's a vicious cycle that will never end until we all work together to learn more about each other and stop being so afraid of each other.

 

No doubt. Unfortunately we only seem to hear about racist white people. I have mentioned multiple times about racist black people but have never started a thread because we'd all agree on the outcome.