http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090219/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/holder_race

 

What say you?

When I read this yesterday, I didn't really understand how what he was saying was supposed to help anything.

 

I know, see, and talk to plenty of African-Americans every day, but none of which I see on a regular basis. This has nothing to do with the fact that they are African-American, but the fact that we don't have the same friends. Does that make me a coward or a racist?

How in the world do we elect a Black president and race is still an issue? :deadhorse::ohbrother:

"we, as average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race."

He was saying people are afraid to talk about race issues with people from other races, which I find to be true. Not simply talking to people from another race.

I have some white freinds(my wife included), that are frank and open about speaking with me about racial matters. One friend read this article to me yesterday, and had an incredibly open, serious, conversation on matters of race.

 

I have some white freinds that are afraid to say certian things or ask certian questions about race with me. I can almost see what they are thinking, but for thier own reasons, they won't say it to me. Does that make them cowards? I won't say that, but they just refuse to be as frank and open as others.

 

As far as race still an issue, yes it is. It is the biggest issue, no, but it is an issue.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090219/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/holder_race

 

What say you?

I'd say we have the wrong man for attorney general.

"we, as average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race."

He was saying people are afraid to talk about race issues with people from other races, which I find to be true. Not simply talking to people from another race.

 

True. In today's climate in this country (as it has been for a number of years), political correctness still rules on issues of race. One must be extremely careful of what he/she says because it is likely that anything remotely critical of a minority will swiftly result in that person being called a racist.

 

I believe that, to start a meaningful dialogue, minorities must learn to accept honest criticism without crying "foul". If you disagree, I would suggest you review how criticism of Obama was greeted both during the election and now.

True. In today's climate in this country (as it has been for a number of years), political correctness still rules on issues of race. One must be extremely careful of what he/she says because it is likely that anything remotely critical of a minority will swiftly result in that person being called a racist.

 

I believe that, to start a meaningful dialogue, minorities must learn to accept honest criticism without crying "foul". If you disagree, I would suggest you review how criticism of Obama was greeted both during the election and now.

 

Political Correctness has cost our society a lot of common sense.

 

Sometimes those with the least common sense, talk the loudest. There were some criticisms of Obama that were percived as racist that weren't(some were), and some claiming that African Americans only voted for Obama because of his skin color(though some did).

 

Me personally, as an African American, I have more problems with someone trying to hide thier own prejudices, than someone who is open about what they belive, and confronting them.

Only a man living in "a race cocoon" could claim this country still lives "in a race cocoon." I would like to see if he actually walks the walk.

 

We have been talking about disparity in race for years, openly, privately, publicly, and otherwise. Its a constant topic in the school system. Its a constant topic on Comedy Central. Its a constant topic even at my church.

 

I simply can't fathom what more there is to talk about, and I consider myself to be a pretty intelligent person.

 

People congregate privately with other people who have similar backgrounds, tastes, and views. Its the way it is. It is why Serbs don't hang out with Croats, New Yorkers from Little Italy don't hang out with New Yorkers from the Irish Bronx, Jews congregate with other Jews in the Jewish community centers, Mormons center their lives around their wards, and there are First Baptist churches and Second Baptist churches.

 

The article said that I need to "feel comfortable saying the wrong things," so here it goes: I am not ever going to like rap music, I am not ever going to believe Kwanzaa should be a real holiday, I am not ever going to use the phrase "African-American," I don't think there should be laws granting preference to black people in anything (including college head football coaching positions), and I'm not ever going to support financial recompense for slavery. Similarly, I am willing to bet that most black people do not like Celtic music, do not heavily celebrate St. Patrick's Day, are not going to call me "Irish-American," do not believe I should be granted preference in athletic scholarships because I don't have the physical ability to compete with many black athletes at running back.

 

There are a few black members of my baptist church. We socialize with one another, because we have church in common. There are several black members of the Bardstown football team, and our families also socialize together, because we have football in common. Our community has a very nice "Buttermilk Days" celebration that is organized and conducted mostly by black people, and is attended by everybody, because they all have a love of great food and soul music in common. My dad had several servicemen in his Naval unit who were black, and those families all socialized, because they had the unit, the unit softball team, and an apparent love of beer, in common.

 

Mr. Holder, and President Obama, don't understand this. We socialize and talk with one another where we have common ground. However, you cannot force the common ground. People are different, and the quciker the Eric Holder's of the world get that through their thick skulls, the quicker we can stop pointing fingers and start enjoying Buttermilk Days with one another.

Only a man living in "a race cocoon" could claim this country still lives "in a race cocoon." I would like to see if he actually walks the walk.

 

We have been talking about disparity in race for years, openly, privately, publicly, and otherwise. Its a constant topic in the school system. Its a constant topic on Comedy Central. Its a constant topic even at my church.

 

I simply can't fathom what more there is to talk about, and I consider myself to be a pretty intelligent person.

 

People congregate privately with other people who have similar backgrounds, tastes, and views. Its the way it is. It is why Serbs don't hang out with Croats, New Yorkers from Little Italy don't hang out with New Yorkers from the Irish Bronx, Jews congregate with other Jews in the Jewish community centers, Mormons center their lives around their wards, and there are First Baptist churches and Second Baptist churches.

 

The article said that I need to "feel comfortable saying the wrong things," so here it goes: I am not ever going to like rap music, I am not ever going to believe Kwanzaa should be a real holiday, I am not ever going to use the phrase "African-American," I don't think there should be laws granting preference to black people in anything (including college head football coaching positions), and I'm not ever going to support financial recompense for slavery. Similarly, I am willing to bet that most black people do not like Celtic music, do not heavily celebrate St. Patrick's Day, are not going to call me "Irish-American," do not believe I should be granted preference in athletic scholarships because I don't have the physical ability to compete with many black athletes at running back.

 

There are a few black members of my baptist church. We socialize with one another, because we have church in common. There are several black members of the Bardstown football team, and our families also socialize together, because we have football in common. Our community has a very nice "Buttermilk Days" celebration that is organized and conducted mostly by black people, and is attended by everybody, because they all have a love of great food and soul music in common. My dad had several servicemen in his Naval unit who were black, and those families all socialized, because they had the unit, the unit softball team, and an apparent love of beer, in common.

 

Mr. Holder, and President Obama, don't understand this. We socialize and talk with one another where we have common ground. However, you cannot force the common ground. People are different, and the quciker the Eric Holder's of the world get that through their thick skulls, the quicker we can stop pointing fingers and start enjoying Buttermilk Days with one another.

 

Excellent post filled with common sense and reality. I would merely add a hardy "amen". However, I can't imagine there is anyone who doesn't thoroughly enjoy watching Michael Flatley and Jean Butler perform Celtic dances.

Excellent post filled with common sense and reality. I would merely add a hardy "amen". However, I can't imagine there is anyone who doesn't thoroughly enjoy watching Michael Flatley and Jean Butler perform Celtic dances.

 

And enjoy Maya Angelou's (non-political) poetry, there is plenty of crossover, and has been for years, that is my point.

 

We don't talk about race because race isn't interesting. Culture is interesting. History is interesting. Football, music, and food are interesting. Race is not.

Only a man living in "a race cocoon" could claim this country still lives "in a race cocoon." I would like to see if he actually walks the walk.

 

We have been talking about disparity in race for years, openly, privately, publicly, and otherwise. Its a constant topic in the school system. Its a constant topic on Comedy Central. Its a constant topic even at my church.

 

I simply can't fathom what more there is to talk about, and I consider myself to be a pretty intelligent person.

 

People congregate privately with other people who have similar backgrounds, tastes, and views. Its the way it is. It is why Serbs don't hang out with Croats, New Yorkers from Little Italy don't hang out with New Yorkers from the Irish Bronx, Jews congregate with other Jews in the Jewish community centers, Mormons center their lives around their wards, and there are First Baptist churches and Second Baptist churches.

 

The article said that I need to "feel comfortable saying the wrong things," so here it goes: I am not ever going to like rap music, I am not ever going to believe Kwanzaa should be a real holiday, I am not ever going to use the phrase "African-American," I don't think there should be laws granting preference to black people in anything (including college head football coaching positions), and I'm not ever going to support financial recompense for slavery. Similarly, I am willing to bet that most black people do not like Celtic music, do not heavily celebrate St. Patrick's Day, are not going to call me "Irish-American," do not believe I should be granted preference in athletic scholarships because I don't have the physical ability to compete with many black athletes at running back.

 

There are a few black members of my baptist church. We socialize with one another, because we have church in common. There are several black members of the Bardstown football team, and our families also socialize together, because we have football in common. Our community has a very nice "Buttermilk Days" celebration that is organized and conducted mostly by black people, and is attended by everybody, because they all have a love of great food and soul music in common. My dad had several servicemen in his Naval unit who were black, and those families all socialized, because they had the unit, the unit softball team, and an apparent love of beer, in common.

 

Mr. Holder, and President Obama, don't understand this. We socialize and talk with one another where we have common ground. However, you cannot force the common ground. People are different, and the quciker the Eric Holder's of the world get that through their thick skulls, the quicker we can stop pointing fingers and start enjoying Buttermilk Days with one another.

 

:clap: Excellent Post!

Political Correctness has cost our society a lot of common sense.

 

Sometimes those with the least common sense, talk the loudest. There were some criticisms of Obama that were percived as racist that weren't(some were), and some claiming that African Americans only voted for Obama because of his skin color(though some did).

 

Me personally, as an African American, I have more problems with someone trying to hide thier own prejudices, than someone who is open about what they belive, and confronting them.

 

That is an interesting statement, and I would like to know why.

 

We all have prejudices of one sort or another. Some are more sinister than others. For instance, as one of the unavoidable hazards of my job, I have a built-in prejudice concerning the actions of police officers. I question their actions, automatically. I also have a built-in prejudice against insurance companies.

 

However, to publicly display those prejudices violates certain principles of common decency. If I were prejudiced against trailer-trash women who birth babies like they were coming out of a soda machine, it would 1) serve no purpose 2) humiliate the person unnecessarily 3) be a poor witness to my continuing struggles to be a caring Christian, and 4) be flat-out rude. It is this last one, and the violation of it routinely, that I opine constitutes the chief downfall of western civilization today.

That is an interesting statement, and I would like to know why.

 

We all have prejudices of one sort or another. Some are more sinister than others. For instance, as one of the unavoidable hazards of my job, I have a built-in prejudice concerning the actions of police officers. I question their actions, automatically. I also have a built-in prejudice against insurance companies.

 

However, to publicly display those prejudices violates certain principles of common decency. If I were prejudiced against trailer-trash women who birth babies like they were coming out of a soda machine, it would 1) serve no purpose 2) humiliate the person unnecessarily 3) be a poor witness to my continuing struggles to be a caring Christian, and 4) be flat-out rude. It is this last one, and the violation of it routinely, that I opine constitutes the chief downfall of western civilization today.

 

 

I guess it would be more accurate for me to say I would rather deal with overt prejudice instead of covert prejudice. And I admit I was dealing with moreso a racial prejudice concept as well. If someone is out front with what they belive, at least I feel I know where they stand and can confront the issue directly.

 

BTW, post #9 is great stuff.

I'd say we have the wrong man for attorney general.

 

Of course people are afraid to discuss racial issues. So many minorites get upset and start bellowing and crying over minor petty crap. People will be afraid to talk period before it's said and done. It almost seems like the media stirs a lot of it up too. People of all races need to quit taking themselves so seriously.