Do you think having a role model is important to young people? And if looking at the wealth distribution among the top American in the country is not a good example of racism and how far this country still has to go (opposed to DWB) . . . I don't know what to say . . . really DWB is the only example you give credit to (to me what a simplistic and relatively inconsequential example of racism v. other meaningful examples)
What was his message? Change. What represented change? the way he looked. they judged him from his outward appearance. He was an iconic figure, and voted him in.
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/54/biz_06rich400_Robert-L-Johnson_VYCO.html I didn't search; that one came off the top of my head. Perhaps there are more. I wouldn't be able to explain to you the reason. If I could, I'd be in the top 25. Did Sam Walton start off wealthy? Warren Buffett? Mike Bloomberg? Michael Dell? Sergey Brin? Larry Page? Sheldon Adelson? Nope. They worked hard, took a chance and made it happen themselves. You don't have to be born rich to make it in this country, and you sure as hell don't have to be white or male or straight or Protestant.
Well, I think that's about to CHANGE. Class and social mobility will be more difficult as the rewards for success are to be lowered.
Don't give him that much credit . . . he was the opposing canidate in a time period where the economy is reaching historic lows and running against a McCain/Palin ticket. Shooting fish in a barrel.
Well if you don't understand this, I can't explain it to you. I hope you don't have to be a minority to understand this principle, but maybe that is what it takes. I agree with your title of the thread, you are out of touch. Peace and good night
and wouldn't that be the case even if he lost? just by being the democratic nominee or being a legitimate contender to be the democratic nominee didn't already do that?
With the single exception of Barack Obama, who you insist rose based on his skin color. Puzzling. barfo
Wow, you mean you know all about racism from Portland? Sweet. Funny, I never managed to ever talk to one of those people while living in minority neighborhoods in DC, Chicago and NY. I never managed to meet or talk with a person of lower circumstance while spending at least a weekend a month and countless nights and vacations for the past 18 years working for Habitat for Humanity. And if you're picking up on the sarcasm, you should be, because I'm laying it on pretty thick.
I'm half Japanese and have been teased and made fun of. I looked different from a lot of the "normal" kids in school. Did it stop me from becoming the person I am today? No. Did it make a difference on how I view the white majority? Yes. Racism should not be an excuse to why you can't make it in this country but the fact is people treat other people differently around the country. To sit there and pretend it doesn't happen is truly naive and you are out of touch. There's not much more I can say about that. White people experience racism on other levels as well. When was the last time you saw a white running back or white corner back in the NFL? It doesn't happen very often. It's because coaches automatically stick them at other positions because they have the stigma that white guys aren't as athletic. The fact that we just elected a black president shows how far this country has come. But we still have a long ways to go.
That analogy absolutely ridiculous and untrue on so many levels that I won't even waste my time explaining them.
Oh yeah. It happens. Players talk about it, they've experienced it first hand. White guys get moved to linebacker and safety, or tight end. If they are wide receivers, they get labeled as possession guys. It's hard for white players in football to stick at certain positions. Edit: I wanna add this starts in high school when kids are getting groomed to be recruited by colleges. Many of them shift to positions where they will get a better look from bigger schools. The shift from corner to safety is a huge one. Also the kids that play RB at a high level usually have to show that they can make a big impact on defense at the linebacker position. If you wanna pretend that this doesn't happen then that's your problem. I know a couple of guys in high school that made the switch to try to land a scholarship.
The fact that there are "minority neighborhoods", and "white neighborhoods", and "Chinatown" means there is racism. Both ways, as it usually is. MY LITTLE STORY I was born and raised in Lake Oswego, which you, maxiep, are familiar with. It was the size of Wasilla when I was young, and completely white. As a child I loved summer as I would fish the lake down on the tracks by the Dairy Maid, because "Old Negroes" would ride the bus from Portland to fish there. It was like hanging out with visitors from another country, and they talked with a kind of accent I'd never heard, talked about places I'd never been, talked about things I didn't understand. They sort of adapted me as a mascot or something, I think. No matter how much I pleaded with my buddies to join us they never did. They were too frightened of the strange people. Too frightened of what their parents would say or do. Too frightened, plain and simple. The other time I always looked forward to was shopping for school clothes each August. My mother would take me to downtown Portland on the bus (she still doesn't have a driver's license to this day). There would be us and a couple of people from OC, then we'd pick up some black maids or gardners as we passed by Dunthorpe, and then we'd be downtown where suddenly they were everywhere! And there were Asians, and Hispanics. For me, it was more fun than the circus! I'd be chatting up a storm with strangers on the bus, on the street, in M&F...It cracked my Mom up because my nickname at the Fire Hall was Silent (insert my first name here). And then schooltime would come, and everyone I saw each day was white for the next 9 months. Very dull. When I was in 5th or 6th grade Lake Oswego welcomed their very first 'Black Family". The Greens (ironic name) were thought to be non-threatening because they were financially comfortable enough to buy a nice home, had polite kids, and took an immediate interest in the community. None of the kids were near my age, and the family seemed too much like me to be all that interesting, so we were just neighbors and nothing more. But gradually, after years had passed and no white girls were raped by them and burglaries stayed sporadic, they were accepted as equals, if "special" equals maybe. They remained the exception in color for 4-5 years at least. Now LO is the preferred home of most Blazers, and despite being ridiculously overpriced has a pretty thorough cultural mix of successful people. The old men don't come to fish anymore, as they were run out long ago by racist business owners. I now reside in Beautiful Central Oregon. I moved here 7 years ago. There are many Hispanics, nearly all are illegal aliens. Nearly all seem to be decent people, but they are very cliquish and don't mingle. Few speak English well, or willingly. I saw no blacks for 2 years here. Now there are probably 20 families or so. Their uneasiness is apparent when you see them around town. They seem very guarded, and probably with good reason. I am seeing the same transition here that I saw LO go through, and it's sad to see the same resistance to "new" people that I saw as a child. This community is 45 years behind LO in terms of racial acceptance. The reason is you can't teach it. It only comes from personally getting to know people. Get out and meet someone different. It's fun, and enlightening, and you might make a new friend.
Hey Maris I have multiple illegal immigrant friends as I live in Las Vegas. I tell them often that they would be the last ones I would deport if I were given the authority.
