Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I could have been Trayvon Martin. [View all]ieoeja
(9,748 posts)66. Violence.
Speculating as to their reasons:
- Most of what the White community sees of African-American men (ignoring sports and entertainment) are the violent criminals seen on the nightly news.
- Many Whites are fully cognizant of the mistreatment meeted out to African-Americans over the centuries and assume they would be looking for revenge.
- Fearing what is different.
I think it mostly comes down to fearing the unknown. They have limited interaction with Blacks and, for most, none whatsoever in a predominately Black community.
This even applies to a lot of the haters. What best describes most hard-core racists I have listened to over the years -- to borrow and horribly extend a quote from Will Rogers:
They never met a Black man they didn't like, and never liked a Black man they never met.
The "I have Black friends" defense almost makes sense. For the most part they like every Black man they meet. The Black man they hate appears to be hanging out with Sasquatch.
I know, of course, there are racists that REALLY hate, though I don't know that I have ever met one who doesn't fit the above description. The only prejudiced people I personally know who hate even the ones they meet are men who hate Gays and women who hate Atheists.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
67 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
I live in a suburban area that is very white and I watch the cops pull African Americans over
proud2BlibKansan
Mar 2012
#13
The funny thing is, that when I was younger, I felt safer IN DETROIT than I did in the suburbs
MrScorpio
Mar 2012
#14
My kid is white, so I realize that he isn't judged because of that, but he's 18 years old, loves
all american girl
Mar 2012
#6
I knew a lot of African-American men who wished they could own guns legally to take back their ...
ieoeja
Mar 2012
#40
And this hoodie issue: It was raining when Trayvon was walking home for the store
MrScorpio
Mar 2012
#16
Was Trayvon Martin a wealthy business owner who the state could use in a privitazation scheme?
Tommy_Carcetti
Mar 2012
#43
Exactly. I am amazed at the people that keep accentuating that this happened in "The South"
Number23
Mar 2012
#30
People have long been naive about the police and they way they treat minorities
HipChick
Mar 2012
#36
Mr. Scorpio, one day working with a black guy in the seventies, and we were taking our lunch break.
freshwest
Mar 2012
#38