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MellowDem

(5,018 posts)
46. It can be a choice...
Sun Mar 25, 2012, 11:18 PM
Mar 2012

and it doesn't help when you have political ideologies that promote fear and paranoia as part of their worldview. It makes people much more likely to be fearful and perceive others as potential threats. The whole obsession that many conservatives have with being able to carry guns anywhere, anytime reflects this mindset of fear.

Obviously, if a person is raised to fear and hate black people, how much "choice" they have will be a little more up for grabs I suppose, which is sad in its own way. And society creates perceptions of others in ways individuals cannot control. But if you can at least educate people, you'll give them a chance to make the right choice and confront their prejudices.

There's a reason FDR said the greatest thing we have to fear is fear itself. It can lead to a lot of human misery. And really, living in fear is no way to live. I feel sorry for people, in a way, that have that sort of worldview.

The difference? you aren't self quarantined in a vehicle underpants Mar 2012 #1
Yes, it's the fault of automobiles! thesquanderer Mar 2012 #4
You have made a very good point. It is indeed the fault of automobiles. GoneOffShore Mar 2012 #14
Add in public libraries and community centers ... surrealAmerican Mar 2012 #15
Two more "Great, good places". n/t GoneOffShore Mar 2012 #22
You haven't been to my public library. Manifestor_of_Light Mar 2012 #26
She would hate our library...... mrmpa Mar 2012 #29
K/R and 1/7 of living Americans are K-12 students. NYC_SKP Mar 2012 #2
The minorities (and you)... AlbertCat Mar 2012 #3
Bingo. One of the issues that is causing most of the problems we are facing is the "poor" white jwirr Mar 2012 #17
Correct answer. nt MrScorpio Mar 2012 #25
I resent the implication of many of these posts xtraxritical Mar 2012 #27
I'm not sure that's relevant. noamnety Mar 2012 #33
Wow I love this response. TNLib Mar 2012 #38
Post removed Post removed Mar 2012 #5
This message was self-deleted by its author HockeyMom Mar 2012 #6
Thank you HockeyMom Mar 2012 #7
Tim Wise's essay... handmade34 Mar 2012 #8
Tim Wise is the MAN. I never cease to be amazed by him Number23 Mar 2012 #10
Tim Wise is one of the most appropriately-named people I've ever read. TahitiNut Mar 2012 #40
... handmade34 Mar 2012 #42
#nerdland TahitiNut Mar 2012 #43
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. HockeyMom Mar 2012 #9
I believe it is about handmade34 Mar 2012 #13
because most of us live gutless, cowardly lives. lets get down to it. pasto76 Mar 2012 #11
Well, we both know cowards can be dangerous... TahitiNut Mar 2012 #41
Beautiful story, hopefully repeated, though not always true. Zax2me Mar 2012 #12
Ahhh, the South Bronx Iwillnevergiveup Mar 2012 #16
i'm a former new yorker. DesertFlower Mar 2012 #18
Unfortunately, the answer to your question is because you don't live down here in the South... dsharp88 Mar 2012 #19
There are two wolfs in each of us, a good one and a bad one. They are both out to consume our Vincardog Mar 2012 #20
Sounds a lot like my mom taking the bus to work every day. we can do it Mar 2012 #21
I lived on the border of Canarsie, East New York, and Brownsville, RoccoR5955 Mar 2012 #23
"It has to work BOTH WAYS." unkachuck Mar 2012 #24
No "race" has "the problem"... MellowDem Mar 2012 #28
sorry, but killing black people was pretty much legal for a long time in this country noiretextatique Mar 2012 #39
I wasn't drawing an equivalence... MellowDem Mar 2012 #44
ok...sorry for prejudging you noiretextatique Mar 2012 #45
It can be a choice... MellowDem Mar 2012 #46
you are right...it doesn't help when irrational fears are fed by a constant barrage of propaganda noiretextatique Mar 2012 #47
I guess it must just be Florida. FLSurfer Mar 2012 #30
nope..it is not just florida. NYPD has an ugly history noiretextatique Mar 2012 #37
You're making generalizations not based on facts. Honeycombe8 Mar 2012 #31
what happened to Trayvon Martin is a consistent, ugly patttern noiretextatique Mar 2012 #36
Your making general assumptions 40lbsHammer Mar 2012 #32
not really noiretextatique Mar 2012 #35
i live in oakland, ca noiretextatique Mar 2012 #34
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