musterion
Well-known member
And it's now found more in the North than it is in the South.
racism
- Thread starter Tambora
- Start date
And it's now found more in the North than it is in the South.
RCLady
New member
Politics, once the means to advance racial prejudice, has more often than not replaced race when it comes to the old us/them fife and drum rhetoric. Race in relation to politics still has teeth, but on an interpersonal level it's lost its appeal beyond that, thankfully.
musterion
Well-known member
I don't want to misread you but if I'm reading you right, you're one of the last people on TOL I'd expect such blanketry from.
Where I now live in the South, race is no longer an issue and locals tell me it hasn't been for a very long time.* I saw a LOT more living in Illinois where I grew up and to a slightly lesser degree in Ohio. Just my opinion and experience so it counts for no more than that but the further N you go, the more polarized it gets.
*concentrated urban areas seem to remain an exception
republicanchick
New member
I was born and raised in south-central TEXAS, but now live in north-east TEXAS in a town called Greenville.
This sign hung across the main street as you entered the downtown area.
It hung there until the 60's.
What would be your reaction if you drove into a town and saw this sign?
if I were Black, I would feel unwelcome, but then, I feel unwelcome in a very similar way b/c of being not Black, but... WORSE!!
Catholic (not just Catholic, but tell people about the Church... HORRORS. Even many other Catholics think that is WRONGSVILLE
+
Well, it's a general cultural statement, not an indictment but let's see what might be skewing the perception here. And to be clear, what meaning did you take from me on the point?
What I was attempting to note was that race was less an issue for the South and politics had supplanted it, with most angry rhetoric and ill intention being aimed at the left, regardless of race...though race is still mixed into the political objection and finds one voice or another.
I'm from an old Southern family, if that wasn't known to you. Race is far from dead in the South, but among the younger generations it's not much of one, if at all, and even the old guard are more Faulkner's notion, at worst. Speaking to the rule and not the unfortunate if not altogether scarce exceptions.
If you're unfamiliar, Faulkner said the Southern racist hates the race but loves the individual where the northern racist loves the race and hates the individual. A simplification, of course, but there was some truth in it as I experienced it, both coming up and in wider travels.
Hiya snakey, no I'm just reading an old banner that mistakenly projects race as an inherent virtue and making fun of it.
Christian
PureX
Well-known member
I grew up in the industrial north, but lived in the south for about 8 years in my 20s. And although on the surface it did seem like blacks and whites generally got along, the lines were still very firmly drawn, and everyone there knew that they weren't to be crossed. In the north there is often more contention between blacks and whites, I agree, but I think that's because the lines were never so firmly drawn and maintained in the north as they were in the south. So that challenges to the racial status quo occurred more regularly up north, while rarely in the south.
I had to laugh upon reading that your southern neighbors don't believe racism is a problem, and that it hasn't been so for a long time. Because the south that I experienced was not only still intensely racist, it was even more intensely protective of it's privileged white ruling class, to the exclusion even of poor whites (referred to as "white trash"). And there was a kind of social brutality to that protected privilege that was devastating to anyone who dared to test it.
And I learned about the brutality of this 'white privilege' in the south from the children of privileged, themselves. From those who dared to speak of it, that is.
we hear that whine here quite a lot
why, here's one the head whiners hisself!
"projects race", eh? :think:
let's take a look:
i don't see anything about race there, just a mention of colors
nice to see you whiners seeing race in everything :chuckle:
in fact, i'd have to say that's mighty white of you! :thumb:
journey
New member
I was born and raised in south-central TEXAS, but now live in north-east TEXAS in a town called Greenville.
This sign hung across the main street as you entered the downtown area.
It hung there until the 60's.
What would be your reaction if you drove into a town and saw this sign?
I quickly understand the reference to "the blackest land". That's fine, rich soil that is great for growing things. I would just as quickly view the reference to "the whitest people" as being racist. I wouldn't need anyone to explain it to me.
Lon
Well-known member
Before the 60's? It obviously came down for a reason in the 60's but the intent was not likely the reason it came down. Either it was acceptable racism at the time (doubtful) or it referred to something else and was only later seen as being readily misconstrued, so taken down as to not cause offense or to avoid further offenses in addition to ones that already occurred.
I was born and raised in south-central TEXAS, but now live in north-east TEXAS in a town called Greenville.
This sign hung across the main street as you entered the downtown area.
It hung there until the 60's.
What would be your reaction if you drove into a town and saw this sign?
If an Indian went into the city council and said "We are not the 'whitest' people." He might have a point.
So, 'my reaction' would be one of passing analysis without a lot more than that. I might ask someone what it meant, probably not. It doesn't have a lot to do with me as a visitor in town.
Lon
Well-known member
When people used to do a kind thing, I used to occasionally hear "Thank you, that's mighty white of you." Does that come from the same line of thinking/sentiment?