Go Back to Baltimore

[meangreenlax]

20 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

but when he attacks Elijah Cummings or AOC or Omar it’s ONLY because he’s racist

Are we to really believe that telling two black/brown congresswomen to "go back where they came from" is not racist?

My father is an immigrant, and I was born here. I grew up hearing people say that. Know what was always the case? Those people were fucking racist.

[HoustonEagle]

On 7/29/2019 at 10:25 AM, MCMLXXX said:

When Bernie Sanders compared Baltimore to a third world country, and made other negative statements about the city, was that racist? 

I don’t find it surprising that Trump or Fox News gave zero context to Mr. Sanders comments.  So let’s apply some.  Bernie Sanders actually went to the worst area of Baltimore that had experienced recent race riots and walked the streets with local leaders and residents.  He then gave a speech to a majority black audience about the struggles they face and the way forward. Not only was it not racist it was a display of integrity and leadership.  I don’t align with Mr Sanders ideologically but I admire his dedication to his beliefs and the American people.  He is a principled leader in a country that has so few.  

Here is the actual speech.  

 

[TheColonyEagle]

13 minutes ago, meangreenlax said:

Are we to really believe that telling two black/brown congresswomen to "go back where they came from" is not racist?

My father is an immigrant, and I was born here. I grew up hearing people say that. Know what was always the case? Those people were fucking racist.

So if Omar was a white woman from Germany and Germany was a war torn country like Somalia. And she escaped and came here and then constantly attacked Trump....do we think Trump would leave her alone because of the color of her skin?  He wouldn’t say “if you hate it here so much go back to Germany and fix them?” (I notice the narrative always leaves off “.....and fix them” that he said at the end) 

I don’t think you can honestly say Trump wouldn’t say the exact same thing to someone from another country that was doing what she was. Regardless of their race.

Because he’s an immature defensive baby.   

My point is he’s an A-Hole to EVERYONE.

And.....I guess Rand Paul is a racist too. He just offered to buy Omar a ticket back to Somalia so she’ll “appreciate America”

 

[meangreenlax]

3 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

So if Omar was a white woman from Germany and Germany was a war torn country like Somalia. And she escaped and came here and then constantly attacked Trump....do we think Trump would leave her alone because of the color of her skin?  He wouldn’t say “if you hate it here so much go back to Germany and fix them?” (I notice the narrative always leaves off “.....and fix them” that he said at the end) 

I don’t think you can honestly say Trump wouldn’t say the exact same thing to someone from another country that was doing what she was. Regardless of their race.

Because he’s an immature defensive baby.   

My point is he’s an A-Hole to EVERYONE.

And.....I guess Rand Paul is a racist too. He just offered to buy Omar a ticket back to Somalia so she’ll “appreciate America”

I don't think he would have the same criticism for someone from a majority white, western nation. Remember, he's the guy who asked why we allow people to immigrate from "shithole" countries, and not good ones like Norway. We have a large enough sample size to judge Trump on. There's no need to be wishy-washy and project what we think he's trying to say. It's plainly evident by this point.

The bottom line is that he told those naturalized American citizens to go back to where they came from. He is suggesting, clearly, they will never be real, full Americans. They have no obligation to go anywhere. America is their home. Just as its yours, and mine.

And yes, what Rand Paul said is racist. 

[TheColonyEagle]

Scott Adams has an interesting theory on how we view Trump.

https://www.scottadamssays.com/2017/02/12/good-example-of-our-two-movie-reality/

Edited July 31, 2019 by TheColonyEagle

[Censored by Laurie]

8 hours ago, TheColonyEagle said:

So if Omar was a white woman from Germany and Germany was a war torn country like Somalia. And she escaped and came here and then constantly attacked Trump....do we think Trump would leave her alone because of the color of her skin?  He wouldn’t say “if you hate it here so much go back to Germany and fix them?” (I notice the narrative always leaves off “.....and fix them” that he said at the end) 

II don’t think you can honestly say Trump wouldn’t say the exact same thing to someone from another country that was doing what she was . Regardless of their race.

Because he’s an immature defensive baby.   

My point is he’s an A-Hole to EVERYONE.

And.....I guess Rand Paul is a racist too. He just offered to buy Omar a ticket back to Somalia so she’ll “appreciate America”

 

ignoring the racism question (namely because, yes, OMG, it's all soooooo very racist)...

what exactly is Omar "doing" ?

[meangreenacct]

27 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

ignoring the racism question (namely because, yes, OMG, it's all soooooo very racist)...

what exactly is Omar "doing" ?

I look forward to the Prager U video he shares to answer this question...it most likely will be some variation of marrying her brother, being a proud supporter of Al Qaeda, funneling money to ISIS and being anti-Semitic ( which is an interesting take considering the President thought there were fine people in the crowd chanting “Jews will not replace us”).

[TheColonyEagle]

57 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

what exactly is Omar "doing" ?

I think we've established that Trump handles criticism like a 4 year old. She constantly attacks him so like a 4 year old he throws his toy at her. That's what he was doing. He throws his toys at everyone that criticizes him.

[TheColonyEagle]

29 minutes ago, meangreenacct said:

I look forward to the Prager U video he shares to answer this question...it most likely will be some variation of marrying her brother, being a proud supporter of Al Qaeda, funneling money to ISIS and being anti-Semitic ( which is an interesting take considering the President thought there were fine people in the crowd chanting “Jews will not replace us”).

I've never posted a Prager U video on here...

And come on man.... I think you're honest enough to know that the Charlottesville "fine people" controversy has been debunked multiple times. By you know....anyone that listened to the words that came out of his mouth. 

“I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and white nationalists because they should be condemned totally.” 

I'm really not sure how he could be any clearer....he said that in the same press conference about 2 minutes after he said "fine people"

That one ranks up there with "Muslim ban." If the press says it enough maybe it will become true? 

[meangreenacct]

1 hour ago, TheColonyEagle said:

I've never posted a Prager U video on here...

And come on man.... I think you're honest enough to know that the Charlottesville "fine people" controversy has been debunked multiple times. By you know....anyone that listened to the words that came out of his mouth. 

“I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and white nationalists because they should be condemned totally.” 

I'm really not sure how he could be any clearer....he said that in the same press conference about 2 minutes after he said "fine people"

That one ranks up there with "Muslim ban." If the press says it enough maybe it will become true? 

Agree in part that is what he later did say, however I feel like context is missing in that the entire event was organized by noted White Nationalist Richard Spencer, so to claim other people showed up to join in who do not subscribe to that world view doesn't ring true to me. I thought this article was interesting, https://thebulwark.com/the-charlottesville-hoax-hoax/ , in full disclosure it is a conservative website run by Never Trumpers.

[TheColonyEagle]

18 minutes ago, meangreenacct said:

Agree in part that is what he later did say, however I feel like context is missing in that the entire event was organized by noted White Nationalist Richard Spencer, so to claim other people showed up to join in who do not subscribe to that world view doesn't ring true to me. I thought this article was interesting, https://thebulwark.com/the-charlottesville-hoax-hoax/ , in full disclosure it is a conservative website run by Never Trumpers.

"Trump was, once again, blustering about a subject he didn’t understand, while insisting that he knew it better than anyone else."

Now that ^ I will agree with

[meangreenacct]

12 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

"Trump was, once again, blustering about a subject he didn’t understand, while insisting that he knew it better than anyone else."

Now that ^ I will agree with

We all have our skills, certainly unending confidence seems to be one of his!

[TheColonyEagle]

3 minutes ago, meangreenacct said:

We all have our skills, certainly unending confidence seems to be one of his!

Seems in life (corp America definitely included) confidence gets you further than substance...

[ColoradoEagle]

13 hours ago, TheColonyEagle said:

And.....I guess Rand Paul is a racist too. He just offered to buy Omar a ticket back to Somalia so she’ll “appreciate America”

This is the disconnect. To many (most?) on the right, what Rand Paul said is a very fair critique of someone who doesn't appreciate what she's been given. To anyone else, it's highly offensive and incredibly racist. Omar wasn't 'given' anything any more than you were 'given' something by being born here. On top of that, as a refugee, I'm pretty sure she knows what she was fleeing at the time. This is on top of doubling down on the "go back to your own country" rhetoric.

I don't believe the majority on the right is outright racist. I do believe a majority on the right does not understand the various levels to racism and thus feel like it either doesn't exist, or 'at least 95% of people are not racist'. When subtle or covert racism is brought to their attention, they dismiss it as hysteria. They're behaviors they can see in themselves and they do not see themselves as racist, so it cannot be racist.

Also, don't get me wrong. The right doesn't have exclusivity on being racist. It's just far more pronounced and pervasive within that group.

 

[El Paso Eagle]

Still find it humorous that the same people and groups that were "friends" with Trump and welcomed his donations before he was elected and also awarded and praised his work with minorities are now yelling the loudest. Bottom line, politics makes the strangest things happen.  

[MeanGreenTexan]

30 minutes ago, ColoradoEagle said:

This is the disconnect. To many (most?) on the right, what Rand Paul said is a very fair critique of someone who doesn't appreciate what she's been given. To anyone else, it's highly offensive and incredibly racist. Omar wasn't 'given' anything any more than you were 'given' something by being born here. On top of that, as a refugee, I'm pretty sure she knows what she was fleeing at the time. This is on top of doubling down on the "go back to your own country" rhetoric.

I don't believe the majority on the right is outright racist. I do believe a majority on the right does not understand the various levels to racism and thus feel like it either doesn't exist, or 'at least 95% of people are not racist'. When subtle or covert racism is brought to their attention, they dismiss it as hysteria. They're behaviors they can see in themselves and they do not see themselves as racist, so it cannot be racist.

Also, don't get me wrong. The right doesn't have exclusivity on being racist. It's just far more pronounced and pervasive within that group.

 

You think it's more?   Keep in mind, there are almost 330 million people living in the United States.   Most people keep their heads down, go to work, come home to family and live life outside of the fake reality of what social and other media outlets show. 
The media is showing us a freaking president that is void of humility and full of hubris saying stupid things, and several "rallys" that have few people at them, and trying to portray that as way more than there are.  Getting a ton of money (or fame, in the case of social media "influencers") off of dividing America.

And is there a definition or example in your mind of 'subtle or covert racism'?   I guess we need to baseline here...  To me, it should be pretty cut & dry.

[ColoradoEagle]

31 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

You think it's more?   Keep in mind, there are almost 330 million people living in the United States.   Most people keep their heads down, go to work, come home to family and live life outside of the fake reality of what social and other media outlets show. 
The media is showing us a freaking president that is void of humility and full of hubris saying stupid things, and several "rallys" that have few people at them, and trying to portray that as way more than there are.  Getting a ton of money (or fame, in the case of social media "influencers") off of dividing America.

Way more. What you're describing are the people who are overtly racist. They're part of the alt-right, white nationalist, neo-Nazi, etc groups. That number is most likely 1% or less of the country. A higher percentage of the country is racist, but not active within any type of hate group. The majority of people do not consider themselves racist in any way, as you've alluded to above. Not considering yourself racist and not being racist are two totally different things, however.

Quote

And is there a definition or example in your mind of 'subtle or covert racism'?   I guess we need to baseline here...  To me, it should be pretty cut & dry.

Well, the cut and dry part is the problem. Racism is not a cut and dry behavior/mindset, and is why a lot of people don't perceive themselves to be racist in any way. I'd rather not go into specific scenarios of subtle racism. The topic has been well researched and there is a lot of reading out there. I feel like typing up examples on a forum will just lead to defensiveness of 'I don't personally do that exact behavior'. Instead of putting energy into being defensive, I would do some reading on the topic and try to understand the outrage at certain comments/actions instead of dismissing them outright.

Edited July 31, 2019 by ColoradoEagle

[UNTLifer]

15 hours ago, meangreenlax said:

I'm from suburban Baltimore, and I grew up in MD-7. Yes, Trump's statements are racist. There's a lot to unpack when it comes to Baltimore, but its clear that Trump's strategy for 2020 is to go back to his dog whistle attacks that rile up the base, but allow more "moderate" folk to assert plausible deniability: Big dirty city full of THOSE people? Bad, dirty and infested. Rural areas with REAL Americans? Good, clean, beautiful.

Baltimore is the prototypical post-industrial Rust Belt city. Industry left, and they've been stuck circling the drain since. Redlining, disinvestment by the historically suburban controlled state government, and white flight to the suburbs has only made things worse. It's right on I-95, making it a perfect stopping point along what is considered one of the main drug trafficking corridors in the country. The Baltimore Police Department has historically been heavy handed and blatantly corrupt, so there is no community trust. If you're in Baltimore City, you don't even bother calling the cops. It's not worth your time. If you've seen The Wire, you'll understand the basic dynamic. It's a spot on depiction. 

Where Trump goes into racist territory is when he says that the district "is a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess," where "no human being would want to live there."

1. All cities have garbage and rats. Have you ever been to New York, or San Francisco? I have a hard time believing that he is really worried about the cleanliness of the town. "Infestation" is commonly used by racists to refer to majority-minority places. This is not new.

2. No human being would want to live there? 600,000 Americans choose to live in MD-7. Are they not human beings? It's worth noting that MD-7 is about 160 out of 435 congressional districts in median household income. Meaning there are a lot worse off places in this country. What does Trump say about that?

My final point, Trump is the chief executive of the US Government. If he cared so much, where is his plan to help such "shithole" places?He doesn't care. As long as he can use struggling Americans as a political tool, he is getting what he wants. 

*  First point in bold: Looks like you are in agreement.  The remainder of that paragraph sounds like you are describing the city the same way Trump did, but only using different terms..

* Second point in bold:  You just claimed in the previous paragraph that the city is "circling the drain," "white flight to the suburbs has only made things worse," "it is the perfect stopping point along what is considered on of the main drug trafficking corridors in the country," and ""you don't even bother calling the cops."  Sounds like a place no human being would want to live.  Oh, and PBS had a program about the rat infestation problem, so that is obviously true.

In response to:

1.  Yes, I have been to both.  NYC was a mess until Guiliani became mayor and cleaned the place up.  San Francisco was a mess with homeless people hanging around the trolley turnaround harassing people for money.  I was approached in a restaurant by a man in full make up harassing me for money until the transit police ran him out of there.  That entire area smell of urine.  Infestation is also used to describe places that are truly infested with pests like rats and roaches.  In walking to a place to eat breakfast one morning in SF, I witnessed a street crew picking up syringes and spraying down the sidewalks to remove the filth.  Lovely.  By the way, the homeless were of all races.

2.  You basically claimed in the early part of your post that it is a place that most people don't want to live.

Finally, your final point is that Trump, being the CEO of the U.S. government should have a plan to clean up these "shit hole" places.  He has been in office for roughly two and one half years.  Cummings has represented that district for decades and look at your description of it.  Looks like Cummings should focus on his constituents.  It was also a disaster under Obama and he even state so yet that wasn't racist.  Hell, Chris Rock has a stand up act that targets these inner city places and says the exact same things.  Racists?  Nope, just funny because it was true which is sad when you think about it.

Trump is a big baby that can't take criticism.  You criticize Trump, you better be ready for some backlash and race doesn't matter.  Trump also isn't a politician and he doesn't care if he ruffles some feathers.  These comments aren't a "dog whistle" to his base.  They are truthful, but because the Left hates Trump so much, they label them as racist.  Could his comments sound racists to some?  Obviously yes, but that is taking the easy way out.  Baltimore has wasted as much federal aid as New Orleans did prior to the Katrina catastrophe yet nobody blames the local politicians.  It is the White House's fault.  The last 4 Baltimore mayors were ousted for being corrupt.  The town has a history of this.  It is fact, not racism.

While we are on this, let's throw Puerto Rico in the mix.  Trump was criticized by their governor for not caring and not sending enough aid post hurricane.  Now, two years later, Trump's comments were right on target when he stated that they were provided enough aid, and Rosello' is resigning.  The true test will be when his replacement is determined and the amount of help the federal government will give to right the ship.

The best depiction of Trump is the one above that state he acts like a four year old and throws his toy at those that criticize him.

[MeanGreenTexan]

37 minutes ago, ColoradoEagle said:

Way more. What you're describing are the people who are overtly racist. They're part of the alt-right, white nationalist, neo-Nazi, etc groups. That number is most likely somewhere between 1-5% of the country. A higher percentage of the country is racist, but not active within any type of hate group. The majority of people do not consider themselves racist in any way, as you've alluded to above. Not considering yourself racist and not being racist are two totally different things, however.

Well, the cut and dry part is the problem. Racism is not a cut and dry behavior/mindset, and is why a lot of people don't perceive themselves to be racist in any way. I'd rather not go into specific scenarios of subtle racism. The topic has been well researched and there is a lot of reading out there. I feel like typing up examples on a forum will just lead to defensiveness of 'I don't personally do that exact behavior'. Instead of putting energy into being defensive, I would do some reading on the topic and try to understand the outrage at certain comments/actions instead of dismissing them outright.

For real?  There is no way there are that many people (~15 MILLION PEOPLE!  ~1 out of every 20 Americans!) that fit into those types of groups.   No way.   That number is probably more like .5%  Extremely fringe.  Sadly, .5% is still a significant number of people that are despicable humans.  Of course, if they happen to put some kind of rally together, we're sure to see it.   Maybe that's why it seems like there are more?

Care to throw out a ballpark (these are all ballparks) number or percentage of America is racist?   I'm just trying to pick your brain because we seem to be way far apart.

For the 2nd paragraph, if you could link one of the studies you feel encompasses the meaning best, I promise you I'll read it so I can see where you're coming from.   I don't feel like I'm being defensive or dismissive at all.

EDIT:  I suppose I may be defensive, not of myself, rather of the regular people like myself who may or may not be labeled as racists (which is an extremely serious charge/accusation) because they don't say anything.

Edited July 31, 2019 by MeanGreenTexan

[ColoradoEagle]

58 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

For real?  There is no way there are that many people (~15 MILLION PEOPLE!  ~1 out of every 20 Americans!) that fit into those types of groups.   No way.   That number is probably more like .5%  Extremely fringe.  Sadly, .5% is still a significant number of people that are despicable humans.  Of course, if they happen to put some kind of rally together, we're sure to see it.   Maybe that's why it seems like there are more?

Yeah, I had edited that number way down. I realized my lack of math skills and put it down to 1% or less. Probably much less, but I don't actively track hate group size.

Quote

Care to throw out a ballpark (these are all ballparks) number or percentage of America is racist?   I'm just trying to pick your brain because we seem to be way far apart.

Since we've established that I suck at percentages, let's go with small numbers. I would say 8 and maybe even 9 out of 10 people are racist to some degree. That doesn't mean I'm running into 8 people who are carrying tiki torches in Charlottesville. That means I'm running into 8 people who: would try to touch their black friend's hair uninvited, would prefer not to have an Asian dentist, feel people should learn English if they're going to be in this country, are immediately suspicious of someone wearing a hijab, to complain about working hard while another group of people sits on welfare, or think it's ok to tell someone they should go back to their own country. These are just a very small number of examples to show the gamut of racism that exists out there. I do not believe all of these people to have evil intentions, but I do believe they do not view others as equal to or as deserving as themselves. 

Quote

For the 2nd paragraph, if you could link one of the studies you feel encompasses the meaning best, I promise you I'll read it so I can see where you're coming from.   I don't feel like I'm being defensive or dismissive at all.

EDIT:  I suppose I may be defensive, not of myself, rather of the regular people like myself who may or may not be labeled as racists (which is an extremely serious charge/accusation) because they don't say anything.

Well, I don't have a back catalog that I keep in case of forum discussion, but Google Scholar is a good place to research. If you're looking for a book, "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a good read. For something to watch, there is quite a bit out there on the topic. Frontline's "A Class Divided" might not be a bad place to start.

Edited July 31, 2019 by ColoradoEagle

[MeanGreenTexan]

30 minutes ago, ColoradoEagle said:

Yeah, I had edited that number way down. I realized my lack of math skills and put it down to 1% or less. Probably much less, but I don't actively track hate group size.

Since we've established that I suck at percentages, let's go with small numbers. I would say 8 and maybe even 9 out of 10 people are racist to some degree. That doesn't mean I'm running into 8 people who are carrying tiki torches in Charlottesville. That means I'm running into 8 people who: would try to touch their black friend's hair uninvited, would prefer not to have an Asian dentist, feel people should learn English if they're going to be in this country, are immediately suspicious of someone wearing a hijab, to complain about working hard while another group of people sits on welfare, or think it's ok to tell someone they should go back to their own country. These are just a very small number of examples to show the gamut of racism that exists out there. I do not believe all of these people to have evil intentions, but I do believe they do not view others as equal to or as deserving as themselves. 

Well, I don't have a back catalog that I keep in case of forum discussion, but Google Scholar is a good place to research. If you're looking for a book, "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a good read. For something to watch, there is quite a bit out there on the topic. Frontline's "A Class Divided" might not be a bad place to start.

Awesome.  I think we're on the same page for the most part (maybe not?), and I'll definitely check out that Frontline piece.

There's a lot to unpack in that 2nd paragraph.  I see where you're going there, and agree a gamut is probably a good term. 
Some of it naivete or curiosity, like your first example for sure (because I'm definitely guilty of that very scenario!), that I myself may not call 'racism', just 'differences in people'.  People/cultures are different, and we can't ignore those differences, rather celebrate them.  We can't say we're 'color-blind'... that's just lying.  We can celebrate differences in people, or we can let those differences separate us, then let enmity creep in.  So a black dude's flat top (back in the early 90's) was interesting & awesome.  Just like the white kid that spiked his hair into a mohawk.
I think a line was crossed into class dichotomy with the example about working hard VS welfare, not necessarily having anything to do with race as all types of people abuse the welfare system.  Now, if a person decides to harbor more animosity towards a person of different skin color than someone who looks like them in that scenario, that's different and very much racist.
The other examples would definitely fall in to a racist gamut if you will.  As for people believing others aren't as deserving as themselves... In my opinion, that is natural (as a Christian, I would call it 'sin nature') to all humans.  That has to be overcome somehow, and can certainly devolve into outright racism if left unchecked and geared towards people simply because they don't have your same skin color.

But to my point, zeroing in on one of your examples (a really good one that could fit in a gray area): 
If a Hispanic person would rather have a Hispanic dentist than an Asian, maybe for a subconscious reason having to do with race, but he has Asian co-workers that he hangs out with sometimes at happy hour, genuinely enjoys their company, & would consider them friends...  It would seem that he would fit into the racist gamut you mention (granted, way at the tame end) and I agree exists, but would you label that person a racist?  Is there a different term for that guy?  Because he's probably more representative of the "95% of Americans" I was referring to... at least, I think/hope he is.

Good stuff that we probably could have done/do via PM, but hey, what the heck, it's the offseason!

[ColoradoEagle]

22 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

There's a lot to unpack in that 2nd paragraph.  I see where you're going there, and agree a gamut is probably a good term. 
Some of it naivete or curiosity, like your first example for sure (because I'm definitely guilty of that very scenario!), that I myself may not call 'racism', just 'differences in people'. 

Oh sure, there are differences. And if you're curious about something, you can ask. Just walking up to someone and touching them without permission happens more than you would think and is not a great look for those people lol.

Quote

People/cultures are different, and we can't ignore those differences, rather celebrate them.  We can't say we're 'color-blind'... that's just lying.  We can celebrate differences in people, or we can let those differences separate us, then let enmity creep in.  So a black dude's flat top (back in the early 90's) was interesting & awesome.  Just like the white kid that spiked his hair into a mohawk.

Absolutely agreed.

Quote

I think a line was crossed into class dichotomy with the example about working hard VS welfare, not necessarily having anything to do with race as all types of people abuse the welfare system.  Now, if a person decides to harbor more animosity towards a person of different skin color than someone who looks like them in that scenario, that's different and very much racist.

It's not limited to class, though. The stereotypes exist of the 'Welfare Queen' and of non-white people abusing the welfare system. That's one of the things Republican politicians use to drive home cuts to social aid programs. LBJ articulated these politics best:

Quote

If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.

The statistics very clearly show that white people are the largest beneficiary of welfare and food stamps, but that is not the impression of quite a few people on the right. Also those statistics in a vacuum don't address the 'why' of how people need those programs.

Quote

As for people believing others aren't as deserving as themselves... In my opinion, that is natural (as a Christian, I would call it 'sin nature') to all humans.  That has to be overcome somehow, and can certainly devolve into outright racism if left unchecked and geared towards people simply because they don't have your same skin color.

Well that much is true as well. One of the most powerful scenes in films is Matthew McConaughey's closing statement in "A Time to Kill." It shows how people are mostly or completely incapable of identifying with someone else's plight unless they're placed directly into their shoes. This is why it is so easy to keep kids in cages at the border, regardless of who it started under or whether it's worse now than it was 5 years ago. Out of sight, out of mind mixed with a feeling of superiority allows for some pretty nasty human behavior and opinions.

Quote

But to my point, zeroing in on one of your examples (a really good one that could fit in a gray area): 
If a Hispanic person would rather have a Hispanic dentist than an Asian, maybe for a subconscious reason having to do with race, but he has Asian co-workers that he hangs out with sometimes at happy hour, genuinely enjoys their company, & would consider them friends...  It would seem that he would fit into the racist gamut you mention (granted, way at the tame end) and I agree exists, but would you label that person a racist? 

Most people I wouldn't label "a racist", but I believe people exhibit more racist behavior than they would like to think. That's why people get so offended when they're referred to as racist, because they don't view themselves as racist and are incapable of understanding the racist behaviors they do exhibit.

To your example above, yes that would be a racist behavior, and a very good example in my mind. No, your theoretical person isn't sitting there saying, "How can I be a good racist today?" What they are thinking, either consciously or unconsciously, is that the Hispanic dentist would do a better job than the Asian dentist. Otherwise, why would the race of the dentist even matter? Now keep in mind, this is totally absent of any circumstantial reasons like both the patient and the dentist speak Spanish (where the Asian dentist does not), the dentist is closer geographically, or they're an acquaintance/friend.

And let's be honest. In the end, me choosing a white dentist because I'm white isn't going to end life as we know it. Where the issue comes in is with politics and people using plausible deniability to enact some heinous policies. Probably another conversation for another day, though.

 

[Censored by Laurie]

https://www.usnews.com/news/cities/articles/2019-07-31/fact-checking-president-trump-on-his-baltimore-tweets

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/07/29/president-trumps-baltimore-tweets-were-racist-he-also-fails-grasp-what-ails-our-cities/?utm_term=.bad5d00ac7a1

 

I'm feeling to run down to write out my thoughts, so just read what these people who write better than me have to say. 

[TheColonyEagle]

2 hours ago, Censored by Laurie said:

https://www.usnews.com/news/cities/articles/2019-07-31/fact-checking-president-trump-on-his-baltimore-tweets

I'm feeling to run down to write out my thoughts, so just read what these people who write better than me have to say. 

I'm not sure that article does what it's supposed to do. It says facts don't back up Trumps rhetoric then it lists facts that basically do. It seems "infested" is the big sticking point. Elijah Cummings himself described Baltimore as "drug infested" several years ago. But even more...it shows how the rich in his district are living well while the poor are not. That's a huge divide. All under Rep Cummings leadership.

That article paints a picture of something he's supposed to be against. He's been representing the people of his district for a long time. If the rich white people are happy with him and keep voting him in....and the poor black folks of Baltimore keep getting screwed...seems that Rep. Cummings is part of the problem when it comes to the issues of a large part of his district. So Rep. Cummings can keep taking his big donations from the unions while telling half of his constituency whose fault it is they're poor. But at some point he has to offer a solution right? If he can't, what's he doing for his $200K salary? He's only been their representative for 20+ years.

Interesting fact: Baltimore's murder rate is double the rate of Guatemala....a country that many anti Trump folks just said was too dangerous for people to seek asylum. But maybe there's a silver lining here for a large part of Baltimore. The people that have ignored them for years all the sudden care about them...I can't help but think they're happy people may actually listen to them now.

 

https://ballotpedia.org/Elijah_Cummings

 

The latest figures put his net worth at $1.3 million. Not bad for a public employee....he's done well for himself. 

 

 

I think that ^ is the swamp Trump talks about.

 

 

The last paragraph of the article below cannot sum up today's views any better.  (underline and italics added for emphasis)

Donald Trump may be the one to use offensive language to talk about Baltimore, but as we saw in the last election, many people in Maryland, including some county executives and newspaper editorial board members, object to racist rhetoric but get mighty uncomfortable when a gubernatorial candidate says he’ll change the state’s racist policies of the past. Better to have a popular, “bipartisan” governor who will quietly, politely, genteelly, drain the city instead.

https://ggwash.org/view/73198/trump-baltimore-racist-hogan-politicians

 

Twitter is not the real world...

[Rudy]

Serious question @ColoradoEagle, how is it racist to expect someone to learn enough English to be able to communicate if they move to this country?  Shouldn't ANYONE who moves to another country be expected to learn the language of the country they move to?  It's not a race issue.