You are partially right when speak of the racism in the US. I was born and raised here. I am also non-white. Growing up I didn't have a hard time sweeping girls of pretty much any race off their feet. Had no problems in college or afterwards either. Where I did feel the racism was when I would walk down the street in the "rich" parts of town. I even had this happen on college campus on a regular basis. I grew up in San Diego, California by the way. It was never put out there for everyone to see. I would be walking down the street and usually whites and asian would give me plenty of space. Was like I had some sort of force field on me. I did my best to appear non threatening. I would greet them with a smile. Make eye contact. The eye contact seemed to scare them more. There are many racial stereotypes in existance in the US and the popular media doesn't help when they purpetuate it. I eventually gave up trying to accomidate their stupidity. I found it funny that other minorities would have no problem with meeting my gaze and returning my greeting.
Anyway, I spent Thanksgiving week in Chelyabinsk Russia visitng with my in-laws. I didn't get to mingle too much with the locals due to the winter storm that arrived the same day I did and our new baby. What little migling I did do was interesting. I got to see how overly polite we are in the US. But I didn't get the feeling people were judging me based on my race. But then again it was appearantly obvious I was an American. Her relatives told me I would pass for Russian if it weren't for my cloths. LOL!!!
goon.
Sounds like the so called raciscm you encountered exists in your vivid imagination.Avoiding eye contact????gee heady stuff. No doubt if you were offered white coffee you would have been offended too.
http://www.adl.org/special_reports/farrakhan_own_words2/on_whites. asp
I can't believe in this day and age people still have to talk about this subject, it is quite simple, anybody that judges someone on their enthnicity is a prick, people should be judged on their character and personality.
groom
i have had the same sort of racism as yourself. I myself am Non Black but when i was walking through Kingston town Jamaica these black men made eye contact with me then they stared at me for at least 10 whole seconds-frightening stuff i can tell you.
zeeco
If only things could be so black and white.
Whether we like to face it or not, It was not multi culturism that made white man dominant over the last 2000 years,
But it will be multiculturism that sees whitemans reign disappear in our generation.
It comes down to that if we do not care about our culture, our ideals, our way of life, Then we will be dominated by those that do.
With our arms open and our welcoming smile we have all be given up the fight and will loose by our own system.
It will come down to a numbers game in the end.
And guess what is the most popular babies name now, in half of western europe ?
Mohammed!!!!
In a generation Europe will be prodominantly Islam
And these people are not interested in your ecumenical movement.
Adman
If your complaint is about immigration, immigration is being used like credit cards - you benefit today at the cost of tomorrow. States suck out of state tuitions from foreign students, most of whom end up staying. Businesses feed on tourists, some of whom end up staying. Business visas boost economy especially when Americans can't afford to pay for anything over a $1,000 but on payments. All of them stay. So, you can't have your cake and eat it too. The only no-benefit immigration is one that's coming across Rio Grande. Also, remember, you did to the same to the native Americans.
You know, I did my own research into some of AJ's posting, and learnt some things very interesting, which is, Islamists are a direct or indirect creation of the west.
DIRECT: Islamists didn't exist before 1979. Nearly all pre-1979 Islamic leaders, such as Arafat, Saddam, Kadhafi, Bhhutto, Faisal and others were socialists. US and UK created Islamists as fuel for the Afghan-Soviet war and to destablize USSR.
INDIRECT: A direct consequence of the post Afghan-Soviet war and increasing emphasis on the middle east in the US foreign policy since 1979. Now, US is fighting against it's own Afghan-Soviet war strategy in Iraq - let them bring in the large, expensive military hardware and fight them with small, inexpensive arms.
Lady Jane, you're another Liberal Looney Bird who happens to work in a looney bin. Though I'm really starting to believe you are a patient there. Two of the most stigmatized words in the English language are Racist and Liar. What I have found out in life that the people who accuse others with such words are usually the racist and liars. The single most important things a nation can do to remain truly sovereign is, control the flow of their borders, establish a single common language, and keep their established culture.
When I look at Europeens comment above, and this is no insult. It is typical of the liberals in many countries. Let's bury our heads in the sand, don't take on taboo subjects such as religion. I mean seriously Europeen, what religion creates a subserviant class if you don't follow their edicts, or preaches that infidels should die. I've never read such rhetoric in any Christian bibles. This is absolutely why most of Europe is against the US involvment in Iraq, they don't want to take the bull by the horns and since they have acquiesed to most liberal thinking they know the next battleground with the fanatic Islamists will be in Europe. Which most in Europe do not want to tackle such problems, just ignore it and it will go away. I don't agree with most of Bush's policies but I do agree with him on one, take the fight to them and keep it out of our own backyard. Those who don't believe in the WMDS or Iraq's involvment in 9/11 are living in a fantasy world. Ask the kurds about WMDS. Funny though here in America the libs are trying to pass laws that a hand grenade is now a WMD! Hmmm that's funny.
Lady Jane, as you point your crooked little finger and use the plight of the American Indian to demean America some more. Just some facts for you. The American Indian has more rights and guaranteed access to so much funding for businesses, schools etc. than the common american does not. So where is the bias there. You take an instance of a couple of hundred years ago and try to apply it today. It doesn't work. Remember during the American Revolution, the Indians chose the side they wanted to be on and slaughtered many American families. That was kept in the mind of many men, that were less forgiving than we are today.
They chose to fight with the British, and it wasn't forgotten. Slavery in America, well that was a trait brought to us by the enlightened Europeans. Slavery wasn't created in the US and it has centuries old history going back to the days of Christ.
The reason many people in america buy on credit is, lets take this for example, Lady Jane, I don't know what Country you are from, but for a moment, lets say you are from Ukraine. I pay more in taxes each year than 3 average Ukrainians earnings for the year are. Taxation is ruining the American middle class, because the do gooders think we should have all these freebies and give aways to people who are less fortunate than we are. Yes Wtrav, this includes corporate welfare. Though many familes have generations living off the welfare system. There in lies the problem adman cites about immigration. What will happen if immigration isn't controlled you will have what is going on in most FSU countries now. The middle class will disappear, because the will be taxed out of existence. And it will become a country of the haves and the have nots.
I'm not like some above, who want your post's blocked, but since your so educated, you need to get in the game and get a real education in life. So put down the Thorazine try something a little more mellow like prozac so your brain can actually function a little.
Lady Jane, you are out of it. So now I guess the holocaust didn't exist and the crusades were also some fictitional creation by the west! Islam was way before 1979, but I think your ability to read, let alone read the Koran won't let you digest this.. Just spend a few moments reading someone who has studied the issue for over 25 years. Or try one better, read some of Orianna Fallucia's interviews with Khomeni and islamists pre 1979. Also spend some time on www.jihad.org. Then come on here with more of AJ's Blather. Before it's all said and Done, Bush will be the shooter on the grassy knoll that killed Kennedy. I wonder where he was on that day?
Now your true colors are starting to show. When it all comes down to the worlds problems blame the Jews and Isreal, it's that easy. God what a goofball.
I don't even call my patients looney, but anyone who thinks Iraq war was about WMD's or 9/11 is a true looney tuna. Haven't you watched Loose Change II yet? You can buy it on ebay for 99 cents because seller believes that "it is the duty of every American to watch it."
Nasfan says EU is against Iraq war beacuse they are liberal. No -- It's about bringing home the bacon. Anti-US contries import and contract with EU or Russia, and don't want the US to replace them.
The native Americans were used by all sides -- French, British and Spanish, and what they did, they did for their colonists.
nasfan, the middle class has already shrinked the last six years and would disappear if Bush had another four years of rule (not because corporations pay taxes::)) that is absurd::)) and I don't want to put you again on the tough spot to have to answer "how do you suggest we pay the debt if neither you nor those richer than you pay taxes" (unless you'd like to take a shot at it:)
Not a problem Wtrav02, early and I've got to split for now, but I will be back. I will start, by saying, cut the wasteful spending. Before you point your fingers at this ridiculous congress, Remember Reagan years, Revenues Quadrupled to the Federal Government, but a out of control congress spent beyond thier reciepts. It's not difficult Wtrav, get all the special interests and cut the pork that is sent to individual states to pass good legislation.
I agree with your "cut the spending" idea nasfan, but this administration has been doing the exact opposite, and I don't think it's that easy to address the issue otherwise it would have been done .. how can we cut spending with this financially bleeding war? we're sucked in more and more each day with no end in sight ...
I think LadyJane is right about her assessment of Europeans' motives with respect to the Middle East. Muslims are not liked in Europe. As LadyJane said the USA has chosen Israel over the Arabs and has left the bacon on the table. The Europeans pick up the bacon without having to demo their liking of the Arabs and they still look good to the Middle Easterns (on a relative basis). It is called geopolitics nasfan (of which Bush knows nothing about). Apparently the cowboy from Texas thought "Mission was Accomplished" 4 years ago. Now, they don't know how the hell to get out of Iraq without completely losing all face, and because these clowns are afraid to admit to the nation and to the world that they screwed up, we have to stay the course and see the count of dead passing one terrifying milestone after the other and our deficit and debt being bloated out of proportions (a burden to all future generations).
Saddam's hasty execution may mean that the US is pulling out of Iraq soon. Mainstream media is downplaying the execution by emphasizing brutality, which seems minor compared to what went on in the Islamic world under the US pressure following 9/11.
I donated my Loose Change 2 DVD to my local video rental store this summer. They still have it on their new release shelf.
Adman,
All of the world's culture has changed since TV became common, some drastically, to a way of McCulture. In the third world, America pressures to televise it's movies, and CNN and BBC news channels are televised for free so world is seen through the US and UK eyes. So, why should your culture and way of life only one that should be preserved?
Europe is more free to choose. Ever seen Bulgarian TV with dancers increasingly using Arabic and Indian music?