Where the heck does she live? "She comes here & is treated as a "taco bender"."

@Flowerwall She is from Mexico & comes to visit. When you hang around people who don't look the same as you, one can see & experience the different treatment. I was with 5 black friends & was the only white in the group & the police treatment was very different. The interaction was for no reason other than there was a group of blacks, so the car was pulled over. I have many such examples because I love diversity & never stay in one group exclusively. But I have suffered shunning as well for my choices.

Well if you're agnostic you don't really have that either.

I agree with you. Often when I voice my opinion with a comment or post, I get slammed. Like whats going on now. It's obvious to me that trump has taken on jesus like persona. I don't know how long it will last but he's got cult leader status among some of the people.Nobody knows whether he is a reincarnation of "Do" ( marshal Applewhite) or Adolphe, I suppose time will tell.

Well thanks

I didn't know that. I was not aware.

@Flowerwall Its an observation Ive made and since hard come up other places. Its alot worse in some other places. It does have a strong "oldervwhite guy who feels victimized by sociery and superior to it" vibe. Also how all the atheists feel like they are smarter than theists. I think it's a smarter conclusion but it's a verybslipperybslope when you actually believe your group is better. Then the darwinism talk which is very often edging on eugenics type rhetoric. And all the real racist stuff about middle eastern people doing sexual stuff whith their animals. Its presented as anti islam and religion but like some of it is full on bigoty. And all that gets way to much enthusiastic agreement for me to be fully comfortable with. Its definitely not everyone.

Well that's being said from the perspective of someone of your age. Young ppl will say the n word as repeat of music, because it's cool, a popular term and said by the famous musicmakers. There is no bad intent and despite how the word has been traditionally used, I don't see it as offensive as long as it's being done in a friendly way of usage. To me it's very similar to hispanic word "homie". Though I will acknowledge it's been used offensivly historically, so in that sense it is loaded, and that part should be respected. Older ppl know that. Young ppl don't know that as much and so you can't expect them to have a problem with the word. We also don't want to continue bigotry by making one word completely "off limits". What do you tell young ppl in a friend group of mixed races, you can't say it even though your frinds do? That's sort of self-affirming some, setting ppl apart, differentiating then. I think young people should say/do what their black friend group feel comfortable with that's it. If one says "Don't say it" Then you don't. They don't have a responsibilty to a larger group to answer to such as larger society.

@FlowerwallHomie is not a Hispanic word. It's a juvenile delinquent "jailhouse" word meaning someone who came from the same neighborhood or gang. Like this guy passed out on the street, he's a "homie"

@Flowerwall I don't see your reply as really being an answer to anything I said. I was talking about people of any age who take the "n" word and start making shit up. Their next step is usually creating fear of people living next door to you or in your neighborhood.

@DenoPenno Well it's an answer about non-black young people who use the word and why they might do it. Once people get older, past adult age, I think there is more push in society to be politically correct do what everyone else thinks. So I think there are maybe some that use the word, but if it's not with hateful intent, said amongst friends, what's the problem? Obviously said with bad intent, it's a huge problem and very offensive. And I think out of respect for other people's feelings, because it can lead to confusion and possible offense, as an adult, you don't say it as non-black, that's my personal stance, but we all can only control our own behavior.

And if my opinions are wrong here, I am open to listening to other viewpoints. I don't think I have any final say. I just want to make sense of human behaviour.

@libraryman I don't think too many teens are concerned with word etymology. They just want to fit in with peers. And among this age group the word is very similarly used. I do think the word originated in Latino circles, but I could be wrong. I don't know the full history.

@DenoPenno The more I think about it, isn't this something that should be getting talked about in schools, like culture awareness? Allowing people to have these discissions openly and in a supportve atmosphere. I am thinking more for students below college age, but maybe not targeted at the youngest age groups. Just to talk about how the commiunty feels and get everyone to sort of understand where they are all coming from. Popular music. relating to each other. It might be contrarversial, but it might bring people more at ease.

@Flowerwall This may be correct. We need to all know where the other person is coming from and why they feel the way they do. Go with known evidence for the belief at hand.

@DenoPenno Also, I don't think it is just N-word that can possibly cause ppl to misinterpret one another. Think of other words used to describe that could be problematic and potentially cause a sense of offense, even terms not in English for bilingual people. This is an important issue for our multi-cultural America. Are we currently addressing it adequately?

@DenoPenno I just reread what you originally wrote "The telltale racist thing I see often is white people who suddenly apply the "n" word to other white people and go to great lengths to tell you anybody can be an "n." I do not like this and they are so wrong, but their racism shows up clearly" - Yes you are right that this is coming across negatively. I don't know if the word is being meant as a friendly term in the sitiaution you described like "homie". If not, that is not a good use of the term and sounds offensive.

Also, with regard to the previous last reply I wrote, I came across this very circumstance of offense recently in a news story I read. Where a word in another language was taken as offensive, even though in the native tongue it is not offensive and actually expressed a tender aspect. So this word confusion is happening!

@Flowerwall When I lived in Texas I met a woman who said in her area "n's" liked to be called "n's." It was years ago but I suppose she was referring to to the "homie" type thing . IDK.

No. That's problematic and possibly a result of a symbol of some sense of supremacy that YOU have.

@Flowerwall Ohhh. Thanks for letting me know I’m a supremacist. If only I were woke like you.

It's just the way people self-identify and respecting that enough to allow others to have their own identity. I just came across a personal view of a what others would desribe as "white latino" saying, only latino NOT white. Not everyone feels the same. When you are questioned with census data or other paperwork, YOU make those selections if and however you want. You can have very dark complected people feel "white" if they are probably raised among mixed groups or white and whites who identify more as "black" if their raised with mixed groups or black, you know having the personal experience of the other race. You would truly self-identify with the people you most closely identify with and your answer wouldn't be wrong. There are no rules that say "You HAVE to mark THIS BOX" So everytime the media starts mischacterizing people based on outside appearances and politics you know someone is playing a dirty trick on you.

@Flowerwall

the fact that a black man self-identifies as a member of the "black'race' or that a white man self-identifies as a member of the " race white " does not at all establish that a black race, a white race and "other races" actually exist.

It simply shows that people believe races exist when in fact and in truth there is one single human species. True it is that billions of people believe races exist just as they believe gods exist.

Their faith cannot render real what does not exist.

Racism is quite prevalent in the world because there is erroneous but generalised belief that races exist and that some are believed to be superior or inferior to others.

The Indian caste system is very tenacious. Officially, the law in India forbids the practice of casteism. In reality billions believe and practise it to this day. Many in the the low castes believe they are naturally by birth inferior to the top Brahmin caste.

A black slave working in the cotton fields of the South may well believe that the white owner belongs to a superior race and that slaves belong to an inferior race. His daily experience as a slave would tend to sustain this belief as she/he would see daily "evidence" of the white man superiority.

Beliefs are quite often, indeed too often, very far from reality and truth.

It is easily forgotten that the Catholic Church believed for a long time that blacks had no souls till they eventually held a Council on the matter and changed their assessment.

Paradoxically, races do not exist but racists are legion all over the world.

Hitler was not the first one and white american cops are not the last ones.

@Klodzan I meant to reply to this post sooner. I was reminded of it as I was listening to a black lawmaker give a speech in her country. She expressed opinions that were not in line with some BLM teachings and felt upset when her daughter had come home from school repeating something that would be construed as admitting the schools were racist when she herself as lawmaker did not agree or want this message passed to her child. I fully agree this a bad message to send to children. Of course you always want to be there to listen and support people who are subjected to racism, but we have to stop sending bad messages to youth. The truth is you will encounter some bad people in the world. It will happen, but children need to receive very hopeful and positive messages.

Whether race exists, I have seen videos that take the arguement that there are no races. It was a characteristic created by government to classify people and divide them. I agree that people have cultural, ethnic and physical appearance differences. More than that I don't think so. What's hard to deal with in these charts are people that multi-racial. Saying "mixed race" doesn't really say anything. The more mixed people there are the less purpose those charts serve.

I didn't know caste system was still practiced in India outside of the law. This is news to me. It's interesting how a member of caste or slave would take this message into their psychology, but it sort of makes sense. It's partly survival I would think, and being able to function in the larger society.

Also did not know that about Catholic Church. That's a very horrific past idea they held.

"American White cops"? I just listened to an American black cop in video talking about how angry it makes him when people label his fellow white officers as racists because they are always supporting him as a black man when other people are being genuinely racist to him.

Do we ?

I agree with @VineetHonkan. It takes courage and true introspection to find, acknowledge, and address the hidden biases we all have about one thing or another.

@Moravian yes we do. Just because you don't like to hear it doesnt mean you don't have it.

@VineetHonkan Don't have what ? You are making assumptions about people you know nothing about.

It’s not an assumption if it’s a scientific fact.

@Apunzelle Speak for yourself luv.

@Moravian I'm referring to racist tendencies that we all have. You have it. I have it. For some people it is easier to express.

@VineetHonkan Firstly there is no such thing as "race". We all belong to the species "homo sapiens". There are physical differences.in skin colour, facial features etc. There are cultural differences and "nationalities". We do not even have a "sub species" There is an old saying in Scotland "We are a' Jock Tamson's bairns". Think about it.

@Moravian ...you're right. There IS NO such thing as race as it is a construct designed for separation of classes. The point still stands. We all have a part of us that is like that. And btw don't try to be a smartass...

@VineetHonkan I don't normally respond to people who resort to childish name calling but you are relatively young so I will ignore it.
I am interested in your definition of racism. Certainly we all have to be careful not to repeat racist terms accidentally but do you hate or fear people with a different skin colour or ethnicity?. Seems a bit illogical to me. I support my national football team and cheer for Andy Murray in a tennis tournament. Does that make me racist ?
A well known premiership footballer got in to big trouble for using the word "Negrita" in a text to a friend. Apparently in his culture in South America is is a term of endearment,
I was brought up without any religious indoctrination either for or against unlike many of the members here so I hope I can view the subject dispassionately . The same with racism. I didn't encounter any other "races" until I went to work in London in the '60' s and encountered West Indians and Asians in particular and I found them a bit exotic and interesting rather than something to be feared.

DEFINITION OF RACISM: 

"The belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another."

It follows that racism cannot therefore be "natural' to individuals or groups. It is manifestly part of an ideology or belief systems that is acquired and maintained by ideologues.

To believe in the existence of different "races" is just as irrational as believing in gods. The latter are certainly not natural and even less 'supernatural>