Powerful graphic regarding racism

[OneGrassRoot]

(seen on Facebook)

[lunatica]

1. That is very powerful

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

2. Amazing and so very true about what we go through as black Americans on a daily basis. K&R!!!

[MarianJack]

3. Powerful and true.

My African American son is now starting to be watched in stores. He's 12 and doesn't have a dishonest bone in his body. It really pisses me off!

PEACE!

[JNelson6563]

4. Very succinct.

Should be on every billboard across the land.

Julie

[qb]

5. Duluth, Minnesota has another powerful message for white people:

http://unfaircampaign.org/

We need to see more messages like the OP and this. Too many people either believe that our racism problems have been solved or they just don't care.

[OneGrassRoot]

6. Thank you very much for sharing this.

[klook]

9. Good one

... and a daily reality that's disputed by many, many white Americans.

It's as though we've lived our whole lives in a room with a funny smell. It's almost impossible to recognize the smell, until somebody comes in from outside or until we step into a different environment and way of thinking.

[Jamaal510]

24. "Too many people either believe that our racism problems have been solved or they just don't care."

*cough* Herman Cain *cough*

[GTurck]

7. It has taken...

me a while to learn this. As a white woman I often have clutched my purse closer when near a young man alone in an elevator. Never thought about it except as self-protection but not how it effected the young man: black or white. This is racism so deep we don't even know it is there.

[OneGrassRoot]

8. Thank you for your honesty.

The racism and bigotry is institutionalized in our country (and others).

To me, those who vehemently deny it exists -- and are sincere in that delusional belief -- are the ones who are most dangerous, as they give silent permission for the hatred to continue.

And there are many who fall into that category.

[OnlinePoker]

10. If you do it for all men, it's sexism, not racism. n/t

[OriginalGeek]

17. The saddest part is

if she gets mugged or raped in that elevator she will be told she should have been "more aware" she should have "known better" she should have "taken precautions" but if she does all those things then she's sexist.

[Beartracks]

29. Was just thinking the same thing. n/t

[Neoma]

30. That is everything.

For women, it is almost ALWAYS damned if you do, damned if you don't in one degree or another.

[woolldog]

22. never understood this

not criticizing you GTurk but I never understood what clutching a purse tighter would accomplish. If someone wants to take it i can't imagine that would discourage them much.

[Honeycombe8]

32. Interesting. I don't do that (I'm a white woman).

If I'm walking down a street in the dark, which is rare for me, I guess I would do that when passing by anyone, especially a male. If he's black, would I brace myself more? Maybe. It more depends on how he's dressed, how he's walking, his age, etc.

This is a precaution that women have to take, though. We are often targeted by men for crimes of all sorts. By men of all races, but particularly white and black men. I don't hear of many Asian rapists or muggers. Maybe that's just because there aren't many Asians where I live.

[babylonsister]

11. Wow! If possible, would you send this to me on FB? I hadn't seen it; tried

to post from here, but that's never as effective.

[OneGrassRoot]

16. I'm PMing you now. n/t

[Historic NY]

12. I try to remind friends that you wouldn't say

to your buddies of color, what you would say behind their backs....they usually choke back the words. I think so much is ingrained. I give them the look reminding them they might just slip up one day and that would be regretfull.

[pasto76]

13. Nail. Head. Hit it. (speculation of course from a white guy)

but as a subject of the PTSD stigma, last few years, I can begin to truly empathize with any other discrimination. Black soldiers in my platoon literally pulled me from deaths jaws. Fury is what I feel when people do or say racist shit.

[marshall gaines]

15. bravo

sad part about it is there are some(many?)that could care less about this truth. and don't forget locking car door as you walk past.

[Mattylock]

20. I'm a bit of a stinker sometimes

I'm a black female living in Oklahoma City and when I'm in my car at an intersection with a lot of foot traffic, I'll look over at the white people on the corner and lock my doors...lol... You should see the facial expressions on the ones that notice. Priceless.

[OneGrassRoot]

21. LOL!

[marshall gaines]

38. i'm sure

I used, 'you people' in mixed company toward a known racist recently, just to see the reaction. Had nerve enough to get angry, tried to hide it though. Man, the expression he tried to hide.

[drm604]

23. Is this really an issue?

I never drive with my car doors unlocked. I didn't think anybody did.

[marshall gaines]

36. well

yeah, right

[drm604]

39. Your point?

Seriously, I always lock them when I get in the car. Maybe I just don't realize, but I never would have thought that a lot of people drive around with their doors unlocked.

[drm604]

18. I try to imagine what it must be like,

especially the part about the children.

I try to put myself in the shoes of African-Americans but I just can't totally imagine it from within my white skin.

But I do understand that people get angry, and I understand why.

I worry that I may inadvertently do something that will be misunderstood. I sometimes find myself going out of my way to be polite, to hold doors, and to demonstrate in one way or another that I don't fear people, but then I worry that I might be coming off as being patronizing.

And then I realize that, hey, that's all about me, my feelings, my not wanting to be seen as racist and fearful, and this issue isn't about me is it? After all, I have it easy.

How the hell do I get past all of that and just treat people as people?

[OneGrassRoot]

19. I don't know...

The subject is one I have never shied away from, having grown up in a very racist family...though I am no longer in touch with them.

I believe it must be discussed, repeatedly, as allowing people to say that racism and bigotry aren't a big deal in this country is very dangerous, imho.

Yet doing so as a white female, I realize my speaking up in and of itself could be viewed as condescending, even if my intentions are authentic.

I hear you about worrying you'll do something or say something that can be perceived as offensive in some way, or that you'll conversely be viewed as patronizing. I've gone through stages when I worried about the same.

Now, I guess I've released that worry and just go with the flow, doing my best. I can't help how others perceive what I do or say. I can't walk on eggshells like that any more.

[AverageJoe90]

35. Truthfully, I have faced a similar conundrum. nt

[OneGrassRoot]

25. kick for afternoon crowd n/t

[Mnemosyne]

26. K&R for the evening crowd!

[malaise]

27. Excellent

Thanks

[etherealtruth]

28. powerful and amazing

It truly took my breath away

[FightForChange]

31. K&R for sure nt

[Hatchling]

33. K&R

[Uncle Joe]

34. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, OneGrassRoot.

[SweetieD]

37. Meh yeah I'm worried about the future but I'm mad about the past too

I don't really like this graphic. Anyone who has any knowledge of history should be mad. Its not some noble thing not to be angry about all the injustices that happened in the past to our ancestors. I'm not going to say I'm not upset that slavery happened to make a white person feel better or more comfortable, give me a break. The current state of black people in this country did not happen all on its own or in a vacuum. Its all directly related to slavery, the purposeful demolishing of the nadir of race relations, jim crow, and all of the other racial inequalities. If you don't know your history, you are doomed to repeat it. So yes I'm upset about the past, and worry about the future.

[marshall gaines]

40. sweet

the truth is sweet!!!

[OneGrassRoot]

41. Yep, I see what you're saying.

I get the point of the graphic, but tweaking it or adding a line that addresses your point would make it much more powerful.

History is important, not only because it has led to the institutionalized, systemic racism in our country today. That IS something to be mad about.

[marshall gaines]

42. yep

yep