I love affirmations!

They are like a cool breeze after a workout. Last night my husband had an epiphany hearing about the racial incident with the dept. of agriculture.

I said, "The feeling I get is that they end up taking it back." I hadn't expected it this soon though.

The problem with a household of narcissists is that they may come together with a common foundation, but each one will have the innate and naricissistic view that they and they alone are right.

White house appologizes

I saw this, too. I saw the clip where she admitted that she had not helped a white man the way she could have.

Then I went to YouTube and watched the "FULL" video of her speech, as posted by the NAACP. I wanted to see the uncut context of her speech. I decided to be completely unbiased, and was seeing, at first, that she may have had good intentions, as she was talking about how it wasn't about race, but about people in need. But, then my hubby and I noticed, at exactly 21 minutes, there was a section edited out when she was talking about the white man she was helping. As it cut back in, the NAACP members were laughing. After that, it was only about black issues, and blacks helping blacks. Which isn't a horrible thing...

...But, then I was struck by the fact that she is not a member of the NAACP. She is the head of the USDA Urban Development. Why is she standing before the NAACP talking about black issues? Does this strike anyone else as odd?

What was edited out by the NAACP? Has anyone else noticed that this isn't a "Full" video? I just don't have a good feeling about this...

NAACP FULL Video of Shirley Sherrod's Speech

What bothered me the most was her use of the term "his kind" in referring the white farmer to a white lawyer. She had just pointed out her "turning point" realizing it was not about race in this situation. Apparently, her "turning point" 24 years ago wasn't quite far enough to eliminate her using a disparaging term like that, just months ago.

It makes me wonder how many others she only "did enough" for prior to and even after this turning point, simply because they appeared to talk down to her or were of another race.

Having dealt with various government agencies, state and federal for over 20 years, this is something I ran into way too much. Most times I could say something to make them smile and then receive help. Other times, I just had to hang up and call again, knowing I would not get the same person.

In the tax industry this is commonly referred to as "the Atlanta Syndrome," doing just enough to get their paycheck and nothing more. Perhaps it's not a coincedence where Mrs. Sherrod works.

Yes, the administration should not have jumped to conclusions on this. But they have jumped so many times over the last year, I think someone gave them a rope. Mrs. Sherrod was speaking to "her kind" and the rest of the speech available is much more revealing than the "turning point" story.

I don't really have a good feeling about this either. My husband, at first, felt great that at least they were calling out racial profiling, but you know that feeling you get when you're about to get dumped or you're called in unexpectedly to HR and it's like a punch in the stomach? That's what I get with this.

Of all the things that aren't being talked about, of all the issues being swept under the rug, this person is so far down on the food chain yet knee jerk reaction, "Get out..woops we made a mistake?"

Once she gets her barings, I suspect shell have whatever she wants out of this. Most likely a different position.

I asked my husband to pull up the video for me lastnight and there are two clips I guess. In one she's talking about how she used to be racist and now it's about the haves vs. the have nots. In the other she's all about how this white farmer was being all superior to her...(I think she said that phrase twice in 10 sec.) and here she was being the one he was coming to for help. She also uses the term, "his kind/his own kind" afterwards...after her revelation. So, I'm not buying the whole reformed outlook thing.

There's more here than what's being spoken about. I don't feel she should have been fired. The reaction was so quick too and there have been worse things said in the administration than this where people should have been removed and even questioned as to how they were appointed and why in the first place. This was just so insignificant compared to larger issues.

Aslo, don't you need a fair trial to get all of the facts? Was this some type of experiment in due process and/or where the people stand socially/racially?

I agree. She is not reformed at all, but I feel that she thinks she is, because she can recognize that some whites (a kind different than her kind) suffer, too. To her ego, she has evolved to a higher place. In reality, she has only taken a tiny baby-step.

This situation is so loaded, it's hard to know what direction to look in...or what trigger finger is ready to fire... It's like somebody is trying to prove that racism is not tolerated, yet it's clear that it's really favorable toward blacks being racist against whites (a taboo subject, yet so blatantly flaunted)...but then again, let's test the waters...what would happen if she were fired... I feel that so much is going on, hiding in plain sight...and something very scary is looming in the near future.

It could also be - this is out there, but because race is a hot topic, it's not of course, we're all united...but someone who might have an introspective account, on the inside and understand just how much racism can stir things up, could in fact be doing so while something else is going on; a distraction while works transpire behind the bigger curtain?

I also agree with what you pick up on the epiphany, I guess you'd call it.

It is something, I don't even think she knew just how huge her perceptions were going to play a part in her life. You're right, it is a baby step and this can be hard for anyone...like when you do something by accident and you get a huge response? You're not quite solid with what you did, but you keep recreating it as best as you can because you can see how much it is favored and people are noticing you.

Yes...you get a huge response from others...but you also give yourself way too much credit for a small step you've made. It's like you've just learned long division, but your ego gets so pumped up that it convinces you that you are a mathematical genious...and you believe it. So you go to a remedial math convention and speak about long division, and they believe that you are a genius, too. But people who know a little about algebra and grammar are scratching their heads, while watching the whole thing...because even your long division has flaws in it...and on top of that you are putting people down who are more focused on grammar...because some sicko who was a grammar freak killed your father. And grammar freaks before that enslaved your ancestors, long ago. She has a painful story, it's true. She has wounds to heal. We all do. But lets not make claims that we have completely healed when our hurt and anger still run deep.

I don't believe that she should have been fired based on the clip that originally surfaced...but I do believe that she should be fired now. She clearly has an agenda that conflicts with her job, and affects her job performance. She needs more education. If a white person with her job, who's father was killed by a black man were to stand before a white rights group and referred to blacks as "their own kind" they would be shamed and fired... and rightly so. Racism is a menace, especially when it's denied, yet clearly visible!

I wish that we were all united...but we aren't. People can only push down their true feelings for so long -- eventually they will bubble up to the surface. Truth is a funny thing. If the truth is ugly, we are free to call it a lie. If a lie is prettier than the truth, we are free to call it truth. We can say one and do the other...and still call it the truth. I don't know why races try to overpower each other...I wasn't brought up that way. But I was thrown into the thick of the result of its history, and can see that it is a nightmare we won't ever wake up from...its malignancy runs deeper than the group is willing to reach.

But that has to be okay. It has to because it's the truth.

That should be a book all of it's own. The coming of truth for all people evolves, isn't forced. It's personal how long or short it takes in coming around.

With racial issues I live it here day in and day out. The black community here stares and squints their eyes at you. They do it to you, not the other way around. If you were to ask anyone of them what happened to them in their past that makes them so angry...you get, "Shut the...up." and they walk away in general. If you ask and someone does answer you, after they first tell you you don't know what you're talking about, if you don't react and really ask to be enlightened, basically, they'll go on and on and on and my GOSH on and on about something that happened like 100 years ago, not to them, but feel it necessary to bring the hate and the anger into current times. I carry around EXTRA strength Tylenal for those days.

Yesterday my husband was walking home from work at 1:00 am and a black guy cornered him and said, "Hey little (bad word) you like it when (bad verb)." The cops came and the words he used..."IT's cause I black miffer, muffer,(creative translation)..." My...!" It's because you were a jerk and very misguided about what is and isn't appropriate, black or not. Jerk first, black secondary.

Thank goodness here there is more than just black and white. We have all sorts of different races. The cultures are really beautiful. The Hispanics are cautious but gracious. I suspect they may not all be here legally but they at least try and smile and will even bring you something like tomales after they get to know you.

The races are blending but for this one area. People are very tired, not just white, other races are beginning to get the anger movement and they don't like it.

One fellow said, "We Asians don't riot. If we did we'd get a lot further. But why be angry all the time."

He helps his mother at the Farmer's market growing organic fruits and vegetables. That is true evolutions It's real and something people can and will use. Anger is self-serving and diminishes quickly.

In regards to this woman being scrutinized, well she couldn't have gotten into the whitehouse without other people knowing her agenda first hand. I have to wonder who leaked this video in the first place. Everything in me feels this thing is like a pinata. Something on the outside filled with something, maybe a lot of somethings on the inside and a party at someone elses expense. She doesn't feel genuine to me. I'd like it to be true though.

There's an alterior motive here, maybe even a trick of some kind directed at something completely different than what we're privy to.

I'm sorry about what happened to your husband -- there seems to be this entitlement-to-terrorize thing expanding in the black culture. And I feel that the pi�ata you described so well is filled with such related things. On the outside, it's the array of political games -- the distracting banter, the confusing polar opposites...on the inside, the brewing synopsis of the okayness of black hatred toward whites...ultimately leading to the riots and mayhem we are being set up for.

Some might say that whites have had it coming...and maybe we do, as a race, not necessarily as deserving individuals. Perhaps we have accrued some real bad karma, through our historical treatment of blacks, Native Americans, Chinese and other cultures that we have invaded upon, destroyed, enslaved and refused to help. Native American prophets agree that our time as leaders is coming to an end...their warnings have been strong and steady for a very long time. As a culture, we have ignored and abused Mother Earth. Even if we do our best as individuals to conserve, recycle and reuse...we still, just being a part of Western ways, are very destructive. Our governmental system uses us and sets us up as pawns in their ultimate game and we end up paying the costs, like it or not. Our government pumps out the propaganda that we are superior and other nations are sick and evil...yet our government does the very same things that other cultures are "evil" for. They are just more sly about it. We are bound to implode...we need to be aware; prepared, but not panic.

Entitlement to terrorize. I'm sorry that you felt compelled to single out "the black culture" when so many are doing the same thing.

I'm also sorry about what happened to your husband, but there are spots even here in Virginia that I don't go to because of harrassment by other races. I agree that we need to be aware and not panic, but we also need to be aware of our own stereotyping.

As I've mentioned before and I had thought fairly clearly. If you carry out an action, it is the action first. Period. If you're black, white, hispanic, latin american, that's secondary if that.

Here, hands down, 100% it is the black community. The actions are over and over and over again that happen to be done by the black community. They aren't white, asian, Hmung, those races are pretty much getting along and they offer help to eachother. The black community, here, sticks together in a group and intimidate, follow, bully, shout, call names - it can't/wont be brushed under the rug simply because they are black. At least not here.

If it was being done by any other race, you bet I'd be talking about that too.

Yes, thank you, Eleise. It's not about singling out black people. It's about honestly discussing our experience with black behaviors and how these behaviors have/are affecting us and the American nation.

As I understand it, this thread is about Sherrod's behaviors...and her representation of black culture in America, in general. From a sentient point of view. We feel hatred pointed at us, and we need to express our feelings. It has become politically incorrect for whites to notice that we are hated by many blacks. But if it's true, it's true. We feel what we feel. Sherrod has been very clear that she separates whites as our "own kind." She said it...before the NAACP, and got amens and head nods when she said she withheld help from a white man. This is racism. We see and feel many ominous things coming in the future with racism as the basis. I was also very clear in a previous post how sad I was that many black people who just want to live peaceful lives will get drawn into a movement against whites.

It is also my distinct feeling that our government is cruel against its own citizens...all races. All of us. Many blacks don't have any idea what whites are subjected to by our government. It's not in the news...and the separation perpetuates by not seeking to learn. We just want it all to stop. We want love and harmony to ring among everyone. That's what self-realization does. But wanting it doesn't make it so. Everyone has to want the same thing in order for it to come to be...but that isn't happening. And it's sad.

Nothing personal ladies, since I'm finding particular comments particularly offense here, I'm gracefully backing out of this conversation.

Have a peaceful evening.

This is probably one of the most concise posts I've read in a long while on this topic.

Many posts get bauled down with anger and hautiness when it hits too close to home. If you can just say what's currently happening to you what you see or feel coming, how you'd like to make it better, without biasedness , that seems to make more progress.

Personally, If I walked into a groccery store and some white man or woman had a gun, knife pointed at someone else or followed a person of the opposite sex into a restroom and the police were called, and someone posted about this and again with more of these things happening, there wouldn't be one fiber in my body that would find this or a crooked politician's mindset (white or not) offensive. I don't think I'd even blink. I'd just think, what on earth, how do we get rid of these people???

We're living in a community, which in a way is a gift of insight, not a blog or with family and friends agreeing with me knodding their heads, but a group largely diversified that, even if they speak broken english, feel frustrated and seperated from their gov't now that they are here and feel a looming (my word)supression of what they feel and what they are experiencing. Which ironically, because the different races are feeling the same thing, they are coming together. I just put that together...

One man said, "They didn't tell us it was going to be like this. It was better in my own country." I emplore immigrants and people already living here, to bring with them skills of self-relience! there is coming, civil and social unrest. And you're absolutely 100% right, you're not going to find these things in the headlines.

"If it's not in the headlines then it's not true. The one man that is and what he tells you to believe is what the people will prompted to believe is so." It won't be.

I tell my husband not to tell me too much about the news but if there is something that relates to what I'm picking up then show me a picture or the proof - the affirmation basically.

When you see a video with the words streaming out of a person's mouth, research it enough that it's not taken out of context (which is a huge free-bie get out of jail card these days)or walk the streets and live it and aren't true to yourself in at least acknowledging it exists, whether it's something you really want to beleive or not, that's tragic. Because it's there with or without your concent.

I feel strongly the word of the govt. oppose eachother. They may say, they are against racism. I feel they have every intention of making this an agenda of something they not only want byt need to keep alive.

While the passions of the people are distracted against one another, they'll be doing other things that you won't even notice until it's too late. If they keep telling you how much they understand how badly you had it, thowing out a cookie basically, then you'll haven't an incling into researching for yourself, power, evil and greed - whatever color it comes in.

I am sorry Dianne was offended by particular comments in this thread. Last night I re-read each post closely and objectively. Like the President, I'm of mixed races. I had to ask myself if that broadens my objectivity, or clouds it.

I'm confused as to which comments were particularly offensive. We have shared our personal experiences and feelings based on those. I would hope the statement "his own kind" would be offensive to anyone of any color. A news commentator asked a very good question. "'His own kind?' would that be an American?" For those of us like President Obama who are racially mixed, who are our "own kind?"

I'm not certain there were ulterior motives about societal reactions to this. It started with the NAACP denouncing the Tea Party movement as racist. Apparently their leadership has never attended a Tea Party event, otherwise they would know those in attendance represent all segments of society to some degree.

In any organization or event with a huge number of participants there will be at least a small element who are elitist and/or racist. Sadly, this is part of the human condition and some will not relinquish this mindset. Over the years, the NAACP and its members have made numerous racially charged statements. I live in the Deep South, their comments and activities seem to get a lot of news coverage down here. Just an observation from someone who has lived in SC and GA all her life. One example that comes to mind is their push for the firing of a government official who, based on Webster's definition, correctly used the word "niggardly." There was no racial context in what he was saying. This official was forced to resign based solely on his usage of one word (used correctly) that some found offensive. Not the definition of the word, Not how the word was used, Not the sentence the word was used in, but merely the sound of the word.

The official appeared to be a White American. I use "appeared" as I don't know his ethnic heritage. I "appear" to be white because I look like my Father who is, and nothing like my Mother who isn't. I asked myself back then, had his skin tone been a little darker, would those calling for his immediate termination have actually looked the word up in the dictionary, and defended him for using it correctly. A complete hullabaloo about "racial sensitivity" ensued over the mere sound of one word in the English language.

Perhaps all of us being a little less "racially sensitive" would curb some of this strife. But a reduction in racial sensitivity cannot happen while some leaders continue to use it at every opportunity to consolidate their followers and reap donations. These are the "pot-stirrers." They seem to intentionally blow things out of proportion to keep emotions and racial sensitivity high and donations for yet another racial equality battle coming in.

Racial sensitivity is an internal issue for me. Being a White/Native/Black American I've grown a thick skin and I'm not so easily offended. However, I will not be less sensitive to hypocrisy, racial, religious, or otherwise.

As stated by the person who acquired and aired the video of Mrs. Sherrod's speech to NAACP members, illuminating hypocrisy within that organization was the basis for the video's release. The organization had just denounced another as racist. Yet at its own meeting tolerated agreement and chuckles from its own members as Mrs. Sherrod recalled not helping a farmer to the fullest extent because he was white and seemed to be talking down to her. Comments of agreement can be heard after her saying "his own kind." The point being, prior to denoucing another organization as racist based on the actions of a few participants, one should perhaps check its own members, activities and guest speakers.

The NAACP strongly denounced the administration for demanding Mrs. Sherrod's resignation. However, they were completely silent on the racially insensitive verbage in the portions of her speech that have been released. It makes you wonder what was in the part edited out, and how racially flamable that may have been. If it was appropriate, why remove it?

Thanks ICP for taking the time to do, well, the hard stuff and getting personal. It's so fast these days not everyone can or will take the time to do that.

With the "Shriley" thing, my husband first asked me to take a look at a video. I didn't know then it was Shirley. All he said was, "Do you think this person is legitimate or not?" I said, "Well, not for the most part, but have you heard the expression, 'broken open?'"

I wanted to par my feelings with more video if he had it and I saw two partitions. One was where she must have mentioned 2-3 times how a white farmer was acting all suprior to her - well...

Kind of came from a farming community and they talk down to anything that wiggles. If you're a professional, AND my gosh, within the Gov. head of something, at least know the mind-set of the people you are supposed to be there to represent and help and change effectively what it is you may have a balanced vision of improving.

I grew up in a farming community, left only to come back to a farming community that had a judge that took my daughter away from me while trying to get out of a terriblely bad relationship because I didn't fit in according to what they felt the right way to be was to be....want to go up against that??? If I let that and too many other situation to mention define me with anger and pride, then, that is what I'll stand for and be last remembered for - anry and prideful.

I had no intention then nor now to agree or be something that is so stuck full of (here I'll just go ahead and censor this...) it's hard to breath!

I still love the foundation of the farming community, misguided or not and my daughter will find me again someday. That's the hope the openness that has me get up and go forward each day.

I am a mut - mixed breed. Oh well, that doesn't excuse me, not now or in the future and if someone happens, especailly now to be sensitive to racial issues, I encourage them to walk outside of their own city on college campuses and take a good look around. Even at 12 and 13 - they are def. mingling. So whatever the beef is, is losing the battle. But you don't have to take my word for it.

What we'll be seeing in the next 3-5 years will have more to do with immigrants and races of countries than can actually bring the US financing. Mark these words.

Angry music, videos, movies, TV programs, attitudes and races -I predict and advise if you're investing in, not to. They are on their way out! That's regardless of whether or not you chose to partake or not/support or not - they are on their way out.

People are sick and they are tired - to the point where death doesn't seem like such a bad thing anymore because they want something better. In my profession - I haven't anyone to be loyal to to keep what I'm experienceing, hearing and feeling at a distance or out of the public eye.

As these attitudes become gradually on their way out, there will be casualties. It isn't going to happen over night. Racial wars, social unrest will happen, but the groups that will billow are those that end up using their talents - the goodness, creativety to rebuild and survive.

I actualy see the Native American Indian and the Amish rising to the some extent of the lead with an Eastern financial backing.

Hi ICP,
In answer to your question about what I was offended about, it was the statement "entitlment to terrorize thing expanding in the black community. A few other comments as well but that was the main one.

I am very happy that you're comfortable in your own "skin" as we say. I think that's wonderful. It's really not necessary for you to analyze why I may or may not be offended or upset.
I'm offended by words even black people use about themselves, I think it's deragatory, but it's my right to be offended by it and it's their right to use it.

I guess going away to college when I was younger and being shouted at by people because of my race was not particularly fun and it sometimes will color my judgement, just as the life experience of everyone in this group has shaped theirs. There is a lot more that I could go into that happens to this day, but I chose not to.

Out of respect, I chose not to continue the conversation because everyone is entitled to their own opinion to which I do not have to agree. I'm sure that you are aware that just because one person does not understand why someone is offended, does not make it any less offensive - its all about perspective. No one knows what has happened in someone's life to cause them to have a reaction to statements made by others. I happen to enjoy reading Elesie's columns and posts so instead of getting into a long drawn out discussion on something that I may not agree with, I prefer to leave it as I did and not continue my portion of the conversation. Not that I'm afraid of the conversation - it's an all day reality for me, but as far as this conversation, I enjoy reading everyone's points of few and whether or not I agree, but this is one topic for right this moment, I would rather graciously exit from.

That is the perfect statement! I can't spell btw - still see double!

It is ALL about Perspective.

And should the same topic come about a week, months and especially years if not decades later, any single person would have a differnt sensation, let alone opinion.

I think that is why they call it the plane of illusion - free to feel and enact among oppositional forces = life!

Dianne, thank you so much for your response and graciousness. Being a tax practitioner for 20 years, I had the pleasure of many rational, objective conversations with clients of all ethnic origins and nationalities. I'm not certain if you read my post in another thread describing how friends of many years went ballistic on me a few weeks ago when I posed a question about the President.

Our experiences most certainly affect our perspectives. Having those open and honest discussions in the past, it is alarming to see a dramatic reduction in "our" (collective) ability for open, honest, objective discussion about racial issues.

For me, if feels like the pot is being stirred intentionally to keep the populace emotional. And when we are emotional, double standards, hypocrisy, and prejudice add salt to the wounds. It clouds objectivity and restricts effective communication.

It's truly shameful there are so many "spoons" stirring that pot. And it frustrates me further to realize the hands holding those spoons are of all colors. Being completely honest, I too have been subjected to blatant racial intimidation by blacks, only a few, but since a child. I grew up in a moderately rural area and attended public schools historically for, and predominantly of black students. It also happened a time or two in my tax practice, and was squelched immediately. My clients knew, or found out quickly, prejudice at any level was NOT allowed in my office, nor intimidation, or bickering.

All segments of our society have a portion who feel superior for whatever reason and the need to elevate themselves through intimidation, and the threat of violence. For some, they seem to feel entitled to instill fear, and/or be completely devoid of consideration and civility to those who are different. And both of us know how it feels to be subjected to this type of behavior.

What I have noticed in SC and GA is a double standard in the publicity of intimidation and violence. I have suspicions a few of those spoons stirring the pot are held by members of the Press, and agree as well that double standards exist in all societal segments. White on Black intimidation and violence was for decades omitted or downplayed by the media. But in the last few decades this has been reversed. Both of these are wrong. Intimidation and violence should be reported thoroughly and objectively and most importantly prosecuted the same.

I'll be somewhat presumptious in speaking for not only myself, but Elleise and Shannon, in saying our posts were not intentionally offensive. But as you pointed out, there is no way for us to know what may be offensive to another. We shared our experiences and societal trends we recognize associated with these experiences. Speaking for myself, commenting, as objectively as I can, on hypocrisy, double standards, and racial sensitivity at the least may illuminate the issues, but hopefully contribute to a better understanding of different points of view.

My apologies if my posts here are not as objective as they could be. I'm human and despite my best efforts, these issues do affect me emotionally as well.

Have you ever thought about running for congress?? It may be more of a headache though, but your words are so thorough! Thank you very much for digging in an I too have gone over the posts and there's just no way to please all of the people all of the time, especially when it comes to exeriences. They are - that's it.

Mine are happening now and I'm seeing it as well as have seen in driving with my husband in a semi that there are as you have mentioned black intimidations. Not all, but alot - way too many to just ignore it because it's just not the in thing to do.

A good friend of mine, she is black and I asked her something. I said, I was in a video store and a big black woman eyed me up and down like a cat ready to eat a mouse and spit it back up with a hair-ball left over from the month before. What gives with that? She laughed or chuckled actually - her words to the T...You're taking our men. Black men want blonde white women. Not all of our men do, but to a lot of them, they are the cream of the crop.

i also get the snake eye or did when I lived there from her friends until they got to know me. That's with a friends of mine. A stranger though, multiply that snake eye thing times about 100 here, especially with the black women. The black men, it seems to almost be a mix of angry mating call. It's really wierd.

At my husband's work a group of black men use to come in to the restaurant and each person would take a table and spread out. They would order maybe one sandwhich and split it between them and just stay for I want to say 2-3 hours. Nothing too wrong with that, but it seems a bit much. I know I wouldn't do it. Waiters/waitresses need those tables to make tips and the restaurant needs the tables for a profit to stay in business. I had gone for awhile to the restaurant but stopped going after the group basically got bored and stirred up more trouble.

They were going into the bathrooms when a female worker went into clean them. I know here too. She is really pretty, blonde but has a social worker. She is slow. We connected on that note. I have a learning disability too. I asked my husband to do something. He said he couldn't until they did something ilegal. Two nights later they came back in and she was in tears - again from the bathroom. They finally called the police and the group was banned from the restaurant.

Ironically, this restaurant since then has had record earnings for this area. That is happening now and is happening here and it should be addressed.

The group my husband tells me stands outside the restaurant staring at the place and have brought in family members to go in with them just to get in.

People will fight back against this stuff. It just something where right is right and becuase a person has the view that something they can pick out of a century ago happend to them, means to them that they can do now isn't going to go well for them. Little by little people are finding their voices.

[quote=People will fight back against this stuff. It just something where right is right and because a person has the view that something they can pick out of a century ago happened to them, means to them that they can do now isn't going to go well for them. Little by little people are finding their voices. [/quote]

Problem is, it didn't happen to them a century ago, it happened to their ancestors. If we all carried the burdens of our ancestors, none of us would have a single resolved issue. If a human being is going to heal, they've got to shed the past. To carry the weight of events a hundred years old means you are not living in the present -- in fact you have created a life of great sorrow and rage that doesn't even belong to you. It's hard enough to shed our own haunting past. But, from what I have personally witnessed, if a black person moves away from anger, they are traitors to their race. They have sold out to whites. This is the true basis of the perpetual problem. Then there are the white youth who feel pressured into the trend to be gangsta "black." If you don't act black, you are a racist. But if you do act black, often you are resented and called a "wigger." White girls who date black guys are edgy and cool. Yet, as you talked about, despised by black women. The way it feels to me is that whites can't do anything right.

A couple of days ago, my hubby and I were walking down a lovely bike path in an upper class town. It was a gorgeous day, sunny and in the 70's. Wooded areas and corn fields lined the path, and a lovely brook ran along it, below a drop. We were snubbed by several rich white people -- some on expensive bikes, some walking, but greeted warmly by others. On the way back down the trail, a black guy, maybe in his late teens, peddled by on a child's bike, wearing a knitted cap and huge shades. He stood out like a sore thumb, and we wondered where in the world he came from. When I lived in the ghetto in MA, this was a common sight and I wouldn't have thought twice about it. But here? We continued down the path and reached the parking lot we had passed thru previously. It was park-like, with shade trees and picnic tables. As we approached, we heard booming rap music. Following the sound, we saw an SUV parked in the shade, loaded with black people. I had a horrible flash-back to the parking lot of the park in MA, where they would sit in their cars and wait for people to approach them for drugs. My heart dropped. Families with children of different ages were walking and biking past. From what I could see, nobody gave them the time of day. I hoped and prayed that they would get the picture and go back to NY. But I'm certain that they scoped out lower income towns to prey upon...bored young country kids looking for excitement...looking for a edgier life; looking to learn the black city lifestyle that TV and music teaches is the way to be. It is happening more and more up here in the green mountains. When I grew up here, we had one black family living in town. They were very a respected, normal family. I went to high school with the daughter and she seemed very nice, tho she was an upperclassman and as you know, they don't like to mix with the lowly freshmen and sophomores! Her father taught science in the high school, and her mother was a nurse at the local hospital. I never had exposure to the ghetto, only what snippets I saw on our black and white TV, on which we got 3 or 4 stations. At 18, I moved away to attend art school. I had no idea I was moving to the ghetto. I think I learned more about living in this environment than I did about art. It was the biggest lesson of my life, and the most horrifying. I knew poverty; I knew how to go without; I knew how to make do and survive. But this was different. This was hostile, hateful, and scary. I learned to watch my back. I learned where it was fairly safe to go and where it wasn't. Even the whites there were suspicious and guarded. I learned where stereotypes came from. They came from the ghetto, not from white misguided minds.

Is it fair that I, that we whites should pay for what whites did a hundred years ago? And what about the whites from the north who gave their lives to free the slaves? Are they ever noticed? I had an ancestor who dropped everything, his engagement, his family, everything, to die in the civil war. Do men like him get any acknowledgment?

My GGGG Grandmother was a Brazilian Indian who was captured by Portuguese slave traders and sold off at the age of 15. Should I harbor hatred for all Portuguese people? Should the ones living now pay for what the people of their homeland did 200 years ago? When does it end? When do people pick up their socks and make changes in their lives for the better?

White citizens do not perpetuate the black dilemma. Blacks do...but they do very clearly with the guided hand of our government. But citizens are not the government, and we shouldn't be blamed. We are not "crackers." They died a long time ago.

Perhaps some day love will come back around. I only wish we all had that goal.

SOooo...didn't something happen to ALL of us - every single one of us in our current lives let alone our ancestors?

I hear a lot, here anyway, "It's our time!!!!"

Well o.k. but isn't it everyone's time? There are a lot more groupsa nd races here now that totally want and will prevail in being heard.

What seems more appropriate is for it to be about bridging the gaps, all countries, humane rights for animals, gay and lesbian relationships and marriage acknowledgement, and not so much on something negative that if you look hard enough, you might be able to justify.

As I've mentioned and see, live-it, there are more of us than there are of them. (I felt to input a notation - by us I mean more people that want to live in peace than people rehashing the past) There is no good living out of the past of resentment and hate. Not in a relationship, not in a family or marriage where something horrid has been done and especailly not something that happened over - well over a century ago.

I had an abusive relationship in my past. I can certainly find traces of abuse in the here and now. I don't act out of those findings. I can offer empathy from that experience to someone who might currently be going through it now.

You're right, it's not that it's happening to a great deal of the black community now, but it IS something that I am hearing over and over that they are not willing to forget. So be it. Don't forget but the rest of the world wants to go on whether or not it's featured in a headline or not. The world is bigger than that and you won't find it in headlines because many of the networks I'm guessing are paid and sponsored for with gov. money. Doesn't mean it isn't happening.

Get educational and most of the races, now here, more than ever can top what happened with the balck community because their issues are that it's still happening to them, currently and they are not real excited to hear about pains of the past when they're suffering in the present.

There is a genuine goal of unity -

I kind of get the image of going out into an ocean and everything looks o.k. enough to even let your children go out, but there are currents or tides underneath you can't see.

My parents are out East so I've seen some of the country side out there and today is Saturday. I'm reading this about the SUV and LOUD - GOOD GOLLY loud RAP music, arms legs, snake eyes peering out of an SUV as I write this, under a tree in the shade, it's going on here.

Up until they got here, everything was quiet and the kids were running around outside playing catch and frizby and you could hear the mom saying, "Come get your drinks" and she came out to meet them.

I know there is a goal because I'm here and I can see it. there is a real effort from the immigrants to at least try. They smile, they try to speak english, they pick up garbage and bring you things if they know you. They spend their time growing things, if they see you having trouble and know how to do something they mimic how to do something with hand maneuvers or just take the tool out of your hands and do it for you. It makes me smile.

The easy way will always be the easy way. And where there is money that backs it - well that's just a temporary illusion. There were people before there was money and, the economy the way that it is now, again, there is more movement in the people without money.

It may not be in the media now and maybey it's hard for some of the people here to word it right or feel confident, but they know something...they feel it. They do want to live peacefully and in unity with each other. If it wasn't happening here I couldn't even pretend to write about it.

Ah the SUV subwoofer...now that was money well spent.