Signs of Optimism?Follow

As a bleeding' heart liberal I get frustrated at dangerous generalisation. 9/11 was caused by people hiding behind Islam so the gutter-press interprets this as 'Muslim = Terrorist'. Day to day veiled racism is an intrinsic part of tabloid journalism these days.

But. . .

A young British Boxer Amir Khan is now through to the Olympic Final in his weight division on Sunday.
What's so refreshing is the British media are embracing this guy as a 'British' Hero. A Muslim with a strong Lancashire accent, he speaks proudly of his faith and his nationality. His father sports a dashing Union Jack waistcoat, and his cousin plays County Cricket for Lancashire.
Could this get the message through to my xenophobic compatriots?

On the subject, I'm intrigued about how Black american athletes are viewed in the USA. Thinking of the more right-wing "Blacks are lazy and inferior" camp, do they cheer on Gatlin & co.?

Edited, Sat Aug 28 09:52:07 2004 by Nobby

Ditto.
Dunno what p'isses me off more. Fascists who tar all muslims with the 'terrorist' brush, or slack-***** apologists who will defend the indefensible.

Hamsa's rants make the concept of free speech hard to defend, but morons like him (and Al-Sadr, the Al-Mhajaroun idiots etc.) should be dealt with. No need to undermine 'human rights' - give 'em a very public fair trial and don't be afraid to throw away the key when they're convicted.

"Thinking of the more right-wing "Blacks are lazy and inferior" camp, do they cheer on Gatlin & co.?" --Nobby

I can't let this one pass. Just where have you gotten the idea that the "right wing" has cornered the market on bigotry and racism? And whatever would make you believe that the so called liberal bleeding heart left wingers hate generalizations more than any other sanitary and nonmenstruating wing?

The very fact that you have catagorized an entire demographic empirically proves your statement to be a lie. Do you even see the irony in this, chucklehead?

Totem

Apparently not. But as to the original title of this thread, the glass is half full.

Totem

Ahh. And there's me thinking I was condemning them because they advocate killing western civilians and praised the 9/11 attacks.

Silly me.

Now go back to your 'Marxism for beginners' colouring book. You might want to try seizing the means of the production of sense.

Last night on Headline news they had the deep south voting for Bush. The Deep South is in no way a bastion of the Democratic Party. They are much more in the camp of closed-minded conservatism.

I suspect they already are. You read more into my initial post than was there.

I've not travelled widely in the states, but worked briefly in Boston - mainly in ethnic majority neighbourhoods and yes, I saw blatant and subtle examples of racism from people of various colours and political perspectives.

I still hold the view that while racism exists in all parties, it's usually been more apparent in the policies of conservative parties than in liberal ones.

As for the 'deep south' references, Same over here. Apart from the obvious point that even in Democrat strongholds there are conservatives (rabid or moderate), liberals are allowed to be offensive bastards too.

/Rewind
My 1st observation was that perhaps people who've been fed (and swallowed) a diet of racial stereotypes might see through the BS when they realise that Muslims aren't all western-hating AK-47 toting extremists.

My question remains - I'm genuinely curious. How does someone who sees non-whites as inferior but is passionately patriotic to Uncle Sam (right or left wing) feel about Black US Olympians. I use varus as an obvious example but there are others hereabouts - his defence of America as a great nation is tempered by his derision of black people.
Do people with those views see the stars and stripes on their vests make him proud of their achievements as Americans, or do they still see them as 2nd class?

ok i'm not going to defend Al-quayeda, but from a certain point of view....

no forget it

I don't think it's that the right wing has more racists, or a more racist agenda. Both sides (parties in the case of the US) have their share of racists. They just manifest differently is all.

Right wing racists are generally very upfront and open about it. They'll say something like "We don't want no ******* or ****** around here!", and they mean it. Then there are the right wingers who want *real* equality, but who get labeled as racist because they don't agree with establishing "special statuses" for minorities. Heck. I had a woman call me a racist once because I wouldn't let her cash a check after it failed to pass the POS check thingie. There's definately an undercurrent of thought in this country that we should let minorities "slide" because they had to suffer some injustice in the past or something.

Left wing racists are a bit more subtle. They want equal rights and treatment for "those poor people who can't possibly survive without the help and aid of us white folks". They're also much more likely to champion the cause of minorities but not want to actually live in the same neighborhoods. "Of course they're equal to us in every way, but that doesn't mean they need to go to the same private school as my kids...". IMHO, at the core of most of the Dem party agenda when it comes to racial differences is an assumption that minorities aren't capable of succeeding on their own. That's backhanded racism, but it's still there.


Right wing racism is just more obvious is all. I definately would not say that there is more racism in the right wing in US politics.

No, the Dem agenda is that minorities aren't capable of succeeding due to racism inherent in the system, past and present.

/sigh, shows how much she knows, she didn't even find the right label for the circumstances.

To assert that the south is a bastion of the democrats is absurd on its face. The south has abandoned the democrats, having been wooed by wedge issues like abortion.

I too live in Fort Worth. I work in what can only be accurately described as the ghetto. I get more **** from the people i work with and meet on a daily basis than i would have ever thought imaginable. The different minorities can ***** and moan about how the white man opresses them and then turn around and spit in our faces after cashing their welfare check. Why is it okay for them to treat us like **** and then play the racist card as soon as we stand up for ourselves? Why is it that every time conflict is initiated its because they are black/mexican/arab/whatever? can i not just hate you? i all of a sudden have to hate your entire race? ever stop to think that you are just a ******* ******* and a disagreeable person, and that you dont personify your entire race in my eyes?

Am i the only person calling ******** on the fact that the only individuals that can be charged with a hate crime are white males?
Am i the only person thats is calling ******** on the fact that while there are people going to college for free b/c of the color of their skin, i have to work 2 jobs just to scrape by despite the fact my aptitude tests are (and this is a quote) intimidating?
Am i the only rebublican tired of being stereotyped as a stereotyper? I have republican morals, and that affiliates me with the southern lynch mobs how?
Am i the only person who thinks Kerry saying he relates to rap, that he understands it and sees a great deal of truth in it is the biggest chunk of malarky this side of the globe? i mean seriously, where does the great deal of truth lay, john, huh? Is it in smacking your ***** up, making the booty go clap, or is it more about **** 'da police for you, you pretentious dousche bag?
I swear to christ if this guy wins im goin on a rampage.
ok sorry about the rant guys, try not to crucify me too badly for all of this... love peace chicken grease