Racism?

Yes, racism still very much exists. For some to the extreme (white supremists) and for others just as a manifestation of xenophobia to varying degrees. Although I think the xenophobic part has changed over the years and isn’t so much tied to skin-colour and such, but more to cultural, national or ethnic origin

Racism still exists in a very big way. And It probably will as long as there are people of different cultures and races.

I tend to hang out with people with similar world views, so I often forget just how prevalent racism is. When I come across blatant examples, I’m always shocked. When I started paying attention, I was distressed by how common it still is.

racisim still exists in every community and will forever exist within communities around the globe. It is one of the weakest structures inside the human componet. If you listen closely you can hear it almost everywhere.

agreed with everyone else. I’m for fighting racism, but judochop’s right, it’s pretty much everywhere. Down here where I live there’s a lot of prejudice against Mexicans and Hispanics. I abhor it.

Do any of you find that often older generations – who maybe haven’t been so exposed to multi-cultural societies – seem to have a very racist viewpoint without even realising it?

I’ve noticed this. Coming from a very isolated society, where when growing up, the only people of different races and ethnicity than Northern European were people who had been adopted.
I’ve lived in 2 other countries since and been exposed to a very large number of cultures and I find it so disturbing when I’m back home that people know so little of other cultures and societies.
– Thankfully it is improving with younger generations and there are more immigrants (I for one welcome a healthy stream of newcomers to any society) which bring more awareness and a healthier mix.

Clarification, definition. Racism is a set of social relationships where power is assigned based on people’s perceived membership in a racial group, regardless of the exact mechanisms of power-assignment, and regardless of the scientific accuracy of the concept of race. It isn’t the small acts of stereotyping and discrimination that are of concern, except where they are discussed as part of a larger set of relationships.

Any reasonable examination of the distribution of wealth, opportunity, education, healthcare and material needs in the US will see a very strong correlation to racial identity and communities.

That is correct mangus….....I suppose my responses were more towards discrimination based on culture, ethnicity, nationality or race.

I believe it pertains to both viewpoints. You can’t just look at it on a larger scale.. my grandma making comments about how mexicans should go back to where they came from is no better or different than someone not being allowed a job or health care.

Racism is still rampant!!!

@ishotthesheriff: It’s not about better or different. It’s about focusing on power. I agree, both parts of the scale (small and large) are important. But if someone isn’t talking about power, instead focusing on bigotry, ignorance, prejudice etc., then they aren’t focused on the heart of the issue.

you may want to check out these answers to a previously asked question
http://www.fluther.com/disc/9618/does-racism-still-exist-if-so-in-what-ways/

actually. . . pretty sure ” . . . bigotry, ignorance, prejudice etc.,” is the heart of the issue. power being on the bigger scale and an effect.
Both need to be focused on to make a change.

@ishotthesheriff: Yours is a popular interpretation, you’ll get lots of support, but I disagree with it. The problem is not that some folks are just bad, or have wrong ideas, they discriminate, and then we end up with more poor black folks than poor white folks. That’s a gross oversimplification. The roots are historic, and not, in my view, part of human nature. There are many places and times in human history where “the races” coexisted harmoniously. We are not pre-disposed to be prejudiced based on skin color.

The alternative perspective sees racism as historically specific. In the US/Western Euro. case, economic and political decisions made by a relatively small number of economic elites led to a slave trade, and then a rationalizing rhetoric about race, in order to justify the economic order. The current state of things in the US is directly tied to this historical situation. It is perpetuated by culture and the dynamics of racism itself.

The view that bigotry, ignorance and prejudice are the heart of the matter is a convenient buttress for white supremacy in the US. It always serves white supremacy more to obfuscate power.

Ah, I see your point concerning the slave trade. I would agree with that for the most part, but the reason the “economic elites” chose slave trade is because . . . they acted with ignorance, bigotry, and prejudice. At least I could only assume that is true.

Even so, I said both are the heart of the matter and believe the only way to fight racism is to address it on both levels.

I personally see the race issue worsening in the younger generation not getting better. It still exists in the media now more than ever and it is terrible in Hollywood and commercial, corporate America. Not to mention how sexist things are….It is still around us, everywhere.

I think racism is alive and well and always will be in some way. I think the group which recives the most hate is the white male. They get no special treatment (aka minority treatment) and they are punished for past generations percived injustice to other groups.

Hi gooch. White women are included in the hideous discrimination you describe. We
too were forced to have help in our households from people against whom white people have had to protect ourselves by enslaving them.

it still exists, sure.

but it also really depends on a large number of factors; locations one- it seems strongest in monocultural societies and how you carry yourself. the latter helps sometimes, but not to extreme racists (for lack of a better term).

also keep in mind though, that at times, it can be worked to your benefit. for example: i used to spend a lot of time walking around alone, late at night in what was supposedly really poor/rough area. i had a white friend who told me the only reason i didn’t get robbed or cut was likely because i was asian, and there were big asian gangs in the area. only gangsters walked on their own.

Racism still exists. It still exists in a huge part of the world. Just because you don’t see it does not mean it is not there.