No No No. You've obviously mistaken me for your friends down there in Virginia or wherever the hell you are.

I think every child should have to read "Thinking About Race" by Naomi Zack at least once in school. It would do a lot to help younger generations understand racism. The book is easy to read, presents the facts without condemning anyone, and allows the reader to critically think about the issue instead of telling them how to live.

i think that the crux of this argument is going right over your fat little cocksmoking head.

Has anyone taken this kid aside and said "Hey there, junior...you know it's not cool or nice to go around calling people niggers?"

Cuz I'd imagine he DOESN'T know that...probably sees his parents doing it all the time, so he thinks it's kosher.

It may not do any good, but at least he'd hear the truth from someone.

On MLK Day this year, oldest son finally asked me about race and what MLK did that he should have his own day. I sat down with him and had the sad talk about the history of oppression and its roots in America. He asked me why people felt that way, and I was forced to address the issue of race.

At that time, I pointed out that his skin is different from mine (more fair) and from his brother's (the older one is slightly more fair). Then I also noted that they and their mother all have blue eyes and that I have brown eyes. I asked him if he thought it makes any difference in who we are as people.

He said no, it didn't make any difference, that he thought we were all just people, and that he would play with any little boy he met at the park... it didn't matter to him.

I was so proud.

Just wait til he has to kiss a little black girl in the school play.

I've thought about it. With the oldest kid I think you might get some where. But with Donnie it probably doesn't matter anyway b/c he's mean. He thinks it fun to take a stick with dog shit on it and make my dog eat it. I've also caught him beating my dog. Donnie's been kicked out of kindergarten already at one school.

My very first friend was black, and I never thought anything of it until I was fed racist propaganda from various sources as I got older. My parents did a good job of raising me to be tolerant, but I can see why some kids end up intolerant or racist if their parents are hardcore loonies.

From the sound of it, I don't think this kid wants anything to do with kosher.

Steve

<----Considers himself in no way racist yet has no black friends.

Hypocritical or not?

Steve,

Although you have had no issues in Atlanta. The ATL ain't exactly a microcosm of the South. Where do you work?

Eric

First off, it's not hypocritical at all to not have any black friends unless you were going out of your way to make it that way which I'm guessing is not the case.

Well, I work in Buckhead but my job requires me to travel to various locales around here. Of course my wife is not with me at these times.

I understand though where you are coming from. Our experience might be quite different in other parts of the south.

Steve

Steve

saying "white trash" is like saying "nigger".

that kid will probably end up gettin' his ass schooled someday soon by one of them "niggers". after that, he'll probably keep his mouth shut.

i have lots of black aquaintances, but no close black friends.
i would say that is both of our faults.


my father was a basketball coach in the inner city so all through my life i would go on weekend vacations with his team, and i thought they were the coolest people in the entire world. I think this informed my feeling that black people are really cool (in a very high school sense)

and so when i DJ hip hop, and black people tell me i do a really good job, i feel special.

i feel kinda weird about feeling that way.

No doubt this country is still very fucked up regarding issues of race and it's not a white problem but applies to everyone.

Things won't get settled until we can talk honestly with each other. That may mean some people getting mad or feelings being hurt but if we can't be straight with each other we won't get anywhere.

Steve

Honkey's!!!

this is why i thnink what Bill Cosby did was so important. Some of what he said might have been off and even wrong, but he got people talking. And there ARE problems within the black community that need to be talked about and it's ok that white people know about them.

If they are from Houma, La., they are probably not just Christian, they are more likely Catholic (as are most people in Southern Louisiana) and throwing the Bible at them won't make the least bit of difference - Catholicism is rooted in "tradition", not necessarily "scripture", and in SoLa, the cultural "tradition" is one of "separateness" (at a minimum) -- especially in the smaller communities.

To be honest, you can't really "logic" your way through an argument with a lot of the people in smaller towns in SoLa. The invitation to come in and have fun is always there, but, if you are not from there and you start to tell them they are wrong about the way they live, you'll probably get a big "fuck you" from them, their family and eventually, you might get it from the rest of the (white) community.

Most people don't really acknowledge the separate cultures or make a big deal about it, but, it definitely exists (cajun vs. creole culture and food; cajun vs. zydeco music, etc.).

As an aside, I thought dogfighting was illegal in Louisiana (although I think you can still go to cockfights - at least you could about 10 years ago). You can probably speak to the cops about that one. . .

wigger is more racist.

My mom's a juvenile advocate (kid lawyer), and sees these kinds of kids all the time. It's absolutely tragic, and very, very hard to do anything about. And from what you're saying, this kid is going to do much much worse in the future. A 7 year-old that beats / tortures animals has got serious mental issues, and 9 times outta 10 it's because they're being abused at home, possibly sexually.

Calling juvenile services wouldn't be the worst thing you could do. There's a fine line between helping and butting in, but if it's as bad as you say it is, it seems like the right thing to do to me. Kids don't act like that just magically on their own.

kid sounds like a dead-ringer for Childhood Conduct Disorder; with possibility of fullblown Antisocial Personality in the future. that sucks.

Even if it's not legal in Louisiana, es permiso en Puerto Rico.

Oh, and on the fighting dogs bit... skip juvy services, just kill the dad. That is unforgivable.


<----- owner of a rescued pitbull who was used in a fighting dog puppymill... sweetest, most humble dog EVER.

Not all white trash are racist. Actually, one could very well argue that white trash are the least racist of white people for a couple of reasons.


First off, considering it has often been said that only whites can be racist because racism is an institutionalized form of bigotry having to do with the controlling race subjugating the other race through oppression, white trash ain't controlling shit. It's the rich fuckers in charge who have instituted racism. Many white trash may not like blacks, but that's certainly not true of all, and even the ones who do don't have a lick of power to do anything about it.

Also, its poor whites that actually live, work, and interact with blacks on a daily basis. Rich white folks know better than to say nigger, but they live in all white neighborhoods and don't hire blacks at their businesses and keep 'em out of the country club.

Blaming racism on poor whites in counterproductive and false.

Its kinda a rough spot for me...a guy who grew up and still hangs out with mostly white trash, but has worked for an all-black college as well as several organizations doing community development projects in black and white ghettos.

Stereotyping poor whites goes just as far to keep the economic underclass divided as does stereotyping poor blacks. If poor folks ever got together, things would change. There are a hell of a lot more people without jack shit in this world than rich folks. And while the majority don't realize this, there are plenty on both sides...Hell all sides, lets not forget our brown, yellow, red and whatever else friends...that do.

Fortuantely, the dad hasn't been training best I can tell. But that's just what he told me the first day he got the dogs.

Cockfighting is legal in Louisiana.

Dude, the second you're sure of dog fighting going on, please oh please report that scumbag. I mean seriously! Make sure first, of course, but then nail his ass. Dog fighting is soooo cruel. And it contributes to the misunderstanding of a couple of breeds of dog, like pitbulls. They don't eat babies, they're not really that agressive. My dog is the biggest pushover ever. But if you shock them, beat them, starve them, and feed them caffeine, and then leave them alone around little kids, someone's likely to get bitten. And it's always some yokel like your neighbor, with a ton of dogs in the shabby house, and kids running around with them, and everyone sees it on the news that someone got bitten, and their pitbull hatin' batteries are recharged.

Ugh. Sorry. Sore spot.