i have been talking to a whole lot of white (and black) people on this issue as like my own research and i ask them if they are afraid of black people in general and what i found is that almost all of them are. Some say it is because they are afraid to mess up in front of black people because they think that they will antagonize them. Others said that they are afraid that they'll do something criminal and some said they don't know why.

I think that most of it is media.

Even Jesse Jackson was quoted on saying feeling uneasy around fellow black folks. I'm pretty sure black folks get nervous around some redneck looking folks just as much. Maybe it's media, maybe it's not. For me, when I see black folks I get excited, b/c I know more than likely they are from the States and we can sit down and chit chat.

Perhaps it is mostly just lack of experience. often people tend to keep to there own kind. If most white folks impressions come from TV, then is it any wonder. Some people find it hard to understand what they don't experience. Another reason to hate the US media.

i never understood this. then again i was always taught to never underestimate anyone, keep my prejudices to myself, and to over come fear.

i was born and raised in a place where there are more black folks than white folks. there are plenty of blacks that are terrified of whites too. what... you guys never heard of CWB syndrome? (crazy white boy)

in my old neighborhood your next door neighbors were probably black folks. pretty much that way anywhere in this city. i live in a much nicer part of town now and its the same.

people still self-segregate... or as Dundee put it, stick to their own, even though institutionalized segregation has been prohibited for 50 years in the states. even though i grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood most of my friends were / are white. not because im racist, but because as they say, birds of a feather flock together. (i like metal more than rap. what can i say?) people cleave to familiarity.

our nanny is a hardened ex LA gangsta'. lol. black folks dont scare me none.

despite good upbringing and non-racist parents i still went through a skinhead "phase". as much as i enjoy scaring the shit out of people... something just didn't add up... i think it was more for the shock value than anything to do with politics.

even if through your entire life experience you have not encountered one individual from another "race" that has (what is in your opinion) redeeming qualities doesn't mean that there aren't any. there is always an exception to the rule, which in the end negates the validity of supremist philosophy.

it sucks when people live down to their stereotype, but that flaw is not exclusive to one group.

fear is propagated by ignorance. the media definately plays a large role in propagating ignorance.

sometimes the old lady clutching her purse, or the mom that shepherds her children near as you walk by, aren't necessarily doing so because you may be black, white, latino... but because you look like a freaking creep. (again, speaking from personal experience. )




[Hey Mand' ... you ever see "Fear of a Black Hat"?]

I grew up with slightly racist folks,Living in the west country in the 1970's you didn't see any black people.So as a kid the only black guy i remember seeing was on telly.But then i moved to essex when my parents split.More of a culture shock for my mum then me.I had black friends that i was not allowed to bring home,my mum never said why.

Then when i was 13 i had to have a series of major ops on my left leg,my mum stayed at the hospital with me in a house especially for parents who had kids in hospital.There was this black lady there who was being sidelined by the other parents.My mum, to my shock, was not gonna put up with bullying of anybody,so she confronted the other parents (7 in total).She gave them a piece of her mind,and warned them if it continued that they were violating the rules of the house and she would have them removed from the house and they would have to find a B&B nearby.
Funnily enough it worked.The black ladies clothes weren't moved any more and the other parents spoke to her.

The best bit though was one day while sat there with no visitors,as my mum had to go home for my sister,this black lady came to visit me and brought me some fruit.How nice was that!Me and her son who was in a different ward with burns sent messages to each other of support through the hospital radio.

I'm now 38.my mum is no longer a rascist and i have black and asian friends.One friend comes from Plymouth,Monserrat the other from Grenada,i have asian friends (muslim, who said they don't mix)who come from India and Pakistan.Very nice respectable people.

I think the Media is responsible for pushing the psyche of the masses.I don't watch much telly now,but as a kid, black guys were often criminals of womanisers(a stereotype if you like).So blacks were seen with fear or suspicion,but there is good and bad in all creeds ,races.and religions.

I learnt as a young man that you can't tell a book by its cover,and i do not fear any race..apart from reptillians,well.. you gotta dislike somthing..it just wouldn't be human.

Nice Story macdaddy. A good lesson there I think.

it is true abadaka that sometimes you just look like a creep but i know i don't and people still do that when i walk by and that bothers me a little cause im the type of guy who likes to seek different types of people and make friends because i don't like to be in a homogeneous group of people. That being said most friends that i hang out with outside of school are black with 3 exceptions but thats just because they live in area.

there are probably more xenophobes than xenophiles in the world. im facinated by other cultures as well.

im sure you do get a lot of dirty looks just because you are a black guy.

i get a lot of them just because im a white guy.

racism can be directed at anyone.

ive had the race card thrown in my face so many times its sickening.

(assuming someone is racist based on the color of their skin is ... well... racist.)

people just suck in general.

believe me i actually know how you feel... security guards follow you around, old men look at you like you're gonna rob them, police give you the evil eye like they are just waiting for you slip up or to see if you get skittish, strangers may talk to you but when they do its like they think they are talking to a foreigner or criminal.

people higher up the social ladder tend to assume or treat you like you have no wit, money, class, couth, ambition, or vision, and that you originate from a lesser gene pool.

im sure all of that sounds familiar.

i don't know what its like to be a black man, but ive been treated like a "nigger" before. by caucasoid, mongoloid, and negroid alike, that pretty much covers everyone.

give 'em the bird, or a "what the f*ck are you looking at?"

...usually at least gets them to try to ignore you... then they can stew in their own ignorance thinking they're right. and you've done your good deed for the day by making someone feel better about themselves.

even the nice approach works. "can i help you? everything ok over there?" they just turn away like your talking to someone else.... heh.

or just stare back. its unsettling and usually ends it quick.

man you could really get creative with it... grab your crotch, twirl around on your toes, and give 'em the best michael jackson you've got... eeeEEE heeeee .... shamone... awright... hah-s-hah

and moonwalk away...

yeah i'll be the first to admit there are plenty of black racists as well.

it is a human delimma.















(fear is the mind killer.)

There is no reason to fear any race. The country singer Collin Raye said it perfectly.........I bleed, I love, I hurt, I cry, I want......not much difference you and me.

I agree with you there mate, but good luck. I tried to explain that concept once here and ended up in a huge fight. I think many people just cant see that whites can be the target of racism.

Every race is a target of racism. We all need to grow up and understand we are all alike. No matter what the surface color is.

This post has been edited by cricket: Sep 3 2008, 12:42 PM

its a very hard thing to overcome

it doesn't help that racism is pretty much institutionalized. (despite its prohibition)

we are just now seeing that fade away, but at a snail's pace.

it seems that when one group is vindicated another is targeted.

This post has been edited by abadaka: Sep 4 2008, 06:54 AM

There isn't many blacks here or where I grew up.
Frankly I am not at all predjudice.
When I was single and looking, I would have been just as happy to date a black woman.
We have 1 black at work out of over 600+ employees, he is one of the most nicest and friendly of them all.

yeah i have noticed that in many cases racism starts in the history classroom.

in my life i have known some awesome black people, absolutley amazing people, with hearts of gold, and souls of pure good.

and i have met some black people who are absolute scum of the earth whom i wish i had execution rights to.


My point is, same can be said for all people, and all races.


the deciding FACTORS? EDUCATION, AND OPPRESION.