rumors and prejudice

[berkshire bee]

It interesting how prejudice and rumors can spread. There is a jeweler in our town who is from Lebanon. He spoke with a strong accent, had a beard, and a dark complexion. Shortly after the sept 11th attacks, there was a closed sign on the door. Before long, rumors had spread around the whole town that he was arrested as a terrorist. What really happened? He suffered a mild heart attack and was in the hospital. He had heard about the rumors going around town. I wouldn't have blamed him if he closed the business and moved away, but he chose to stay and recieved many cards and words of apology. It's so easy for people to believe something just because they've heard it from more than one place, or heard one person repeat it over and over. That's a shame

[Keith Jarrett]

BB,
very well said

[iddee]

>>>It's so easy for people to believe something just because they've heard it from more than one place, or heard one person repeat it over and over. That's a shame<<<

Total shame...total truth, and now it looks like we may elect a president because of this human shortcoming.

[sqkcrk]

>>>It's so easy for people to believe something just because they've heard it from more than one place, or heard one person repeat it over and over. That's a shame<<<

Total shame...total truth, and now it looks like we may elect a president because of this human shortcoming.

McCain's not all that short.

[Ravenseye]

That's one of my major issues when people profile. We have a good bank customer who is from India and owns a convenience store. Got beat up three times in the months after 9/11. All three times, he was accused of being a terrorist. All three assailants called him an Arab. Things are better now but he still won't let his wife work at the store any longer.

My mother-in-law (war bride from Japan) came to this country but couldn't find a class to learn english in. One place told her that "Japs can't learn english". She ended up working in a sweat shop with many other Japanese-Americans and learned English the hard way. She wanted to work in a department store but couldn't learn enough english to land a job.

My mother is German. Also a war bride. My 8th grade history teacher asked me, on or about Veterans Day one year, to come to the front of the class and show everyone "how the Krauts saluted Hitler". When I refused, he told me to go home and ask my Mom...."She'll know", was his answer. I responded that I didn't think she ever saluted Hitler. He answered, "Then she must be dead. All the ones that he didn't kill were Nazi's. She'll know."

I'm pretty sensitive to prejudice and profiling. I married a woman who could have had a better childhood but her mother was discriminated against, much like mine was. So......someone's accent, color, nationality, religion, culture, heritage or even their middle name (!!!!!), should never be the distinguishing factor in our assessment of them. Unless, of course, we're smaller than all of that. In that case, I guess it's pretty easy to be wrong.

[J-Bees]

in school, 1st thru high school, my best friend was a girl - - - not of my color:} we had lots of fun she came to my home I went to her's lots:}:}

I have no clue as to what happened to her since I went into the service and she kind of droped off the face of the earth while I was gone: I got to ask about her today while at work one of our friends came to where I was at working and he also has not heard any news about her or her brother.


JB:}

[Eaglerock]

There is a jeweler in our town who is from Lebanon. He spoke with a strong accent, had a beard, and a dark complexion. Shortly after the sept 11th attacks, there was a closed sign on the door. Before long, rumors had spread around the whole town that he was arrested as a terrorist. What really happened? He suffered a mild heart attack and was in the hospital. He had heard about the rumors going around town. I wouldn't have blamed him if he closed the business and moved away, but he chose to stay and recieved many cards and words of apology. It's so easy for people to believe something just because they've heard it from more than one place, or heard one person repeat it over and over.

Kind of like WWII and the Japanese anyone that looked Japanese. We threw them all together in a camp. Anyone remember that?

[Eaglerock]

That's one of my major issues when people profile. We have a good bank customer who is from India and owns a convenience store. Got beat up three times in the months after 9/11. All three times, he was accused of being a terrorist. All three assailants called him an Arab. Things are better now but he still won't let his wife work at the store any longer.


.

One name, Obama

[Eaglerock]

Compared to Barack [edit by mod] Obama he is. :doh: :p

I would think after this statement:
Quote:
Originally Posted by sqkcrk
McCain's not all that short.

You might say Obama... He didn't even say John McCain.

I am ashamed of anyone that feels the need to say his middle name. We don't, and never, have said any others so why his. I hang my head when I hear how Americans act.

Reminds me when my wife said something about the Media calling Clinton, "Hillary", and everyone else was by their last name. Towards the end they changed, I think. I remember someone bring that up on one talk/morning show. People have to be reminded, is that not sad.

[Ravenseye]

I'm actually confused by the insistence on using the middle name. If it's supposed to be an obscure reference, well.....it is.

[cow pollinater]

Not that I'm all for racial profiling or anything like that, But sometimes it is based in truth. After 911 a local conveniance store closed down after the owner went into hiding when the authorities came looking for him as a person of interest. He was about the last person you would expect to have any involvement other than his nationality.
Another store owner was forced out of business when customers saw him mopping the floor with the american flag while he watched the aftermath of the attacks on TV and decided not to come back anymore.
Predjudice is wrong because it encompasses an entire group of people that may or may not have anything in common beyond skin color. Profiling, on the other hand is a great time saver. When your buildings are burning and people are dead and you need a place to start looking for the murderers, the guy with the turban and a big smile on his face may be someone you'd want to talk to.

I saw an interview with a Packistani man being asked about his treatment at the airport. He was supposed to be upset that he was made to take off his shoes, instead he lauged and said that in Packistan, if a group of white men had bombed a building full of innoccent people, white men would be shot on site at the airport.

[sqkcrk]

That's one of my major issues when people profile. We have a good bank customer who is from India and owns a convenience store. Got beat up three times in the months after 9/11. All three times, he was accused of being a ist. All three assailants called him an Arab. Things are better now but he still won't let his wife work at the store any longer.

My mother-in-law (war bride from Japan) came to this country but couldn't find a class to learn english in. One place told her that "Japs can't learn english". She ended up working in a sweat shop with many other Japanese-Americans and learned English the hard way. She wanted to work in a department store but couldn't learn enough english to land a job.

My mother is German. Also a war bride. My 8th grade history teacher asked me, on or about Veterans Day one year, to come to the front of the class and show everyone "how the Krauts saluted ". When I refused, he told me to go home and ask my Mom...."She'll know", was his answer. I responded that I didn't think she ever saluted . He answered, "Then she must be . All the ones that he didn't kill were 's. She'll know."

I'm pretty sensitive to prejudice and profiling. I married a woman who could have had a better childhood but her mother was discriminated against, much like mine was. So......someone's accent, color, nationality, religion, ure, heritage or even their middle name (!!!!!), should never be the distinguishing factor in our assessment of them. Unless, of course, we're smaller than all of that. In that case, I guess it's pretty easy to be wrong.

And some people say that racism doesn't exist or that it's just an excuse. Thanks for sharing the above w/ us.

[Keith Benson]

I am ashamed of anyone that feels the need to say his middle name. We don't, and never, have said any others so why his. I hang my head when I hear how Americans act.



A) There is no reason to be ashamed of the acts of others in a forum like this. They should be ashamed not because it is a poorly disguised attempt at linking the man to a group that many Americans are afraid of, and a deliberate attempt to mislead.

B) You know exactly why they do it. The sad this is, in some instances it actually works. What is even more sad is that the mere mentioning of this will likely make it impossible for some to stop - because that would mean that they would have to admit that it was in fact juvenile and transparent.

I just have to wonder how desparate must someone be to try something as silly as that to make their point. So much for voting on substance.

Keith

[iddee]

Some people dislike snakes, not because they are ALL dangerous, but because SOME are.

Some people dislike bees, not because they are ALL dangerous, but because SOME are.

Some people dislike certain groups of people, not because they are ALL dangerous, but because SOME are.

It is human nature and will never change. There is nothing wrong with disliking something, but may be with the actions taken because of it. I get very upset when I see someone kill a harmless snake.

[sqkcrk]

Some people dislike snakes, not because they are ALL dangerous, but because SOME are.

Some people dislike bees, not because they are ALL dangerous, but because SOME are.

Some people dislike certain groups of people, not because they are ALL dangerous, but because SOME are.

It is human nature and will never change. There is nothing wrong with disliking something, but may be with the actions taken because of it. I get very upset when I see someone kill a harmless snake.

So you seem to be saying that it's okay to dislike a whole group because of the actions of individuals.

To hate or act badly toward an individual who is different from you because of ones experience w/ other individuals is bad behavior and something that we as individuals can and should do something to control in our selves.

I don't deny that I get excited when I see a snake, but I don't kill any of them. I observe them and handle some of them. But mostly I leave them alone. My brother in Montana says that if I was around Rattle snakes I'd change my behavior.

I get extra aware (cautious?) when I meet someone whose appearance seems threatening. I may feel like I'm in the wrong place, but I don't see that as quite the same thing as what iddee is talking about.

A Sikh friend of mine says that he has been called ni_ _er by neighbors and that a white neighbor of his said that he won't vote "for that ni_ _er, because of past experiences w/ those people". Ignorance, feelings of superiority and seeing our fellow human beings as "others" demeans us all. As individuals we should be able to control that, in ourselves.

Pointing it out to others lets them know that their behavior is harmful.

[Eaglerock]

Keith Benson yes you are right. Being that we are in 2008 and not 1950 or 60's, I would like to think we have moved past this kind of behavior. Sadly this nation is not. KKK still is around, and have not grown up yet.

Our nation has still, a lot of grown up to do yet. Being that we are like the melting pot of the world, people from all over the world came and live here. One would think this could never be.

When I met my wife, I learned about the courses she was teaching at PITT. History, Political Science, Slavery course, a law course, and a couple others off and on. I was thinking, as others do, a white woman teaching a Slavery Course? Well it is history, and trust me, I have learned a lot. Having said that, the thoughts of things are not history. People still think and teach their kids the hate and they should be afraid, etc.

Over the years I have found, when you don't like something or someone, it is so often that you do not understand it or them. i.e.- my wife and sports. She likes baseball, but hates football and what I always coached, High School and at the YMCA, Wrestling.
Reminds me when an old boss asked me to go to a Hockey game in Erie. I have always said I hated Hockey, although I loved movies about it, I didn't think I would ever like going to one. So I told him no thanks. But he asked another to go and he too had never been to one. He said if you go I will. So I agreed to go. Glad I did. Had a great time and Steve's son and daughter knew more than I, (Steve was my boss) so everytime something I didn't know or understand he made sure he told me aaaalllllll about it. I think he enjoyed teaching an old man about 5 times his age. So next time Steve took all our employees and families. We took several vans full and even my daughter went. Later that season I went by myself and who was following me and passed me on the way home, my daughter with her friends. They too went to the hockey game.

My point is; I would never have known that I might like it, because I didn't understand it. Also, BTW, I am not into car racing, but Steve's brother races and they were co owners of the business. So I agreed to go with my daughters, and the woman I was dating and her three kids to watch Joe race. I enjoyed it and went again a couple times the same year.

So now before I say I don't like it or them, I look at what I am saying, and make sure I have good judgment before I open my trap.

[iddee]

>>>>To hate or act badly toward an individual <<<<

Is two entirely different things. Apples and oranges. To dislike and avoid is one thing. To act against is another, not even remotely related.

Feelings. IE: emotions, are natural.
Actions, on the other hand, are controllable.

[Ravenseye]

Iddee made his point very clear on his first post, so as much as I wish that people weren't so "human" sometimes, it's a valid point. Profiling might be handy but it's messy when people take action. I didn't worry a bit when the Murrah building was bombed in the 90's by Timothy McVeigh. Of course, they caught him pretty quick but I don't recall a backlash against young men in their 20's, especially those that were veterans. Usually, profiling starts with an assumption that certain characteristics about certain people mean certain things. There's a very, very fine line between profiling and prejudice. I might see a smiling, bearded Arab watching the twin towers burn but that doesn't mean that he did it, that anyone he is related to did it or that he deserves any sort of retribution for a crime that he didn't commit, no matter what he thinks or believes. Thus, Iddee's point is an important one. Acting on your profiling based conclusions could be trouble. Believing your conclusions can be accurate or hateful. I would be very careful to put people in "buckets". I've seen enough of that.