Two women attacked at USM game for sitting during national anthem (1 Viewer)

[dgrant]

I agree, if you are a southern state you are automatically painted with a broad brush, while racism in the north has gone on quietly since the beginning of this country. Neither forms are excusable, but I don't get why people think it is only a southern problem.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

I agree, if you are a southern state you are automatically painted with a broad brush, while racism in the north has gone on quietly since the beginning of this country. Neither forms are excusable, but I don't get why people think it is only a southern problem.

the monuments, flags, and Trump likely carrying Southern states doesn't even give you the slightest hint?

also, good job hijacking the thread with your victimizations

 

[Heathen Saint]

Hate to play the "who's more racist" game, but Mississippi is FAR from being the worst in that category in the country and even among the Southern states we aren't the worst.

I hate when crap like this happens, but hate it even more when it happens in our state because every time you get comments like the OP that just add to the stigma.

What are you basing that opinion on, I wonder?

It's not a competition, but to say it's "FAR from being the worst" in that category is laugh out loud-able. Not being a jerk, just telling you like I see it.

I've lived in Mississippi most of my life..Having lived in 7 other states, there is racism everywhere (obviously), but that's not the argument i'm making. Having been born and raised here, I have not seen it so deeply ingrained in the culture as it is in Mississippi. Of course Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, etc. seem about on par with MS.

 

[Heathen Saint]

There are 5 states that still have a confederate emblem on their flag, yet do you ever hear how racist Florida is? New Orleans has more confederate monuments than any single city in Mississippi and I can't verify, but probably more than all of Mississippi combined.

Still, why should we sit here and throw stones at one-another as Southerners (assuming you are), when, in fact, the South in general is far less "racist" today, even with a much higher concentration of minorities, than a lot of the states North of us that just love painting us in that light. As a Southerner & more so a Mississippian, I'm quite proud of the progress we have made and get quite disgusted when I hear people disparage our region in that manner based mostly on events that occurred half a century or more ago and not on the present-day environment.

You miss the point...entirely.

The point is not that we're all ganging up on our own state or throwing rocks at each other and you need to be the defender of all that is good in Mississippi. I've been all over the state and know that we have some of the most kind hearted and down to earth people in the country.

But that is not the point. This state has a racist history and many of the same racist attitudes and thoughts exist today as they did years ago. The point is that when things like this happen, it only adds to the embarrassment that this state has become, and as hard as it may be to point the finger at your own state--you HAVE to do it. WE have to do it. And it has become an embarrassment.

I love my state, but we are DEAD last in most every category--and you and I both know it. Just to name a few..Mississippi has:

Highest obesity rate
Lowest school completion rate
Lowest in K12 achievement
One of the highest unemployment rates
Lowest incomes in the nation
Highest percentage of citizens living below poverty rate
Highest teen pregnancy rates
Lowest life expectancy

Our governor wanted to make Confederate soldiers--enemies of the United States, a "day" in their honor. He wanted to let religious people reserve the right to refuse service based on a hunch that their patrons weren't their preferred sexual orientation. The majority of our state, mainly the middle aged and up, will not budge on removing a flag that belonged to enemies of our country that wanted the right to own slaves (and no, it wasn't over "northern aggression").

The more we call out our flaws and stop letting the same "good old boys" run the money mill up in jackson is the sooner we make a change that will start changing our state for the better. I'm not going to make excuses for incidents like this when our state has had such a despicable history of the mistreatment of blacks. But many people do. When this story was aired, a local tv station's facebook comments showed just how many people of Mississippi feel about it (hint: the majority of them supported the person who attacked the girls or made insinuations that they did or said "she deserved it" ). Just as a little experiment, I looked up the story on other local tv pages--hattiesburg, gulfport, meridian, natchez. Guess what? They all echoed the same general sentiment.

I don't mean to get worked up about it..And I do love this state dearly. But we can't continue to let ignorant, hateful thought to be the "norm". Otherwise we'll never really move forward as a state.

 

[HJBandME]

This is why I pretty much lock myself inside nowadays. If I'm at that game and see this happen, I would have tried to throw those beer throwing morons down the steps.

I would join you.

 

[MLU]

Yet, this is what the story is about:



Rather than basing your judgement on a flag or listening to hate-baiters or sensational headlines, open your eyes to what really went on and what the response was.

My response was directly to a poster, not the article. My opinion is based on past 4 decades of interaction with people from the region who think I'm racist like they are because I'm white and have a southern accent. I know they feel this way by the shocked reaction on their faces when I call them out on it.

If you feel the need to convince people that you're not racist or the actions of others only make you seem racist, then you're almost certainly racist.

 

[rajncajn]

What are you basing that opinion on, I wonder?

It's not a competition, but to say it's "FAR from being the worst" in that category is laugh out loud-able. Not being a jerk, just telling you like I see it.

I've lived in Mississippi most of my life..Having lived in 7 other states, there is racism everywhere (obviously), but that's not the argument i'm making. Having been born and raised here, I have not seen it so deeply ingrained in the culture as it is in Mississippi. Of course Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, etc. seem about on par with MS.

I've read a number of studies outlining it. Google did one last year that was published in the Washington post and there was another done based on hate crimes recently. But I'm also basing it on my personal experiences and interactions as well. My work brings me to various places around the country fairly often and here at home I deal with an unusual amount of people who are not originally from Mississippi. In the experiences I have had, some of the worst racists I've ever dealt with were not from here. That's not to say that we don't still have a long way to come, just that I don't see it as what we're painted as.

 

[rajncajn]

You miss the point...entirely.

The point is not that we're all ganging up on our own state or throwing rocks at each other and you need to be the defender of all that is good in Mississippi. I've been all over the state and know that we have some of the most kind hearted and down to earth people in the country.

But that is not the point. This state has a racist history and many of the same racist attitudes and thoughts exist today as they did years ago. The point is that when things like this happen, it only adds to the embarrassment that this state has become, and as hard as it may be to point the finger at your own state--you HAVE to do it. WE have to do it. And it has become an embarrassment.

I love my state, but we are DEAD last in most every category--and you and I both know it. Just to name a few..Mississippi has:

Highest obesity rate
Lowest school completion rate
Lowest in K12 achievement
One of the highest unemployment rates
Lowest incomes in the nation
Highest percentage of citizens living below poverty rate
Highest teen pregnancy rates
Lowest life expectancy

Our governor wanted to make Confederate soldiers--enemies of the United States, a "day" in their honor. He wanted to let religious people reserve the right to refuse service based on a hunch that their patrons weren't their preferred sexual orientation. The majority of our state, mainly the middle aged and up, will not budge on removing a flag that belonged to enemies of our country that wanted the right to own slaves (and no, it wasn't over "northern aggression").

The more we call out our flaws and stop letting the same "good old boys" run the money mill up in jackson is the sooner we make a change that will start changing our state for the better. I'm not going to make excuses for incidents like this when our state has had such a despicable history of the mistreatment of blacks. But many people do. When this story was aired, a local tv station's facebook comments showed just how many people of Mississippi feel about it (hint: the majority of them supported the person who attacked the girls or made insinuations that they did or said "she deserved it" ). Just as a little experiment, I looked up the story on other local tv pages--hattiesburg, gulfport, meridian, natchez. Guess what? They all echoed the same general sentiment.

I don't mean to get worked up about it..And I do love this state dearly. But we can't continue to let ignorant, hateful thought to be the "norm". Otherwise we'll never really move forward as a state.

I think you're missing my point entirely. You specifically pointed this out that you weren't surprised this happened in Mississippi. This is happening all over the country, not just here. Doug Baldwin is getting death threats in Seattle. Was anybody saying they weren't surprised since it was Washington? Better yet, was anybody saying they were surprised that it was happening there? No. So, what I'm saying is all that you did was perpetuate the stigma rather than bring awareness to improve things.

I read the story as a few ******* redneck frat boys couldn't respect these girls rights to protest and threw beers & curses at them and the students of the school responded with 100's out to support them in a peaceful display of unity. I think what would have better served Mississippi and promoted change is pointing out the positives that Mississippi displayed as a result rather than basically saying Mississippi being typical racists again.

 

[rajncajn]

My response was directly to a poster, not the article. My opinion is based on past 4 decades of interaction with people from the region who think I'm racist like they are because I'm white and have a southern accent. I know they feel this way by the shocked reaction on their faces when I call them out on it.

If you feel the need to convince people that you're not racist or the actions of others only make you seem racist, then you're almost certainly racist.

I'm not going to try to convince you of anything, but maybe you should try to get to know someone a little better before you judge them.

 

[MrVoodoo]

I've read a number of studies outlining it. Google did one last year that was published in the Washington post and there was another done based on hate crimes recently. But I'm also basing it on my personal experiences and interactions as well. My work brings me to various places around the country fairly often and here at home I deal with an unusual amount of people who are not originally from Mississippi. In the experiences I have had, some of the worst racists I've ever dealt with were not from here. That's not to say that we don't still have a long way to come, just that I don't see it as what we're painted as.

If folks want to see what ingrained racism in a majority of a state is, they should try to live in Utah for a bit.


There's definitely racism still in the south, definitely racism in the north... racism in Mississippi, Alabama, New York, California (definitely Utah)... But I've got to agree with you - there's a stigma of racism that is unfairly given to Mississippi at this point. Mississippi was horrible - very horrible, and it isn't great now, but it is nowhere as bad as it is made out to be. Yes there's the flag, and monuments (again same elsewhere)... and there are some knuckleheads, but on a day to day basis -- where I am, I don't see it often.

I coach a wide range of ethnicities with kids and the parents are all open and caring for each of the other families in the program regardless of race. We've got several mixed race families, some white - black - Hispanic... I don't see it in our community on a regular basis. I'll occasionally see the old gray haired man spew something stupid or the young kid who doesn't see anything wrong with the N word saying it in a tone they shouldn't, but Mississippi - from everywhere I've been does have some of the most caring people I've ever come across. When I was activated for Katrina throughout the state of Mississippi, I met people who were overzealous in their efforts to help people out. My best Thanksgiving day was on the coast, guarding the railroad tracks for the reconstruction efforts and so many families from so many ethnic backgrounds gave so much to those of us guardsmen. Here are people, many of whom had lost everything that were able to put something together to give to us thanking us for what we were doing... it was huge for me, still is impactful thinking about it to this day. These Mississippi people that I see, that I interact with on a regular basis and have been interacting with since I moved here in 1996 are some of the most genuinely loving people I have ever met through all my travels. They're not all like that, but to have the wonderful experiences that I have with people of all races here in our community and to hear the statements like "Mississippi what do you expect" in regards to race relations breaks my heart. I truly feel sorry for those of you who live in a world full of hate, perhaps taking the time to come visit our Mississippi community would help you to appreciate the fact that not everyone is full of hate.

 

[MrVoodoo]

My response was directly to a poster, not the article. My opinion is based on past 4 decades of interaction with people from the region who think I'm racist like they are because I'm white and have a southern accent. I know they feel this way by the shocked reaction on their faces when I call them out on it.

If you feel the need to convince people that you're not racist or the actions of others only make you seem racist, then you're almost certainly racist.

wait... aren't you trying to convince us you're not racist by pointing out that people are shocked when you call them out on it?


That said - I don't believe you are, have never had any inkling that you are... just pointing out what you said/did.

 

[MLU]

I'm not going to try to convince you of anything, but maybe you should try to get to know someone a little better before you judge them.

Why would I want to get to know a racist?

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

i've shared this story before, and do so again:
i was walking in Tokyo with my Japanese girlfriend at the time - when we got off the street she fumed at all of the "looks" she was getting for being with a gaijin
I had no idea what she was talking about b/c i saw no "looks"

that was when I began to realize how culturally significant perceptions are
in general i think it's very difficult for white people to say what is/isn't racism
just as it would be for men to say what is/isn't sexism
str8s to say what is/isn't homophobia
gentiles - anti-semitism, etc

it's a dog chasing it's tail discussion

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Why would I want to get to know a racist?

for the discounts

 

[MLU]

#racistsarepeopletoo