IN another thread some are asserting a 'double standard' or 'race card' being played when black people do or say something compared to when others do or say it.

I believe the different history of blacks in america to others, and the continuous different 'general' social and financial status and experience of blacks in america accounts for much of what seem to be the double standard. I think different perceptions are inevitable based upon different experiences. I can concede there are absolutely double standards in the American Culture, which are to me best accented when people use terms like 'act black' or 'act white',,those people imply behavior itself is dictated by race (as opposed to environmental issues).

So, the double standard is deeply ingrained in a history that included a 'double standard' founding of America and all the double standard results it caused in the financial, social, and judicial systems of AMerica. ITs the hardest thing to get honest discussion on how to improve those perceptions and differences across racial lines though.


Is there a way to truly get people not to be 'colorblind' but 'color appreciative'? That is to say, I dont want a world where people dont see my color, that would be silly as it is one of many of the combination of things there are to know about me. Go on and notice that my skin is brown, or my hair is black, or my eyes are oval,,,that is not where the problem lies

the problem lies in what those things imply TO YOU when you notice them....does my brown skin cause you to presuppose I can sing and dance or does my gender cause you to presuppose I cant do math or put oil in a car?


an honest discussion of race does have to cover the good and bad things as well as the contributing factors, and it does have to recognize the differences in ancesteral and historical and CURRENT experiences ,, but when we discuss the bad it is not a 'card' as it has vey little benefit to anyone tryint go play it.


IF my throat hurts, the doctor wants to know what the CAUSE is , so he can treat it. Similarly a discussion of general differences that can occur across racial lines needs to try to discover the CAUSE as opposed to just assuming some inherent trait or inherent racial difference.

The symptom alone can be the result of many things. Such is the case with many of the issues brought up by those accused of playing a 'race card'.

I don't like the term "race card" or racist for that matter. I think that we are humans first and foremost. Like it or not, we have all been cast on this earth together. Let's play the human card.

as a goal I love it, but we still have to have honest discussion of how to GET THERE.....

but it's hard to have an honest discussion on race without it turning to hate. After all, that's what racism is, hate. Just my thought.

I think thats a misconception. Yes, there are many 'hateful' racists, but they usually make themself known. Its the poison that you dont detect that is harmful.

The most prominent form of racism isnt 'hateful', its merely ignorant. Ignorant to history, or to the variety of realities people in America live. Its not hateful where they would ever CONSCIOSLY mistreat someone merely because of their race, but the inherent.subconscious, subtle ignorance where you would avoid someone because 'something about them' rubs you wrong or where you would not give the same benefit of the doubt to one that you do the other for some reason, or where you need one to do TWICE as much as the other to truly believe they 'earned' the same thing....


subtle racism is that which needs to be addressed and dealt with,,,because it is still so rampant and acceptible

it has stopped being acceptable to be blatantly and obviously racist

Would you mean the type of hateful ignorance Wright, Eugene, the panthers or Sharpton preach?
How do we stop their open hatred and intolerance?

Are things evolving?
I posted the same type of thread a long while back.
It was not only deleted, I was warned against posting sinsitive topics.

what do you think their experiences have been to cause their perceptions? are they being hateful or are they trying to share an experience, personal to them and related to by others with those similar experiences?


The new panthers are a hateful bunch, but I dont perceive anyone else on your list to be any more hateful than any human here in these threads.

Their passions, instead of being aimed at a president or a celebrity, are aimed at certain injustices, hypocrisies and inequities in our system.

hopefully this thread will take the path of honest adult conversation about a legitimate concern, and not be deleted,,,but it is the mods choice,,,

Also, the hateful ignorance of white pride groups. How do we stop that hatred and intolerance?

although I dont think we have to discourage pride to lessen hatefulness, I do think may of those groups hide their hatred behind 'pride'


I am neither proud nor ashamed of what God made me (female, with ancestors from Africa, born on the American continent) , but I can certainly be proud of having been on the deans list,, for example

without HATING people who havent been


many feel pride is an EXCLUSIVE trait, and many do feel that type of pride,,,,the kind that arrogantly says I Am better than you, instead of the kind that says I am happy with who I am

The only I've noticed is that when the word "race" is brought up it's always from a black person. Why is that?

I think that everybody should be able to use the N word in the
same way regardless of their skin color.



So then I could do rap covers.

The arrogant saying "I am better than you" is not pride, it is prejudice in my opinion.

I need some race mellowing, would you kiss me? Sorry, couldn't resist asking a good looking woman first and foremost that.

lol,,flattered to be asked,,,

good question.. why do YOU think thats the only time you 'notice'?

Now, that's where we split tails and are on separate paths.

All three, Wright, Eugene and Charpton preach separatism and hate. That invalidates any other agenda they have.

Another point. None of them are about all the people. Just one, "their" group.

My experiences as a young person has not led me to passionately hate and want special privileges, as the separatists I listed want.

I said it before and will validate it. You, Ms H. If you was ever in danger, being assaulted or needed some sort of emergency assistance, you would see me by your side. You race would not matter.

Now, if Eugene, wright or farycan was in danger, I would turn my back on them. Their attitude shows what they are made of. I'll add Duke as well. I'm sure he had some pretty great things he wanted but, his separatism and hate voided all the good he could have done.

All I watch is the news and all I hear is "race" from people like Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson.

Al Sharpton? Jessie Jackson? Don't go there!


They are pissants compared to MLK. I still curse his murderer.

That's not true, I think some people feel it's more negative if it comes from one race or another. Racism and prejudice is not exclusive to black and white, it can be anyone. I think,though,some people feel or misunderstand(sometimes on purpose) that if one certain race/nationality has an opinion on it, they are racist/hate. I also think that some people just look for a reason to keep it going. For example, Msharmony and I could be talking to three women,one white, one black, and one Japanese. She could say something,totally innocent, that the Japanese woman might take one way,and the black woman might take another way. I could say the exact same thing,and all 4 woman might be offended. It's all about how the people WANT to perceive things sometimes. I've been in places, and heard comments made to the effect, this person treated me like that because I'm Hispanic or this person said that because I'm white. It never seems to end.


I've dated other races in the past, and I find I'm treated and regarded a whole different way when I was out in public with him. It was not just from my race,it was from his also.It's disheartening to see how much race still plays a part in things and how much it still separates people because they CHOOSE to let it.

this is where we diverge in perception

I see no evidence of Reverend Wright OR Sharpton preaching 'seperatism' or hate...discussing racial discrepancies in policies and social status doesnt count as preaching seperatism

Farrkhan has been a seperatist but has also evolved in his views over the decades,,,

speaking out for your community is neither hateful or seperatist, unless it is calling for other communities to be ignored, discounted, or mistreated,,, which isnt the case,,,,

The terms ‘double-standard’ and ‘race card’ are not necessarily interchangeable terms. However, each term can be applied simultaneously which can expose people to a double dose of oppressive forces. Msharmony gave a good example



So as not to cause confusion in the discussion, it might be a good idea to simply discuss one of the two concepts, double-standard or racism because these two concepts have very different causes. For example:



I agree that historical cultural norms have been a major contributor in limiting ‘general’ social & financial status of African Americans – but - based on race more so than on double standard. Regardless of race, gender bias predominantly occurs to women and women of color are often double dosed with gender bias in addition to racism.



I also agree that environment greatly affects the kinds of exposure to life experiences that influence perceptions. But those perceptions are not limited to racial bias as observed if we expand on the terms used above (act black, or act white)including, act like a red-neck, trailer trash, or just acting so gay. We can double dose any one of those biased terms by adding gender bias and the word whore, or ho, to it. (Which word just depends on which environmental factors have influenced one’s perceptions the most.)



Well once again I am in agreement because early in American history, racial bias began with the severe oppression of the ‘red-man’, Native Americans,(to be PC), who continue to be the most severely oppressed of any race in America but that’s different than the ‘double-standard’ that is invoked by the term redneck because Native Americans are considered a race which makes them subject to racial bias in the same way the Black people are often lumped into one racial category or another – but that’s getting into racism of other countries.

The fact that racism occurs throughout recorded history means it exists, not only within, but also outside of the protected geographic boundaries that define nations or sovereign states.



Generally speaking, if all other things were considered equal, human attributes would simply span a range considered to be normal. That range of normal would include all traits that are familial (inherent) among any racial, ethnic, tribal, or even national, group of people.

While individuals will always have particular likes and dislikes (as in what is ‘personally’ attractive) people can still perceive all human traits as part of a range of normal. What prevents us from accepting that range of normal are all the other things that prevent “the all things considered equal” from occurring.

For example: gender bias prevents at least half of the world’s population from attaining ‘equal’ human status. That’s a great BIG bias that only supports the belief that half the population is superior, in some way, to the other half. As long as that bias exists then all other bias will simply be a normally occurring extension of a superior mindset.

I do think however, that there are some minor changes that could help relieve some of the racial tensions that exist within the U.S., like a major overhaul of the educational system – not relegated to states control but fostered by Federal laws. Why is that?

The sovereignty that is granted to each state should not override what is in the greatest overall interest of the states as a united body. What is of greatest interest to every individual, and thus to the nation as a whole, is the abstract part of our ‘infrastructure’ called education.

If properly conceived, funded, and maintained, quality, public education would assure individuals exposure to crucial life experiences with curriculums designed to homogenize human value systems.

Not to worry though, any religious organization that wants to foot the bill (no fed or state funding) can teach anything they want. BUT REMEMBER – for every little bit of bias we instill in our children (gender, race, or religious righteousness)it grows deeper and becomes more broad as children grow and pass it on.