Racist assholes

[MadMike]

I was originally going to post this in "Sightings" on CS, but the more I thought about what I wanted to say, the more I thought it would be better to post here. This is a story about some racists idiots I saw at karaoke the other night.

I started to get an uneasy feeling as I was getting close to the bar. I went inside, and there was a group of people in the far corner being extremely noisy. Nothing wrong with getting a little noisy at the bar, but these people were taking it to the extreme and started getting on my nerves not even a minute after I got there. Little did I know it would get worse. When I was up there singing, I saw one of them walk past with something... strange on his t-shirt. I thought to myself, "Tell me that wasn't what I thought it was!" After I was off stage, I got a better look, and sure enough, it was a drawing of a KKK guy. I couldn't believe that someone was actually brazen enough to wear something like that in public, or that any company would make it. There was also something scrawled across the top of the picture, but I couldn't make it out at first. I watched from a distance, trying not to be obvious, and eventually I was able to make it out. "Boys in the hood." I guess "boys" is appropriate, since I certainly wouldn't call these racist asses men.

I texted my friend Nikki -- the one from this thread from CS where she defended me from some drunk crazy idiot who got in my face for no reason -- and told her what happened, and we agreed that our one other friend and karaoke semi-regular, who was a big black guy showed up, that guy would shit his pants.

It turned out he wasn't alone. This other guy walked past with something else "interesting" on his shirt. On the front it said "White Power Washing", "White Power" across the top, and the word "washing" underneath it, making it look like a double-meaning sort of joke. And on the back, it said, "We get the scum out." I texted Nikki again and told her apparently it wasn't just one, there was a whole group of them there. No one else was wearing anything like that, but they seemed to be part of a group. She texted back and told me if it was her she'd get out of there. I stayed put because they stayed on the other end of the bar for the most part, and weren't bothering me, but I can only imagine how they'd act if they knew I was married to someone who wasn't white. They left after awhile but I had the feeling they were still around. I ended up leaving myself around 12:30 -- kind of early for me -- because I was getting bored with no one to hang out with. When I got out to the parking lot, I saw a group of people hanging out in front of a big-ass 4x4. I couldn't see if it was the same people or not, but it probably was.

Now, I don't necessarily have a person who tells racial jokes. The way I figure it, it's OK as long as you don't actually believe it. As long as you don't really believe it, then what you're really making fun of us the idiotic stereotypes and the idiots who believe them. But actually going out in public wearing what I saw on those two -- for everyone to see -- is another thing altogether. I've said this before and I'll say it again -- I can't believe there are still people out there like that in this day and age, even after we banned two of them from CS a few years back. I don't know whether to be sad or angry.

[Gravekeeper]

It's difficult to comprehend, isn't it? I just can't concieve of it at all. It's such a blatantly stupid thing to hate other people over. It doesn't make sense in any way shape or form and I don't know what sort of primitive reptilian mind is required to seriously hold that sort of world view.

[Andara Bledin]

For quite a few of them, they were raised with it. If a parent or parental figure tells a child something often and long enough, the child will believe it. Honestly, it's really no different than the tales of people who were abused as kids who still don't believe that they weren't in some way at fault for the sins of their parents.

For the rest, there's no excuse for their primitive tribalistic bullshit.

^-.-^

[Gravekeeper]

For quite a few of them, they were raised with it. If a parent or parental figure tells a child something often and long enough, the child will believe it.

I buy that for the young and stupid, but seriously when you reach a certain age ( aka an actual adult ), unless you're a total idiot, you start to look around and go "Hey, wait a minute....". At some point, the dull flicker of intellect has to go "You know, I've never actually seen a black person do any of the shit I think they do....."

Plus, we were all black once if you trace human evolution and migration back far enough. Which, come to think of it, may be partly why they're desperately trying to push this intelligent design thing all the time.

Protip: The only evolutionary difference between you and every other race is climate. >.>

[Dreamstalker]

A few years back A&F had a line of "Asian" shirts ("Wong Bros laundry--two Wongs make it white", etc) that were pretty stupid and offensive. To be honest those shirts sound like the same thing...racist assholes found an 'acceptable' way to advertise their views.

[HYHYBT]

At least these mark themselves.

[MadMike]

I buy that for the young and stupid, but seriously when you reach a certain age ( aka an actual adult ), unless you're a total idiot, you start to look around and go "Hey, wait a minute....". At some point, the dull flicker of intellect has to go "You know, I've never actually seen a black person do any of the shit I think they do....."

That's something I actually have to give my ex credit for. Her parents are both somewhat racist. They'd never even think about going out dressed in something like what I mentioned, but in the privacy of their own home they weren't shy at all about throwing the "N" word around. But she never bought into that bullshit herself, even with hearing it just about every day while she was growing up. That's probably about the only good quality she has.

[XCashier]

It's difficult to comprehend, isn't it? I just can't concieve of it at all. It's such a blatantly stupid thing to hate other people over. It doesn't make sense in any way shape or form and I don't know what sort of primitive reptilian mind is required to seriously hold that sort of world view.

I don't understand it either, even though racism reared its ugly head in my own family not that long ago. It is long past time we got past this nonsense and started seeing each other as fellow human beings.

[BlaqueKatt]

ahh free speech, wonderful thing.

See I don't judge people by what they wear, sure the humor may be in bad taste, but I'm not going to get all offended by it, maybe it was a school assignment, maybe they did think it was funny to make fun of hate groups(kind of takes away their fear and power if you mock them openly). And quite simply the place that sells shirts of that nature is t-shirt hell(I've seen the boys in the hood one, currently not available, but the "white flour" with the doughboy dressed as Hitler is), and before you scream racist at the owner of tshirt hell-HE is NOT white. He was almost murdered because he exercised his right to free speech. This was the cover while they tried to find out who attempted to kill him.

He donates up to 30% of his profits to charities that are involved with the groups, and events he satirizes on his site, as well as groups that support free speech.

"I've decided that I'm willing to be a martyr for freedom of speech and even though I may be risking my life, it's a chance I'm willing to take for a philosophy I believe in." said Schwarz. "If people can't take a joke, that's their problem. What I do is comedy. I have no ill intentions, just a passionate, crude sense of humor. If someone wants to kill me over a funny t-shirt, so be it."

congratulations, you judged someone you didn't know, based on appearance and stereotypes-how is that "better" than being racist exactly?

I guess "boys" is appropriate, since I certainly wouldn't call these racist asses men.
weren't bothering me, but I can only imagine how they'd act if they knew I was married to someone who wasn't white.
I saw a group of people hanging out in front of a big-ass 4x4. I couldn't see if it was the same people or not, but it probably was.

^these are all judgements based off of stereotypes and appearance-you don't know these people but you judged them because of what they were wearing NOT based off of anything said or done. Quite simply you displayed more prejudice than they did.

prejudice-an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.

As long as you don't really believe it, then what you're really making fun of us the idiotic stereotypes and the idiots who believe them. But actually going out in public wearing what I saw on those two -- for everyone to see -- is another thing altogether.

and you somehow psychically know these people that you never met before aren't making fun of stereotypes? You know for a fact they're all card carrying members of the KKK? I and my husband wear some horribly offensive shirts<GASP> in PUBLIC, why do we do this? To make people think. I used to wear a shirt from there that said "I support stem cell research, but only as a by product of my support for killing babies" when the pro-lifers were protesting. I had the "arrest black babies before they become criminals", it met with an unfortunate painting accident. when I wore that shirt people were forced to do one of three things:
1) ignore it
2) ask me about it-which I would explain I was drawing attention to the fact that sadly some people actually think like that.(these people I liked, they saw a possible chance at a discussion to change someone's opinion)
3) assume without knowing anything about me, that I was racist.(these people, being judgmental told me all I needed to know about them-they were prejudiced and I wanted nothing to do with them)

[Gravekeeper]

See I don't judge people by what they wear, sure the humor may be in bad taste, but I'm not going to get all offended by it, maybe it was a school assignment, maybe they did think it was funny to make fun of hate groups(kind of takes away their fear and power if you mock them openly).

Nope! The T-Shirt means exactly what it says. It's sold by Aryan Wear ( Who also has lovely Nazi SS t-shirts ) and has this tag line: "Yes the White Power Washing company has allowed us to sell their shirts here. Let's see them try to get you in trouble for wearing this shirt. Just say, "Its a powerwashing company, I swear!"

Oh, and they donate a % of their profits to Nationalist white power groups.

So yeah, this is 100% racism.

^these are all judgements based off of stereotypes and appearance-you don't know these people but you judged them because of what they were wearing NOT based off of anything said or done. Quite simply you displayed more prejudice than they did.

He displayed judgment, not prejudice. Correct judgment at that. He was presented with observable information about choices they made, and made a judgment in response. Wearing that t-shirt is a choice, they were not born with those t-shirts tattoo'd onto their skin.

I and my husband wear some horribly offensive shirts<GASP> in PUBLIC, why do we do this? To make people think.

And that is your choice. It is perfectly valid for people to criticize you for it. In fact I'll do so right now: You're intentionally wearing an offensive shirt designed to provoke a response. You don't get to pick and choose which responses you want to accept. You've put something out there delibritely to get people to voice an opinion and they will do so.

I had the "arrest black babies before they become criminals", it met with an unfortunate painting accident. when I wore that shirt people were forced to do one of three things:

3) assume without knowing anything about me, that I was racist.

Well duh. That's not exactly rapier wit right there. That sort of statement could legitimately be hate speech. Because your t-shirt doesn't have a tone of voice. If people mistakenly think its a real statement its not because they're prejudice, its because you're communicating your point poorly.

Then, ironically, you're misjudging them right back. >.>

[MadMike]

congratulations, you judged someone you didn't know, based on appearance and stereotypes

Even if they weren't racists, they were incredibly stupid and/or lacking in judgement. Like I said, telling a black joke doesn't necessarily make you racist. But telling them in front of black people, or even white people who don't know you and don't know you're not really like that, is stupid.

[Bloodsoul]

Can't we all just kick back, relax, and pop open a tall, cool glass of Not See Kola?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Of course there was a whole group of them. You think they'd have the balls to wear them if they were alone?

This is a case of me being very glad companies do make these sorts of tshirts. That way, the rest of us can spot people like this and identify them the easy way, without ending up sullying ourselves by spending a single second more around them than necessary.

I'm all in favor of assholes giving us a quick and easy way to immediately identify them.

[Racket_Man]

I buy that for the young and stupid, but seriously when you reach a certain age ( aka an actual adult ), unless you're a total idiot, you start to look around and go "Hey, wait a minute....". At some point, the dull flicker of intellect has to go "You know, I've never actually seen a black person do any of the shit I think they do....."

Plus, we were all black once if you trace human evolution and migration back far enough. Which, come to think of it, may be partly why they're desperately trying to push this intelligent design thing all the time.

Protip: The only evolutionary difference between you and every other race is climate. >.>

I will give you the young and stupid part BUT when these "adult" people hang out with other persons with a like mind that little spark of intellect gets extinguisted if it DOES ever get lit.

finding some "convient" scapegoat group is nothing new to human kind and in recent history the pages are rampent with it.

it began when the European ships landed in the West ie. what is now the Americas (both north south and central) Canada and the Carribean (sp). all of the natives were "scum and savages" and were treated as such (less than human) . next came wave after wave of immegrants to all parts of the West. in turn certain groups during each wave were singled out for "ridecule" (some of which persist even to this day. see the current US immagration fight as a perfect example)

I would bet money that even if yiou were to go back far enough in human pre-written history you would find the EXACT same thing going on. ie. the pea brained dominant culture disrespecting those outside.

[Andara Bledin]

Aka tribalistic bullshit.

We've been doing it for as long as there were enough people to have an us vs them.

^-.-^