Neighbors

[mqbush]

Pleasant company, pleasant talk about the food and all the weddings past and future. Then the talk turned to the presidential candidates.

“They’ll shoot us in the back if they get one of theirs as president!” Why? If a group is hurt, that’s when –if ever- they might start shooting, not when that group can feel finally more a part of American society instead of resented outsiders.

“But they’ll get full of themselves and take over!” If they’re not kept in their place, you mean?

“Yes, because they’re so aggressive, and whites are so passive!” Like you? When whites fear they may be losing mastery of America to Mexicans, orientals, blacks, they get agitated and aggressive. Blacks might now see a glimmer of hope for a more wholesome inclusion in American society, and hope is not violent. Fear is violent, fear of not being masters any longer, fear of being “just folk” like everybody else in a society where not all faces are white any longer. Being an equal in a mixed society for some reason terrifies whites to violence. You’re transferring your desire to start shooting onto the people you want to shoot.

“They all have guns, and would just as soon shoot you as look at you!” So why aren’t they shooting you now?” Why would they start shooting after they feel more invested in society?

“I don’t know; because they’re irrational!” Who’s being irrational?

…And so on. These are our inlaws and neighbors and church members talking here, people we love but we can’t understand. If it weren’t for them, Obama would be leading McCain by a hefty margin.

**********
“Ma’am, the house is gonna collapse! This rescue ladder is the only way out. Grab onto me and let me carry you to safety!”

“But you’re black….”

[Fumesucker]

1. People are not their "race"..

And we do not all think alike.

Yes there are stupid and fearful "whites", just as there are stupid and fearful members of just about any group you can name.

[YOY]

2. Wow. Got some ignorant neighbors you do.

n/t

[cobalt1999]

3. In those situations, sometimes it's best to have another drink and just smile.

I know, I've been there. I won't change any minds, so it helps to step back and just look at them like an anthropologist would.

[tazkcmo]

7. lol Anthropologist

[tazkcmo]

8. A co-worker

Said there's no way he'd vote for "that n*****". I swerved the car a little and laugh very hard. When I was done I told this meth head, spun out mf-er, "That's hilarious! YOU'RE a n*****! Folks just call ya white trash and that's just the latin root for n******! SO now what? Now get outta my car ass hat." He was fired the next day for bein spun at work.

[griffi94]

4. there's a hefty percent of american voters

who are never going to "get" obama. for some it's racism, some just don't like that he's a democrat, or he has a funny sounding name.
these voters are never going to vote for him. they're never going to get to know him or hear his message.
it could be for reasons as ugly as racism, or as simple as "i Just don't like him"
it doesn't matter why.

one of my best friends is a rock ribbed repub, so we don't talk about politics except in the general "they're all out to cover their own ass" kind of way.

never try to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and annoys the pig

[kestrel91316]

5. ZOMG, the n-----s is gonna rape our womenfolk!!!!!

[LibDemAlways]

6. That must not be too uncommon a sentiment as I've

heard it too. An elderly woman I know won't watch Oprah because "She's all for the colored." She and her husband won't vote for Obama for the same reason and because "the Dems are crazy to nominate a black man. What the hell's the matter with them?"

By the way those two are normally reliable Democratic voters. They voted for Hillary in the primary.
You just have to accept that some minds are closed and will not be changed and work to convince the truly undecided that we can't afford 4 more years of the Bush admin. under McSame.