First racist experience

Racism is a good topic, because it's still active in our society. Discussing racism is educational for many, because we can bring our own observations and experiences to prove how destructive it is.
Most racism have gone underground, but with the Trump campaign in the forefront of our news media, it's incumbent upon us to challenge the Trump rhetoric. The racial bigots have come out of the woodworks. The KKK notwithstanding.
So let's debate this in this open arena. I'm ready for the challenge.

Here here! So do tell cicerone! Any tales to tell? Im sorry, I did see you are of Japanese descent and experienced that trama.

I take you as fluffy.

Another sad lesson america should learn is that we turned away "jew ships" during the war, and sent them to their deaths. I dont see that as a "silly" subject.

Hmm...fluffy...lol. Soft, pleasant...inviting of embrace? Yep, suppose I am...lol. Was that the definition you were looking for?

I've told this before, but I'll repeat it here. Before and during WWII, I was told to "go back to your own country." I'm third generation American, so where was I supposed to go? This prove how ridiculous and ignorant racial bigotry is.
During and after the Iraq war, the target became Muslims. Since Japanese Americans knew what Muslims were experiencing, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) supported the Muslims.
If we go back in American history, Irish Americans discriminated against the Irish who immigrated to the US from Ireland.
It's silly when one realizes that America is a country of immigrants. Only the Native Americans were the real Americans. And look at how the newcomers treated them!

I have to make it clear that the definition of racism and prejudice are not the same. Racism is a SPECIFIC prejudice. Prejudice is to pre-judge someone that you don't know period. You can be prejudice for an INFINITE number of reasons which none of those reasons have to race. You might pre-judge someone by the car they drive, the clothes they wear, the city their from, their job/profession, the type of music they listen to, their economic status, their political party affiliation, their physical build, their height, their religion, their age, their gender, where they are from, and on and on and on. There is no limit of reasons someone may pre-judge someone. I pre-judge used car salesman because of my past experiences dealing with them. I believe that used car salesman are generally out to rip you off. That is my prejudice toward used car salesman. We all probably have some prejudices within us. Remember the rawest definition of prejudice is to pre-judge for ANY REASON without knowing a person. Now racism on the other hand, is a SPECIFIC prejudice. Racism is to pre-judge someone on the SPECIFIC basis of race. Is it racist to think that all Asians are extremely smart and are bad drivers? Is it racist to think that all black people like fried chicken and know how to play basketball? Is it racist to think that white men can't jump or have no rhythm? Or are these just light humor and fun natured stereo-types?

True.

Totally agree! I could go on with rants about that!

Heres a bright side though. As far as I am aware, we are the only country that has the most diverse races in the world, and still manage peace....unsteady, granted...but peace. Blacks have the most to bitch about, and I understand that. But let a Trump in office, then we have Muslims and Latinos scared to death too. Thats not what this country was founded on! Even Irish were rejected but they persevered and gave us Kennedy. The Italians are not all looked at by america as mob connected anymore. We try to move on off the stereoypes. It terrifies me we are moving backwards.

For example, the religious right. We are founded on a separation of church and state. Continual interest in Cruz as "evangelical" scares me. I dont disrespect those that are religious. I disagree when religion rules fair governance.

I remember when JF Kennedy ran for office, most were against him because he was Irish Catholic.

Some asians as a group were known as bad drivers when I lived in southern california, for, I take it, good reason. Of course, I don't know they were were worse than the rest of us. It is true that driving in varied countries .. varies.

i still dont see the difference between prejudice and racism in your mind. This is fascinating tbh! So what your saying is, prejudice is accepted because a used car salesman is slime. But to assume an asian is smart at math is racist? I wish I could understand the difference.
Ok, let me put it this way. An Asian man gets a scholoarship to a tech university because he is awesome at math, legit earned!
Someone that lost that scholarship is "insert race here" is pissed off and files a claim that the only reason that person got the scholarship was because they were asian. Thats racist.
Being prejudiced is a thought or feeling, acting on that thought is discrimination, and spreading the thought is racism.

"An Asian is smart at math" talks about only one Asian in the example, so that may be true. That differs from "All Asians are smart at math," which is false.

Agreed, but lets keep it in context with all the other races of America. Repeatedly I hear taxi drivers will not pick up black passengers. Thats racist. The complete irradication of stereotypes is impossible. We have to accept them, and either embrace them or deny them and teach another way.

I never said someone pre-judging someone was either GOOD or BAD. I am just stating reasons a person might have for pre-judging someone. Now to change the subject from prejudice back to racism. I don't understand your question regarding an Asian man getting a scholarship to a tech university because he is awesome at math. What is the issue? If he is smart and earned it, he deserves it. The racist thing would be to assume that because he is an Asian man that he must be super smart in math without first knowing the facts. His test scores and his transcripts shows that he is smart and deserve the scholarship. In your example no one pre-judged or assumed he was smart without first getting his test scores and school transcripts.

Yes being prejudice or racist is a feeling a person has. A prejudice or racist act is an action someone takes.

We've seen Asian bad drivers here in Northern California more than a few times. Luckily, not recently.

In 2005, Asians in California made up 13% of the population, but 40% of the students at Berkeley. Because of the high number of Asian students that qualified for attendance to Berkeley, they had to limit the number to let other minorities in. They called it "reverse discrimination."

You almost had it! Prejudice is a feeling...acting on it to deny equality is discrimination, and teaching others to discriminate is racism. Prejudice is prejudice. Maybe its assumed an Asian cant drive, but denying them a license based on that is discriminatory. Even if the test was passed, or rigged even. But if Im a driving tester, I may be suspicious of the "sterotype" of asian drivers, but he/she passed, there is no discrimination there. I may have been led by my own stereotyped ideas but I did not allow that to influence me.
Another example. I think all Asian drivers suck, so even though they passed the test I failed them, discrimination....on top of that I went home and talked trash to all my friends and neighbors about this asian driver...racist.
Thats how I intrepret it.

And then, there's subtle discrimination.

Someone who is prejudice against gays is not racist. Someone who is prejudice against catholics is not racist. Someone who is prejudice against women are not racist. Someone who is prejudice against disabled people are not racist. Although, none of these people are racist, they are still prejudice people and should be a shame of themselves for being prejudice against gays, catholics, women, or disabled people. There is no place for that. Now, on the other hand if you are prejudice against blacks you are racist. If you are prejudice against whites, you are racist. If you are prejudice against Asians you are racist.

When I say prejudice or racist against anyone I am regarding to how someone feels. I am a black man. I have a good career. I never been in trouble. I am also a caring person in regard to every person I meet. If someone were to perceive me to being an uneducated thug only because I was black, I would think very lowly of that person for perceiving in that racist manner. Although that person never actually did anything to me other than perceiving me as black thug. I would consider that person to be a straight up no good racist bastard. I am a black man. If anyone has racist feelings toward me, I will tell that racist bastard to kiss where the sun don't shine. I'm just being real.