Racism in 2007

[Universe Prince]

If you watched the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, you might remember that Ian Johnson is the running back who scored the winning points for Boise State and later proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend, Chrissy Popadics, on national television. 40 years after Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Ian Johnson, who is black, and Chrissy Popadics, who is white, have had to hire security for their wedding because of death threats received.

Why does this happen? I confess I don't get it. Yeah, I know it's racism and some people are assholes, but, really, why threaten these two people? What could possibly be gained? But more than that, why does anyone even care anymore that someone with dark skin might marry someone with light skin? What kind of moron objects to that?

[kimba1]

you got me why this is

I still don`t understand why a caucasian male marrying a asian female is ok
but a asain male marrying anybody else is considered wrong
for some we`re thee most undesireable demographic in media
the very reason russel wong can`t get a decent job.

[sirs]

If you watched the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, you might remember that Ian Johnson is the running back who scored the winning points for Boise State and later proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend, Chrissy Popadics, on national television. 40 years after Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Ian Johnson, who is black, and Chrissy Popadics, who is white, have had to hire security for their wedding because of death threats received.

Why does this happen? I confess I don't get it. Yeah, I know it's racism and some people are assholes, but, really, why threaten these two people? What could possibly be gained? But more than that, why does anyone even care anymore that someone with dark skin might marry someone with light skin? What kind of moron objects to that?

As to the latter, it really shouldn't matter 1 wit.  But to answer the former kinda addresses the latter, and in part references what Kimba was touching on.  From the many public forms and "Diversity-type shows" I've heard or seen on radio or TV respectfully, I definately recall when it was a predominantly African America audience, when the topic came up of mixed marriages, it became dowright hostile, any time the notion of a black man was to marry or was simply seeing a white female (or any other ethnicity for that matter).  and the hostility was almost uninimously coming from the female gender.  It wasn't near as big a deal if a black female married a white male, though it was frowned on.  But boy, the rage that ensued when it included a mixed couple on stage, and the male was black was overwhelming.  Something to do with "stealing good black men" away from black women appeared to be the (ir)rationale.  I couldn't point out the reason, but the hostility was definately enough to have facilitated death threats.


FANTASTIC end of the game though, BTW.  !!!

[kimba1]

ohh
that open a scarey door
in my job quite afew black security guards are married outside of their race.
the subject always comes up why.
I`m scared to bring it up here,but the consistent answer I always get is.
I`m tired of being called a loser is why I don`t marry a black woman.
I even told a secretary this and she admitted thats why her husband left her.
she can`t help argueing with him.
it`s a stereo type and not totally true for all
but it is a factor on the anger toward blackmen marrying outside of their race.
am I in trouble??

[The_Professor]

Well, I hear female black students all the time complain about being able to find a suitable black mate. They perpetually complain about black males being caught by dysfunctional black culture that espouses education in blacks is counter to their culture.

Racism still exists, unfortunately. I detest it, but it is there. Only time will solve this problem.

[kimba1]

They perpetually complain about black males being caught by dysfunctional black culture that espouses education in blacks is counter to their culture

huh?

education counter to black culture?

[Michael Tee]

<<40 years after Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Ian Johnson, who is black, and Chrissy Popadics, who is white, have had to hire security for their wedding because of death threats received.>>

Well, I'm sure none of those threats are coming from the South, because there are no racists there any more.

Seems to me that a lot of anti-black racism is fueled by the white man's fear of black male sexual prowess.  14-year-old Emmett Till was tortured, mutilated and then shot to death for making advances to a young white woman in Mississippi.  And of course, there is always Ike's famous remarks about "black bucks" and white schoolgirls - - here's one version, obviously taken from David Halberstam's "The Fifties:"

<<Shortly after appointing [Earl] Warren [as Chief Justice of SCOTUS,] Ike seated him at a White House dinner next to the chief counsel for the segregationists in the consolidated cases collectively called Brown. Ike told Warren the attorney was ?a great man.? As for his clients, said Ike, ?These are not bad people. All they are concerned about is to see that their sweet little girls are not required to sit in school alongside some big black bucks.>>

Personally, apart from the "these are not bad people," I think Ike had the situation nailed.  That was EXACTLY what they were concerned with.

PS - - AROUND THE WORDS GREAT MAN I PUT WHAT I INTENDED TO BE QUOTATION MARKS, BUT THEY APPEAR AS A PAIR OF QUESTION MARKS.  THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING A LOT LATELY, AFTER I HAD SWITCHED BROWSERS FROM IE TO FIREFOX.  APPARENTLY I CAN'T CORRECT THE ERROR BUT THERE IT IS.

[Amianthus]

Well, I'm sure none of those threats are coming from the South, because there are no racists there any more.

Idaho is pretty far from the "racist southeast." Last time I checked, it was right next to (and shared a border with) Canada.

Or do you think that the state government of Idaho is deliberately importing racists from the southeast?

[Universe Prince]

Well, I'm sure none of those threats are coming from the South, because there are no racists there any more.

I don't believe anyone is making that claim. I think the problem is when you try to claim that the South as whole is racist. There are a lot of good people born and raised in the South who are not racist. And frankly, the notion that somehow the South has a lock on racism is a stupid notion. I realize that because the Northern states were not slave states and the Southern states were, there has arisen this illusory notion that somehow racism was confined to the South and Northerners were all loving abolitionists who welcomed freed slaves with open arms, but that is not the case at all. Racism has existed across the nation and does so even now. Singling out the South as some sort of last bastion of racism is uninformed, to say the least and say it politely.

I don't know where the death threats have come from, and I don't particularly care. They may all come from people in Idaho for all we know. Surely we can all agree that wherever the threats come from, they are stupid and despicable. Right?

[Universe Prince]

Something to do with "stealing good black men" away from black women appeared to be the (ir)rationale.  I couldn't point out the reason, but the hostility was definately enough to have facilitated death threats.

That is possible, but I frankly have doubts that such would be the cause of death threats.

[Universe Prince]

education counter to black culture?

I have heard it said that many African-Americans have a notion that doing well in school is a "white" thing. Which I confess I do not understand. I don't know how such a notion could have some to be, or why it would persist.

[Universe Prince]

I still don`t understand why a caucasian male marrying a asian female is ok
but a asain male marrying anybody else is considered wrong

I don't understand that either.

for some we`re thee most undesireable demographic in media
the very reason russel wong can`t get a decent job.

That I really don't understand. I remember watching the Vanishing Son trilogy of of movies, and being really impressed with Russell Wong. (The TV show was dumb, but that wasn't his fault.) What makes you think him being Asian keeps him from getting work?

[kimba1]

I have heard it said that many African-Americans have a notion that doing well in school is a "white" thing.

that`s a new one to me.
but I do understand the thinking of being a traitor to ones race
as a canadian-chinese I`ve been called a banana a few times for the way I act.
let`s just say I`m not a very ethnic person.
alot of times when I eat out ,somebody will say "what the hell kind of asian are you?"
I find all this very irrational and sometimes very funny
p.s. the reason I get told that statement is that I hold my chopstix in a very offensive way that make alot of asian turn away.
they just can look at my hand when I eat
samething when I write
people in general can`t stand to see me hold a pen
someday I should record me writing and I`ll bet alot of folks here will look away

[kimba1]

on russell

he`s the most succesfull asian american actor in the U.S.
the dude totally qualify as a romantic male lead.
he`s the only guy I know  to play a wife-beater in a movie and every single women who saw the movie only remember him as the good-looking guy in the movie
he starred in two shows for this very reason and both times it tanked
asians simply cannot play starring roles with romances
ex. jet li,jackie chan
none of the U.S. movies has them finally getting the girl
at best it ends with the potential of hooking up.

russel`s brother micheal on the other hand is a succesfull movie actor in china with ton`s of work

[Lanya]

Idaho has quite a few White Supremacists.