Do you think my step grandfather has a problem with racism?

[Phaedron]

He says hes not, and a black person saved his life when he was young, but he's always talking about blacks and mexicans and saying this or that. We've moved five times and he'll refuse a house if he sees there are black or Mexican neighbors, for fear it will turn out to be a bad neighborhood. Hes about 75, comes from a Catholic Italian background and lived mostly in Philadelphia.

Today we saw a black guy walking his dog, and the first thing that comes to mind that he says out loud is "the dog doesn't know hes black." So I say thanks for putting that in my head, why is that the first thing you notice? He replies that he just wondered if the Dog could tell. I say why would an animal be a racist, until it was trained that way?

Then we get into an argument and I try to explain how that was a rude thing to say, but he doesn't see it and just gives me the same story about the black guy who saved his life. So I said, I can see what that had to happen to you, and we pretty much haven't spoken since. When he says these kinds of things and I point out they are rude he tells me I can't take a joke.

 

[Chasm]

Phaedron speakng >>> new concept
nice


but ok
every1 is prejudice
there r just diffrnt degrees
he's from an oldr mentality
where that was ok
ur from a newr mentality
where it's not
does ur step grandfathr have a prob w/racism?
yes
but then again WE ALL do

his r just more pronouncd than urs
this is y ur noticng them

 

[S t r a y]

I understand that some blacks and mexicans are badly behaved in America? For example I have heard that 80 pecent of gun crime in America is black. He has every right to be wary of them if he chooses to be.

 

[Ghost Boy]

Yes your Grandfather does have a problem with racism and he's possibly a little bigoted too. If he refuses to live in a neighborhood where there are blacks and Latinos, then that's his choice. I don't get the point of bringing up the fact that a black guy saved his life. How is that relevant to anything? So because a man of certain race saved your life means you get to talk badly about said race? But as long as he's not trying to push those beliefs on you, it's fine.

 

[Badjedidude]

I understand that some blacks and mexicans are badly behaved in America? For example I have heard that 80 pecent of gun crime in America is black. He has every right to be wary of them if he chooses to be.

It's a bit more complicated than that, I'm afraid.

Has more to do with low-socioeconomic status than with race, to be honest. Though some would argue that the two are connected. And it depends on region, as well.

 

[paulo]

actually dogs can see if a persone is black or not.
they just dont give a ****.

but is just wondering if a dog can tell the difference a racist thing ??
he prob ment it a little differently than i would have if that had popped into my head.
it just seems you cant say anything about race or color without someone yelling Racist.

 

[JesusGirl1]

I think Your Grandfather was Afraid to live in the Black Neighborhoods.

Not sure he is racist.

If he was racists he wouldn't be thankful that the black guy saved his life.

I think he was saying that the neighborhoods or maybe he didn't LIKE the
culture.

Would YOU GO and Expose your children to a poor neighborhood where they don't respect themselves? Would you want your children to Learn that?

Your Grandfather has SOME "Judgement". The World is not Black and Caucasian.
It's Mexican too. I have visited Mexico and I can tell you as a Woman, that the MEN down there stared at me like a piece of meat. It's kind of like how you don't like Jewish people that aren't warm and fuzzy and fleece people through their banking system. It's not that they are "jewish" it's that their GROUP behavior is not really desired.

The dog thinks it is "black" is actually cute and True. The dog doesn't know if it's black, white or Mexican does it? Does the Dog Care? It just want's love and food of course just like us. Dogs are "unconditional" (well, if you beat the Dog it's behavior becomes less friendly, but it doesn't quite have the same conscienceness as humans were given, THEY are at OUR mercy).

There are God believing Mexican people that have treated me VERY well.
Emma a cleaning lady at my Old Job at the Auditors office in Akron Ohio,
walked me to my car after hours ALL the time. She was a beautiful person.

Their neighborhoods aren't always clean, you know? Their not bad people.
Mayans. What about them who teleported out of our universe becausae they
saw all this war and killing?

I love PHaedron. Great question. No one is stupid. Your Grandfather isn't
emotionally open and needs to Hug You. Ask him more questions about
his childhood and your Grandfather will warm right back up (heal...you
and him....which is beautiful).

Mary Ofstead

 

[IgnoredOne]

Your Grandfather has SOME "Judgement". The World is not Black and Caucasian. It's Mexican too.

Awesome.

 

[Equinox]

Racism: "I'm white, that person is black, and I hate him because of that."
Perception: "I'm white, that person is black."

I'd say he seems above average interested in ethnicity, but I can't really see that he's being racist. It doesn't sound like he's behaving badly towards other ethnicities, or talk honeysuckle about them. I don't think it's racism to not want to live in certain neighbourhoods; personally, I don't want to live in a neighbourhood with kids, but that doesn't make me a child-racist. I just like to have it calm and quiet around me, and be able to open my windows without constantly hearing screaming and shouting.

 

[Badjedidude]

Most grandfathers probably have what today's society would call "racist tendencies."

It's generally not intentional and not done with negative intent. They're simply the product of another time.

We will seem racist to our kids in forty years.

 

[WishingWell]

Phaedrom, whether your Grandfather is a racist or not, I don't believe you should argue with him about it, and, especially, not talk to him for any reason. He is old and set in his ways and will not change. He is not going to live forever, and if you spend his last years arguing or not speaking to him, you just MAY be sorry.

 

[JesusGirl1]

imagine you go to a town and you have to be able to describe it. same with a restaurant right? caling a restaurant Mexican because it serves food that is based on the country of Mexico does not make you a racist.

If you were to go buy a house what would be your concerns and what type of neighborhood would appeal too. Is safety a concern? Trying to keep yourself physically protected is smart. lower soci-economic areas are known to have higher crime rates.

I grew up in a neighborhood that was all white in north east ohio. was a descent distance from the downtown area where there was a lot more crime. it wasn't new york city which had a whole lot of crime ridden areas, but it had a fair amount.

When you go to a museum what kind of Art do you like? Is it racist to not like certain artists....some people like Van Gogh, some people like Monet, some people like RockWell. One of the museum's where I grew up was upgraded by a Swedish Architect for 40 million. Now, when people say to grow your town and buy local to improve the city and give more to the local people so they don't out source and believe in their own people, then what do you do. Was it important to say that the archetect came from Sweden do you think to the city or it's shareholder's?

You know in Denmark they have they lowest homeless population in the world...why is that? How do they treat their people? Are they all from Denmark or are they from every part of the world?

 

[Tiina63]

Most grandfathers probably have what today's society would call "racist tendencies."

It's generally not intentional and not done with negative intent. They're simply the product of another time.

We will seem racist to our kids in forty years.

Yes, I agree. I have a friend who is almost 70 and sometimes she will say something which, to me as a younger person, comes across as racist. I have to remind myself that she is largely a product of another age when such views were seen as normal.