In any case, what I heard spoken from the mouths of some people in Nashville was not indicative of a lack of skin colour induced prejudice. The suspicion some white folks held against any black person in took me by complete suprise. I had actually never encountered such prejudice.

On an aside, I recently suffered some prejudice myself. From an "old moneyed" Yankee. A totally unfamiliar experience. My nation of birth was held against me, as well as my faith and my choice of career. Interesting country.

Yes, when you go from an essentially monolithic society to a highly diverse one, you have to realize some people are that way...

Gangs of New York deliciously illustrates the point...

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Prejudices can be found if you look for it, however, I do not believe that in most of our society that it is a real factor...out in the boonies where the family trees don't branch much maybe but in the corporate world and in the world of businesses and companies...the only thing that matters is if you can do the job...except for govenrment service, then it only matters that you NOT be a white male as only Females and people of Color really are being hired in the cities for those positions.

In EVERY company I have worked for since 1990 it hasn't mattered what color your skin was..it was what skills you brought to the table....and what work ethic you displayed.
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Yorick, Paul refers to more then just the body of beleivers, He is also refering to the fact that we are all HUMAN, we all bleed the same color, sweat the same color, if our heads are broke open it hurts. Our bones all bleach white in the desert sun. What does Chirst say to the woman at the well about racial devides, in this case where to worship, pay attention to the end of His statment. In one of the quotes you had it says "all men" then come the qualifiers so we as humans understand just how important the phrase "all men" means.

"None should parish but all should see the glory of God" (parapharsed by me).

"No man comes to the father, but by me","Lord, Lord when did we see you hungry? or thirsty? or naked?
"when you did this unto the least of these, you did it to me"
In none of those do you see anything about race, because THERE IS but one RACE, HUMAN.

There is nothing wrong with being proud of what and who a person is, the problem comes in when we as people say "You have to respect me and my background but I DON'T have to respect yours". Me, I say "respect what ever you want and I'll do the same." I'm not worried about being called a racist, I don't answer to any one calling me that, unless their hands, and feet were nailed to a cross for my sins. My feeling can't be hurt unless they are were thay aren't suposed to be!

I put the warning in there to inform people I'm not a victim and will not act like one, IF anyone wishes to step on the battlefield (in this case of Ideas) with me they had better come loaded for bear, and pack their lunch cause they are going to be there ALL day long. [img]smile.gif[/img]

As for the Psyco effect, boo-hoo, boo-hoo, anybody that wishes to cry about what "X"'s grandfather did to their Granfather has a screw loose. As for me and mine we'll compain about what "X" has done to us. Their self identity was stolen? Who the "Hale" stole it? Maybe their ancester's(sp?) self Identity was stolen but their's sure WAS NOT. If they wish me to treat them as if their self Identity was stolen they had better show me the legal papers from the court case where a judge has ruled so. The Europeans can feel free to accept what ever they want, I'm not a European, I'm a Citzen of the Unitied States of America.

"the time is coming when NO Longer shall the father eat sour grapes and the son's teeth be set on edge. Each man shall pay for his own sins"(paraphrased by me) That time came nearly 2000 years ago.

40 years, I don't care if it was last week, the past is the past, what is done is done. Move forward from where we are NOW. "Any man that sets his hand to the plow and looks back is no fit for the Kingdom of Heaven." the same principle works for everything else in life.

Hey John, if I step onto the battlefield loaded with BEER, will you join me? [img]smile.gif[/img]

I concur with the points you raised, especially the part about respect; as long as it's mutual, there's no problem. I think Yorick is bringing up situations where it isn't mutual. Much as we'd like to think otherwise, there are many people who will take the "opportunity" presented by a person's ethnicity or "race" to denigrate them. I don't, however, think it's a reflection of actual belief of inferiority. It's just the easiest and most obvious way to hurt someone. To some degree, use of racial slurs may also be culturally ingrained.

That said, anyone who makes unfavourable comments on my (or anyone else's) ethnic background can expect me to view them with distrust for the rest of their lifetime. Anyone who makes them twice can expect further consequences.

Make it a battlefield loaded with that most wonderful of Canadian Exports "Crown Royal" and I'll stumble across it with you. ;)

I agree people's ethnic background doesn't mean squat, There a great and wonderful people of all ethnic backgrounds or genetic make up, there are also SOB's of all ethnic backgrounds and genetic make up.

Ah, yes, Crown Royal. The only royalty that belongs in Canada, in my humble, anti-monarchist opinion. [img]smile.gif[/img] It's a deal.

If only we could weed out all the SOBs and send them somewhere to get it out of their systems.

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LOL Aerich..the only problem being is that some people don't distinguish the SOB's the same as others. :D However I do like your suggestion of battlefield.
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Man, sorry for the late reply, life has been hectic, and still is, so I'll just quickly state that by and large I agree with you to the extent that individuals make better discussion partners than ecstatic mobs :D But I also don't believe that universal truth exists and that attempting to 'convert' others to one's beliefs is a futile operation in that true communication (the total and utter sharing of memory, thought, emotion and experience: in essence, the total merging of minds) is impossible, thus, conversion (ie: attempting to implant your truths into someone elses mind, essentially 'cloning' your ideas) is also impossible. All that exists is your truth, by which you make sense of the world. In living in accordance to your truth, and your code, you can achieve fulfilment and satisfaction.

Discussion of ideas is a wonderful thing, but the agonistic competition involved in 'debate' is what often taints the exchange of thought. Discussion, rather than debate, that's what I like [img]smile.gif[/img] There are no winners or losers when it comes to defining personal truth.

Yorick, dude, you're awesome! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] But I'm really running late for kung fu training (should have left the flat 10 minutes ago) so I'll keep my reply brief and merely state that any insinuation of colourblindedness on my part was only in the context of how you initally treat strangers. Ie: culture, rather than genetic ethnicity, for me, plays the fundamental role in determining someone's identity. So, until I talk to and get to know someone, and find out what they think their identity involves, I will try to disregard the colour of their skin in determining what I think that person is all about. If you get my somewhat rushed and addled meaning... [img]smile.gif[/img]