me = stupid.

I guess I thought there was some sort of implicit POV.

But I was dead wrong.

I WOULD like your view, though, on the cultural anthropological issue: about people in 50-70 range who grew up in a very racist country. In very racist household.

It’s a different mind set than the younger ones. And it’s more than just ‘get over it’. It shows up in so many ways, largely as a set of background assumptions, sorta like not wanting to eat vegetables because dad didn’t like them. I don’t mean to be flip with the analogy. Shows how parental influence so imprints on the kids and can shadow life as an adult.

I’m sayin’ this is where Mathews s coming from.

Did you read my comment on that site? Last time I checked, it was in moderation. I have not commented on this post. I have not expressed an opinion or made any kind of statement on this specific issue.

I may well be “dead wrong” but you would know this only from telepathy.

Why don’t you tell me what you think I’m thinking about this!

This is generational, pure and simple. I’ve written here several times how hard it is for those of us born in the 50’s to shake off lingering, unconscious racism, racism born and nurtured in a racist household and country without owning some of those dreadful feelings. I am guessing that there is some sort of cultural anthropological explanation for how this happens. In any case, we know we have it, and we hate it.

It shows up in so many ways.

I can’t know this for sure: but friends I have that are your age, and younger, truly don’t see color. My god (it’s just an expression) how far we have come! It’s why we marched and struggled. It is why some died.

Mathews has a very good civil rights record. He was just stating facts, that’s all. I am guessing he was just plain happy about it. I know how he feels, believe me.

It’s just too easy to throw sticks at people. The younger in our population now are rightly indignant about racism. But do remember whence we came and the personal struggles of even those most committed to the cause.

Certainly my own civil rights papers are in order. But still. I suppose it is like baby ducklings following mama off the cliff. But you will be able to offer a better explanation for how imprinted racism works. How hard it is to shake off even when you know in your heart is wrong.

That’s mighty white of you.

I think a lot of people are simply brought up with lies (most religious people for example). So they expect every black dude to rob them and so on. In my case, for example, if I didn’t eat my vegetables I’d be sold to the black guy who walked up and down the street with a small bag on his back asking folks if they had some odd job he could do to make a buck – apparently he was asking folks if they had any naughty kids they’d like to sell him so he’d have something to eat. It was so bad in my generation that my best buddy from high school would always get upset if he ever heard the word “black” – seriously, I couldn’t say things like “I only have a black and white TV” when I was around him. I think it’s also pretty obvious that Michael Jackson didn’t feel comfortable being who he was and had some bizarre desire to be white. It’s really horrible that the world should do that to a man, but that’s the way things were and still are, even in the USA.

http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2008/02/the_origin_of_the_chicken.php

Anything else I can fix for ya while I’m here, jeff?