Birth of a Nation

[Rlong1985]

Throughout my course work I have been presented with many controversial ideas and political theories, but never have I seen such contrast between today’s societies as it is presented through the media and how it was presented in the early 1900’s. Birth of a Nation was revolutionary in its time for its film techniques, and was the highest grossing piece of the silent film era. The film displays reconstruction from a southern prospective; racism and hate run throughout but a sense of misunderstanding of black culture is also evident. I encourage you to watch the clip, if not the whole film. This movie played a large role in white support for the Klu Klux Klan and I believe is instrumental in planting the seed for the Klans increased membership in the depression era.

[retdetsgt]

I grew up in that South. It wasn't pretty, believe me. There were Men, Women and Colored restrooms, White and Colored drinking fountains, black people could eat in any white restaurants. I never went to school with a black kid until I went to college.

It was an ugly, ugly time.

[Rlong1985]

Propaganda video from one of the Insurgent groups or from a bias media outlet.



Racism and bigotry is all over the world and despite the efforts of Martin Luther King and other civil rights advocates it plays a role in our society. Race is rarely confronted head on in today’s classroom as a modern occurrence rather the review is from an historical stand point. Whether it is White vs. Black or Black vs. White racism and misunderstanding is evident throughout the country including our media and entertainment. In the military, relevant to our current mission is Sunni and Shiite relations. I have struggled to understand the hate and distaste of each other from both sides of the never ending conflict. Before the military I had no idea how much a role religion would play in our fight despite the strive to keep it out by the United States and partner nations. Our presence as infidels may have inflamed a dormant conflict suppressed by Saddam’s regime, but despite the current extremist propaganda we did not start the long seeded hatred between the two Muslim sects.

[Trip]

I dunno. It's all kinda simple to me. Do unto others as you would have them do undo you. I judge each and every person by their individual actions.

Not to dismiss your point, RLong. All worth studying. All very complex. Just that some days I think the answers to things are so much simpler than we think. KISS principle; it's my favorite.

[Rlong1985]

I dunno. It's all kinda simple to me. Do unto others as you would have them do undo you. I judge each and every person by their individual actions..

Trip, if you read some of the YouTube comments by anonymous posters you will see that concept has not taken hold. To me lack of education is prevalent on both sides whether it is in the black community or white; each continues to blame each other for current conflicts whether it be crime, lack of education, or employment.

[retdetsgt]

To me lack of education is prevalent on both sides whether it is in the black community or white; each continues to blame each other for current conflicts whether it be crime, lack of education, or employment.

Education has little to do with it. Some of the worst bigots are highly educated. They are the ones who "think" they are diverse and open which is bull****.

Portland is super liberal and everyone has diversity stickers on their cars. But their racism is more insidious. They are more than willing to give huge amounts of money to minority communities as long as they don't move next door. You never see black and white people around here hanging out together.

Everyone is afraid of people different from them. It's been going on since time began and will never cease.

[Trip]

Ya know, here's one of my favorite Thomas Jefferson quotes: If you're not a liberal before you're 30, you don't have a heart, and if you're not a conservative after you're 30, you don't have a head. That was me. Started out as the big-hearted liberal in college. But I credit the real world exposure I got traveling around the world whille I was in the military for hastening that transition. And I get more conservative each day of my life. Now I'm practically Darwinian. I've seen so many people around the world who were in conditions far, far worse than the poorest American could ever fathom....pull themselves up, display NO self-pity, manage to find a way to be informed, manage to find a way to contribute, manage to find a way to not be someone else's burden, all without blaming anyone...........and even managing to be somewhat happy in the process. Anymore, with a snap of a finger, I can distinguish the difference between someone down on their luck and someone coasting through life on excuses. Yep, I get meaner and meaner in my old age.

[Rlong1985]

[QUOTE=retdetsgt;1103756]Education has little to do with it. Some of the worst bigots are highly educated. They are the ones who "think" they are diverse and open which is bull****. QUOTE]

Although I agree with you education is not the ultimate answer to racism or bigotry in our society. The opportunity for education in ones society is at least the availability of a multitude of theories, and exposure. Without this opportunity society runs the risk of culturism rather than multi-culturism; an inverted view restricting growth and potential.

[retdetsgt]

The whole welfare system set up by LBJ was racist. A lot of liberals don't believe minorities can take of themselves so they set up a "plantation" system of welfare for them.

Affirmative action is based on the idea that minorities aren't good enough to compete in the system so they give them extra help and reduce standards for them. I saw that crap taking place for 28 years in my department. You didn't know if a minority was hired or promoted based on their ability or were the standards dropped for them.

During the 70's, Portland was deemed a "model city" by the feds and received millions of dollars. There was literally a program every two or three blocks in the poor black section of the city. There were none in the poor white area that was just as impoverished. Five years later, when all the money was spent, there was nothing, absolutely nothing left to show for it. They did nothing but throw money at the problem and did nothing all to help those folks break the cycle of poverty. In fact, they did everything possible to make sure they stayed dependent on the government and liberals for their livelihood. And they were quite successful at it, I might add.

[retdetsgt]

Although I agree with you education is not the ultimate answer to racism or bigotry in our society. The opportunity for education in ones society is at least the availability of a multitude of theories, and exposure. Without this opportunity society runs the risk of culturism rather than multi-culturism; an inverted view restricting growth and potential.

Read the threads here regarding Islam. Some pretty highly educated people on this site have some strong feelings about anyone who is Muslim.

[Rlong1985]

Americans attempted to over compensate after the civil rights movement providing more benefits to black and other race based communities than impoverished white communities; the same is taking place in South Africa. We have started to move away from this blind help concept directed towards one community and moving towards a case by case system but several programs can still be linked to race based systems such as affirmative action.

Due to my work I find myself more cautious than I used to be in regards to conservative Islam. Exposure to the affects of Islamic extremists does not help in my personal attempts at being open minded. Throughout the past couple of years I have attempted exposing myself to more of the Arab world reading books regarding the practices of Islam and basic Arabic. I still find it hard to erase the events, popularity, and apparent sheltering of extremist throughout the Arab world.

How prevalent was racism in Vietnam? Was the racism directed solely towards the North or were our imbedded South Vietnamese allies treated as badly?

[retdetsgt]

How prevalent was racism in Vietnam? Was the racism directed solely towards the North or were our imbedded South Vietnamese allies treated as badly?

They were all gooks or zipperheads. It didn't matter who they were.

I truly admire your efforts, but you are an aberration. The majority of people are just fine with their prejudices.

The overcompensation was still based on the idea that they are inferior people.

[Creeker]

Education has little to do with it. Some of the worst bigots are highly educated. They are the ones who "think" they are diverse and open which is bull****.

....

I concur with this statement.

FI, the first video presented, "Birth of a Nation" was the first movie shown in the White House, under Wilson, who also re-segregated the military... and he had been the President of ... was it Princeton U.?

[retdetsgt]

I concur with this statement.

FI, the first video presented, "Birth of a Nation" was the first movie shown in the White House, under Wilson, who also re-segregated the military... and he had been the President of ... was it Princeton U.?

Almost by definition, many are elitists and think they're better than everyone else. Then when it comes to minorities, they are even more so, but often they are parental in their view. Hence the welfare state and the need to use it to "keep them in their place".

I see that in Portland all the time. Many of the community leaders play those liberals like fine violins to line their own pockets. That's where most of the federal dollars from our model city programs went, in to the bank accounts of a handful of black charlatans. The people that need REAL help never see it.

[Rlong1985]

I concur with this statement.

FI, the first video presented, "Birth of a Nation" was the first movie shown in the White House, under Wilson, who also re-segregated the military... and he had been the President of ... was it Princeton U.?

Education is a critical aspect in defining our society and advancement whether it be social or scientific. I don’t think anyone can deny its importance, or the impact formal education can have if done so in a constructive environment. Education does not mean you will not be a racist, but education can be a path to understanding.

If your father, grandfather, and great grandfather were racist without outside influence or examples of advancement than I would dare say your chances of being biased or even racist youself are much higher than those exposed to different avenues of thought.

Rather than judging the President from today’s viewpoint why not look at it from his or that of President Lincolns. a man our nations considers to be the seed of civil rights and implementing the end of slavery. Clearly racist and yet ahead of his time; the forethought ihe displayed n regards to providing African Americans with basic rights leading to equality in modern society.

Abraham Lincoln, as cited in "The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln," Roy Basler, ed. 1953 New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press:

"I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races -- that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races from living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior and I as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."