I am so Naive some times. I celebrated just as many Americans did, at the election of our first African American president and I felt we turned a big corner in our countrys history but I'm feeling more and more like I shouldn't take for granted this is the end of separation of the races in our country. I was talking to my sisters husband when I was in Georgia over New Years he said "they" ( Referring to someone in Georgia I guess) were selling t-shirts that said "Obama, they call it the "White" house". Or something along those lines and he laughed and he said he was going to buy one. I was so shocked! I never expected that, I didn't know he felt that way. The more he talked the more I realized his feelings were pretty awful. It took me by surprise. My son is at Fort Gordon in Georgia for AIT training. When he was at Fort Benning, for Basic Training, most of his drill sargents were black but there was no distinguishing one color from the other, Jake loved it at Fort Benning and he loved his drill Sargents,they did a good job of mentoring him. He totally respected them. He left Fort Benning wanting to be a career Army. Now at Fort Gorden, Jake says racism is rampant but it's sort of a reverse racism. He said he just can't wait to come home, he so dislikes where he is at. There are gangs and fighting and threats and it's awful. More than once when we've spoken on the phone we have to cut the call short because you can't hear due to the fighting in the background. He says everyone from the 1st Sargents on let you know there is a division. So I wonder, have we turned a corner or not? I'm thinking I was pretty naive in thinking racism was behind us but I'm still hoping we have at least turned a corner.

Your Brother-in-Law is still fairly in the mode of making fun of stuff like that. I think it's sad that there are people who actually think that it's an inferior race. Maybe they don't like the culture of the black community (not all, but a large percentage)overall and they don't really deal with their feelings effectively. Instead, it becomes this racial slur thing. I hope your son is ok where he is. What do you mean by a reverse racism? I didn't really understand that. Is he safe? How much longer will he be there? Sometimes it takes an adjustment period for change. I've also noticed that as the generations come forth, their attitudes are differnt, but there seems to always be some racism somewhere. Whatever kind it is.

There's also lighthearted stuff sometimes. I have this friend and neighbor who is black and his wife is white and we joke about how the culture of the African-American today is even startling to many Africans who visit here and they are even embarrassed by some of the behaviors and styles of their own people and are wondering how it got that way. I tell him since he lives here, they'll probably open a "club" down the road and he tells me since I live here, they'll probably open a "Starbucks". It's all in good fun though. I can't imagine the riots and stuff. I thought that was out in the 70's & 80's. I guess I'm sorta isolated from the real serious racial stuff. I mean. I see it on TV and in my brother Rick who identifies himself with the Aryan Nation, but it's not in my face so-to-speak. I think people have bad experiences sometimes and if that bad experience happens to be with a person of another race then they develop this sort of polarization against all from that race. It's kind of an odd phenomenon I think. Certainly and interesting study.

Let me clarify, there are no riots there where he is now. But there have been alot of problems.

I don't think we've turned the corner but I think we have started into the curve. I had a person from GUM visit me in my office a couple of weeks ago. He ranted for a while about how he's tired of hearing Mike talk about the "colored folks" and he doesn't understand why we need a "colored" pastor when we don't have many "colored" folks in our congregation. He's an older gentleman but he clearly has a racial bias.

I don't think racism will end in a hurry. It's going around a long curve, not turning a corner and being changed. The old folks aren't going to change. It takes time for the young folk to have their influence. It is changing, just not quickly.

When I was a kid we had a "half-breed" in my class, ie mixed parents. He was picked on pretty hard by everyone, black and white. Today kids with mixed parents don't suffer like that. I'm sure they have their problems, who doesn't? But I'm sure they aren't going through what that poor kid had to suffer back in the '70s. We're moving around the curve. Just keep your foot on the gas.

Reverse racism is a part of that same curve I'm afraid. It's everywhere too. When was the last time you saw a commercial with a white male where he wasn't playing the role of the idiot? If there's a white man in a commercial he's the dumb guy every time.

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I certainly am concerned for your son, Suzanne, but I'm going to pray for his safety.

I still think it's more a cultural thing and the fact that many of us speak different languages so to speak even those of us who speak the same language. People group together who are alike and it makes them feel better. The problem is that they tend to then hate those who are unlike them. Not so good. It's just in our nature...like murder, theft, envy, jealousy, & all of those other wonderful character traits we tend to have. The White Supremacy attitude prevalent early in this country's history has made some other races want to group together and have their own exclusive groups. Let's just live day-to-day and do what we can to transcend the the flesh and soul and let the core of who we are (our spirit mingled with the Spirit of God)win the battle in the soul so that we can love all peoples whether we enjoy their behavior or tastes. I hope you all have a beautiful week. You are loved.

I am writing a book on this , and did not want to give away the book so I erased my message .
I need to post once I get it done

But yes Racism lives , it's llke trying to wipe out a disease , you think it's getting better , and is almost gone , then you find a huge pocket of it alive and well .

It will never die , and if it does man will find another disease to replace it like Hitler did , trying to exterminate the Jews , which looked idenical to the Germans .

Man with his sin sick ways , always will find something to fight about , and Jesus knowing us , gave the first commandment to the chruch to love , which is the only cure , but christians judge , condemn , and are the only ones to forsake their fallen own soiders .

So do you think Racism/prejudice etc is about "power" or is it just "ignorance"? I ask this because if it's about power then it seems to me you can't be a racist and really beleive or know God. It seems to me that it would be like you were trying to replace God.