Racial issues: Perception vs. Reality

[herkyhawk00]

I realize this is a sensitive topic and would hope that those who respond can be respectful. It appears that racial tensions in today's society are increasing due in part to the biased reporting of news agencies across the country and what chooses to be covered. I don't know, maybe that is my own perception and not reality. I can't help but feel, however, that there is a constant desire for news agencies and politicians to look at how society continuously wrong's the black culture and how they are continuously victims. I question the degree of how much those views are embraced within the black culture and how it impacts a percentage of their race community?

The other day I am working in yard cutting up a fallen tree for a person. The tree was quite large with cut limbs draped over the sidewalk. As I worked, two young black children approximately 9-10 years of age were passing by and stepped over the limbs I was working on. I looked at the two, smiled, and said "How you guys doing", as they passed on by. As they walked away, the child in the back yelled at me, "Did you flip me off?" Stunned, I looked at the kid as if he was crazy and clarified in a confused manner, " Flipped you off? You mean, give you the middle finger?" The kid replied with a hard, "Yes!" I said to him in an annoyed manner, "No! Why would I flip you off? What would make you think I flipped you off?" He said his friend told him I did. Smh..... I looked at his friend and his friend had a smirk on his face, but was adamant to the kid I did.

As The two walked away, I worked for the next hour or two thinking how that kid's family and society are most likely guilty of convincing their kids of the negative views and feelings white people have of them. I thought about that no matter the fact that it was a complete lie, that my body language could not have even possibly been mistaken for doing such a thing, that that child would lay his head down that night firmly convinced that he experienced a racial encounter that day.

Though we live in a society where discrimination, stereotyping, and prejudice exist and will always naturally remain in a small degree, I question how much of it is real and how much of it is perceived to be real in situations when in fact it doesn't exist at all?

It is the perception of it being real that causes more problems than the actual facts of the incident, and no matter how far society goes, perceptions to racism will always prevail and have a larger impact that what is occurring in reality.

This very issue is obvious on a national level as it pertains to the relationship of police officers to the black community.

 

[naturalmwa]

Meanwhile the one kid is really thinking "old people are grumpy bastards." While the other kid thinks he is very clever for getting the best of both of you.

If this topic interests you, you could probably google up some answers. There are probably statistics that would show you how many stories cover race in any given year. How much actual race disparity there is on a variety of topics. And opinion polls about how closely feelings reflect the reality.

 

[h-hawk]

Just one snapshot to be sure.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

There is some amount of truth on both sides of the coin.

Honestly if people are told that the world is out to get them they are going to see it in EVERYTHING.

But at the same time you can look at statistics and see that we don't treat each other equally on a lot levels.

 

[TexMichFan]

Watching how the kids in my wife's first grade class interact with each other I wonder how later on some of them could assign race as factor. They work and play with each other and the issue never comes up.

 

[linkshero]

I have an example of a story that I think is similar to the OP's. And, just a preamble...I'm not comparing black people to dogs.

I have a dog, he stays in my yard. He is a hunting dog. Although I guess it's possible for him to bite down hard, it's not in his nature. He has caught birds and rabbits, spit them out, and they ran, flew away. He has never bitten a person, or other dog. Anyway, I had a neighbor lady who didn't like dogs. She didn't give my dog a chance. Even though her little kids came over and asked to play with them, and they would, she didn't like him. Even though my dog would have likely protected her kids with his own life, she didn't like him.

Eventually, they moved away, and sold their house. New family moves in, and before ever saying one word, new mom comes over and rings our door bell. She says who she is, and that although it hasn't happened yet, she would appreciate it if we make sure our dog never comes onto their property, and if he does, she is going to call animal control. About a week later I'm in my garage with my dog. The new neighbors young daughter is in their front yard (5, maybe 6). My dog and I head out around the side of our house and the little girl came walking towards us. I said high, and she asked if she could pet the dog. I said, sure, but you need to go get your mom or dad first. She goes back towards her house, and her mom comes out to meet her before she reached their front door. Without pausing, the little girl starts crying, and says "That doggy bit me". The mom marches over and starts yelling at me. I said emphatically, "your daughter didn't come within 20 feet of my dog, nor did my dog leave my yard, or your daughter leave yours". I told her what really happened.

Later that night their whole family came over with a peace offering. Both the husband and wife wanted to offer their apology. The wife said she has no issues with dogs, but when they bought the house, after closing, the lady they bought if from had told them our dog was a beast, dangerous, and not to trust it. Their daughter was likely influenced by their talk and behavior, and their behavior was influenced by another person.

It's pretty easy to be influenced by hate and misunderstanding, and it works both ways. My neighbors were told not to trust my dog, and those little black boys were told not to trust a white guy with a chainsaw.

 

[DanHawkPella]

I think it is telling that the topic of "Race" essentially boils down to "Blacks" in most discussions. The magnitude of the race issue seems to be 2 or 3 times higher with that specific race than with other minorities (although issues exist there also).....or perhaps that is just how it comes through on media.

I just hope that the black community would spend as much time trying to fix their own culture (63% of violence against blacks is perpetrated by other blacks) as they do blaming others for their problems. Both (including cop behaviors / other prejudices) play a significant role in the outcome. I think the rest of America is willing to help even more in that scenario, and there are some good groups designed just for that purpose (just not enough of them perhaps).

 

[unIowa]

Just one snapshot to be sure.

We need more Asians.

 

[markfromj]

What evidence do you have that your encounter had any racial component?

 

[herkyhawk00]

What evidence do you have that your encounter had any racial component?

I really don't. Like my question proposed, however, is it perception or reality? It does work both ways. I am aware of that.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I really don't. Like my question proposed, however, is it perception or reality? It does work both ways. I am aware of that.

It works both ways is really the answer that is the case.

Black people get harsher sentences for the same crime then white people. That's a statistical fact. There are other things where you can find that negative stereotypes hurt minorities but especially African Americans. I really don't think these things are up for much debate.

There is certainly plenty of inequality to note here.

But for political reasons entire groups of people are being told that they are victims and that society is out to get them in general. This is my opinion is bad, because instead of just focusing on places and outcomes that are statistically proven to be unequal, they are given a general license to claim victimhood.

When a group is given a license to claim overall victimhood like that, they often hurt the legitimacy of their movement by finding said victimhood everywhere, often in places where it does not exist. It also gives them an out to ignore their own privileges.

 

[markfromj]

Great post, Hoosier.