December 29, 2012

“Selective Racism and Being Offended” cji 12/29/12

 
“Selective Racism and Being Offended” cji 12/22/12
 
(Note: lest anyone be offended or feel to scream racism this is not a milk and cookie essay – therefore whether white or black with strong racist feelings this might not be a good read for you.  c/ork)
/ˈreɪ sɪz əm/ Show Spelled [rey-siz-uh m] Show IPA
noun
1. A belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. A policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. A hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.”
/əˈfɛnd/ Show Spelled [uh-fend] Show IPA
verb (used with object)
1. To irritate, annoy, or anger; cause resentful displeasure in: Even the hint of prejudice offends me.
2. To affect (the sense, taste, etc.) disagreeably.
3. To violate or transgress (a criminal, religious, or moral law).
4. To hurt or cause pain to.
5. (In Biblical use) “to cause to fall into sinful ways.”
 
Background: Over the many years of my lifetime I’ve learned of the idea, principle and most aspects of racial racism. At a very young age I was found in foster homes (some good and some very bad) – in trying situations of being afraid and also in small windows of feeling wanted and warmth.  Slave labor is having one work for another without the freedom to choose to leave or stay. It could be applied to any culture and in many places of the world is still in effect today. Slavery almost always starts within a culture itself – and then when there’s a profit motive involved those who are slaves within a culture are sold into another culture to the highest bidder at the time. 
 
Most if not all abhor the practice of slavery – always forgetting the alternative was usually death for the men – prostitution for the women (and worse) and adoption into a tribe or culture not of their own family.  Slavery has been on-going since the earliest written or recorded history and at least back to the 4000th Century BC. We know with the exception of those living who came to the America’s starting in about 2000 BC (and many earlier) that slavery was not as common and in some cases never practiced. Yet always with contention between two varying groups, slavery was usually the fate of the losers. 
 
Most will today deny any good whichever came of slavery – however, if death were the alternative one might suggest whole cultures (families) would’ve been wiped out with no hope of a future or with the ability today to look back and be upset by the results of slavery. They simply would not exist today.  Those being the most politically correct (PC) blame everyone for the roots of slavery of any race or culture other than their own.  This is equally racist on their part as for the most part is was their culture which introduced slavery in the first place upon their own.  In the Greek City-States – most Greeks lived in slavery to only the very few elite and this was true into the early 1900’s in Europe and is today still true in Africa, South America, Asia and SE Asia. 
 
Anywhere a dictatorship is found the majority of the population are little better than slaves and many are worse off than those who are slaves with the sole exception of having their freedom (which does not include the right to come and go – but only to live mostly in fear).  Many of today just refuse to study history, the things of today and or of questioning much of the nonsense presented in the form of PC Rhetoric as truth.  They ignore facts and numbers – first hand reports – and just simply refuse to believe that anyone not of their culture understands. 
 
Most enjoy the Politically Correct luxury of having ‘selective racism’ to enforce their individual or collective will on the remainder of the population in which they live.  This is to pick and choose what will offend them and to accuse others being responsible for offending them.  I’ve learned over the years one can only be offended if they choose to be offended.  One might call this a selective form of PTSD only eight or more generations removed. (Note: there are the two situations where one’s personal or spiritual integrity is attacked unrighteous where one is indeed to have the feelings of having been attacked personally.)  Understand a personal attack is not the same as taking offense to something apart from one saying or implying offense not involving integrity.  When one chooses to elect selective racism there is no way to project what will be the next selected source of perceived racism on their part against another or group of others. 
 
Discussion:  When I was between the ages 11 to 15 many things occurred in my life with relationship to other cultures. Until this age I didn’t think in terms of color, race, creed or culture.  My experience was that the bullies of the world picked on the smallest person around (usually me) and that where I was or what I was involved in had little to do with the results of being hammered, beaten up, abused, left for dead (on one occasion) and otherwise at the disadvantage of having been at the wrong place at the right time.  Some were distinctly racial and others fringed upon being so (this was the late ’50’s and very early ‘60’s.  First, I was of Italian heritage – and this was not good in a White Anglo-Saxton Protestant  (WASP) environment.  Second, I was small for my age and in school at least one year ahead of my age group having started 1st grade at four years old.  Third, I was adopted (at age six) and didn’t know this was a stigma – I thought everyone got adopted.  Forth, unknown to me I was exceptional smart and had a photo-graphic memory (again I thought everyone did) and lastly I was both dyslexic and ADHD before much was known about these conditions.   To give an example I was always the last chosen and the first to sit in spelling bees.  All of the above made me into a ‘loner’ able to sit for hours and read everything and anything (usually three to five books a day).  At the age of 11 I ran away for the first time after indicating I was ready to go back to an orphanage or anywhere but where I was.  This happened on several occasions until at age 15 I hitch-hiked the East Coast of the US.
 
My first and most awakening realization things might not be as I thought they should be was on my way to confession when I was falsely accused of having hit some kid I didn’t even know (to this day I remember all three of those who pummeled me).   Anyway they hit on me for a long time but with it being winter my heavy clothing protected me.  The second time I wasn’t as fortunate as the leaders group at our local YMCA decided I had been too aggressive on one of theirs and took me out into the athletic field with no winter clothes on – numbed all of my pressure points – beat me up letting the smallest one there do the most damage – and left me there in the winter.  If one of the directors hadn’t noticed my jacket hanging by the front door when locking up I’d not have been found until someone went out in the field.  He found me and called my step-mother to come and get me.  It was his son who was one of the ring-leaders.  My third experience was of a different kind as the first two groups were all white kids.  The next situation was at the city skating ring where I was by myself – still rather small – and didn’t know this was a potential danger.  At first one or two blacks would come by and bump me or scare me.  Then all of sudden I had several around me and I couldn’t go anywhere.  All of a sudden a very big Black youth came into the circle.  I knew him – we were friends (I thought) and he said, “Hi Chuck what are you doing here?” He had a big smile – and the group dispersed.  When they left he told me if this ever happened again to just say he and I were friends and I’d be left alone. 
 
Now think of it –two groups of whites kick me around – leave me for dead – while the young blacks having some fun at the expense of me – broke up immediately and never troubled me again.  Who were the racists in this situation?  To me it was the WASP’s!  Most likely many can relate to their pasts and find similar situations.
 
Another event took place in West Winfield North Carolina at my step-Grandfather’s farm.  He had tenant farmers living on his farm and they were a very nice family.  They had two boys the ages of my brother and I.  We all played basketball!  We went with them in their car to the local gym where they played pick-up ball and had a great time.  The next day car after car pulled up to my grandfather’s home all older white men.  After they had all left we were told not to go to play ball at that gym anymore – what we did at home was okay but not to go out with the neighbors again.  The next day my grandfather suffered a heart attack – again who were the cause – and where do you think I might stand on understanding racial issues? 
 
In the military I found that many would play the selective racist card – and in each case it was those of their culture who came to my defense.  Never once was this support lacking.  We must understand some if not many are looking to be offended and to use it to exercise unrighteous domino over another.  Many being PC give in to the pressure rather than to stand up for what is both right and truthful.
 
One more event in my life which has merit to this discussion and this occurred upon leaving the SE Asian area and going to Africa in 1964.  Some will remember that 1964 was a very volatile summer in the US. There were curfews, riots, race disturbances, murders, burnings and much worse in some areas of the nation.  Having been outside the US for over 14 months much had changed within this nation.  Most of it not for the good and the lingering stink of that time pervade our society today.  While at the Brooklyn Receiving Station (most all of the Summer – July-early September) I had occasion to go into NYC on multiple occasions.  I went to see Norman Vincent Peale and was told by one of his son’s he was much too busy to see me and asked (told) to leave. (Side-note: Dr. Peale had always said in his writings he had time to see one and all if they came to visit him.)  Upon leaving I went to other places stopping at the Jehovah Witnesses complex as well. 
 
Often times I would ride the subway and meet and talk with people – some as in “What About Bob” were out of order so I went on to another.  I met a lot of different people this way waiting for the subway.  On one occasion I saw a very well dressed tall Black man in a three piece suit.  I engaged our conversation by asking how one would get to 42nd Street.  (Note: 42nd Street in those days was the easiest place to find – and also where the old theaters would play the old ‘B’ westerns for a quarter for the day.)   He looked at me and asked why I had asked him.  I told him I thought I should meet him! We then started talking and he turned out to be Dr. Thomas Brooks and involved in the NAACP.  Our conversation continued and I accompanied him to Harlem (which we walked through – he told me with him I would be safe).  Then we went to his home on 122nd St.  He said he had some friends he’d like me to meet and would be back shortly. 
 
Within the hour he was back the time being about 6PM with three others with him.  We were introduced and the others were; Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Allan McLean; and Dr. Abernathy. (Note: the only reason I know this is that in 1976 a friend of mine and I attended a Dr. King memorial day where the speaker was Dr. McLean.  I told Hank I knew him and he told me I was crazy.  We went up hanging at the back of the line to meet him.  I asked had he been in Harlem in 1964 and did he meet a young white kid at Dr. Brook’s home?  He indicated he had and said who else had been with him – to include Dr. King and Dr. Abernathy.)  From somewhere around 6PM until about 4AM we sat and talked about black and white issues.  (Note:  In the period of early 1963 I had written an essay entitled, “Man’s Right to be a Human Being!” It is my understanding the US Government took from me (I’ve the notes) and would guess it is still classified or long destroyed.)  We spoke on many subjects with them mostly asking the questions.  We spoke about Cuba and Castro – Russia – controlled nations and the ease of finding who the leaders were from within.  Mostly we talked about to help our nation to become color-blind – that one’s culture or color of their skin didn’t make a difference but the person themselves.   (Note: This is the reason I believe Dr. King was murdered – in that it wasn’t the goal of some in the various movements for color-blindness but separate but equal maintaining a strong power position in the community of their choice and not in the welfare of our nation.)  At about 4AM we broke up and they escorted me to the Brooklyn Receiving Station.  Shortly after this experience we left the US for Capetown, South Africa where I spent the next year off the coast of the Africa. 
What does the above have to do with my perception of ‘selective racism?’ Quite a bit I’ve been places and experienced things most never do or will in their lifetimes.  The above situations are but a small bump in the road from all of my various experiences since being a very young child until today at the age of 68.  I’ve seen the good and bad – absolute evil and pure goodness – and everything in between.  Some might object to absolutes but they are there and anyone who doubts absolute goodness must have already forgotten the many like Mother Teresa; and as for absolute evil – any number of persons from the past 2000 years could ware this title including present day candidates. 
 
Yet it is the in-betweeners who cause the most of our nation’s problems today.  It is those who sit the fence and determine where and when to be either good or bad. Many are the ones who by themselves – without an audience to perform in front of can be rather nice people. But when they’ve an audience they turn out to be very, very bad. They pretend to be one way and then attack with the least expectation of the other to be able to defend themselves.  And if they are caught in this attack they say the other misinterpreted what they said or did.  Or they claim some sort of discrimination; i.e. poor white folk, beleaguered black person, youthful energy, female, male, lesbian or homo-sexual and the list can contain any number of others.  Many times the person doing the attacking will lie and blame the society, environment, school system, police, or just flat out lying about anything they think or do.  As a PC environment has so inappropriately taught them – they could never be accountable or responsible for their actions.  These are the ones who feed off of an ingrown toenail and get the government to side with them in the courthouses and legal systems in place.
 
These are the ones who practice with some skill the ‘selective racism’ cards in their pursuit of equality or revenge.  Most of these persons have never themselves been involved in slavery or seen anything worse than what many people in this nation have seen in their lifetimes – most get over it – but the in-betweeners never do. These are the ones who show up to defend anyone crying ‘wolf’ as attacks dogs on the hunt of others.  If someone claims rape or abuse and is found to lying – they will never apologize for their condemning of the one accused falsely but will go looking for another human sacrifice.  If it is whites being accused of some offense the MSM (Main Stream Media) with the help of these attack dogs will have those accused half-way to prison.  However, if it is a crime against whites it is just the opposite in that the whites must have initiated the results.  Our MSM is ignoring totally the ‘knock out’ culture in mainstream America – the absolute violent acts occurring on a daily basis.  The exception is if one of the victims fights back defending themselves then the youth involved becomes choir boys in the media. 
 
Racism is wicked and evil – but it seems to be part and parcel of the liberal left agenda today.  There is no seeking of what is right. There is no listening to the facts – and no reporting of the event in question, unless to make good behavior or decency immoral.  The goal would appear to make our nation one of entitlements and guilt feelings.  These goals are to destroy both the family and the home.  Further to actuate feelings of distrust and separatism in any act of goodness or of warmth.
 
Over time issues become minuet and virtually impossible to avoid in considering racism to the individual who claims this against another.  What would seem normal and not offensive to one – can trigger hatred and anger in another.  There is no defining line in selective racism.  Since the issue of racism is consider mostly to whites discriminating against blacks – what are the so called trigger points?  One is always any relationship that can be drawn from what a white person does or says.  I.e. A white person cannot use the terms; you people, boy, girl, and similar type words in any conversation.  The white person cannot ask a black person to perform certain types of labor – instead having to wait for someone to volunteer.  We’re on very sensitive ground here and must recognize even in trying to discuss such a topic is consider racism on my part.
 
It should be noted that if ‘a particular item’ is the problem and presents an insult to those of the African-American heritage – then each of the following items should also not be found in conversation, displays or otherwise referenced in writing.  Among these items are the following; Corn, Rice, Cotton, Indigo (products), Sugar Cane, Hemp (marijuana), Salt, Coal, Wheat and other minor items.  Today slaves are used in many nations to harvest Tomatoes, Broccoli, and Cabbage, Grapes and other Vegetables and Fruit products.  
In addition, many slaves were skilled doing carpeting, cabinetmakers, bricklayers, and more. Some slaves worked in factories. Other slaves became construction workers working on the canals or railroads or worked as dockworkers, lumberjacks, office workers, or riverboat pilots. Some worked in the mines.  Most all of the House Slaves were responsible for the gardens (fruits, vegetables, and most significantly flowers) and the over-all presentation of the house, furniture and cleanliness. 
 
One must not forget that the slaves were also actively involved in the raising of cattle, chickens, sheep, goats, pigs (hogs), and providing wild game (Deer, Feral Hogs, Raccoon, Opossum, Doves, Turkeys, Ducks, and Geese, Snakes, Fish and Gators) for the tables of the 10% Slave owners in the Southern states. 
Thus there is the possibility in being selectively sensitive to the any issue of personal or spiritual integrity being offended and thus interrupting one’s ability to feel about them all of the above listed items should be avoided.  Never spoken in conversation – referred to in books – or found in anyone’s home where someone with selective racism might go or be invited. 
 
Now to look at slavery and bondage in the role of history to find clarification for today’s crying racism at every turn. It always seems amazing to me that the German Nation under the Nazi’s killed millions – of Jews, Blacks, Gypsy’s and other minority races; it was the Blacks who choose to sell other Blacks into slavery rather than to just kill them – and they sold to other Blacks, Middle Eastern Nations, South American Nations, and others until finally the market opened into the Whites of North and Central America.  Thus by making this choice they decided the fate of their fellow countrymen in history.  Which ancestors of their fellow countrymen are now free and have been for the greater part of the past eight to nine generations (some longer).  Stalin killed millions of all races, creeds and cultures from the 1920’s through to the 1950’s.  Today many African Nations led by Black Dictators are again killing many Blacks within their own nation who are considered Christian and for other reasons.  In two nations in Africa South of the Sahara Blacks have been murdering Whites and Colored for the past fifty (50) or more years with little notice or recognition.  In the inner-cities of the United States – an average of seven (7) children are being murdered daily.  In several South American nations citizens are treated as slaves or murdered and yet the most liberal proponents of racism applaud the leaders of these nations. Which is the source of my amazement in why today’s population of African-Americans and the liberal left all suffer from PTSD over something which has allowed the generations of their ancestors or another’s to have been able to come to a land – even under the initial condition of slavery to live instead of being murdered?  While those (Whites and Others) are being held over the coals of time are those who’ve done the most in the past two hundred plus years the most to help all races, creeds and cultures not only in the US but throughout the world.
 
One also forgets that less than 10 (ten) percent of the population actually owned slaves at the time of the Civil War.  Throughout the world in many civilized nations conditions worse than slavery existed in the name of work forces – indentured servants – and even worse conditions.  In some nations of the world conditions are still even worse than those of the early 1800’s – for the majority of the populations.  Think of those in Cuba, most of South America, China, North Korea and many Africa Continent Nations.  In India, Pakistan and other Southeastern Asian nations the conditions for most are absolutely horrid!  Today those who are pushing the issue of PTSD by the descendants of slavery in the US are actually the same persons, groups, cultures which keep the idea of slavery alive and well within the inner-cities of the US.  Hatred, racism, entitlement, welfare, lack of education, fear, unclean health conditions, drug usage, lack of proper housing and a lack of a balanced diet – which are much worse than what those who were in slavery had to tolerate.
 
Most forget that slaves were an investment – not as the sweat shops, cribs, mines and other industries elsewhere in the nation where no slaves were involved.  Thus where yes one will always find bad apples in a barrel there were mean slave owners.  But this was the exception and not the rule – for one had to help maintain the health, vigor, education, family integrity, as well as provide full room and board (in today’s language).  This part of history is always ignored by those pushing things under the veil and premise of retribution, revenge and hateful rage. They do this because for some it is knowingly to retain power over those they encourage most to keep themselves enslaved. Secondly, they get paid well – their books sell – and they get high fees for speaking around the nation. And most importantly they keep the idea of fear motivation and incentive motivation alive and well – threatening and wanting more and more.  Both of these motivations are temporary and require outside rhetoric to keep them going.  The pushers of racism seldom ever try to explain or educate one with the idea of their own attitudes being the proper method of motivation.  Attitude motivation comes from within a person – a desire to change and become better because of their efforts and not someone else giving or making it available with no effort on their parts.
 
Convenient education, revised and changed to meet the demand of the few over the rest of the population which is targeted is the worst form of slavery.  This form is alive and well today – it affects all races, creeds and cultures with damages to understanding, knowledge and self-confidence.  Survival is not the goal of those who enslave others this way – but unrighteous dominion.  It is to fill the job vacancies in the fast food industry and others which require low educational standards.  Indeed it has created a welfare state where over 50% of our current population depends on others (the government) for daily survival – while having to do nothing except have babies and stand in short lines for their benefits. The children suffer the most – intonated with harsh music, violence in movies, tv and the streets outside their homes and the idea they’ll never get ahead – so why try – apathy of spirit. The schools teach almost nothing of value to many of the students who come (forced) to schools.  Only where parents teach at home what was supposed to be taught in school is there any progress of learning occurring.  Where encouragement in spite of the poor education being provided – their children do their homework, read good materials, avoid the violence of the games, tv or movies that education does occur.  This happens in homes – not slums – it happens where parents care – not just lined up for more checks for more children – and it happens within the mind of those who take care of their own attitudes. 
 
 
Summary: When one considers the value of the definitions at the beginning of this series of thoughts one must thus conclude that racism and being offended is a personal decision fostered in many cases by nations or bodies of influential persons. The below three quotes address this much better than I can:
 
Elder Maxwell has taught, “Can we absorb the irony of being hurt while trying to help? Having done good, when we are misrepresented, can we watch the feathers of false witness scatter on the winds?” “With its inverting of our anticipated consequences, irony becomes the frequent cause of an individual’s being offended. The larger and the more untamed one’s ego, the greater the likelihood of his being offended,”
 
Elder Bednar has stated, “When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.”
 
President Eyring has said, “In a similar way, the ground must be carefully prepared for our foundation of faith to withstand the storms that will come into every life. That solid basis for a foundation of faith is personal integrity.”
Thus adhering to the final definition to be offended – “(In Biblical use) to cause to fall into sinful ways,” would be what appears to happen in our society – it is an excuse for many to set-aside the Ten Commandments and all of the others for there are far more than ten and live as the worldly live.  When government teaches this separation of the races/cultures/beliefs (which the US is currently doing) then the results to be expected are those taken advantage of by the in-betweeners.   Where can anyone go?
 
Sadly, the idea of a Catch-22 – or trap – or even a gin – might be the reason for one to not trust anyone else with whom they’ve contact.  When this happens one will most likely be embittered – embitter others and cause a discontent which will act like a disease.  Beguiling and smiling – engaging in friendly chit-chat until the victim makes a mistakes and is accused of being racist is now the norm in our society.  No longer is there any attempt to find resolution without the involvement of others thus causing more hurt and suffering by attacking another’s personal and spiritual integrity. The harm is done and for the one playing this card – when confronted to either scream louder – complain more bitterly – or back off and say ‘no harm – no foul’ and then lay in wait to trap another. 
 
In Upstate NY in the 1970’s we had women who would go on job interviews – claim sexual harassment – settle out of court and make between $20,000 and $30,000 annually and never work a day.  It was their job to entice whether true or not the ability to claim harassment.  In today’s work place the cry of harassment is commonplace – putting many who have good intentions constantly in harm’s way.  Thus, it then leads to this selective racism/offending/offended becoming common in social gatherings and meetings where many of differing cultures come together.
 
The results are obvious – people stop trusting one another – stop associating in a social way – and only get together when it is absolutely necessary. Even then the conversation becomes stilted and rhetorical.  Our society as a society implodes upon itself – government takes over the social settings – and freedoms seek to longer exist.  Simple stuff when one wants to be offended – for it is always at the expense of another and thus ultimately the fabric of the society they live in. 
 
Lastly, those who choose to be selectively offended – using selective racism as their reason – they then become the accusers of another personal or spiritual integrity which is both hurtful and for some devastating.  Where do we stand?  Are we sympathetic to the in-betweeners or do we stand up to them and call them for what they are and what they are doing?  In my lifetime I’ve learned never to back down when mine or my family’s personal or spiritual integrity has been attacked by another.  For if I don’t stand up after having been so attacked – others believe the in-betweeners and will also question our personal and spiritual integrity.  Nothing is done in a vacuum – all is done both in front of the Father and the Son – as well as those present or otherwise involved with what is going on.  An in-betweener needs to have attention and therefore will never make their accusations in private but will draw attention to their cause of selected offending and charge or racism to another. 
 
Another term might be found as selective sensitivity in certain environments favorable to their unrighteous indignation.  This is the most contagious disease in our nation – it is found in both small towns and big cities – especially promoted by stereo-types in movies and on television; even more so in violent games that our youth partake of on a daily basis. The world will get much worse – each person has their own individual agency to choose right or wrong – the choice of being selectively offended is the excuse used to fulfill this definition: “(In Biblical use) to cause to fall into sinful ways.  Thus those claiming to suffer from PTSD and react with selective racism rather than to act in common sense allow themselves to be the victim without cause. Their being offended is self-chosen – and as a result there is no cure nor will they ever really be happy in their lives.  Indeed they’ll make themselves miserable over time and cause great infliction of pain on others unjustly. 
 
Over time the Scriptures teach each of us to go to the person or persons we feel have offended us – to resolve the issue of misunderstanding. To avoid the courts and attorneys – to not enjoin mob violence for redress – to only after unsuccessfully finding resolution to go to those in a leadership position (manager, owner, presiding authority in a Church) for understanding and reconciliation.  Yet in our current society most go to the media, police (which is some cases is needed), leadership and or to just spread rumors.  Which we choose to do or allow is within ourselves alone – no one can blame another for being offended – one has to choose to be offended.  Yet one who feels another has offended them does not seek resolution with that person they can and do spiritually and personally attack that persons integrity. Which will ultimately fulfill definition #5 above; 5? (In Biblical use) “to cause to fall into sinful ways.”
“Selective PTSD”
 
cji
12/29/12
 
Went out today and was hurt
feelings and physically so
slipping on the icy walkway
having neighbors see it all
thus physically was I hurt
and my feelings as well;
 
Selective PTSD is swell
while nothing found inert
on others can I now call
excusing my actions today
blaming others for dough
offended even as I flirt!
 
Copyright © 2012 – cji

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