Stereotypes, to a certain point, make this world go around. Sometimes they're good, and often times they are not so good - but to deny that they are integral part of human nature is naive.

 

I am enjoying this conversation about race. Ithink its needed in our society.

Ok, I am a 39 year old black male. I have served my nation for 19 years. I love my country. Do i think it has problems? Of course. Do I think there is racism? of course. Do I dwell on it? Not really. Do I try to educate? Every chance I get.

Racism is not about hate. Its about steretypes. heres a personal examole:

I was deployed to Bosnia years ago. I was the only black LT in my company. I didnt socialize really with the white LT's. why not? They like to go to bars and drink. I didnt. they liked to listen to country music or hard rock and talk about hunting. I didn't. So, our relationship was more formal and busnesss where as they had a very informal social relationship. Beause of that informal relationship, they were able to bond with each other closer than with me. I was their co worker wheras they were friends with each other. So, whenever an opportunity came about, they would discuss it while at the bar. I didnt hear about the opportunity until it came out in offcial communications, but by then, it was too late to apply becaus it had already been taken.

Now, I dont believe any of my fellow white LT's are racists. I like them all. I just believe in this world you get where you get not by qualifications but by networking, so you network with people you have things in common with. It would be the same scenario if were a majoruty blackofficers and obne white officer that didnt socialize with the black officers. he would be let out of things. Just so happens in this society. There are more whites ininfluentail positions than there are blacks.

 

Now lets look at this from a career perspective. I go and file a suit over what I indicated. What are the chances of winning? not to mention career suicide. Was it worth it? No. Further more it causes one to reevaluate the following. Do you really want to have to work with folks of that mindset? NO. So what do you do? You chalk it up as one of lifes tender lessons and move on, and remember to never give in to that mindset when your in a position to hire someone. With regard to credibility, I think it is a question of whether or not you have experieenced it before. For those who have and you know who you are, it is out there, but to file a law suite because you run into it is just stupid. It will solve nothing, except black ball you from a career you love.

 

Fair enough. Just as a side note, I grew up in Ingelwood, CA, a predominantly black area when I was young. My best friend was black. I HAVE seen the discrimination first hand standing right next to him and have certainly lost my fair share of teeth over it. Just FYI

 

I enjoy a good civil debate, especially about a hot topic as this. I agree with you that we all have certain prejudices. I'm going to use that term instead of racism because I feel it better encompasses the element of human nature you are describing with racism being a subset of prejudices. We all develop a comfort zone based on the sum of our experiences. Not to say the stereotypes we apply to those whom we do not know personally are correct or fair, that is how we deal with the unknown. It is a ingrained human survival instinct to suspect that which we are not familiar. We can try to train out this instinct all we want, but in the end we only make ourselves vulnerable to those who would do us harm. I contend that a young black male would have similar apprehensions about a rural white town. "Am I going to be targeted because I am different?" Unfortunately, there is a track record to justify his fears. There is also a track record in urban environments to justify your example's fears. Would you feel comfortable walking down the streets of Baghdad without armor and air cover? You might be perfectly safe from 90% of the population. It is that small percentage you don't know about that causes you to be uncomfortable and react in a prejudiced manner.

I grew up in a suburban environment, but went to school where the urban and suburban mixed regularly. I live about 1 mile from an area that is widely regarded as dangerous and unsavory. I travel though it daily and don't worry about my safety because I am familar. When I lived in St Louis, I was exactly the opposite. I avoided similar areas because I was unfamiliar and advised to. I argue that most prejudices we have are from a lack of familiarity. I proposed that the solution to that problem is education.

With respect to your hiring example, I would agree that the ERAU grad would probably get hired all other things being equal. Again, we like what we are familar with. What you described isn't racism though, its a fraternity. Its the same reason there is a unspoken preference for military pilots. We are an inherently tribal species and make decisions accordingly.

 

I would also like to refute your comments. It has not affected me so much as you stated. IM doing what I want to do and that is fly. You made the comment about me being annonymous. What would you have me do? Say my name rank and serieal number. Alot of folks have events and statement they want to convey on this site. Does the lack of postinng ther ename make them any less credible? The experiences I had was not intended to bring animosity or denigrate any one company. It was for those of that maybe naive to think that race is not a problem anymore.

 

Very profund. It gives me something to think about and you correct that people will revert to their comfort zone. Its human nature. thats why on Sunday mornings, Churches are seperated a lot of times.

 

This has nothing to do with you being black and everything to do with you being anti-social.

 

I would also like to refute your comments. It has not affected me so much as you stated. IM doing what I want to do and that is fly. You made the comment about me being annonymous. What would you have me do? Say my name rank and serieal number. Alot of folks have events and statement they want to convey on this site. Does the lack of postinng ther ename make them any less credible? The experiences I had was not intended to bring animosity or denigrate any one company. It was for those of that maybe naive to think that race is not a problem anymore.

 

LOL! IM from Inglewood, I went to Crozier , and Inglewood High. I lived right around the corner from the forum, and used to get free tickets to see the lakers play. My house is right in the path of 24R I used to watch those jets come in like clock work