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Epignosis wrote: Henry Plainview wrote: Finnforest wrote:  I for one do not support decriminalizing institutionalized racism if that's what you are suggesting/asking.   Well David and Rob do, so it's a valid question. And I'm also tired of people being called racist (even though what they're saying is abhorrent, I don't think Rob or David or Rand Paul are racist), but it's hard for me to imagine another reason for believing that Obama is not a US citizen and a secret Muslim. I sometimes make statements that are not to be confused with my actual position on a subject.  My whole point about restaurants was that should restaurants refuse to serve a particular racial group, and this became publicly known, most such businesses would probably fail very quickly. As you yourself said, this is a different America than the mid-20th century.  Contrary to what so many people would have us believe, I don't think racism is a huge problem anymore.  It exists in pockets, but I think many of the accusations of racism are just an attempt to use the "R-word" to discredit an opponent without having to engage in thoughtful debate.  The accusation of racism is now a useful rhetorical tool (look at how casually it is bandied about in this thread alone in the past few days). (The media does this all the time.  Let's say a man gets rowdy in a restaurant and is asked to leave before he is served.  He complains and the media gives us this headline: Restaurant X Refuses Service to a Black Man.  Add the color of the man's skin, and there's an implied charge of racism right there, and that's precisely what many readers will take away from the story). I've experienced racist talk from some old white people and a few young people (most of whom I would describe as ignorant on many levels).  By far, most of the racism I've experienced came from blacks talking about whites or Hispanics.  I took a class in college called "African-American Philosophy," which was essentially 16 weeks of justifying black racism.  I got a C, by the way- lowest grade of my college career.  I was the only white person in the class. I also can't tell you how many black and Hispanic students I had who accused me of racism when they did poorly on an exam, for instance (because, you know, I have this incredible power to make only black and Hispanic students fall asleep or act foolish while I'm teaching ).

Same thing in our country, only we don't have black people (African Americans you call them ?), but Gypsies. It's basically the same case, given that gypsies in our country are trying to take after a lot after American Black People. I hope this term doesn't sound racist in English.

Gypsies forms about 5% of our society, Vietnamese people another 5% (roughly), but there are no problems with Vietnamese, but it's probably because of society / culture differences. But what I am trying to say - I studies a lot Gypsy community here in Czech Republic, I was friend with some of them and I can tell you, some of them are really good. Very devoted, faithful when it comes to these things.

Another cultural thing is that they mostly listen hip-hop, I'm not sure why, but also again Society / Cultural reasons. 

There is something called Positive Discrimination here in Czech R. It's for example when Gypsy / Vietnamese / Handicaped person is applying to the job, the employee is obliged to hire them, when they're skilled enough.

Otherwise he would be prosecuted because he would be called racist.

Some racists are known to call Black People by word "Niggas". Well, in our country, there is feeling that word Gypsy is offensive. That we should call them "Romas". But to the hell, these "darker people" (how should I call them) that I CAN CALL MY FRIENDS, they commonly called themselves by this word, they allowed me to call them like that and said that this media campaign against this word is just big, fat bulls_h_T.

Sigh.

UndercoverBoy wrote:

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Josh, it's quite difficult. I hope you will understand, because you're not from here and so don't know other facts and things that I take as normal and as common knowledge. I suppose that Racism is big issue in USA and is talked about a lot, right ? Then you also know that Racism works both ways.

I hate prejudices. This is why I tried to get to them, understand their way of thinking, living, community. My father helped me a lot, he is pacifist, anti-racist thinking guy and I used his help in this matter.

Thank you that you are interested :-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_Czech_Republic#Roma

I'm not sure if they are recognized, everyone here recognizes them (common people), they have organization to defend their rights, they have wikipedia page and stuff. They call themselves by both names, Gypsies and Romas.

But where ends prejudices and starts need to be caution ? I certainly don't want to be racist, as this idea sounds bad to me. It's not fair.