I Don't think anyone will deny that racism still exist! I grew up going in an enviroment where there was racial tension every day and saw many race fights in a local high school. I still know many people that still and always will be racist because that's the way they were raised and no matter what you do that will never change! While most of these people are white, I had a black roommate in college that was just as bad as any of my white friends. The problem I see is that as long as black leaders such as skip and the AL Sharpton's keep using the race card every time something doesn't go their was these feelings will never die! The Mr. Best situation may have been political revenge over the budget but not racism!
If this was "institutional racism" or "a modern day lynching" why would the commissioners including Billy yow voted unanimously to give Mr. Best that position? Now what was is racism is to for skip and other black leaders to say Mr. Mcneil doesnt deserve to hold that temp position. My point is that yes racism does exist! It is alive and well, but there are as many black racist as white. By the way the one color that knows no race is green. If we would all quit worrying about who's out to get who and focus on earning a living and teaching our children from the lessons I hope we have learned we would all get along better. Oh and replace the whole lot of the commisioners as well! If ever there was a case for term limits we have it!

This has to be the most ridiculous analogy for racism I have seen. I don't recall the hare being "given" a head start in the race. As the story goes, the hare bolts to a commanding lead and then rests until the tortoise catches up and .... beats the hare. The moral is that through diligence and perserverance you can overcome disadvantages. Of course there are many a tortoise out there who sit and hope the hare will come back and carry them to the finish line instead of doing it for themselves.

or they could make the finish line for the tortoise a little closer than the one for the hare...

turfncsu, right on, its about time someone told the truth on racism. It will die a swift death when people let go of the past and work for the future.

It is amazing to see, black leaders make excuses for poor behavior, bad personal decisions,and poor performance. Instead of trying to encourage them to better themself, out comes the race card.

The race card serves two purposes: (1) to diverge the problem way from the real cause, so they can blame it on someone else. Not at who is really responsible. It is easier to blame another race or organization then to fix the root cause. (2) The race card is use to inflame one race against another, so they will give in to their demand and to keep their leaders in power over them.

Neither of these causes ever solve the problem, nor are they meant to. Black leaders never offer answers that will require the black community to address their problems. Instead, they blame the problems on racism, and the problem remain unresolved, but the black leadership looks like they are involved. What a waste for the black community.

If you want to see racism vanish, start by taking personal responsibly for ones own action and don't let others escape theirs. If someone is guilty of something, don't use the race card to get them out of it. When have you seen the white comminity use the race card to get a white out of trouble. NEVER. If their guilty, we want them to be punished.

Bobby,

Who would ever think you and I would be of one accord on anything? Yet I agree with your post above. Since I am all about accepting personal responsibility, I especially agree that promoting such is the first step to eliminating racism.

Joe said: "The moral is that through diligence and perserverance you can overcome disadvantages."

For many, the institutional racism of affirmative action proves that moral can be avoided in life.

Yvonne don't scare me. This is the first time we have agreed on anything. Maybe there is hope that both our sides can come together on some things and end this constant fighting and bithering. I hope so for this nations sake.

"Sit back and observe where you live, work, shop, vacation, etc., and you'll know where you place in the race."

What the hell does this mean? I live with black folks in my neighborhood, work with them, see them all the time where I shop, by golly they I've even seen them on vacation. Where is my place in the race?

Do any of you guys live in white only neighborhoods or frequent white only stores?

I like how Bill Cosby addresses personal responsibility as a key to success for blacks (and everyone for that matter). To paraphrase "get an education, don't do drugs, get a job, don't have kids until you are married, obey the law".

Back to the hare & tortise. Does the LTE writer equate blacks with a slow moving creature that hides in it's shell? Sounds demeaning to me.

I see us all as hares. If we run in the right direction we will succeed.

The Chappelle Show Required Viewing for the white folks who "know, live, work with, etc" Black folks:

"Clayton Bigsbee, The Black White Supremacist"

In a very poignant and very funny way, Dave Chappelle makes a blind black fellow so prejudiced because of his background, growing up with white people. It makes a point and totally debunks most of the "happy hare" posts above.

DD everything negative live well in your world, enjoy it. It works well for you.

DD, there you go again using a fictional ancedote of a fictional character to support your "perceptions" of life.

And you sass me for quoting facts from PM? Pot/Kettle.

Hugh,
You were seriously quoting Popular Mechanics for international policy issues!

I was using a black humorists' take on racism to make a point.

Are you capable of abstract thought?

Deac, don't be a dope. The article quantified the assetts used and numbers rescued during Katrina to verify it was the largest, fastest rescue in the history of the United States.

Don't let facts get in your way, find some more TV show characters ancedotes and adhominums to spew.

If it makes YOU feel better about yourself, great. Otherwise it is an overt indication of the depth of your thinking.

Some magazines you might want to subscribe to, are:
The Economist--very conservative but useful
Time--news weekly with great columnists
Newsweek--part of Wash Post group, good news analysis from longtime journalists, not the comedic ones like Rush, Hannity,Bortz & Savage.

My fun subscriptions are: Smithsonian, National Geographic, Fine Homebuilding and Our State---more along the lines of your Popular Mechanics.

Guess ol' Hugh is out helping Vernon Robinson and can't post today. Hey, while we're on the subject, let's check in with Vern and see how those endorsements are coming along.....

http://www.vernonrobinson.com/robinson_contents/endorsements/

Uh Oh! HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY!!

When will Dr. James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and David Duke endorse him??? Maybe Gary Bauer, Robin "Mr. Lysol" Hayes, or even Robert Tilton will give him their "SOLID" support!

After reading today's article on what a powerhouse Liddy Dole is, maybe she will endorse him!

I won't go as far as saying that viewing Dave Chappel is the panacea for healing race relations, I agree with DD that the episode was absolutely hilarious. Dave has a gift for humor that cuts to the bone without hurting.

I actually watched the commissioner meeting in nearly its entirety. To sit there and watch Skip Alston and Bruce Davis say that it was uncommon and a lack of integrity for a person to serve as an iterim manager while seeking the job of manager had me laughing in the floor. Skip and Bruce: if you have any experience in job vacancies at higher levels, you know that is a downright lie. Sure, there are times when someone will serve as an interim manager with no interest in the position, but those are the exceptions, not the rules.

The only positive note to come from all of this is that finally Skip has shown what he is all about. Even the democrats on the board finally see him for what he really is. Instead of increasing his power on the board, he has possibly fatally wounded his credibility with any thinking person (even of the same party) that sits on the county commission. Even his fellow democrats have realized just how low Skip will stoop to get his way, even if it means turning on them.

YD, was it raining and you had two broken legs and arms and could not change the channel???? You are a tough guy... I have tried to watch, and have to leave to keep my blood pressure under control. Have to finish weed eating..have spent too much time on the computer..I am addicted. Is there a 12 step program for folks like me???

It WAS pretty excruciating. There is some entertainment value there if nothing else, though.