Is the U.S. really experiencing more racist and bigoted incidents?

[RandomAccess]

Last edited Fri Jun 1, 2018, 01:46 PM - Edit history (1)

More verbal attacks, more threats, more actual physical attacks?

If so, what's the cause? Any idea?

ETA: Charles Blow NYT Op: Trump is a walking, talking permission slip for the white supremacist. https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210682219

[elleng]

1. trump.

[RandomAccess]

3. How so?

Can you elaborate?

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Honest answer is YES!!!

[RandomAccess]

5. And what is the cause, in your mind?

[Wellstone ruled]

23. Couple of things.

First Hate speech coming from Fox News and the Right wing echo chamber. Second is social media,remember how kids loved to pick on others and thought it was cool instead of cruel.

Live in one of more diverse Cities in the USA,since January of 2017,something I have noticed as we go about our daily inner actions with the Local community. Neighbors who we assumed were very tolerant folks,are now out right racist people. They wear their white privilege on their sleeves and brag about it. Every time we go out shopping,if folks are chatting in a foreign language,guarantee there will be some older White person making a racial comment.. Used to blow it off,not anymore.

Scary part is,one never knows who is packing. And that is another scary ass thing.

Went to early Primary Voting Station on Tuesday,recognized several Poll Workers. Asked one who I have known for several years if they had any bully threats. Short answer was yes and you know where those can from. This comes from a African-American Lady in her 70's who btw is a retired County Worker,whom I had the pleasure working with on the Local Hillary Campaign. She was called out by some older White Couple the day before.

What the hell is going on?

[RandomAccess]

25. What the hell indeed.

Thanks.

[Wellstone ruled]

26. Until the Media finnally decides to

burn the Trump hate machine down,it is only going to get worse before it gets better.

[JI7]

4. Trump who was a backlash to obama and other gains made in society

[RandomAccess]

7. So how does that work, exactly?

(Not looking for an essay, just a brief overview.)

[JI7]

12. Trump enables/encourages open bigotry. That's something recent

Republican national candidates didn't do.

Some racists were also ok supporting the "moderates" like mccain and Romney as long as they stopped the black guy from becoming president. And they could pretend they were not bigots.

But Obama encouraged groups like black lives matter, dreamers, lgbt to also more openly get out and demand their rights.

The bigots didn't like it and trump spoke to them.

[RandomAccess]

14. Trump's words? actions? both? other?

[gollygee]

6. I don't think so - I just think people carry video cameras around on their phones

so we see it more.

Nobody believed black people when they just told us about it. Heck, a lot of people don't believe them even with the videos.

[RandomAccess]

9. So, the same level as always?

Not more open racism.

What about Charlottesville and the Nazis? And I think there are 8 white supremacists running for national office at the moment -- isn't that new?

[gollygee]

10. What about David Duke?

And there were decades of lynchings with no one ever held responsible. Black people have lived under terrorism for most of the country's existence.

[RandomAccess]

16. What about him?

I asked you whether you thought the events in Charlottesville and the number of white supremacists running for office were at the same level as in the past?

[gollygee]

17. Your first question was whether there were more racist incidents

I don't think so.

And KKK members used to openly run for many offices. David Duke did but there's a huge history of that.

[RandomAccess]

18. Okay --

You're right. Duke did run for office, but that was a long while ago. That didn't register with me when you mentioned him. I get it now. (duh!)

[gollygee]

19. Do you mean just very recent history?

You said "more incidents than before" but I didn't take that to mean just like the past decade before now or anything.

[RandomAccess]

22. Past several years

[treestar]

8. The "winning" of the Deplorabe-in-chief

Has convinced right wing nuts that “ political correctness “ is over and they are freed from its shackles.

[trixie2]

11. Ok I'll bite

Trump is allowing those that usually hide under rocks, cling like slime to stagnant water..................to think it's acceptable. Why are the KKK and other groups feeling free to march and riot?

There is no longer a Republican Party. It is the Party of Trump. They have no shame and will not stand up for human decency.

You should read In the Garden of Beasts by Larson. It is a step by step realization of fascism.

[RandomAccess]

15. How does he enable it?

Thanks for the book recommendation

[trixie2]

28. Read the book or any book on fascism

He is grooming the masses. Albright has a book out too.

I don't mean to be rude: Are you young by any chance. Have you had world governments in school/college/grad school?

[RandomAccess]

30. This is why I posted the OP

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210682323

Thanks for your concern. The thread didn't work quite as I'd hoped it would, but it WAS interesting.

[GulfCoast66]

13. Maybe. But we are also seeing way more push back.

Or it could be that camera phones are exposing it more.

On thing is sure. If you go full racist now you are way, way more likely to lose your livelihood due to someone filming.

And money, or lack thereof is a powerful motivator to change behavior.

[oasis]

20. Slimy GOP racists feel more comfortable with a leader (Trump)

giving them license to act upon their wildest wet dreams. They're crawling out of the woodwork by the shitloads.

[RandomAccess]

21. How do you think he gives them license?

[oasis]

27. Follow the "leader". The old "monkey see monkey do".

Trump's minions have been given the green light to turn the clock back to the "good ol' days" hence the motto/ dog whistle, Make America Great Again.

[oberliner]

24. I think they are just receiving more attention because of social media

People are recording them more, getting them on FB and Twitter more, so now these incidents that were once localized are being spread far and wide.

[bobbieinok]

29. Possibly not. It's just that now it's impossible for whites to avoid noticing.

[apnu]

31. No, but it seems like it because everybody has a recording device now

The smartphone revolution means most Americans have excellent audio and video recording devices and easy access to disseminate what they record around the world.

The racism has always been there, but its easier to report and react to.

As the white privilege bubble pops, white Americans are learning about something non-whites have known for a long time.

Same too for male privilege, that bubble is popping as more women report sexist acts.