Rand Paul

[Wagner]

Well this thread left the topic of Paul.

Getting on my 31 year old soap box:

Maybe I'm the exception. All throughout my life I went to school, played sports and worked with people of different colors and genders. As I went through college it was the same. When I worked for my first employer out of college my mentor and best friend was a 40 year old black man. He was also the first person I hired when I started my company followed shortly after by a Middle-Eastern man.

I don't claim to be a great traveler of the United States, I've been to busy working to wander around and ask people how they feel about skin colors. I do believe that the word 'racist' has been utterly watered down to now account for any action or inaction that someone feels inflicted by from a member of another color or gender.

Common sense has been thrown out and replaced by the term 'profiling'.

Everything I've ever read about the 60's civil rights movement revolved around the all out blatant disregard, disrespect and murder of blacks in America. Now the term is thrown around at will. With brushes used to paint groups or areas based on the actions of a few.

I don't doubt that in some places there are openly racist individuals, however I in no way feel this at any point becomes a majority. And I still am waiting for the named 'racist' business. Seems fingers get pointed in that direction like the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.

And as I stand on my soapbox, I'll say again, racism is a throwback from the past. An antiquity that we need to part with as a Nation. I rarely find in my business travels or friends of my generation that uses race as a charge. I'm reminded of an old South Korean man I saw interviewed who said "Korea will be whole again when all those that remember the war have gone". Maybe that is the same for racism in America, but in America the media works non-stop to bring race to the forefront of thought.

[Wagner]

On the sports tangent, the US is happy to allow the NBA to be primarily black, however it is not OK to allow baseball to be primarily white. There were multiple news threads a few months back talking about how minorities, specifically blacks, were not playing baseball. As if the league itself was racist. Wonderful. But the NBA is rarely ever cast in that light.

In my opinion, I don't care. People play the sport they want to play. My thought is, you want to know why basketball is more popular among black youth? Because if you live in a city or an area lacking large fields, it is much easier to throw up a hoop than carve out a diamond. Or maybe they just relate personally to the black athletes they see on TV. And why do white kids not run towards basketball, who knows, maybe they can't compete as well, maybe they are better at other things...hell maybe they all play hockey. The point is, this is pointless. More meddling by organizations, governments and individuals that need to simply get past race as a card. Oddly enough the NFL has the closest mix of races with blacks making up roughly 65% of the league, whites making up 35% and the beloved 'other' category making up the rest. Of course the NFL gets ragged left and right for coaching staffs and even have one dumb rule in place to make sure 'blacks' get looked at as coaches, you can't get much more racist than that.

And if you'd really need proof of how dumb society is and how hung on race it is, the Wall Street Journal devoted time to a study that said:

(Blacks) dominate, to the tune of 90% or greater, at the positions of wide receiver, defensive back and running back. However, 81% of starting quarterbacks are white, and there is just one black starting kicker among the 32 NFL rosters. Whites also slightly outnumber blacks at tight end and offensive line.

The NFL and Race, by the Numbers - The Numbers Guy - WSJ


And more by the numbers:

African-Americans comprise approximately 79% of NBA rosters, 65% of NFL line ups, and 18% of MLB teams (about 18 % of MLB players are Hispanic). Obviously there has been a skyrocketing in African-American participation (Lapchick & Benedict, 1994).

Racial Composition Of NBA, NFL And MLB Teams And Racial Composition Of Franchise Cities - Research and Read Books, Journals, Articles at Questia Online Library


I'll say it again, there was open racism in America.....was.

[Weasel]

I'm just waiting for the day (that may never come) when people will be hired/recruited etc. for only their qualifications and race/color will have absolutely nothing to do with it. I know programs like NAACP and equal opportunity programs etc. were absolutely needed in the past for a big leg up, but when should we all get past the leg up and over the fence? I think the biggest thing that holds the minorities back is how they keep themselves known as a separate group and push for rights for that group vs work on personal advancement and qualifications.

I can't go to work and say "that black guy and that Asian guy are making more than me and have been here less time, that ain't fair give me a raise"... I have to be proactive and do my training and earn my raise with capabilities and credentials/training.

[Krimson X]

Originally Posted by Wagner

I don't doubt that in some places there are openly racist individuals, however I in no way feel this at any point becomes a majority. And I still am waiting for the named 'racist' business.

When I was in high school in 1991, some friends and I went to a Denny's restaruant in San Jose, Ca on Blossom Hill Road after a college recruitment seminar. When we walked up to the hostest, we were all told that we would have to pre-pay a 5 dollar sitting fee. We were told that this was a new policy of the company. We paid and were seated. We were seated next to a table of some of our white friends from school. We asked if they had to pay a cover charge to sit, and they said no. Long story short, that was the beginning of investigation of Denny's discriminatory practices. My personal experience was reported in the New York Times, where my classmate was quoted. Denny's Restaurants to Pay $54 Million in Race Bias Suits - NYTimes.com

That same year, my parents stopped at a Denny's in Truckee, Ca on their way to Lake Tahoe or Reno (can't really remember). Anyway, another long story short, they were never seated despite the fact that other customers who arrived way after them were seated.

Those are just some of my personal experiences about discrimination at a well known business establishment.

[blktoptrvl]

Originally Posted by Krimson X

When I was in high school in 1991, some friends and I went to a Denny's restaruant in San Jose, Ca on Blossom Hill Road after a college recruitment seminar. When we walked up to the hostest, we were all told that we would have to pre-pay a 5 dollar sitting fee. We were told that this was a new policy of the company. We paid and were seated. We were seated next to a table of some of our white friends from school. We asked if they had to pay a cover charge to sit, and they said no. Long story short, that was the beginning of investigation of Denny's discriminatory practices. My personal experience was reported in the New York Times, where my classmate was quoted. Denny's Restaurants to Pay $54 Million in Race Bias Suits - NYTimes.com

That same year, my parents stopped at a Denny's in Truckee, Ca on their way to Lake Tahoe or Reno (can't really remember). Anyway, another long story short, they were never seated despite the fact that other customers who arrived way after them were seated.

Those are just some of my personal experiences about discrimination at a well known business establishment.

Sorry Krimson, you are wrong when you say "that was the beginning of investigation of Denny's discriminatory practices."

Denny's has been doing that crap since I was in HS (back in the early seventies). It's just that every few years they get CAUGHT and sued for doing it. Dennys is a chain that has always (as long as I know of) had racial biases. They seem to revel in it. They are not as bad as Maurices Piggy Park BBQ - a chain that not only had to be ordered to stop their descrimination, but also takes pleasure in flying the conferderate flag above the US and SC state flag, but also posts the typical "slavery was good for black people BS inside the restaurant."

This is one of the typical reasons why anti-descrimination laws are needed. As much as some people want to believe, discrimination in public accomodations, in housing, and in employment practices is not just a figment of people's imaginations. The situation may have become better, but blatant racism is not such an infrequent event that the laws need to be relaxed.

[Krimson X]

Originally Posted by blktoptrvl

Sorry Krimson, you are wrong when you say "that was the beginning of investigation of Denny's discriminatory practices."

Denny's has been doing that crap since I was in HS (back in the early seventies). It's just that every few years they get CAUGHT and sued for doing it. Dennys is a chain that has always (as long as I know of) had racial biases. They seem to revel in it. They are not as bad as Maurices Piggy Park BBQ - a chain that not only had to be ordered to stop their descrimination, but also takes pleasure in flying the conferderate flag above the US and SC state flag, but also posts the typical "slavery was good for black people BS inside the restaurant."

This is one of the typical reasons why anti-descrimination laws are needed. As much as some people want to believe, discrimination in public accomodations, in housing, and in employment practices is not just a figment of people's imaginations. The situation may have become better, but blatant racism is not such an infrequent event that the laws need to be relaxed.

You're probably right. I started hearing about it after our incident.

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by Krimson X

When I was in high school in 1991, some friends and I went to a Denny's restaruant in San Jose, Ca on Blossom Hill Road after a college recruitment seminar. When we walked up to the hostest, we were all told that we would have to pre-pay a 5 dollar sitting fee. We were told that this was a new policy of the company. We paid and were seated. We were seated next to a table of some of our white friends from school. We asked if they had to pay a cover charge to sit, and they said no. Long story short, that was the beginning of investigation of Denny's discriminatory practices. My personal experience was reported in the New York Times, where my classmate was quoted. Denny's Restaurants to Pay $54 Million in Race Bias Suits - NYTimes.com

That same year, my parents stopped at a Denny's in Truckee, Ca on their way to Lake Tahoe or Reno (can't really remember). Anyway, another long story short, they were never seated despite the fact that other customers who arrived way after them were seated.

Those are just some of my personal experiences about discrimination at a well known business establishment.

Again, 20 years ago...and has it happened since? And did you go to Denny's since, and did you tell your friends of the experience?

Since people keep claiming business examples, I'd like to see current (last 5 years at least) examples with more than one business, otherwise it is a one off dying breed. I can give a nice pseudo-business example of racism right now, say 2008..elections in PA with the black panthers roaming around outside...again..one offs.

Now back on topic if you'd care to understand Paul's comments in more than a sound-byte:

Paul Remarks Have Deep Roots - WSJ.com

[Krimson X]

Originally Posted by Wagner

Again, 20 years ago...and has it happened since? And did you go to Denny's since, and did you tell your friends of the experience?

Since people keep claiming business examples, I'd like to see current (last 5 years at least) examples with more than one business, otherwise it is a one off dying breed. I can give a nice pseudo-business example of racism right now, say 2008..elections in PA with the black panthers roaming around outside...again..one offs.

Denny's wasn't that long ago, and it wasn't an isolated incident. Do your own research. You'll be surprised at how much you don't know.

I haven't been back to a Denny's since.

[blktoptrvl]

Originally Posted by Wagner

Again, 20 years ago...and has it happened since? And did you go to Denny's since, and did you tell your friends of the experience?

Since people keep claiming business examples, I'd like to see current (last 5 years at least) examples with more than one business, otherwise it is a one off dying breed. I can give a nice pseudo-business example of racism right now, say 2008..elections in PA with the black panthers roaming around outside...again..one offs.

Denny's was sued again in 2005. That time by Arabs.

The fact that it may be happening less is not (IMO) attributable to the fact that they have "seen the light and redeemed themselves." It is only the fact that they are constantly being sued and FORCED to change their practices that makes them change.

That is why anti-descrimination laws are needed. Pretening it is not a problem because it doesn't happen to you is not a solution.

[Krimson X]

I never said (or thought) that Rand Paul was a bigot or racist. However, I do think that he is naive to think that, in 2010, it is ok to allow private businesses to discriminate.