I know racial issues are more complex than this little article. But I think I have a valid point and observation for at least some of our racial tensions.
Aren't all human beings a person of color? I've been called a honky, cracker, I was verbally assaulted by a young black man at school years ago who called me all the above plus a white Motherf****** and kept doing it every day until I kicked his butt then he jumped up and said I did it because he was black. I'm not picking sides but just stating some truths.
Race baiting and racism is a two-way street. Back then some of my best friends were black and they saw what was happening and apologized to me, and today some of my best friends are black. One is literally like my brother and we sit and talk all the time about race in America; he even thinks the African American community is hurting itself by yelling racist or racism every time they are offended by something they perceive to be a racial slur.
White communities are getting fed up with being blamed for the sins of the 17th through 19th centuries when they had nothing to do with that monstrosity called slavery. However, they are responding in an equally erroneous manner by resorting to violence and verbal insults.
White communities are getting fed up with being blamed for the sins of the 17th through 19th centuries when they had nothing to do with that monstrosity called slavery. However, they are responding in an equally erroneous manner by resorting to violence and verbal insults.
I'm a professional counseling student, and by no means an expert yet, but I have observed and do believe that half the accusations towards whites and blacks consist of two elements.
1. Projection: this is a defense mechanism that projects what is really inside of ourself onto another person. In other words, sometimes a black person or white person is a racist themselves but it creates too much anxiety to face the truth about their character flaw; consequently, they call someone else the thing that they are.
Projection is a tricky, and deceptive, defense mechanism. A person can be angry with their racism character flaw, or be angry that they were born black or white; then displace that anger onto another person.
Projection is a tricky, and deceptive, defense mechanism. A person can be angry with their racism character flaw, or be angry that they were born black or white; then displace that anger onto another person.
2. Displacement: This is another defense mechanism in which we are angry with someone or something else but do not feel we have the power or skills to assertively deal with the situation. In this case we take out our anger on someone or something else. For example, we are angry with a friend and express that anger towards the dog or door instead of our friend.
There are some in the A.A. community who are still angry with the slave owners and KKK (a valid anger), but they are taking it out on either their own communities or someone that they feel represents slave owners.
Some in white communities are still angry about the race riots of the 1960's (remember Watts?) and have displaced their anger upon black communities because of what happened in the past, even though the people alive today had nothing to do with those riots.
There are some in the A.A. community who are still angry with the slave owners and KKK (a valid anger), but they are taking it out on either their own communities or someone that they feel represents slave owners.
Some in white communities are still angry about the race riots of the 1960's (remember Watts?) and have displaced their anger upon black communities because of what happened in the past, even though the people alive today had nothing to do with those riots.
There are other examples but until we come to grips with these two psychological defense dynamics things will stay the same.
Just a reminder, I am not picking sides and am definitely not a racist. I'm just describing my observations based on experience and basic research.
Just a reminder, I am not picking sides and am definitely not a racist. I'm just describing my observations based on experience and basic research.
Blessings to everyone here. Jesus is ultimately the answer because if a person has a sincere encounter with him, thier heart changes and they are better able to cease projection or displacement.
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