Our View: Mayor Ness threatened; anti-racism campaign has its moment to seize
January 30, 2012 at 9:35 am in Duluth News Tribune
“White supremacists from all over the world are sending me threats,” Duluth Mayor Don Ness wrote at Facebook, the result of an anti-racism campaign he helped launch last week. The campaign can take advantage of the attention to educate. Continue Reading
Don, Duluth has bigger problems than racism. Get to work on the real issues!
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He’s got a big problem alright. If he pulled this in an African or Asian country he would be charged with Genocide.
They say they are anti-racist, but what they really are is anti-White. Anti-racist is a code word for anti-White.
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I’m anti-racist, but I am white. What does that make me?
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That makes you ignorant. You can’t be anti-racist if you’re white. See how this works? You can claim anything you like, but these people know you better than you know yourself. And as luck would have it, they’re more than willing to educate you on all the ways you’re an evil and racist piece of filth.
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The campaign isn’t saying that all white people are inherently racist. It’s saying that minorities have to face barriers that most people never deal with. It’s addressing the difference between saying “hey, how’s it going” to someone on the street, versus having a knee-jerk *quick, look away* reaction. By your logic, if I say that racism exists, it makes me a racist. But if I say that corporate crime exists, does that mean I think everybody working for a corporation is a criminal?
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As usual.
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If you need to keep explaining what the campaign is supposed to accomplish, then the campaign must not be working correctly, unless the designed outcome was to create a rift in the locals? If what is happening was predetermined, I think Mayor Ness and his legions are the bad ones.
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Does anyone think billboards are going to change anyone’s heart?
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My question is where is the money coming from to buy billboards.
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Apparently from unfair.org, the money is coming from our tax monies (from county social services), LSC, UMD and the Univ.of Wisc. Life House, CHUM and the domestic abuse prevention program.
Now, why several homeless shelters & a domestic abuse program would want to waste their money, and divert from their good works, is mind boggling. If I were a patron of these charities, I’d be outraged.
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So lets quit donating to these inflamatory organizations.
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The problem with this is– is that Ness is so bored, or inept, or unable to deal with the real problems of this city, that he has to spend his time on this type of nonsense.
If Mayor Ness really was interested in raising any type of standard of living for anybody (regardless of race), then he would be busy trying to build our business community.
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This is certainly counterproductive to a good dialogue. Threats have no place in a conversation about racial issues. I may disagree with some aspects of the way this campaign was presented and laid out….but, none the less this is not the way to show disagreement.
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He brought it on himself with this racist, anti-racist campaign.
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Part of the racism problem is the “non racists” have alot to do with perpetuating racism and frankly, many of them are racist as well. A simple truth that wont go away despite being ignored. Racism will not diminish until this is dealt with, too.
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Stupid is as Stupid does……..
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I’m shocked at some of these comments and frankly I am aware that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I am proud of Mayor Ness for stepping out and getting this started, yes from the outside it looks wrong, but the problems exist. It is real here in Duluth. I am an AA and I don’t have to call the Race Card, because GOD has truly blessed me to be in the place that I am in. But racism not only lives from white to black but with-in our own race. Some people have more issues with their own race in this town and no one wants to talk about it. We need to learn how to love, support, and help each other in our community. This effort that Mayor Ness is starting is a chance to do that, for everyone to come to the table and have some good dialog. For those people that think it’s stupid, it’s because you have never been turned down for a job, promotion, education, car, home, or other things because of your race. Until you have walked a mile in someone’s shoes you will never understand.
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“For those people that think it’s stupid, it’s because you have never been turned down for a job, promotion, education, car, home, or other things because of your race. Until you have walked a mile in someone’s shoes you will never understand.”
-Gabriel, its funny that you bring this up, because I had a very close minority friend (AA) that I hired, who challenged me on the issue of race. We debated the issue of race & racism, and he challenged me to become involved in one of the causes in his community, so I could walk “a mile his shoes”. I joined the board of directors of a child care center/pre-k education center that was located right in the heart of North Minneapolis and provided free-child care to those who qualified (qualifications – Had to be an AA minority, meet salary requirements, and commit to a schedule). I joined right at a time when the state funding was being cut, because of performance requirements. This institution got about half of its funding from religious organizations and half from the state. The state cut funding because the center did not meet the performance requirements any longer, because the state wanted those using this type of child care to also be trying to look for employment…and the state would even provide placement into jobs so they could continue. As soon as these requirements came into being, the enrollment dropped to next to nothing in favor of grandparent/neighbor care. This two year stint opened my eyes to a world that I learned a lot from and I have a few observations. The first is that there are thousands of people of all races who want to help the HUMAN race out, particularly the poor. The second is that no matter how many opportunities that you give to some people, they will squander them. The last is that the broken system of poverty that we have is cyclical and passed on a generational level, just like wealth…you have some people that are able to break out of the poverty cycle, and some that lose all their wealth but it stays pretty consistent. None of this has anything to do with race, I finally came to the conclusion…and I did it by walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.
The last thing that I will leave you with is this – On the Job\Promotion front – being in business as long as I have I have realized one truth – PROFIT IS COLORBLIND! I don’t care what you look like, race, gender, or any disabilities…If you can turn a profit, you will be paid accordingly…because companies that don’t follow this rule are no longer solvent. One addition to this is that debt is also colorblind…if a bank thinks you can pay your debts…you will get a loan for anything you want, car, home, etc…especially now.
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Probably one of the best replies ever posted, especially the last paragraph.
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Whiteness is “the norm”? Where? Here? Chicago? Camden, NJ? Los Angeles?
When will we move past liberal racial labels and judge people on their character, merit and integrity? The majority of Americans have long since moved past race; meanwhile, activists and feel-gooders continuously drag us back into the same racially-charged non-issues.
Mayor Ness, despite his good intentions, has drawn the ire of a small, small contingent of racists. For some reason, both he and the DNT have decided to give them the spotlight. Pointless.
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What you’re not understanding is that the majority of Americans and Duluthians don’t give two craps about race. Having a conversation about a non-issue is not only unproductive, but inflames those on the fringes of the issue, giving them an unnecessary platform from which to spread their vile agendas that, unfortunately, still resonate with a small contingent of maladjusted, ignorant individuals.
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I would like to think of this as a “joke” that requires the teller to explain that it is funny. What I mean is, the content can be great, but, if you need to keep explaining it, maybe you should look at how you are delivering the content.
Very poor decision making from everybody on the campaign. Well, hey you started a campaign, and it stinks. Whoever said the artwork was correct to help convey the message is wrong in their thinking or belief and should return any money they obtained for services.
Realize it, apologize, modify the campaign, and move on!
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Is there racism in the Northland? Yes.
Do we as Northlander’s need to address this issue? Yes.
Is the campaign making people talk? Yes.
Is this campaign being conducted in a way to address this issue? No.
Are people talking constructively? No.
Why? Probably because people do not like to be scolded for something they might not be doing openly or knowingly. This would be something like raising kids. The more you raise your voice the less you become heard. The people of the Northland need to be treated with respect, we have and always have had a hard life up here. We tend to be the butt of jokes that we take with a smile. We are constantly portrayed as being naïve when we are not! We have movies made of the area which paint the people up here as simple when we are a complex breed with compassion for others.
Mayor Ness and his legion of anti-racists need to simmer down a little and understand that screaming like this, is alienating a vast amount of good people, and obviously slapping a bully in the face.
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Also I don’t remember Ness saying 1 word when my friends who are students and their advisors at UMD students received “threats from all around the world” during this school year over that youtube incident. I am very glad the Mayor has finally joined this struggle. But I don’t remember the UMD people pleading for support like he did today. They never even asked, we were just there for them as he should have been. The Mayor should not have had to ask for my support today and doesn’t need to, because we will be there for him. Whats done is done, and better late than never. But there are lessons here:
Martin Niemoller’s quote in the Holocaust Museum:
First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak out because I was Protestant.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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It’s called pandering. Donny’s pretty good at it.
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He’s just moving up the DFL food chain.
I don’t think Donny cares too much about anything, other than his own future career in the political establishment.
He’s got to talk about racism before he runs for governor.
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Why would Mr. Ness want to move on when none of you have the back bone to oppose him in an election.
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The threats are from a very, very small sliver of the populace–one which cannot likely be swayed, and one which ought not be given opportunities like this to promote their ridiculous views. To say they are the rule and not the exception ignores reality.
As a poster in another thread so eloquently stated: I am sure there are many instances in which locals treat people of different races differently. To believe this to be racism is extraordinarily obtuse; clearly, this area is predominately caucasian. You have the unique opportunity to change people’s perceptions. Instead of pointing out perceived racism, show people how you’re no different than any of them. Not everyone has had the chance to interact with people of other races; likewise, some people will have negative connotations attached to other races through their own experiences.
Large campaigns will not help. Billboards and websites will do nothing. The only way we’ll ever get rid of racism is one positive personal interaction at a time. If you put people on the defensive via controversial campaigns like this one, nothing good will happen. We’ll only drive people apart. Take the initiative and be the example. I know I try to do exactly that myself. .
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WinnerWinner you are so right ! Your comment, “The only way we’ll ever get rid of racism is one positive personal interaction at a time.” is spot on. Billboards can scream at you, people can tell you and talk till they are blue in the face, but the fact is, most people will change their underlying opinions only when they have good personal interaction one at a time that defies any negative stereotype they may have (consciously or unconsciously) prior to that.
That’s the key….”positive personal interaction” that shows them the stereotype they have held for a long time is not accurate and they walk away with a smile and a new attitude. Change takes time, all positive change takes time and can’t be short circuited. It can be helped along perhaps, but there is no short cut to good stable positive change. People change one attitude at a time by personal interaction with those different than themselves.
A billboard or campaign that puts many on the defensive won’t work and in fact is probably counterproductive since it closes down your mind in most cases. When you go on the defensive, your ears close and you start talking and justifying rather than listening and thinking critically of your own actions, attitudes and behaviors.
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So you’re a white person from Chicago? The other day on another thread you said “I am a person of color, and nobody asked my opinion or permission to run this campaign. So if this offends your delicate sensibilities (boo-hoo) complain to all the white people who created, paid for and initiated this campaign. They are WHITE.”
So which is it?
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No surprise Ness getting hate mail on this. Yelping dog is the one that got hit.
White supremacist groups aren’t as ragtag as many think. There are like 400 of them here, they have own server and all are connected on net. They have own web design companies and see the internet as their preferred front to push their agenda and more sophisticated at it then many even suspect. They actually pay members to specifically infiltrate and post on news message boards to push their agenda and messages. They’ve actually in past cloned major newspapers on line and rewrote their news to push their agenda’s. They so infilitrated AOL’s Black Voices message boards that they actually controlled and ran the message boards and AOL had to get rid of their forums to get rid of them. The internet in fact been a boon for them and become very sophisticated also in recruiting new members by setting up various sites just to screen for them.
WSP is really about social programming and lies we’re all fed, black and white, and told to believe. It’s messed up our country, it goes against our very ideals for this country and it messes up people. White supremacists are actually the “damaged goods” resulting from that social programming and black community has their own damaged goods with self hatred issues resulting from it.
Interesting some of the themes continually repeated on these forums on this topic and in forums in general that are actually touchstone arguments of white supremacists such as: White racism doesn’t exist today, it’s blacks and those bringing up white racism that are the racists. There is no such thing as white skin privelage and because there’s no real white racism if blacks are held back it’s their own fault. Blacks are more violent and prone to crime, blacks are lazy and a drain on welfare system etc. and it’s not racism that is a barrier it’s their culture and they need to learn to do better in school and work harder. Yes, it’s oxymoronic for white supremacists to proclaim there isn’t any white racism but then is that any different then all the whites trying to deny that there’s racism and WSP in this society because they surely would know because they’re white? All the while they’re actually parroting white supremacist agenda’s…SMH!!
Interesting how some are fighting so hard to deny that WSP and racism is still an issue when the Mayor of Duluth gets swamped with hate mail from white supremacist groups all over. Interesting also how many of white supremacist agenda’s and stereotypes are repeated and promoted on these very message boards….but of course….there’s no white racism towards blacks today…WSP doesn’t apply to whites today and racism isn’t really an issue and nobody here in Duluth promotes and believes in white racist stereotypes of blacks.
Which of course explains why constantly and without a shred of proof to support it many in this town constantly put all violent crime in this town in blackface. It also explains why every single person in this town knows that when saying people from Chicago moving here for the welfare, is a code phrase for referring to blacks here. Which of course promotes the key white supremacist racist stereotypes that blacks are more violent and more prone to be lazy and on welfare. So naw….there’s no racism here or subtle messages supporting racist stereotypes that support WSP in Duluth. Some of you look as foolish and as stupid as the white supremacists claiming there’s no white racism today when every single day those white supremacist touchstone messages can be found on these very forums.
Seriously folks, apparently some of you so brain dead that have not a clue how totally idiotic you look…you know that WSP isn’t a hinderance and problem for blacks and you would know because afterall…you’re white but you firmly believe in all the white supremacist arguments…really?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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should read “one involving 2 white boys, one involving 2 African American boys”.
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Booyah!! I also lived in this deep south – It’s polite racism, done Minnesota-nice!! But racism all the same. Just because it’s polite doesn’t mean it aint a sin or equally abhorrent.
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I went to school in Duluth in the ‘60’s. I have lived in numerous places, most were on military posts, yet I always maintained a Duluth mailing address. I lived with people of all sorts of skin colors that spoke different languages. When I was asked what my nationality is because; I’m not dark enough to be black, light enough to be white, too hairy to be native, my eyes aren’t slanted or squinted, my response was and is, I’m an American mutt! No, it is not nice when the people you serve with gang together and speak another language and laugh
Northern Minnesota is not all that keen on running into more than six people at night they don’t know without a fishing pole. Frankly, da people aoop nort here just cannot handle incoherent mumbling or fast talking people with new words we think they’re just cold and want a blanket, my gosh, since your pants are falling down and you’re bobbing and weaving just go to the bathroom already! Come on, if you need to hold your pants or crotch with one or both hands, what help to society could you possibly be?
We as members of the human race should treat others how we want to be treated.
Having the mayor and friends decide how we as Duluthians should be educated about racism is another example of how Duluthians have always been disenfranchised by slick talking people.
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I think it is very revealing that you can really tell the folks here who have lived around the country and then came to Duluth as opposed to the those who seem to be long time Duluthians. If you haven’t been out of your yard you have a limited view of what happens in reality.
I am a college educated white guy who feels discriminated against because I am not ‘one of us’. If you are not long term Duluth, Duluth makes it very hard to get settled and find a job. I am not ‘one of you’ I am just an American. But the message I get over and over is that I am not wanted in the old boys club that makes Duluth tick. OK, I get it. I will take my experience and move on to somewhere where the door is actually open to folks who are different.
But if I feel this level of discrimination, I can only imagine what is felt by those who are not only from a different place, but also look different. Duluth needs to take a good look at itself if it wants to get to the next level. The world economy is changing, economic survival is at the next level, It is America and you get to choose.
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Racism up north in MN is something we all like to just pretend it doesn’t exist. But let’s talk about our “native” population, and I don’t mean Scandanavians. You are all looking at the African American issue here, but racism exists for many many races. We all eat at ethnic restaurants, and praise the “unique” tastes, but we sure don’t want the family that cooks for us living in our neighborhood. Racism does not dry away, until you pull off the bandaid covering it and allow the sun to dry it out.
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Questions for anti-whites:
Why do you only push mass immigration +”assimilation” = genocide on white countries?
Why do you pretend forcing demographic elimination on white people is not genocide under international law?
Anti-racism is just a code word for anti-white.
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It’s comes down to jobs. Blacks in Duluth don’t get education (there is enormous funds for blacks for education), so they don’t get good jobs.
This isn’t racism, this is Black America’s lack of education.
Then there is affirmative action. Business must hire black people by law, regardless of their ability.
So, with very generous scholarships simply by race, and law to hire by race– it’s not racism, it’s laziness.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Ignorance is bliss. Do you know that the majority of “blacks”, to speak in your terms, attend the poorest schools in the country? They have old editions of textbooks and lack the funding to provide as good of an education as the more fortunate public schools. Did you know that the majority of “blacks” live in the ghettos because of single mother homes who are working three jobs just to support their children because the dad is, most likely, locked up. Did you know our “War” on drugs puts the majority of young black males in prison, branding them a felon, which then makes it nearly impossible to go to college, let alone get a job. Google Jim Crow and the War on Drugs. Do some research before you speak about how lazy and dumb blacks are. What’s funny is I learned this here at UMD in a class about Public Policy, the statistics are eye widening and the proof is all there. Oh, and this class was taught by a WHITE professor, fyi.
Another thing you need to do your research on is affirmative action. This does NOT require businesses to have a quota of blacks employed. It is actually about all minorities, not just blacks, and it is ILLEGAL for businesses to have a quota because it could result in discrimination of others.
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As a black man from the inner city I can tell you that while many of your stats are correct you and your white liberal professor know nothing about my community and I will leave it at that.
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I wasn’t trying to say he knows anything about your community; I just wanted to make a point that this is an issue and that some white people do acknowledge it.
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Blacks aren’t dumb, inherently.
What is your post about? it’s incoherent.
It isn’t racist to arrest people who shoot others, or are selling drugs, or are pimps. I will not be responsible for the stupidity or simple bad luck of other people. It’s unfortunate that most of black America, as an example, are made up of single mother households. Why is that? Maybe that problem needs to be addressed within black America. It isn’t discrimination that has caused that. It isn’t ‘jim crow laws’ that caused that.
There are serious problems that have nothing to do with racism or discrimination that are occuring in the black community, that only that community can solve. Nobody else.
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I don’t think that blacks are dumb. I was arguing against what the person above me posted. Did you even Google what I asked? “Jim crow and the war on drugs”. You can read about the systematic imprisonment of black males, leaving the women to raise their children alone. This is not a conspiracy theory. There are statistics. While I am not saying this an “excuse” for all blacks, I AM saying that this is a REAL problem and people need to stop ignoring and attributing it to the individuals themselves and look at society as a whole.
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I didn’t realize it was your post I had replied to. How exactly is my post incoherent? I’m sorry that my post wasn’t about how this campaign is stupid and that there is no racism in the world. It must be difficult to understand a post that’s not racist.
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Pete~ Sweet ..you just called blacks dumb and lazy…while like many here..saying there’s no racism against blacks…
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There are individuals of all races who are lazy. Yes, there are black people, as individuals, who are lazy. As there are of people of all other races.
To think otherwise is actually the dictionary definition of racism.
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Would you agree with wiping out a non-white people by forcing on them mass immigration of racial aliens and demanding they “assimilate” themselves our of existence with them?
You say you are anti-racist,but you`re only pushing genocidal demographic policies on white ountries.
Anti-racist is a code word for anti-white.
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Where exactly are you getting genocide from? Last I knew, people had a choice of who they choose to reproduce with (unless, of course, they are raped). I don’t see white people being disproportionately killed or anything like that. How many likes your post has just proves that the majority of people viewing these comments are racist. It is sad to see that any post that tries to argue the slightest fact that racism is alive and well is overwhelmingly “thumbed down”.
As a minority who came to Duluth for the last two years of my college career, I cannot wait to get out of this town. I had never walked into a restaurant, until I moved here, and had EVERYONE turn and look at me. I had never experienced being blatantly ignored for five minutes standing at the Super One deli waiting for the woman to help me, only to have her help an elderly white woman the second she walked near the deli. You can all pretend that Duluth doesn’t have any problems with indirect racism or direct racism or that everyone in Duluth “doesn’t see color”, but this is EXACTLY what the campaign is about!!!! You don’t notice me standing, waiting to be helped, you don’t notice my boyfriend getting his ID checked at Kohl’s with a DEBIT card so he entered his pin. You don’t see what doesn’t effect you and you know what, that’s fine if you don’t want to. The fact is you are losing the all of these recent college graduates who want to move somewhere else more tolerable and aware of the things going on in the world, more DIVERSE. Enjoy your dream world Northland. I know I won’t be sticking around to live in it.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Correction: not the majority of people viewing these comments are racist. That was a poor generalization on my part. What I mean is that the fact that people like what he was saying so much is just proof that there is some undertone that Duluth/America is being overtaken by minorities and that is just sad. People want to move here for the supposed “American Dream”, if that even exists anymore. People move here for OPPORTUNITY. Nobody is forcing anyone to “assimilate” to minorities, but what tends to happen is that in order for a business to be successful, they need to understand their consumers. If your consumer base is changing to include more and more minorities, then of course you are going to want to learn more about them and understand their culture.
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So, you don’t like elderly people? Maybe that’s why the deli lady helped the old woman before you. Because she was old.
If you are upset that an old lady was helped before you were, or that you had a friend that had his ID checked, then you need to pray for some more patience. I think that’s your problem.
I’ve had my ID checked at various businesses. I think it’s good. It’s for anti-identity theft. Maybe your friend was an identity thief, and was upset that he couldn’t rip somebody off.
90% of UMD college graduates leave Duluth on graduation. Many of them are from the twin cities, and go back there. Perhaps more young people would stick around if there were jobs for them. Or maybe, they could start their own businesses.
‘diversity’ doesn’t pay bills. This is something you’ll learn after you graduate. You will have to work to make money, to live. Sooner than you’ll like, there will be paper statements coming to your address, with your name on them, obligating you to give them money for services rendered.
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Go to any big company’s website and under the career section you are almost guaranteed to see a link about diversity and when you click on it it will go on to tell you about how much the company values diversity. Diversity is becoming more and more important in the business world. People want to hire individuals from other cultures because it will help them serve that community better. There is globalization happening right now in the business world. Sorry Pete, but diversity is very important.
It has nothing to do with me not liking elderly. It has to do with the fact that I had been waiting for a long time and the woman did not help me and helps someone else immediately.
It was not a friend, it was my BOYFRIEND and he is NOT an identity thief. It was HIS debit card, and how often, sir, when you use your DEBIT card and enter YOUR pin, do you have ID checked?
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People shouldn’t be hired based on race. They need to start being hired on ability.
I’m very confused by your arguments. Apparently you are in college. So, did you have to petition your college application? Have you ever had a loan denied that you believed was race-based?
People looking at you, or having your ID checked, isn’t racist. People can be impolite, but that doesn’t equate to racism.
Now, if your friend had his ID checked, and then was denied purchase without cause, that could be racist. But apparently from your anecdote, he was able to buy something from Kohls.(?)
Now, when you graduate, you’ll be in the 25% of the people in the US who have a bachelor’s degree or higher. So, that makes you one of the elites.
This news should make you happy. You won’t be a victim anymore.
Just think about that. Then all these historical grievances you are holding from the 1860s will be put away on the bookshelf, where they belong.
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Let me guess Lance is your boyfriend. Nobody is saying racism doesn’t exist but if you choose to play the victim then you are just as much as guilty as the person that you claim to be racist. I myself would have engaged the deli lady in conversation, this tells the lady that I’m not “window shopping.” Being elderly the deli lady probably assumed she needed help, I would bet that an elderly black lady would have gotten the same treatmebt as the white elderly lady.
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If you really want the races to reconcile try taking a conciliatory tone.
If all want is to stir up the racists so you can take a picture of the mayor looking sooooo concerned then do what you did – take a provocative and accusatory tone.
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The point here is to have a discussion about race and; I guess that’s what we’re doing, but if most of the thumbs up people here think that the white males of America are the ones who are being unfairly portrayed, you are wrong.
Duluth does have a racism problem and every thumbs up in this forum is just proof of that.
I am a white male from Duluth and I hear racist statements all of the time beginning with the statements that blacks are the only ones who have programs to help them out. I get funding from the government to go to school, and I am on state funded health care.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I went to the website and this looks like something from 1982. If the issue here is about hate, then you must talk about society and it’s motivations for why people hate. If we are talking about race, it’s a real disservice to say nothing about the rampant violence, threats, hate and indifference that many nonwhite men harbor towards gay people and women. Why should one group be held accountable when it comes to the topic of race when another group is not held accountable for their own hatred? Through the logic of this campaign, is the message that we can’t possibly hold nonwhite people accountable for their choices because they don’t know any better, or chances are they had no examples growing up? Because if that’s your logic, that’s racist right there. I get what this campaign is trying to do, but this is clearly at a 7th grade comprehension level and insulting to the majority of society – those who need to hear this message will never hear it because they channel their hate with others who feel the same, whether it’s these fanatical megachurches, or AM talk radio or websites…they think they are the victims, so once again, they feel their racism and homophobia is justified. I hear it all the time…’because I didn’t have a mom/dad or because I grew up this way or because my parents got divorced’ – well guess what! A lot of people have their sad stories today. Some people five years ago had a job, a bank account, some dignity and a future – now, many of those same people have nothing and are homeless. There are plenty of extremely angry people out there who’ve lost everything and have no interest in hearing about someone else’s ‘pain’ – which, by the way, sees no color.
Try again.
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Boy Vancouver did you hit the nail on the head!
If I could find a button that had stars you would get 4.9 stars. Hey you are outside of the….you know….state, if you lived in the state I would give you five stars.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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“It’s actually pretty grade school mentality or small minded to actually believe and proclaim you have the only true perspective and the only window to reality.”
Word of the Day: Irony
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Whoah
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Thank Heavens I don’t live in Duluth!
I’ve tried and tried to come up with any kind of defence for the people of Duluth, but the posts here leave me absolutely speechless. If the posters here are any kind of representation of the population of Duluth, I really pity anyone who lives in that hellhole who isn’t the ‘correct color’!
Hot debate. What do you think?
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And the award for Best Dramatic Actress goes to….
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Darwin never visited Duluth….obviously.
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Bac, Thankfully, the people posting here are NOT really representative of Duluth as a whole. I think they just vent here cuz they are so frustrated about NOT being the majority.
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This ill-advised anti-racial discrimination campaign will only set back race relations to pre-1960!!! I imagine Mayor Ness will be busy soon sending out resumes soon since I doubt he’ll be re-elected.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Dulthian Evolution, or lack of.
1920. Based on a single blantantly intentional racist lie by a white teenage boy, 10,000 white people mob downtown, demanded justice and stormed the jail and hang three innocent black men. For years afterward and even despite knowing what sparked the lynching and outcry for justice was a contrived lie, Duluthians ran a campaign to run Blacks out of town and proudly sold postcards with pictures of the lynching.
2011. A founded and funded by white supremacist youth group on UMD campus pays a hired gun activist to set up a race bait that snags a teenage black student. It was intentional set up with video edited and manipulated to support a blatant white supremacist agenda and like the lie of 1920 the white kid who not only instigated it but was paid to proclaims repeatedly his innocence and that he was really the victim. Many Duthhians only knowing that it was a white youth group adamantly defend the white kid then do an internet lynching by attacking the black student. Attacking him for what he wore and his behavior posting off the hook racist comments of white racist black stereotypes. Nobody died, no jails were stormed but like 1920 the incident and lie is still the majority of Duluthians first reaction to nonetheless defend lies intentionally promoted by a white and instinctively attack the black and even a white diversity teacher claiming of course there is no need for diversity programs.
2012. Based on a single campaign by white adults trying to educate Duluthians about the truth of social programming that is cornerstone of white racism in our society Dulthians once again come out in droves defending white racist stereotypes. The Mayor of Duluth recieves hate mail and threats from white supremacist groups around the world. Duluthians wail, whine, dismiss and even attempt to misdirect right back to point of using white supremacist arguments and white racist negative stereotypes of blacks as their very defense to proudly post their racist ignorance for all to see apparently thinking that makes sense by repeatedly claiming they know are right because are white. In 1920 the white lynch mob even attacked and beat up a white Priest who tried to tell the mob what they were doing was wrong. Today it’s any whites that try to educate or even discuss this topic are labeled by the same stuck on stupid folks they are trying to reach as being racist against whites. It would be comical if wasn’t so sad and idiotic. It’s not really much different then a drug addict or alcoholic who uses any twisted up convulted rationalization to defend their behavior and addiction if you think about it but sigh…apparently a lot of you are incapable of even considering that.
When the day comes that instead whole town coming out rallying around and defending a teenage white kids intentional racist lies and instead comes out and rallys around a black or native’s kid true testimony of racist injustice and everyone comes to their defense and demands justice with the same vigor and conviction used in past to defend white racism or applies same energy to defend them as willing to exert here to dismiss this…then on that day whites can post as they have here that white racism is in the past and this campaign is unneccesary …but based on the comments here and the reactions…it clearly is not this day.
“You can lead a horticuluture, but you can’t make her think” Dorothy Parker
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Interesting that you would leave out Duluth’s white lynching victim while you’re complaining about racism.
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The lies and propaganda on Affirmative Action: Or~ How WSP that refuse to believe actually works and how are brainwased to believe lies to defend WSP.
Affirmative Action is used as a very clever tool to actually discriminate AGAINST blacks while the white community using it to discriminate against blacks wails that they are being discriminated against and it’s racist. Think about that, whites actually moaning and crying that things aren’t fair and racist but if black community did that the white community would proclaim that blacks just like playing victims. Which is almost whites theme in this very thread.
How Affirmative Action REALLY works as racist too~~>l.
The only exception and only entity that actually tries to abide by the intent and rules in their hiring of Afirmative Action is government. In corporate America it is used as clever tool to discriminate. It’s a point system to rate companies and works like this~ If a company makes a black man an offer and they turn it down, because company intentionally low-balled salary or offered lower position, the company gets same amount of “points” from Affirmative Action guidelines as if actually hired a black man. They get credit for hiring a black man when they intentionally avoided hiring a black man!! If company interviews three black men, it gets as many points as if hired a black man. If company promotes a white female into supervisor role, they get I think more if not the same points as if hired a black man. Affirmative Actions greatest benefactor has been in fact white females because they get points also for hiring females and more points if they are in a management role. There’s a reason that there was and is huge glut of white females that went from secretaries to H.R. Managers in most firms. If a company hires a black female they get double the points over hiring a black man. That too is a war on the Black male to disenfranchis him. A company even gets points for minority resumes if they don’t even interview them.
White females have been the real benefactors of Affirmative Action and second Black females which have never carried the same white racist stereotype of being more violent and a threat to whites. Meanwhile it’s all used to put on fascade that whites aren’t discriminating while actually using it as tool to discriminate. Yes, some blacks have overcome even all this but as a whole, it’s not a level playing field. In general from education to employment the cards are stacked against blacks and even more so against black males because whites have been programmed to believe that black males are a threat to them.
Of course, most whites actually believe that Affirmative Action discriminates against them because frankly, that’s what you’ve heard and that’s what you are programmed to want to believe.
All the while it’s been a huge boon to white community while hiding behind it and proclaiming, see, we’re not racist anymore, we made rules!
“You can teach an old dogma, but you can’t teach it much”..Dorothy Parker
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If someone hires a worker, e.g. hiring an asian because all asians are good in math: then that’s racist.
Piting women vs. black men is not a solution, to anything. The problem and fallacy inherent in this entire conversation is that our society needs to treat people on the artificiality of race or gender, not on ability. Life isn’t fair. Poor people will always have some inherent disadvantage, regardless of color or gender.
Instead of working on opportunity, our higher education system, as an example, focuses on victimization. Read some of the posts by other people. You would believe, by what they’re writing, that the Confederacy is alive & well, and somehow running the country. It isn’t so.
It isn’t my problem, that you don’t have a new house in the country, and a shiny new car.
Life isn’t about finding a leprechaun somewhere, and wrangling his pot of gold away from him. It’s about hard work & persistence. The sooner you realize this, and ditch being ‘the victim’, the better you’ll be.
“The Negro revolution is controlled by foxy white liberals, by the Government itself. But the Black Revolution is controlled only by God.”
Malcolm X
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Pete~ How so nice of you to try to as did with Sabrina…misdirect my point and try to dismiss it. It’s obvious why you did…and am LMAO @ you…as you then take same arrogant condescending tone with me saying…
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“It isn’t my problem, that you don’t have a new house in the country, and a shiny new car.
Life isn’t about finding a leprechaun somewhere, and wrangling his pot of gold away from him. It’s about hard work & persistence. The sooner you realize this, and ditch being ‘the victim’, the better you’ll be. ”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It’s pretty obvious you just love making racist assumptions and then feeling makes you capable of talking down to blacks in a condescending manner as if children…because you’re so white and smart….
Big problem is that I’m not a child, have own business for over 20 years and despite your and Ulysses attempt to misdirect…I’m telling the truth about Affirmative Action as a professional with over 35 years dealing with executives and Human Resource professionals. Corporations rely on my input to judge capabilities and intelligence of P.H.D.’s and top executives so don’t think you really in position to talk down to me and explain to me how world works. I’ve never claimed was a victim, but of course assuming am black you also assume that as well as felt I was stupid about how world works… I’m white btw…and just not programmed stupid.
Stupid would be to actually believe as a white that even have a remote clue what it’s like to be black in this country. Stupid would be to fight to dismiss the truth of what is happening in this country and to support a bunch of convulted lies and stereotypes based on racist falsehoods because simply can’t handle the truth. Stupid would be to deny allowing a portion of Americans to even have a voice . But then…stupid is as stupid does…
“The wise man doth know he is but a fool, but a fool doth think he is wise”…..Shakespeare..
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Congratulations on owning your own business.
Now, don’t you find it interesting, and a bit strange, that this anti-racist campaign is occuring in Duluth. We have a town (and state, for that matter), which from all evidence, is very anti-racist, and has enormous opportunity for people of all races, yet, we have a mayor who has strongly publicized this campaign as a part of his administration.
It’s very telling that this campaign is not occuring in a city like Los Angeles, where there are severe racial conflict happening between many ethnicities.
Yet, here we are in happy little Duluth, where apparently Life House (a homeless shelter and advocacy) & the domestic abuse intervention project, deem it within their sphere of interest to delve into racial politics??
Why are these two organizations spending their money away from their good works, for that? What it implies is that both homelessness & domestic abuse are occuring because, somehow, white people control both of these social ills through racist policy in Duluth. It’s completely absurd on its face.
To imply that Duluth is on par with the apartheid state of South Africa, is delusional.
This is yet another reason I believe that this, and the fact that Duluth is a very anti-racist town, as mere election year 2012 politicking.
“If you’re not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, if you’re not a conservative at forty you have no brain.”
Winston Churchill
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Fastone: If you are correct about affirmative action being discriminatory AGAINST blacks then the whole balck community from Hussein on down must be pushing to elminate such a racist program, right? Well I don’t such pressure coming from the black community so it seems that again you are wrong.
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The billboards have sparked a debate, and you know what: Duluth is really a very anti-racist town.
Seriously.
In not one of the arguments presented by the pro-billboard posters here, is a legitimate example of racism perpetuated.
Arresting someone who is committing crimes, is not racist. Having your ID checked at a business, is not racist. Saying something disparaging to someone on the internet, is not racist.
Which businesses or organizations in Duluth are deliberately denying a group opportunity based on race? Nobody.
What are these billboards really about? Since we have an anti-racist town, then aren’t these billboards really about Donny Ness, the DFL, and Barack Obama’s re-election in November? That’s what this is about. It has nothing to do with racism, and everything to do with a political agenda.
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And you can bet the News Tribune will have be publishing yet another story about it every day and taking comments on it so they can pretend they’re stimulating discussion. This thing might have had a snowball’s chance in hell if it weren’t so obviously manufactured and contrived. As it stands, it never had any traction and has already run its course. And there’s how many more months of it in the works???
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I’d bet that this campaign fortuitously disappears on the morning of November 7th, 2012.
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Why is racism always against only the white race? If a white person calls a black person colored, negro or the N word or to some even black or African American they are totally racist! However on the other side the Black/African American community, can have the NAACP, The American “Negro” college fund, BET (Black Entertainment Television) BET/Awards and walk around calling each other the N Word like its a perfect nickname for all and its all OK! Racism not only exists in the people that single out others by race, it also exists in the people that single themselves racially from others.
When we start living together like the human race instead of single races racism will no longer exist until that time we are all guilty of racism!
Maybe the billboard should have read “You can’t see racism when you are blinded by it”!
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If you are a white person who has an issue with the “Unfair Campaign” then you have some much deeper personal issues that you should be dealing with. I suggest seeing a therapist….
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What qualification do you have to make such a statement?
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Education and experience Bob…like I said, if you are offended by the “unfair campaign” you have some much deeper issues that you should deal with regarding race. Go get to work Bob…
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Your reply still has not answered the question. Education and experience in what fields. Answer to this point is what is wrong with this whole issue, seems all to be based on opinion, I see zero data or facts to back up issue. Work…? Why?
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Bob…you will never get it. I’m not going to try to explain it to you in a stupid blog. If you can’t understand what I am trying to get at, then you have some issues to deal with….by the way, some of them may concern your view of people who are a different color than you.
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Sounds kind of racist to me. But then I’m just a stupid racist whitey.
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“Mayor threatened, women stampeded, and cattle raped”.
Tell me, just why does Duluth sound so much like Rock Ridge?
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Just for laughs….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H2W1lK7P-I
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I’m black mags and I have a problem with it, do I need therapy too? Let me guess I’m an uncle tom. What would happen if this same type of campaign was done in my neighborhood back home that portrayed black as all racist? We do have blacks that are racist you know. Do you think it would sit well with my people? Jesse Jackson would be on the first plane trying to spin it into a white thing. It would be national news. Nobody is dening that they are racist but they could have used a different tactic to bring it to light.
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shanko said:
“What would happen if this same type of campaign was done in my neighborhood back home that portrayed black as all racist?”
For some reason, you are making the exact same assumption as the white folks on here. NOWHERE in the campaign is it portraying all white people as racist.
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Kat, I will use your analogy about the childbirth. If someone burns a cross on my front lawn does than mean my neighbors would not find it racist since they have never had a cross burned on theirs? The campaign is about white people not being able to tell what is racist and what isn’t. I believe people of any race or creed can tell the difference. Wether they ignore or not is up to them.
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First off you are out of line. I have not made any statements in regard to any citizen of this country. I only ask what qualifies you to make the statements you have to which you refuse to respond. All you spew is opinion. Never once have I stated I have a problem with this issue, just that only opinions have been presented with no data or facts. Also not that is any of you business but I have no problem with people who have a skin color differing mine, God gave the difference to us and he will sort it out in the end. I have had the honor to share living space will many men of skin differing mine.
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Its funny how evil and racist the white man is untill its time to confiscate his money in the form of taxes so we can pay for the food, clothing and shelter for huge blocks of minorities. Evil white man.
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More whites use social services then minorities. You’re kinda bordeline on that one tho getting alittle close to the edge.
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Actually in relation to their numbers, African-Americans receive far more gov’t transfer payments than white people do. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but the numbers aren’t even close.
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per capita that may be, but doesn’t change Shanko’s point that more whites than any other race receive assistance
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He is over the edge
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You know what’s so cruel about it all? They’re going to spend months beating up “white folk”, as Donny so eloquently described them, and all the while they’ll ignore the very real problems faced by minority communities, problems that have absolutely nothing to do with race. They won’t do a single thing or spend a single penny to work toward real solutions that might actually help minority communities get out of the cycle of violence, poverty and failure that they’ve been in for decades. And in the end, while these people are busy patting themselves on the back, minorities will be wondering why everything is still the same. Then they’ll remember they live in Duluth. God, I hope the rest of the state isn’t watching.
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Sorry DanH but the typical liberal “throw money at it” isn’t going to fix the plight of me people. They have tried this for at least 50 years to no avail. It has to come from within, strong black leader at the community level to inspire the youth. Currently most young blacks think they will either be the next lil wayne or lebron james. It’s easy to get sucked in by the streets but they can never take away your knowledge. We have made great strides in the effort but have much work to do.
About 5 years ago my brother said he thought our kids would see a black president. I thought it would be are grandkids. Wow were we both wrong (he voted bho, i didn’t) but if that’s not enough for the youth of any minorty then maybe it’s a lost cause. I won’t give up, giving up is the easy way.
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Agreed, and I wasn’t suggesting that throwing money at it would solve anything. I’m not going to preach about something you probably know better than the rest of us. But the problems and the solutions both start at home and I’ll leave it at that.
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Nice to see the Duluth KKK is well represented on the DNT blog…it’s amazing that these comments are being allowed to be posted.
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I’m seriously beginning to think that the majority of posters on AV have reading comprehension issues.
The statement “it’s hard to see racism if you are white” is about equal to the statement “it’s hard to know the pain of childbirth if you are male”.
Sadly, I think this is a glaring demonstration of “you don’t know what you don’t know”. And that doesn’t mean people aren’t intelligent. It just means you don’t have any frame of reference.
The fact that so many are getting so angry over this is pretty much proof positive that there’s a real problem though.
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How convenient. If you’re white, you’re not allowed to disagree with any of this campaign because to do so would “prove” you’re a racist. Nice set-up. Are people of other races allowed to disagree with it, or do they get a free pass on the whole racism thing?
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Dan~ If you are white and not a racist and are capable of critical thinking because have more then 2 digits in IQ…then there is no way could be offended at all by this. If you are offended and upset by this campaign you either are incapable of grasping rudimentary concepts or incapable of even entertaining an opposing view or are racist. The very concept of racism and supporting white racism is in fact by very nature of it a whites inability out of ignorance to accept anothers view.
It’s not hard to understand what is like to be black in this society if are white, it’s impossible, and like Katy said, which is no different then saying it’s hard to know what childbirth is like if are a male. To NOT even have the ability to understand that is showing the inability to grasp even rudimentary concepts.
In reading responses here you can see repeated themes and arguments. That there is no racism today, that those that are ant-racist are actually the racists today, that the only real racism today is from blacks towards whites, that Affirmative Action actually discriminates against whites, that if blacks feel there is still racism today they are all wrong and just playing victims, that blacks plight has nothing to do with racism but is problem within their own culture, that it’s blacks fault because they just need to work harder and do the right things, that it’s blacks that are holding themselves back not whites.
Every single one of those are touchstone arguments of white supremacist groups and are repeated here ad nauseum by whites claiming there is no such thing as white racism towards blacks. Mmmmm…hardly. Some posting those comments in fact am sure here from white supremacist groups. White Supremacists actually pay members to troll and disrupt news forums to ensure that their agenda and arguments are the one’s pushed and are very sophisticated on line through their own networks. There’s a reason afterall that Ness recieved so many hate emails from all around the world from white supremacists the moment this news story launched and so many new posters here pushing same arguments.
If you were offended by the billboard you most likely will be by my comments, too bad, deal with it and stop whining. Whites love to dismiss Blacks views and comments by just claiming are playing victims. Well I can’t think of a more pathetic display of groveling and sniveling ignorant victim playing then one can see here on this topic. Whaaa…they’re picking on white people and they hurt my feelings….sob ..sob….seriously…pathetic doesn’t do it justice.
If you aren’t a member of a white hate group and think am calling you a white racist because you posted any of the above arguments against this campaign, well…you’d be the one posting white supremacist arguments not me…I’m just pointing out the obvious…you said it…..
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I’m not offended by this campaign. My only reaction to it is its absurdity. It would be comical if it wasn’t so insulting to minorities.
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Yeah, it’s the 3 ring circus of Duluth politics.
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….and you can guess who the clowns are at city hall are, lol
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DanH said:
“How convenient. If you’re white, you’re not allowed to disagree with any of this campaign because to do so would “prove” you’re a racist.”
Not really. In my mind, if you disagree with the campaign it doesn’t mean you are racist, it means you have a problem with reading comprehension.
I’m white. I read the poster as a statement of fact. I didn’t see it as accusing me of being a racist. It didn’t say “white people are racist”.
It didn’t say, if you are white, it’s impossbile for you to understand racism. It says it’s HARD to see it.
It’s like anything else in life. If you don’t personally experience something, it’s harder to understand the concept of it.
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I will say it again….if you are a white person and you have issues with the “unfair campaign”….then there is a good chance you have deep seeded issues regarding race. Please deal with those issues so that Duluthians can live a peaceful life….
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And if you have issues with those who disagree with this whole absurd campaign, there’s a good chance you’re a typical Duluth liberal who thinks you’re better than everyone else. And that you care more. And that anyone who disagrees with you about anything isn’t nearly as smart as you are.
Everyone needs psychological help. There. We cancel each other out.
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Dan H…you need to check your deep seeded issues…I can only imagine that those opinions of yours are ingrained from your childhood. Good luck with your self….people can see through you when you talk to them, just deal with it man!
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Hey mags why don’t you respond to my reply? You have responded to everyone else. Do you not understand me or are you just ignoring me? If this campaign is to bring racsim to light them why do you ignore a black man’s response. Maybe you are the one the campaign is geared to and are trying to defelect your beliefs upon others.
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shanko, just who is ‘mags’?
And, after reading some of your posts from weeks ago, I get the feeling that you are about as ‘black’ as Gene Wilder.
Just wondering. At the TeaPartiers always ask, show me the ‘proof’.
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I had to look up gene since i didn’t recognize the name. So what your saying is that because I write as a stereotypical richard prioresque(RIP) “shucking and jiving” late 70′s character I’m not black? If you want to compare me to someone of that era, I’d be more a barry white or luther(vandross not campbell). Big, Black and smooth!!!(now you have someone to look up) Is herman cain not black? Clarence thomas? How about obama he has as much black in him as I do? I don’t see a reason to interject my race into every response that I have on AV unless it’s for fun(bigfoot commentary) or something about my race.
But since we are profiling, I see that you comment on about every article on about every AV site at various times day and night. This tells me that you either have no life or friends. Not knowing your gender I would guess that you are either the crazy cat lady or the late 50′s guy that delivers the paper and still lives in his mom’s basement. How did I do?
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Shanko…I didn’t respond to your post because it didn’t make any sense…yes, maybe you do need therapy. Obviously you do if you feel the need to point out to everyone that you are black and that your opinion should matter more on this issue than anyone else’s.
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Sorry mag sometimes I overreact. My point is that if this campaign would not be used in my community them it shouldn’t be used in any. It’s like in the article by Sam, he heard something that was offensive to him but did nothing. Now he’s trying to tell people how they should react when he himself acted with cowardice, yet somehow we are to praise him?
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sweet, yet ANOTHER attempt at trying to make me feel guilty about being white.
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You can’t see anti-Christian bigotry if you are an Atheist.
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I think obesity should be stopped! So I want to put up billboards that say, It is hard to know how to exercise if your over weight. If we want to stop racism, we need to look at the white supremacist groups like the “Skinheads” because we all know that everybody with a shaved head is a skinhead and a racist. Let’s just forget that there might be some “follicle challenged” people out there but….they’ll understand our agenda, and so what if they don’t. It’s just too bad for them, they’ll still have to pay.
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Seems like ‘black’ shanko has wandered off, doesn’t it? I’ve halfways got a notion he was playing another ‘black’ character, recently. “K.W.”?
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Sorry bac but I have a business to run. I’m sure it stuns you that a black man has a job!
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