George Zimmerman's Ethnicity?

[Titus2woman]

I am not saying that you are racist if you did not marry outside your race. I am saying you are racist if you would not have dated outside your race and if you did not know anyone of another race to even consider in that decision then your parents were probably racist.

It amazes me how many people say they are not racist but in reality they have no family or friends of another race. In a country that has included all races for generations, actually since it's inception as a country.... really?

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by n david

The church my father pastored had a majority of white people. He's not racist. We did the door to door invitations on Saturdays and invited anyone and everyone we came in contact with, including other races.

The first black couple we had to come to our church and later join the church, stated that after they came, their former pastor (who was black) came to their home to visit them. He told them he was concerned by their leaving to join a "white church"; that they needed to "stick together" with "their own folk" and worship. He said the church my father pastored was racist and didn't like blacks; which, he reasoned, was why they were the only black couple in the church. He said the "white church" wasn't good enough to address the issues black folk face.

In testimony of the man's character, he stood up, thanked his former pastor for coming and told him he didn't appreciate his characterization of the church; that he found no evidence which backed up the pastors claims. He noted that the man never once met or spoke with my father.

I guess you can say we experienced a different kind of racism.

The school I went to was an ACE school our church administered. It was open only to the members of our church. As such, it had a majority of white kids. Doesn't mean the church, my parents or myself are racist.

I married a white girl. I dated mostly white girls, although I did date a Hispanic girl and a Vietnamese girl. Even absent dating the Hispanic and Vietnamese girls, I wouldn't be racist for dating white girls.

I grew up in a neighborhood with mostly white neighbors. Does that make my family or I racist -- absolutely not!

I resent the comment that because of the above I'm "part of the problem and not the solution." It's absurd.

The church I'm involved in now is majority Hispanic. The Pastor and most of the members are Hispanic. My family (wife, child and I) are among the only white people there. Is my pastor racist for not having more white or black members? Absolutely not!

I fellowship with a local PAW church nearby; attending their special services and some Sunday evening services. Most of the time I'm the only white person in that church. I love that church and Pastor, they've welcomed me every time I've visited. Is that Pastor racist for not having a single white or Hispanic member? Not from my experience with this man or his church.

I could go on and on, but won't. The statement is just absurd.

Yes you did.

No you wouldn't

Why do you feel my comments are directed at YOU?

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by Esaias

So, if you marry someone of your own race, and live in an area where most of the people are the same race as yourself, including your church, and your children attend a school where most of the students are the same race... then you are a racist?

What a bunch of bunkum.

Has anybody ever thought that pushing all this 'anti racism' might be tending to create a backlash among some people?

My wife is the same race as myself. If anyone doesn't like that too bad for them.

My neighborhood happens to be mostly white. If anyone doesn't like that too bad for them.

My children are homeschooled and any 'school' argument is dead in the water there.

We home church but when we did 'attend services' we went where truth was being preached as far as we could tell at the time. Oh, yeah, it happens that most of those churches were mostly white as well. Guess what? Too bad for anyone who don't like that.

I remember attending Abundant Life Church, with Walter Hallam as pastor (they're on tv, look 'em up). Side note: Hallam was raised apostolic, decided there was more money in being a charismatic is my guess...

Anyway, one night he was preaching about church growth (what else, right?) and said 'we need more black people in this church!' People came to their feet and applauded and amen'd and all that.

He said 'we need more Hispanic people in this church!' Another rousing round of amens and 'preach it' and all that.

He said 'we need more Oriental people in this church!' He was on a roll, people were shouting and stomping and it was like 'ole time revival' in the place!

He said 'we need more white people in this church!'

You could hear a pin drop, I kid you not. TOTAL SILENCE.

He said 'Come on, stay with me now, we need more white people in this church too, amen!'

There were a few quiet 'amens' and he quickly went on to something else.

I learned a lot that day about 'racism'.

So those markers don't apply to you... I am sure there are others that do... look at those. My comments are not directed to any one person... they are simply an attempt to help people get honest with themselves about where they stand with racism and their tolerance of it. I was raised by a mother who was truly color blind... We lived 2000 miles apart for decades... She talked about her friends in great detail always but it was only when I actually met them that I would find out what race they were... and I was often surprised. I loved that about her and hope to emulate it and share it with my children and their children.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

Why do you feel my comments are directed at YOU?

Because if you do these things, chances are you are part of the problem, not the solution and no amount of saying how you believe that people are equal will change that.

I think that's directed at anyone who didn't meet the criteria above that statement, not just me; as evidenced by others who have had the response I had.

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by n david

I think that's directed at anyone who didn't meet the criteria above that statement, not just me; as evidenced by others who have had the response I had.

You think wrong... But people always get defensive when doing self examination.... then they usually get honest... it's a process.

Oh and actually by your own admission... you did meet the criteria as you HAVE dated outside your race. One does not have to date the darkest person they can find or even someone a shade darker... they just have to have been willing.

Speaking of shades of darkness... even among Hispanics and Blacks there is what I call a 'light-superiority' thing going... light skin being preferable to dark... humm...

And back on topic... I think that's where the Zimmerman race thing come in... he is 'whiter' than Martin... which to the racist black makes him white.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

I think better markers of measuring your sincere acceptance of other races as equal are to ask yourself

• why you do not now or did not (if you did not) date across racial lines when you were single,
• why you attend a church that is at least 90% your own color,
• live in an area that is not racially mixed or
• send your kids to school with kids that all look like them...

Because if you do these things, chances are you are part of the problem, not the solution and no amount of saying how you believe that people are equal will change that.

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

My comments are not directed to any one person... they are simply an attempt to help people get honest with themselves about where they stand with racism and their tolerance of it.

You are correct they were not directed to any one individual; rather, they wrongfully indict many members on AFF. The comments were a subjective litmus test, which "if you do these things...you are part of the problem, not the solution."

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

You think wrong...

How did I think wrong? You words are your words. You can try to backpedal and obfuscate your intention or meaning, but what's written has been written.

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

But people always get defensive when doing self examination.... then they usually get honest... it's a process.

And then you edit and add on to the prior statement above, seemingly to suggest that I'm guilty and that's the reason I'm defensive about it. Could it be that your statement was ridiculous and your indictment was so offensive that that is why I'm defensive about it?

It was a terrible statement that is unfounded, and doesn't apply to a majority of people today.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

Oh and actually by your own admission... you did meet the criteria as you HAVE dated outside your race. One does not have to date the darkest person they can find or even someone a shade darker... they just have to have been willing.

Even without dating them, I still reject your claim. I didn't date those ladies until I was in my mid-late 20s. In my youth and young adult life I dated white girls who were either blonde or brunette. I suppose that makes me prejudiced against redheads. Shame on me for not being open to dating a redhead.

[n david]

I mean nothing personal against you, I just believe it was an unwise statement and claim. Your intentions may have been good, because people should examine their little sphere of friends and acquaintances to better see how their worldview is being shaped.

My little mid-west city didn't have a whole lot of minorities. It wasn't until my mid-teens, when my brother married a girl from Mexico that I met or hung out with Hispanics. Besides the one black couple in the church, I didn't grow up with any black kids. In fact, I didn't have a black friend until I went to Bible School.

It's funny, because now other than my family and some of my wife's family, our friends are mostly either Hispanic, Black or from some part of Asia. Because of this, my worldview has expanded and somewhat changed. IMO it's made me better. I used to be very vocal against illegal immigrants; thought they should be deported immediately. That changed a few years ago when my Pastor brought a family up at the end of the service for prayer because the parents were being deported, but their little girl would be left here with other family members because she was born in the USA. It broke my heart to see the family ripped apart like that.

[FlamingZword]

The whole thing about Zimmerman is a political game, he is just a pawn in the process, even the young thug killed is a pawn (ever notice how they always show him as a 12 year old boy, when in reality he was not) The whole thing is not about justice either, it is simply an exercise in political correctness.
In Christ there is no Jew nor Gentile, there is no black or white, no this race or that other race, I have Christian brethren from every race, so I have not problem with any race and I do not think any Christian should have a problem with it either.
I may have particular issues with some individual members of a race who have wronged me, but I confine my dislike to that particular person, not to that race.
There is a Russian con guy who cheated me, should I then hate all Russians?

[n david]

Originally Posted by FlamingZword

There is a Russian con guy who cheated me, should I then hate all Russians?

No. There's a Nigerian Prince who sent me an email claiming he would give me millions, and after several emails and setting up a bank account for the transfer he stopped contact. But I don't hold all Nigerians or Princes accountable for the one's shadyness.



I'm joking. Back when AOL was the rage, I did get several emails claiming to be from Nigerians offering millions of dollars. But I would just delete them.