Racism Thread

[soccerman]

It's always insightful to hear the facts and views about this state. I will admit though, in Moragntown things are not as hostile in terms of racism and I have personally been targeted or attacked plus I've made many great non-black friends here. If you go south of Moragntown to places like Charleston, Beckley, Ripley, Boone County, etc., it's a totally different world. Things seem backwards and you get a feel for how poor the state is. The main occupation in those areas is mining and a lot of young people drop out of school high school to work in the mines. I will admit it is a heavily white dominated state and a lot of in state students always opt migrate to bigger cities upon college graduation maybe to get away from the "small town" mentally and experience cultural change. Then again there aren't many jobs available for those with tertiary education in WV.

Morgantown is a University town, they are usually more cosmopolitan and openminded.

Yup and a booming town as well so I don't usually stray too far off campus but the state definitely need to find other ways to diversify in terms of trade (technology, finance, education, etc.) to attract outsiders to invest here. That may help in redefining the image, encourage people to migrate to WV and enhance the economy. I know this is one area the state gov't been trying to work on in recent years.

[Dutty]

After all de thread get highjack, lojack and hangjack
I still eh find out if jumbie wrinch up for de principal or gih de parents of de redneck some dougla chicken

Clearly ah need some closure

[Socapro]

One of our county’s slogans is “Together we aspire & together we achieve” and our national anthem ends by saying "Here every creed and race finds and equal place and may God bless our nation".

We can’t continue to sweep the race, class & religious issues that have been plaguing T&T under the carpet, so let’s discuss them here.

If you have anything you need to get off your chest then do it here in this thread but please let’s try to keep it factual rather than using this thread to spew ignorant and inaccurate gossip.

Also we would like folks to offer solutions rather than just stating what the problems are between the various races and religions that can be found in our beloved T&T.

Should our diversity as a nation make us stronger rather than weaker as it seems to be currently doing?

[zuluwarrior]

UNITE, that is a long,long time from now, it would never happen soon especially now where  PEE ,PEE them is practicing their new lagoon politics.

 

[D.H.W]

Not all people that way though. One of my best friend was Indian, and I never look at him differently. The bad ones does spoil it.

[truetrini]

One ah my best friends was a black man and he was just cool, I never look at him any different.  Wait nah...I black too.  Shit.

[Controversial]

the general populous needs to be educated as far as the effects of colonialism on T&T society, the practices of divide and conquer politics that have been a part of TT society from day one.

Kids need to be taught about the amazing discoveries of the human genome project and that we all date back to a common ancestor. Further exploration into the history of the world, starting from the first migration out of Africa to India. Certain topics need to be discussed in detail with kids at the early stages of life.

The real role of government and the negatives of the Westminster system that have created an adversarial approach instead of a unitary approach to the way we govern our nation.

You first have to understand Hinduism, and why the majority of Hindus think the way they think. You also need to examine the affects of Christianity and Islam on the east indian diaspora that settled in TT. The dynamics change and also the way of thinking from a Hindu to a Christian Indo-Trinidadian.

What also needs to be discussed is the Afro-Trinidadian approach to life and how they view their counterparts in the nation. There is a a lot of necessary discussion that needs to take place and the right questions need to be asked.

What we need to see is a panel on these issues, some ex pats and locals who are willing to ask the tough questions and get serious and honest answers. But also introduce facts and give insight into how we can improve the nation and progress to where we should have decades ago.

[pecan]

One ah my best friends was a black man and he was just cool, I never look at him any different.  Wait nah...I black too.  Shit.

was he cool plus had other attributes or just cool only?

[Socapro]

the general populous needs to be educated as far as the effects of colonialism on T&T society, the practices of divide and conquer politics that have been a part of TT society from day one.

Kids need to be taught about the amazing discoveries of the human genome project and that we all date back to a common ancestor. Further exploration into the history of the world, starting from the first migration out of Africa to India. Certain topics need to be discussed in detail with kids at the early stages of life.

The real role of government and the negatives of the Westminster system that have created an adversarial approach instead of a unitary approach to the way we govern our nation.

You first have to understand Hinduism, and why the majority of Hindus think the way they think. You also need to examine the affects of Christianity and Islam on the east indian diaspora that settled in TT. The dynamics change and also the way of thinking from a Hindu to a Christian Indo-Trinidadian.

What also needs to be discussed is the Afro-Trinidadian approach to life and how they view their counterparts in the nation. There is a a lot of necessary discussion that needs to take place and the right questions need to be asked.

What we need to see is a panel on these issues, some ex pats and locals who are willing to ask the tough questions and get serious and honest answers. But also introduce facts and give insight into how we can improve the nation and progress to where we should have decades ago.

Very good start to the discussion. 

[just cool]

One ah my best friends was a black man and he was just cool, I never look at him any different.  Wait nah...I black too.  Shit.

Not according to tommy sotomayor, you might think yuh black but according to popular opinion yuhs ah half breed, the bastard son of mr charlie. 

[truetrini]

One ah my best friends was a black man and he was just cool, I never look at him any different.  Wait nah...I black too.  Shit.

Not according to tommy sotomayor, you might think yuh black but according to popular opinion yuhs ah half breed, the bastard son of mr charlie. 

Tommy Sotomayor is a dunce pussy.  My father was not Mr. Charlie, He was Mr. Stephen!  My mother was Mrs. Stephen and was French and Spainsh and African mix and she considered herself nothing but black and proud! My father is Scot-African mix, looked more white than black but considered himself as black. 

Now I am exactly what I identify myself as, and that is black and if some field slave asshole named Tommy Sotomayor feels he can characterise me according to his own constucts then he is free to go f**k himself with a piece of splintered board..  And, anyone else with an issue with my identity could go f**k ah piece and dry bamboo!

Tommy the cunnie Sotomayor should spend considerable more of his time wondering how he came to possess his last name....!  He may be surprised to find like so many prominient (not saying his waste ah break frame is prominient), very black Americans that it is he who has the real identity problems as he is the one who may find that his coffee has slave master genes in it.

Not mine!  None of my ancestors were slaves...none!


Anyway:
Too much emphasis on race in T&T, when in reality one setta dunce ass blacks and indians all collectively up the shit creek without a paddle.

These mother asses allowing politicians to drive a wedge between them for monetary and political gain.

There are some who could not care less about politicians and are racists die to their own devices.

I can remember Kamla herself (before being PM)when in India being questioned about racism in T&T said that she sees none except what is created by politicians, that as far as see can discern, the races in T&T peacefullu cohaibitate (not her exact words).

While we spit and claw at each other, the tea room of parlaiment is used as a form of good boys club.  Deals are made and we pay!

Assholes!

[Preacher]

Them blasted coolie an dem.  Wait that's half my family.  Anyway it's off my chest.     I don't know if there is any real hatred between African and East Indians.  If anything our history as a nation forces us to keep up appearances but I doubt the races hate each other.   Mixing up is too nice.   

[just cool]

One ah my best friends was a black man and he was just cool, I never look at him any different.  Wait nah...I black too.  Shit.

Not according to tommy sotomayor, you might think yuh black but according to popular opinion yuhs ah half breed, the bastard son of mr charlie. 

Tommy Sotomayor is a dunce pussy.  My father was not Mr. Charlie, He was Mr. Stephen!  My mother was Mrs. Stephen and was French and Spainsh and African mix and she considered herself nothing but black and proud! My father is Scot-African mix, looked more white than black but considered himself as black. 

Now I am exactly what I identify myself as, and that is black and if some field slave asshole named Tommy Sotomayor feels he can characterise me according to his own constucts then he is free to go f**k himself with a piece of splintered board..  And, anyone else with an issue with my identity could go f**k ah piece and dry bamboo!

Tommy the cunnie Sotomayor should spend considerable more of his time wondering how he came to possess his last name....!  He may be surprised to find like so many prominient (not saying his waste ah break frame is prominient), very black Americans that it is he who has the real identity problems as he is the one who may find that his coffee has slave master genes in it.

Not mine!  None of my ancestors were slaves...none!


Anyway:
Too much emphasis on race in T&T, when in reality one setta dunce ass blacks and indians all collectively up the shit creek without a paddle.

These mother asses allowing politicians to drive a wedge between them for monetary and political gain.

There are some who could not care less about politicians and are racists die to their own devices.

I can remember Kamla herself (before being PM)when in India being questioned about racism in T&T said that she sees none except what is created by politicians, that as far as see can discern, the races in T&T peacefullu cohaibitate (not her exact words).

While we spit and claw at each other, the tea room of parlaiment is used as a form of good boys club.  Deals are made and we pay!

Assholes!

Ah see you glorying in the fact that slavery somehow evaded you kinfolk?

does that mean that you are better than us bucks who wore raggedy clothing and chopped fire wood and carried bags of cocoa on our backs from sun up till dusk?

well it's been my observation that hardship builds character. i've had the opportunity to observe some africans and i had to say that i thank God for slavery, bc i noticed that the black ppl who didn't go through slavery (mainly africans) are very much so beholding unto colonialism and have very little to no social consciousness, matter of fact most of them that i met have no heights what so ever and is as shallow as ah tea cup of water. anyhow carry on mr pierre duval.

BTW, mr stephen, the man or mr charlie, it's all the same, it's a euphemism for the big boss whiteman.  so i was right you are an off spring of mr charlie, how else would you explain the green eyes.   

[truetrini]

where in anything I wrote that I am glorfying anything?  Yuh implied that my father or ancestors were some slave master, showed you that you needed to check your genealogy as mine has no slaves in it...capiche?


My mother had green eyes...how is that?  And what the f**k is my race, eyes or family to do with this asshole topic?

[pecan]

My two cents ...

As a child I do not remember encountering any overt or covert hostility between the races.  As I reflect on the neighbourhoods I lived in or visited, I do not recall any racial discord. My childhood friends covered every race and possible mixture.

Maybe I was blind or naive to racism .. and still am to some extent today.

So it is with a certain degree of sadness when I hear the different stories about the divide between Trinis of east Indian descent and those of African descent. Even on this Board, which I suppose may be a reflection of the actual state of affairs in T&T, I see the animosity between the Indians and the Blacks.

Interestingly enough, my son (yeah, I seem to draw a lot on my childrens' experiences), has been trying to understand his identity. Here is an email he sent his Grandmother last week.


Recently I've been doing a lot of thinking about my personal identity, how I relate to the people around me, and my environment.  I'm a guy with brown skin, with parents from the West Indies, with ethnic heritage from India, China, and Africa.  I speak Chinese, and I live in Japan.  I'm a giant mix up of cultures and ethnicities.  But I realized that I don't know a whole lot about my own family history.  I'm marching myself around the world without a strong idea of where I came from.  Of course I know about Trinidad and Jamaica - I have a direct connection to those places through my family.  But I've never been to either of the places, so my knowledge of the culture is secondhand, passed to me through stories from my parents, grandparents, and other family, and through customs and traditions that didn't change even after our families came to Canada.
 
What I'm really curious about is how our family got to Trinidad?  When did we get there, and under what circumstances?  I've heard stories about a great (great?) grandfather who bounced back and forth between Trinidad and Hong Kong with a wife in each country.  I also seem to recall a story about someone who was brought to Canada to build the Trans-Canada railroad.  What's the real story?  How did Papa's family get to Trinidad?  Do we even know?


How would I explain to him the discord between the races in Trinidad. How do people of mixed race deal with racial issues back home. Are they like my son trying to find answers in an environment that does not embrace the strength that its people can bring to the nation?

Sad state of affairs that an Island Nation that prides itself on different creeds and races finding an equal place failing to do that.

[truetrini]

Amen Pecan ^^^^^^^^

[just cool]

IMO dr capeldoe have a lot to do with nuff of this new found hostility.

yrs ago i saw an independent movie @ the angelika about the labor movement in T&T there was no mention of uriah buttler dr wiliiams, george weeks or none of the prominent figurs in T&T politics and labor movement, just an indianized version of the labor movement some where in rural south trinidad.

he made it seem like dr williams was only for africans and totally neglected indians, which was clearly not the case, if not the other way around.

williams only mamaguye black ppl in east POS, yeh he give dem govt "rental" housing (plannings), @ very affordable rental rates, but if you came from livin in a barrack yard to a three bedroom apartment you too would be flabbergasted.

the only other thing williams did in the urban POS east area was introduce social welfare in the guise of 10 days(DEWD) and gave menial jobs to uneducated idle black middle age men on the port as stevidores, and as national housing maintenance men.

he also made the "bad johns" from those waring gangs foremen and checkers (positions) on the projects (DEWD). and yeh, he introduced community centers and trade schools in the centers......... no that was the catholic church. 

[Brownsugar]

No. 

Well maybe 100 years from now when the gas done and all who rape de country take dey millions and ride out leaving the poor Africans and Indians here to ketch dey arse, maybe den....

.....oh never mind....No.

[Controversial]

IMO dr capeldoe have a lot to do with nuff of this new found hostility.

yrs ago i saw an independent movie @ the angelika about the labor movement in T&T there was no mention of uriah buttler dr wiliiams, george weeks or none of the prominent figurs in T&T politics and labor movement, just an indianized version of the labor movement some where in rural south trinidad.

he made it seem like dr williams was only for africans and totally neglected indians, which was clearly not the case, if not the other way around.

williams only mamaguye black ppl in east POS, yeh he give dem govt "rental" housing (plannings), @ very affordable rental rates, but if you came from livin in a barrack yard to a three bedroom apartment you too would be flabbergasted.

the only other thing williams did in the urban POS east area was introduce social welfare in the guise of 10 days(DEWD) and gave menial jobs to uneducated idle black middle age men on the port as stevidores, and as national housing maintenance men.

he also made the "bad johns" from those waring gangs foremen and checkers (positions) on the projects (DEWD). and yeh, he introduced community centers and trade schools in the centers......... no that was the catholic church. 

capildeo and williams were best of friends, pawns in the grand scheme of things, capildeo didn't even want to be a politican, he was a brilliant scientist and mathematician, williams was a brilliant educator, historian and speaker, read ivar oxaal and his insight on what really happened in tt, it will change your view on the race debate, that and the fact i heard it direct from my family who were connected to both men

[just cool]

IMO dr capeldoe have a lot to do with nuff of this new found hostility.

yrs ago i saw an independent movie @ the angelika about the labor movement in T&T there was no mention of uriah buttler dr wiliiams, george weeks or none of the prominent figurs in T&T politics and labor movement, just an indianized version of the labor movement some where in rural south trinidad.

he made it seem like dr williams was only for africans and totally neglected indians, which was clearly not the case, if not the other way around.

williams only mamaguye black ppl in east POS, yeh he give dem govt "rental" housing (plannings), @ very affordable rental rates, but if you came from livin in a barrack yard to a three bedroom apartment you too would be flabbergasted.

the only other thing williams did in the urban POS east area was introduce social welfare in the guise of 10 days(DEWD) and gave menial jobs to uneducated idle black middle age men on the port as stevidores, and as national housing maintenance men.

he also made the "bad johns" from those waring gangs foremen and checkers (positions) on the projects (DEWD). and yeh, he introduced community centers and trade schools in the centers......... no that was the catholic church. 

capildeo and williams were best of friends, pawns in the grand scheme of things, capildeo didn't even want to be a politican, he was a brilliant scientist and mathematician, williams was a brilliant educator, historian and speaker, read ivar oxaal and his insight on what really happened in tt, it will change your view on the race debate, that and the fact i heard it direct from my family who were connected to both men

Please don't bother, i know more than you think, thank you. 

BTW i beg to differ, capeldeo wanted to be the first PM of trini, make no bones about it, maybe if he came around this time he may have stood a chance, it was just the luck of the draw that he was a contemporary of williams that he didn't stand a snow balls chance in hell.

IMO capeldeo could have done something to quench the racist politics, but instead he fueled it. this is the sin about T&T, ppl fail to see the truth and when yuh bring it up they get offended and start acting simple!

this saying all ah we is one, is the biggest crock ah sh!t i've ever heard! trinidad i divided along racial , class, national and gender lines. never have i seen a more divided society who don't even met or come together on carnival day, the day of revelry and freedom.

during carnival all the whites does play in their band, and all the blacks does play in their band.  when i was ah yute bands like steven leong, eddie hart were white bands and mc william and baily were black bands.

all the whites french creoles and chinese used to jump with hart and leong, the blacks used to rock wid baily and mc william, but other races used to jump wid baily bc he was the man and brought some best mass.

back then country indians never got into carnival, instead they went to the beach like the seven days adventist. back in my day it was extremely hard to see ah white police officer, fire man,  or even civil servant, they thought that those job were beneath them, and to besides they own the private sector for the most part, and they hired their own.

whites kids only went to the top schools in the country, fatima, CIC and st anthony's, in osme cases they sent to trinity or QRC but not for the most part.

schools like tranquility, belmont intermediate, woodbrook sec, st james sec, and south east hardly to never have white ppl kids in attendance, so what yuh saying, they were soooo bright that they only passed for the top three schools in T&T??

T&T have a serious race problem, but it was always stifled by dumb arse black ppl who the sysrem worked against who were the majority @ the time but was happy and content with the bone that mr charlie gave them, and still happy wid it to this day. that's why i left that place and will never return there to live until justice is served!

[zuluwarrior]

One of the reasons things would never change in Trinbago ,since the begining of general elections 10 communities always voted one way they never change not once up till now.

At times the PNM supporters would support other parties like now , but in these 10 communities the indians never shitf at all dont ask me why yuh know.

[lefty]

One of the reasons things would never change in Trinbago ,since the begining of general elections 10 communities always voted one way they never change not once up till now.

At times the PNM supporters would support other parties like now , but in these 10 communities the indians never shitf at all dont ask me why yuh know.

not changing is not my gripe.........is the blatant unwilling to hold "their" note d quotes leaders accountable when dey clearly doing shit..........doh geh mih wrong it have plenty PNM people does do dat too and all indians don't do it, but more often we does call shit, shit regardless of colour of d ass in it falling from...be for Trinidad first god damn it

edit for d typo

[ProudTrinbagonian]

One of the reasons things would never change in Trinbago ,since the begining of general elections 10 communities always voted one way they never change not once up till now.

At times the PNM supporters would support other parties like now , but in these 10 communities the indians never shitf at all dont ask me why yuh know.

not changing is not my gripe.........is the blatant unwilling to hold "their" note d quotes leaders accountable when dey clearly doing shit..........doh geh mih wrong it have plenty PNM people does do dat too and all indians do it, but more often we does call shit, shit regardless of colour of d ass in it falling from...be for Trinidad first god damn it

It have plenty Indians who hold "their" leaders accountable.  That's why COP form.  UNC wasn't cutting it for them.
Yuh can't be making generalized statements about an entire community?  Ent allyuh just cuss me out for the same thing?
steups....

The real problem why TnT never uniting? Too much finger pointing

[lefty]

One of the reasons things would never change in Trinbago ,since the begining of general elections 10 communities always voted one way they never change not once up till now.

At times the PNM supporters would support other parties like now , but in these 10 communities the indians never shitf at all dont ask me why yuh know.

not changing is not my gripe.........is the blatant unwilling to hold "their" note d quotes leaders accountable when dey clearly doing shit..........doh geh mih wrong it have plenty PNM people does do dat too and all indians do it, but more often we does call shit, shit regardless of colour of d ass in it falling from...be for Trinidad first god damn it

It have plenty Indians who hold "their" leaders accountable.  That's why COP form.  UNC wasn't cutting it for them.
Yuh can't be making generalized statements about an entire community?  Ent allyuh just cuss me out for the same thing?
steups....

The real problem why TnT never uniting? Too much finger pointing

sorry bout d second bolded part that should be DON'T....but d argument still stands we collectively have to keep our gov'ts honest again sorry for the typo

[weary1969]

One of the reasons things would never change in Trinbago ,since the begining of general elections 10 communities always voted one way they never change not once up till now.

At times the PNM supporters would support other parties like now , but in these 10 communities the indians never shitf at all dont ask me why yuh know.

not changing is not my gripe.........is the blatant unwilling to hold "their" note d quotes leaders accountable when dey clearly doing shit..........doh geh mih wrong it have plenty PNM people does do dat too and all indians do it, but more often we does call shit, shit regardless of colour of d ass in it falling from...be for Trinidad first god damn it

It have plenty Indians who hold "their" leaders accountable.  That's why COP form.  UNC wasn't cutting it for them.
Yuh can't be making generalized statements about an entire community?  Ent allyuh just cuss me out for the same thing?
steups....

The real problem why TnT never uniting? Too much finger pointing

Well that was short lived because COP enjoyin eatin ah food wit they UNC brothers.

[Jah Gol]

In my view the political argument about race relations has been bit overstated and the human side is rarely covered. By human I mean issues relating to class, religion and customs that affect relations between individuals and groups in situations were politics is either completely absent or just marginally relevant.

Religion has a big part to play I think, through both doctrine and preference. Consider that many Christians find Hinduism bizarre and ungodly given that it is incompatible with the first and second commandments. Also consider that Hinduism has an affinity for light skin and an aversion for dark skin. In my view these feelings alone are a major contributor to the problem.

Another factor to consider is class. When I see how pervasive classism still is today in Trinidad particularly, I can only imagine the challenges rural people would have faced in urban migration several decades ago. Samuel Selvon actually wrote about it in A Brighter Sun and Lord Kitchener touched on it in Toco Band. Combine the misalignment of rural customs with religious and cultural peculiarities and I can conceive of the probability for increased same-group preference and social recoil as a defence.

The two major racial groups view each other with a degree of suspicion, that isn't in my view totally irrational but absolutely must be eroded for any positive change to occur. Thankfully this distrust and even animosity has never resulted in a sustained violent confrontation. I would caution however that we should never presume immunity from such a tragedy.

According to the latest population census more people are identifying themselves as mixed and not just in the form of the traditional 'Dougla' either. For me this is encouraging as it reveals a measure of integration and the possibility of an improvement in relations due to shared ancestry. Note that I said possibility as the opposite outcome could manifest through selective rejection. I have seen this among my own extended family where some of my cousins identify with their east indian roots only as a matter of fact and express their broadest allegiance through their national identity. I think it just makes things easier for them.

Lately I can't seem to move away from this theme of the culture and leadership cycle. I think the politics is a reflection of the society and the evils therein. After all these politicians come out of the society in the first place.  They simply manipulate what already exists on the ground - greed and distrust.

edit

This problem is not unique to T&T and I think it is a natural challenge civilizations with large heterogeneous groups invariably encounter.

[lefty]

at the end of the day if we can't extricate ourselves from racially driven politics we will be completely destroyed by it...because the viscous cycle will continue......I would gladly vote for a purple hippo with ah yellow backside if they would run d country the right way for the benefit of all that inhabit it.

[Controversial]

In my view the political argument about race relations has been bit overstated and the human side is rarely covered. By human I mean issues relating to class, religion and customs that affect relations between individuals and groups in situations were politics is either completely absent or just marginally relevant.

Religion has a big part to play I think, through both doctrine and preference. Consider that many Christians find Hinduism bizarre and ungodly given that it is incompatible with the first and second commandments. Also consider that Hinduism has an affinity for light skin and an aversion for dark skin. In my view these feelings alone are a major contributor to the problem.

Another factor to consider is class. When I see how pervasive classism still is today in Trinidad particularly, I can only imagine the challenges rural people would have faced in urban migration several decades ago. Samuel Selvon actually wrote about it in A Brighter Sun and Lord Kitchener touched on it in Toco Band. Combine the misalignment of rural customs with religious and cultural peculiarities and I can conceive of the probability for increased same-group preference and social recoil as a defence.

The two major racial groups view each other with a degree of suspicion, that isn't in my view totally irrational but absolutely must be eroded for any positive change to occur. Thankfully this distrust and even animosity has never resulted in a sustained violent confrontation. I would caution however that we should never presume immunity from such a tragedy.

According to the latest population census more people are identifying themselves as mixed and not just in the form of the traditional 'Dougla' either. For me this is encouraging as it reveals a measure of integration and the possibility of an improvement in relations due to shared ancestry. Note that I said possibility as the opposite outcome could manifest through selective rejection. I have seen this among my own extended family where some of my cousins identify with their east indian roots only as a matter of fact and express their broadest allegiance through their national identity. I think it just makes things easier for them.

Lately I can't seem to move away from this theme of the culture and leadership cycle. I think the politics is a reflection of the society and the evils therein. After all these politicians come out of the society in the first place.  They simply manipulate what already exists on the ground - greed and distrust.

edit

This problem is not unique to T&T and I think it is a natural challenge civilizations with large heterogeneous groups invariably encounter.

Define bizarre to me? Because Hinduism pre dates Christianity and the foundation of Hindu thought was a continuation of the first migration out of Africa and hence, African practices. I would isolate the individuals who bemoan the religion as the few who are uneducated and have little knowledge of history and migration patterns of civilization. Even funnier is that fact that elements of Christianity or should I say Catholicism are also present in Hinduism. Condemnation is reserved for God, religion as an institution is divisive in many ways.

Any level of suspicion between the two races can be attributed to politics, dirty politics. The freethinkers understand the game that is being played and how to get around it.

However, it is refreshing to hear people identifying themselves as mixed, its about time. I think the race card is reserved for the uneducated who are easily manipulated and swayed by phony promises and grand charging...

[Jah Gol]

Define bizarre to me? Because Hinduism pre dates Christianity and the foundation of Hindu thought was a continuation of the first migration out of Africa and hence, African practices.

There isn't much too read into it. The rituals are very different and devotees  pray to graven images of deities, a practice which operates counter to two basic Judeo-Christian statutes. That's all I'm referring to. The chronological order of the advent of either faith isn't relevant when the substantive issue is doctrinal divergence.

Any level of suspicion between the two races can be attributed to politics, dirty politics. The freethinkers understand the game that is being played and how to get around it.

You are taking responsibility away from individuals. Politicians use ethnic mobilization to win elections or in the case of the UNC et al to hold a pre-budget rally to help stave off widespread public criticism. The suspicions that people habour are the result of lessons learnt and less taught from first and second hand experience. Prejudice can develop without the influence of national politics and has it's genesis in some of factors I mentioned.

[lefty]

Define bizarre to me? Because Hinduism pre dates Christianity and the foundation of Hindu thought was a continuation of the first migration out of Africa and hence, African practices.

There isn't much too read into it. The rituals are very different and devotees  pray to graven images of deities, a practice which operates counter to two basic Judeo-Christian statutes. That's all I'm referring to. The chronological order of the advent of either faith isn't relevant when the substantive issue is doctrinal divergence.

Any level of suspicion between the two races can be attributed to politics, dirty politics. The freethinkers understand the game that is being played and how to get around it.

You are taking responsibility away from individuals. Politicians use ethnic mobilization to win elections or in the case of the UNC et al to hold a pre-budget rally to help stave off widespread public criticism. The suspicions that people habour are the result of lessons learnt and less taught from first and second hand experience. Prejudice can develop without the influence of national politics and has it's genesis in some of factors I mentioned.

could not have said it better