Racism isn't always the reason...It's called being a classist!

A friend of mine from work at the Sheriffs Office and I have had a few talks about race. Being white I am always open to hearing the thoughts of all minorities. My fellow Deputy is black and told me something I never thought of until about a year ago when he mentioned this to me. He said "Rob you aren't racist, your a classist."

What is a classist? It is a person who has morals, manners, follows & respects laws, respects his fellow man regardless of skin color or culture, and does not judge others, he/she allows those others actions to speak for themselves. A classist is a person who can't stand someone who collects welfare yet has gold wrapped around their necks and wears new sneakers regardless of their race. A classist gets upset when he is at work for 40, 50, 60 hours a week busting his/her butt to pay bills, have insurance, and put a roof over their heads...yet every pay day we have money taken from us because their are people out there, OF ALL RACES, who refuse to work..but they will be seen in night clubs, refuse to work but somehow always have a roof over their heads, and oddly enough even have nice cars/trucks to take them anywhere...as long as it's not to work! I wonder where they get all that money?

A classist does not dictate by skin or culture, we dictate by your contribution. Are there legitimate reasons that some people need assistance, OF COURSE, but are those same resources being abused and used by just fat, lazy, scumbags? Sure are...and they are of all races, colors, and creeds!

I have to laugh EVERYTIME something happens people scream racism...and quite frankly its getting old. I had a man tell me the other day after I pulled him over for doing 67 in a 25 that I only did it because he was black. It almost made me laugh...I said "sir, the fact that your were doing 40 miles an hour over the speed limit may have had A LITTLE something to do with it." But of course he said I was just another white guy holding the black man down. Now for all you minority folks out there...lets get this out of the way right now......

UNTIL I (i am white) make more money and have a nicer house and life then EVERY black, hispanic, asian, mexican, etc etc etc...in this country...SHUT THE F*** UP ABOUT BEING HELD DOWN!!!! YOU held yourself down! Their are people in all levels of power, all levels of wealth, in every level of life from different races and colors....so I don't wanna hear it!

So the next time someone calls you a racist, just remember...its not always about race....some of us are fed up with EVERYONE....if your a black man wearing gold fronts but not paying child support on your 4 kids your a dirtbag, if your white guy who is collecting checks from welfare and other programs because your a piece of s*** I do not like you, if your hispanic and can afford your pimped out honda civic but won't pay your rent/morgage don't cry race when your booted out into the street! Race to me is an excuse for those who want the easy road out or the easy way to the top...thats that!

Ok now your thoughts...just curious if there are any others out there who believe its NOT about race, its about the person/people and their actions!

Well, I can't say much. But I will say that your job inindates you with things that most people will never experience, therefore will never understand, therefore will always restrict the benifit of the doubt from you. That said, you certainly make good points, but I do however believe that the emotion that you hold inside for these convictions will one day burdon your soul if you don't find another way of looking at society.

"They are just doing the best that they know how to do." Plain and simple. They are ignorant and weak, and for that you should feel sorry, because in the end, they will pay. You don't always get to be present when the proverbial law is being handed out.

Thanks for that rant, and I wish you many safe and happy days in your department.

AAC

[edit on 7-7-2007 by AnAbsoluteCreation]

Its true that most people do not see the insides of it all the way we do in law enforcement. I don't really hold it inside, I just sometimes have to bitch about it..lol. I would have to disagree that they are doing their best, regardless of what they know. What they are doing is GETTING AWAY WITH WHAT THEY KNOW HOW TOO! So feeling sorry for them isn't working for me. I know what you mean by it, but how can I feel sorry for someone CHOOSING to be this way. I feel sorry for people who WANT to work, have desires and dreams but can't fulfill them due to REAL problems.

As for them squaring up in the end...I agree...they will one day have to answer for it...just to bad its not while they are here!

And your welcome for the rant.. ....sometimes it just needs to be done. And thanks for the support..in these days the way things are going we all need it.

You know Shadow, I couldn't agree with you more. I've only been accused of being racist a few times, but it has nothing to do with what color someone is or where they or their family is from. I call them like I see them, and a lazy bum is a lazy bum whether they are black, white, orange, or blue.

Excellent Post Shadow....

Very well said and from a unique point of view...

Semper

I concur on several key points.

I'm currently getting by on disability (read : under $6,000 a year), and it pains me everyday to see the local drug dealers and welfare recipients driving by in their new Escalades and what not.

Me? I can't afford a car, let alone insurance, so I'm hoofing it on foot.

While my socio-economic position places me at far beyond the poverty line, I am somehow able to keep up with being a contributing and productive member of my community - despite my personal adversities.

I do agree there is a massive class issue, and even in my lowly economic state, I am proud to consider myself a Classist.

Class - you either have it or you don't....and it transcends material weath, race, creed, nationality, and so forth.

Here's to the Human Spirit that can look beyond commonplace ignorance.

Well, the whole Illegal Immigration issue does invite all types of reasons for people to "take a stand." Political (Right vs. Left), Classist (as you imply, based upon relative earnings & the receiving of benefits), Financial (the "outsourcing" of jobs combined with vastly increased population)...You name it, there's always going to be some reason for someone to take a side.

The side I take consists of the failure of law enforcement by the Executive Branch (Constitutionally charged with the Duty to "faithfully execute the laws"). Enforcing the Laws does not bring race, class, religion, nationality (other than that required to define the difference between legal or illegal immigrants) or even sexual preference into account.

The proposed & failed Amnesty Bill had very little to do with enforcement & everything to do with amnesty & to motivate an increase in illegal immigration...And no matter what Congressional Legislation is on the board for deliberation, it does no good to reform laws if there's no enforcement of the laws.

All in all, you're right..."Racism isn't always the reason,", but then "being a classist" isn't always the reason either.

Originally posted by shadow_soldier1975
He said "Rob you aren't racist, your a classist."
...

Race to me is an excuse for those who want the easy road out or the easy way to the top...thats that!

Well, Rob (nice to meet you, btw), what do you think about this scenario?

There's a middle-aged, black, civil rights lawyer. He's not that well known, but he's lived in Brooklyn forever and is well known there. He and his wife, also a lawyer, are driving through their neighborhood when they come upon a police chase in progress. The suspect runs past them and is wrestled to the ground and handcuffed. The sergeant kicks the guy, and the rest of them, six total, join in and start kicking the crap out of the guy, while he's already "apprehended" and "restrained." Totally against guidelines.

The lawyer gets out of the car car to find out what's going on. I mean, it's quite a scene by this point, and it's only late afternoon, so there are kids out in the street watching the whole thing. The sergeant starts cursing at the lawyer, and orders him back in his car. The lawyer complies, but begins taking down the license plate numbers of the police vehicles.

The sergeant grabs the guy through the window of his car, punches hims, drags him back out of the car, cuffs him, and punches him again. Then, the sergeant punched the wife in the jaw.
Protests in city after civil rights attorney and his wife accuse police of using excessive force

Now, this guy is a lawyer, not a welfare recipient. He may be a civil rights lawyer, but I live in NYC, and I've never seen him on the news. He didn't come for the cameras; that was his neighborhood. He was just asking what was going on, something I do in my own neighborhood all the time.

I say it's police brutality, caused by racism, regardless of class; what do you think?

Harlem, thanks nice to meet you too...now as for your senario. I must say, reading the article that you provided, it is VERY hard to determine if this had anything to do with race. It was also hard to determine if the officers reacted in the wrong way. The story was not detailed enough to truly know. Now it says the couple and apparently the teen arrested were all black, but it didn't state if the officers making the arrest were white/black/asian/hispanic, etc... Then the lawyer makes a completely asinine comment that the guy was handcuffed and NOT a threat! That is something that really irritates me because it's just not true. More then once I have been kicked and almost headbutted by HANDCUFFED subjects. So seeing an officer fighting/struggling with a cuffed subject isn't always police brutality. With that said, I will not shy from admitting that some police officers/deputies are just plain aholes and do stuff they shouldn't.

What makes me real weary of this story is that even being a civil rights lawyer he has no right to get involved with an arrest. If he see's something he does not agree with he should observe and go file a complaint. Even writing down the plate numbers of the cars is fine BUT, I would guess thats not all that happened. The emotions at the scene of an arrest can be VERY high on both ends...suspects are sometimes drunk, high, fighters, etc..and the officers adrenaline is through the roof, so then stroles in a loud mouth (of any race) saying stuff your not in the mood for, and things can get touchy. Again don't misunderstand me. IF the officers were beating on this guy for no reason the lawyer definitly was doing the right thing by wanting to report it, but again, I don't care who you are, sticking your nose into an arrest is NOT a good idea, there are other ways to deal with it.

Now to support my classist (not racist) mindset...this lawyer represented Tupac. That in itself tells me the kind of person he is. Tupac being a complete scumbag IMO. If your a lawyer and know that your client is a drug user and dealer, a gang member or thug who carries illegal weapons, who has his posse kill others over music, yada yada...it just speaks to your character.

Will race be a reason for certain peoples actions, unfortunatly yes. But I think EVERYONE knows that race has become a card used by those who would rather get by on color then on hard work and skills.

[edit on 8/7/07 by shadow_soldier1975]

also MidnightDstroyer...don't confuse law enforcement with government policy when it comes to illegal immigrants. Our wonderful government has made it impossible for local or even state police to enforce anything when it comes to illegals. And the feds, well it's the feds, they get their orders right from the top, so enough said there. When the powers to be in office refuse to allow us to detain then deport these people it can't be held against us. Its the guy making over 6 figures who works whenever he feels like that you voted into office that is to blame!