FP, I meant what I said, I have lived my entire life (with the exception of living on the East Coast for 2 seconds) in Wisconsin. If I had a dime for every time someone said the comments I mentioned to me I wouldn’t’ have to work another day of my life! Just last week a woman who is a counter clerk at a store I frequent told me “You know what Honey, you are such a pretty gal, you have to be one of the prettiest colored gals I have ever seen!” When I of course corrected her and reminded her this was 2008 and not 1948, she said what I hear constantly “I’m sorry, I really am, its just that your people change what you want to be called so much I can’t keep up,” What some people don’t get is, and what I find so disturbing about the rhetoric being engaged in by McCain and Palin is, you can do more damage hurling certain words and phrases than an actual fire bomb could ever do. Because you can bomb a church, and the building is gone, but the congregation can rebuild its church home. But hate filled and divisive words stick and spread and multiply, they affect one after another. The crowds and sentiments of those that attend the Palin and McCain rallies are a clear illustration of this point.

Frannie, It is my opinion that there is a VAST difference between being a Racist and being Racially Prejudiced. I believe that every American is racially prejudiced, but not every American is a racist. We all hold some degree of prejudice. I, as a Black American would not enjoy the freedoms I have today if our country were comprised of a majority of racists. We are for the most part, people who harbor racial prejudice (meaning to prejudge other races) against our fellow Americans. The countless prejudices we hold can cause us to say and think some pretty stupid things sometimes, but they don’t hinder us from living among one another or recognize and allow those around us to live out the American dream. I don’t get bent out of shape when I come across people as the counter clerk I spoke of in this post. I correct language that I feel is in error, but I don’t allow it to affect how I view people. If I did, the list of people I could associate with on a daily basis would be pretty dismal. There is an old expression that has been around since the days following the emancipation of slaves “In the South you know who hates you, in the North you don’t” Translation, people in the south will tell you to your face they hate your guts, in the North people will smile in your face and then demean you behind your back. It’s unfortunate that this is more apparent today than ever. I am sure I have worked among White people who smile in my face and than refer to me as the “colored” girl behind my back. I would be naïve to believe to the contrary. I personally would prefer to be told to my face discouraging remarks and beliefs. It’s only then that I know what side as a fellow American you stand on. What an interesting conversation this particular post has evolved into eh? I really love reading how others think, feel and believe.