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niecie USA 18 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 09:56:49 AM So, I was attending a meeting here in our beautiful town of Blairsville and was just sitting and waiting for the meeting to start. There were not too many people and there was a quiet hush in the room. There were about eight people total and we were all waiting for the meeting to start. Three rows behind me was an older lady talking rather loudly. Though she was talking to the lady sitting next to her and to the lady sitting behind her, everyone in the place was "hearing" her conversation because she was talking very loudly. I could hear her but had tuned her out because I was busy messing with my cell phone that up to that moment had been working just fine. The next words chilled my blood... This woman who looked like a sweet grandma, said the most ugliest racial slur for all to hear... I could not believe it. And not only did she say it once but several times and the sad part was that her companions were agreeing with her. I had to say something because not only was the slur ugly but it was against my people group. When I turned around and confronted this woman, the only images that were on my mind were the faces of both my grandmothers and my grandfathers, the sweetest, most honest, hardest working people I've ever known. How dare this woman call me and my people this horrible name, not just once but often! And how dare her companions agree and not correct her!! And how dare I sit there and do or say nothing... I had to and I did. And can you believe that this woman's only comment to me and to her companions was the she was not talking to me? So, I should just sit there and listen to the garbage she is spewing because she wasn't "spewing" it to me? And the woman she was sitting with just said to her, "It's OK, it's ok." I understand now why some people don't look at me when I enter their establishments or why they will greet others and not me. I understand now, even in my own church choir, why some people won't include me or talk to me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, racism is alive and well in Blairsville and it looks like a sweet little grandma!
William R. Jenkins USA 3545 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 10:23:12 AM One reason I am not a racists is because I am not a Christian.That doesn't imply that all of them are racists,just nearly.Blairsville Georgia,Home of the most hateful people.WRJ William R.Jenkins
ShadowMan USA 4158 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 12:12:06 PM Niecie, Blairsville is indeed has a vein of bigotry that runs through it, but even metropolitan areas like Atlanta have their areas of it. Blairsville is a little different in that there hasn't been much diversity here through the years. When I was in school, I don't remember any classmates that were of a different race unless they were an exchange student. That is slowly changing as Blairsville and Union County grow though. I think you did the right thing - you let them know that what she was saying was offensive. Even if she didn't agree with you, she and her companions got the message that their bigotry was noticed and objected to. That's likely something that hasn't happened much, if at all, in the past. Shadow
ShadowMan USA 4158 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 12:20:37 PM quote: One reason I am not a racists is because I am not a Christian.That doesn't imply that all of them are racists,just nearly.Blairsville Georgia,Home of the most hateful people.WRJ William R.Jenkins Mr J, Christianity doesn't teach or promote racism. In fact, it preaches the opposite - to not differentiate. It teaches to accept one another as equals. As for your statement that Blairsville has the most hateful people, I'm reminded of an especially appropriate anecdote: There was an old man sitting at the gate of a town many years ago when a stranger came to the gate and asked, "Old man, I'm thinking of moving here. What kind of people live here?" The old man replied, "Stranger, what kind of people lived in your former town?" The stranger thought and then replied, "Most were mean people, jealous, suspicious of others, likely to cheat me, very proud of themselves, couldn't be trusted." The old man said sadly, "Oh, it is too bad. I'm afraid you'll find the people are much the same here." So the stranger moved on. Later that day, a different stranger came up and asked the old man, "If I move to this town, what kind of people will I find here?" The old man again asked, "Stranger, what kind of people lived in your former town?" The second stranger thought and then replied, "Well, fairly normal people, I guess. Some were friendly, some were cheerful. Sometimes I would meet a bad person, but then I'd meet two or three nice people after that. Most of the people there were easy to get along with, I should say." The old man nodded. "Welcome to our town, stranger," he said. "I think you'll find the people are much the same here." Shadow
William R. Jenkins USA 3545 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 2:01:51 PM Shadowman,I agree christians per populace person probably aren't more so than non-christians,but this part of the country prides in being ,nearly all such.That according to Harold Cook.Secondly,the moral of your story is that if a person looks for good things he will find then and the same applies to looking for the bad.This county is loaded with undirerables because they don't even respect people from other places and are to ignorant to recognize the fact that others have a right to their opinions.WRJ William R.Jenkins
mountainguy USA 2247 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 2:36:03 PM Dear niecie, Please do not think for a second those individuals represent this area as a whole. They do not. I can assure you. As someone who has dated "women of color". And still would, if there were any in this neck of the woods. LOL! I can empathize with your experience - unfortunately. Life on this earth is short. What I have learned over the years is to keep those people in my life who have a positive impact and to eliminate those who would drag me down to their level of unenlightened thinking. MG "Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what's for lunch."
iluvit USA 239 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 5:38:14 PM Rasisim is that the same as "racism?"
meg United States 969 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 8:23:49 PM Neicie, I am so sorry that this happened to you. Please don't let the words of a few people get you disheartened.
hog wild United States 180 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 8:57:45 PM my sons lifelong best friend is black. this is nothing out of the ordinary for so. florida. my son knows how racist it is in blairsville so he warned his friend of the stares and racial slures he would likely encounter before he invited him up. sadly he declined the invite. how could such a wonderful place have such ugly people? loud pipes save lives
niecie USA 18 Posts	Posted - 06/02/2009 : 9:32:34 PM Thank you all for the encouragement.... It's you that makes Blairsville a beautiful place!!
iluvit USA 239 Posts	Posted - 06/03/2009 : 11:27:43 AM quote: my sons lifelong best friend is black. this is nothing out of the ordinary for so. florida. my son knows how racist it is in blairsville so he warned his friend of the stares and racial slures he would likely encounter before he invited him up. sadly he declined the invite. how could such a wonderful place have such ugly people? loud pipes save lives There are ugly people every where. I'm surprised you would live in a place where you consider the people ugly? Ugly to me is loud pipes!
William R. Jenkins USA 3545 Posts	Posted - 06/03/2009 : 11:48:30 AM Iluvit,You proved your own point.Ugly is relative,conjective and also in the eyes of the beholder.WRJ William R.Jenkins
hog wild United States 180 Posts	Posted - 06/03/2009 : 9:53:56 PM iluvit, is racism more prevalent in blairsville ? the prejudice in north georgia is quite different than that of the deep south. its more of a lack of understanding and uncomfortableness than a deep seeded hatred. its the independant nature of the people, the mountains,and the sweet sound of my pipes as they resonate through the valleys that draw me to these parts. are the people of union county predominatly racist, absolutly not. but like you said there are uguly people everwhere, i just wish they would all stay or go to the ugly places. loud pipes save lives
William R. Jenkins USA 3545 Posts	Posted - 06/04/2009 : 07:32:24 AM Hog Wild,I sort of agree with you.I believe that not being a racist is very difficult.What helps people to become such is shown on television every afternoon in many cities over the country,to include Atlanta, Miami,Tampa and many others.I left Tampa because I wanted to live in a non-multiracial society.Blacks and hispanics are committing the crimes and I rather not be around any of them.I am not a racists.Birds of a feather flock together.I am not their type of bird.WRJ William R.Jenkins
hog wild United States 180 Posts	Posted - 06/04/2009 : 10:07:45 AM WRJ, i sort of agree with you if you substitute the word racist with prejudice. every one pre-judges therefore everyone is prejudice to an extent. in a large city its a survival. instinct . when you trample on someones rights because of your prejudice, thats racism in my opinion. in my teens our family left miami in 1970 because my parents were not bilingual and found it tough to earn a living. in middle school i was the only white american non latin in most of my classes. raised in a racially diverse sociaty i was the minoity. this makes me a multi racial, multi cultural self proclaimed expert. by using the phrase " any of them " leaves you suspect. so what kind of bird are you? loud pipes save lives
bears way United States 51 Posts	Posted - 06/04/2009 : 10:42:46 AM niecie, I am very sorry you experienced racism in Blairsville. I am very proud that you spoke up. You are always welcome to stop by my house and chat. 2190 Bears Way, off of 325 by God's Country Farm. dreamland
niecie USA 18 Posts	Posted - 06/04/2009 : 11:27:34 AM thank you , "bear's way", I might just do that... The world is a very small place...what you run away from will eventually find you... I am Puerto Rican.. and here I am in Blairsville .. Fancy that!!
bears way United States 51 Posts	Posted - 06/04/2009 : 11:42:56 AM niecie, we will be there for two weeks starting June 26th, my wife amd I try very hard to leave Florida here in Florida. Blairsville will one day rise aboue all the rasism still left from the old South. Bears Way dreamland
William R. Jenkins USA 3545 Posts	Posted - 06/04/2009 : 1:17:57 PM Hog wild.Obviously you understand what prejudice is.It's human nature, to be that,but we don't have to hate just because we may be prejudice.I left Florida because I didn't want to become a victim of a crime and I didn't want to support that trash with tax dollars.I like to describe WRJ as a Realist,Humanist,very perceptive, internationalist and that is what I am.WRJ William R.Jenkins
iluvit USA 239 Posts	Posted - 06/04/2009 : 1:40:17 PM quote: Hog Wild,I sort of agree with you.I believe that not being a racist is very difficult.What helps people to become such is shown on television every afternoon in many cities over the country,to include Atlanta, Miami,Tampa and many others.I left Tampa because I wanted to live in a non-multiracial society.Blacks and hispanics are committing the crimes and I rather not be around any of them.I am not a racists.Birds of a feather flock together.I am not their type of bird.WRJ William R.Jenkins Absolutely, Mr. Jenkins. I was going to say "amen," but found another "a" word!!!
manape 307 Posts	Posted - 06/06/2009 : 12:56:21 AM I finally replaced the hard drive on this old laptop. loaded up Linux, and I'm taking her for a test drive. So, here comes the Manape dump: To characterize people based on the pigment of their skin is wrong. To characterize the population of Union County as racist because of one little old lady or not fitting in at one religious group due to religious stinking thinking is equally wrong. We just can't judge a whole county because of a particular holy huddle or racist grandmas, because statistically it is not representative of the population of union county. I think WRJ has a point about Christians and he might even attend a chruch if they didn't have any Christians in them. Sometimes, I do think some of the little legalistic holy huddles would save jaded Christians a lot of time if they would say we don't want you here because your dark skin, ear rings on men, tattoos on your butt, and a billion other balls and chains of some Christians put on people. I'm not criticizing the person who started this thread. You did the right thing. The problem is we all get wounded some time in our lives. Perhaps the little old lady had some hurts that haven't healed. If you really want to trip em out, ask them why they feel the way they do and tell them Jesus loves them. I understand how it is not to fit in because of race, but I wouldn't force myself to fit in any social group I didn't like. That is only a waste of energy and I take the path of less resistance. That's me. Even as a English-Scottish-Irish-German-Cherokee-Manape with roots that go back to the 1860's in UC, I have felt rejection in our social gatherings we call church. Baptist tend to vote with their feet and I have done a lot of voting. I finally found a "come as you are church" where people don't judge you by the clothes you wear, your ancestors, or how much money you have. WRJ, you are the man and I hope you find a Realist, Humanist, very perceptive, internationalist humanist church just like yourself without all those Christians who mess things up! I would advise all people to take pride in their heritage and love others as you love yourself. That's what Jesus said to do and religious people crucified him. So, as long as they don't nail you to a cross, wipe your feet off and move away from people with mediocre minds. We need people who sing, dance or whatever in our church gathering. I can't see why so many Christians seem to want to run people off from their churches instead of making them feel welcome in the flock. If you don't like the people in your church, try the 80 other churches in Union County, start one of your own, just hang out with people who like you, or meet with us. We're not perfect, but that's the reason we follow the WAY. Red, Yellow, Black or White, a lot of people who ain't from around here feel like outsiders. After being in the big city a while I didn't even fit in anymore, because I've changed. It's no big deal not to fit in...people here in the hills tend to be clannish, but if you are friendly to them, they eventually open up. Speaking of clans...heck, I have cousins who are my 2nd and 4th cousin (and I mean it is the same person). Family Tree Maker does a great job of keeping it straight. On the other hand, try moving to Atlanta as a young man with you hill-billy accent and hay seeds in your hair. You learn not to be offended by the stupid things stupid people say. "The box said 'Required Windows 95 or better'. So, I installed LINUX."
niecie USA 18 Posts	Posted - 06/06/2009 : 10:42:19 AM Well, bad things happen when good people stand by and do nothing... I didn't do that.. I spoke up and I am speaking up now... Being labeled with a derogatory name is bad enough, but then being blamed for it is even worse. I was just born, man, I didn't have a choice as to whether I'd be white, african-american, hispanic or whatever,,,, I just am.... and for that I am labeled.. And if I speak up, well, how dare I? After all, I moved here, what did I expect? And, geez, we are the "trash" people moved away from!! So, shut up and take it.... and if I don't like it, move! Move to another church, move to another town,, move to another state.... cuz, after all, it's my fault that there is prejudice and hatred and racism,,, cuz, if I wasn't around, there's be no problem..... Sorry, people...I am not moving!! I am what I am... and I am here to stay.... I am Puerto Rican and I live in Blairsville, Ga. DEAL with it.... And yes, quit being hateful.... God comes in ALL colors...not just white with blue eyes and blond hair!!
iluvit USA 239 Posts	Posted - 06/06/2009 : 11:19:13 AM Your anger and last post concerns me more than what the women were saying, and you didn't quote their comments, so I'm not sure what really offended you. You are sounding very thin-skinned to be taking what people were saying in a private conversation so personally and seeking confirmation from strangers on a website. I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish here. With the attitude you've displayed in your last post, life will not be easy for you here or any where. Not because people are prejudice, but because of your own anger. I'm sure the ladies you spoke to don't feel ashamed, but you confirmed their opinion. People who talk funny, are disabled, old, fat, skinny, wrinkled, ugly, have bad skin or teeth, and more are criticized or made fun of every day in life. It is the way people are in the world. I know I've been criticized for various reasons, but I have enough self-confidence and integrity not to allow it to eat away at me. I consider the source and eliminate it. Remember: Resist and it will persist. Sometimes it is best to ignore stupidity and ignorance and move on happily with your life. Edited by - iluvit on 06/06/2009 11:20:53 AM
ShadowMan USA 4158 Posts	Posted - 06/06/2009 : 11:25:38 AM quote: Well, bad things happen when good people stand by and do nothing... I didn't do that.. I spoke up and I am speaking up now... Being labeled with a derogatory name is bad enough, but then being blamed for it is even worse. I was just born, man, I didn't have a choice as to whether I'd be white, african-american, hispanic or whatever,,,, I just am.... and for that I am labeled.. And if I speak up, well, how dare I? After all, I moved here, what did I expect? And, geez, we are the "trash" people moved away from!! So, shut up and take it.... and if I don't like it, move! Move to another church, move to another town,, move to another state.... cuz, after all, it's my fault that there is prejudice and hatred and racism,,, cuz, if I wasn't around, there's be no problem..... Sorry, people...I am not moving!! I am what I am... and I am here to stay.... I am Puerto Rican and I live in Blairsville, Ga. DEAL with it.... And yes, quit being hateful.... God comes in ALL colors...not just white with blue eyes and blond hair!! Niecie, mas claro no canta un gallo Shadow
ShadowMan USA 4158 Posts	Posted - 06/06/2009 : 11:40:49 AM quote: I'm sure the ladies you spoke to don't feel ashamed, but you confirmed their opinion. I don't agree that she confirmed their opinion. You even acknowledge you don't know what specifically they said, so how can you have any sense that Niecie just validated their opinion of her? quote: People who talk funny, are disabled, old, fat, skinny, wrinkled, ugly, have bad skin or teeth, and more are criticized or made fun of every day in life. It is the way people are in the world. I know I've been criticized for various reasons, but I have enough self-confidence and integrity not to allow it to eat away at me. That may be the way some people are, but they won't learn any different if they aren't confronted regarding their attitudes or prejudices. The confrontation is done best though when measured against the impact. If a group of young men is standing around together and one makes a critical comment towards you as a passerby, it's likely not very instructive or beneficial to confront that person there. You're just plyaing into their bravado there. If that same group is standing up at Mike Colwell Stadium fence and making fun of the Special Olympic participants that are going on, that would be a place to confront the behavior. Even more so if you recognize the individuals and can reference their parents by name. As always, context is everything. Shadow
bears way United States 51 Posts	Posted - 06/06/2009 : 2:17:09 PM Niecie, I think Mr. Jenkins upset you. Sometimes he upsets me but I do not respond. He is a very different bird as he says, 43 years old and already very opinionated. That is his right. To say blacks and hispanics are responcible for all the crimes, therefore driving him from Florida---Well that speaks volumes about him. I love Blairsville and all its flaws as well as all its beauty. Again Niecie stop by and sit down, we'll talk and maybe others will show up too. Don't let words hurt you, words are only thoughts from the minds of wise and silly people. My email is Garbower (at) aol (dot) com----- dreamland

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