Under currents of racism . . .

[goldmine]

Hey, Barb:  Yes we will tag team her with hugs at Wade's!!!  I'm a hugger anyway! Where have you been?  I miss seeing you and Tony.  I told a Jed story last week >angel< miss him too.  Punk, BJ is a great person to haul with, she is so easy going and positive.  Never ever complains, will go anywhere, and has a great time no matter what.  I loved being around her at the rodeo's.  Barb, remember Gladewater?!!!  If we told that story. HaHa.  Nobody would talk to us or help us, finally one kind soul stopped for a second to help.  Wouldn't it make Punk feel better? roflmao

[PunkinNMe]

 :look: :look:  I am going to be tag team hugged!!!!!   :look: :look:

 :TIGGER: :TIGGER: Tell the story . . . Tell the story!!  :TIGGER: :TIGGER:

[canchasin Cindy]

It's great!  Punkin got her groove back!    :look:  :TIGGER:  )&

[bj]

<COLOR GRIN>  1st of all thanks Kelly for all the nice words.
Well, Kelly and I got our permits several years back and hauled to a pro show at Gladewater.  We got there early so we could get all set up and have plenty of time to get our horses rested before the slack.  Well, we thought slack ran barrels first so we got all decked out in our rodeo finery and headed over to warm up our horses.  After a while, we noticed no one else was warming up.  Well, we got off and waited a while longer and again got ready. Still no one else was warming up.  Finally one of the other girls came over and told us barrels was run last.  Well after rubbing the big "R" for rookie off our foreheads we got off and relaxed for a while.  Anyone who remembers my great horse Jive knows how foolish he was out back in the alley area.  This was before Gladewater was leveled out and the alley went straight down and then leveled out.  Kelly being the friend she was, went over and asked one of the calf ropers if he would help me walk my horse over to the alley.  Well, he thought I needed a boyfriend or something and shyed completely away.  All the other girls would walk their horses over to the alley and siddle their way down till they hit level ground and took off.  Well, Kelly and I both had horses that when they saw the alley, they just went.  We began at the top of the hill and ran down hill at mach one speed .  It was so much fun (right).  Kelly's horse Goldmine, always ran out and just kept running so her Mom was at the top of the hill waving frantically as Kelly exited the arena to get Goldmine to stop.  We laughed so hard over this trip and still do today.  Eveytime we get together, we talk about it.  You really had to be there to get the full effect of just how funny it all was. :ROFL2: :ROFL2:  Kelly, if there is anything I left off please fill it in.  I will be making my debut in Alvarado this yr.  My arena has stayed pretty wet and I have only ridden 4 times since Jerry's last jackpot in October.

[goldmine]

Yes, that was funny!!!!  I'm still embarassed when I see John Burgin!!  Remember he was there looking at us like we were crazy?  When my Mom was being alley patrol for me that night I remember Goldmine slowing down a little as we were coming up the hill, until he saw Grandma with the horse cookies!!!!  She had to run between some trucks with him hot on her trail!!!!  I closed my eyes running down that hill, when I opened them we were turning the first. roflmao I try to make it point to talk to new people at the races.  I remember when I moved to this area, I knew hardly anyone.  It was nice when someone rode up and talked to me.  But there is always gonna be snobs everywhere you go.

[Bob Gould]

I have always told my children to treat another person differently because of their race is wrong. I would say they listened because my oldest daughter is married to a Chinese Guy that I think is the greatest for her. I always say she couldn't have found a better person if she picked him out of a book. My youngest daughter has a mexican son. Over the years I have had many a black friend and even dated a black girl for a while. I can still remember the looks we got when we were together. 

I have been a victim from the other direction. I have been beaten because I am white more than once that was in the 1970's and usally by more than one person at a time. One time Tamet and I went into a Walmart in Little Rock Ar. and got some of the strangest looks from the people inside. It wasn't until a black lady ran into me on purpose with her shopping cart that Tamet and I realize that everyone in there was black but us.

My oldest son Joined the Job Corp. He was the only white person in the group. Some of the other folks in the group told him that he did belong there because Job Corp was only for blacks and made many a threat. Now he doesn't like black people anymore. But I tell him that if I were to change my mind about a race because of what a person from a race did to me it would have to be white people because the biggest scum of the universe I have known in my life are all white people.

Then there are the people who are threat you that way just because your not like them. I have been attacked because I was a person with long hair. I know people even today that are just plain mean and nasty to men with long hair.  How about being told that there is no hope for you and you should be locked away because you are black. If that were to happen then you could sue the crap out of them. The NAACP would be on their door step tomorrow. We can tell many stories about different doctors over the years that didn't believe Ben deserved treatment because he is Autistic. 

I guess what I am trying to say is there is always an idiot out there who is going to treat you wrong no matter who you are and or what you do no matter what Race, Creed or Sex you are.

[KerrieL]

Right on Bob!!!  <ROCKON>

[thamesranch]

Bob Gould you are right.  The street goes both ways, and has many side streets.

[kbrooks]

Bob got it right on the money.  This has really been on my mind since your post.  Well it's there all the time but brought it to the forefront.  I know both my girls will experience racism to some degree throughout their life.  However, I try to teach my oldest daughter to not always jump to that conclusion unless it is very evident that that was the person's intentions.  I think sometime we are all caught off guard by someone being rude and assume it's because they don't like something about who we are.  I will admit that I have been guilty of coming off as rude or intolerant when to others when there was actually something wrong with me and what was going on in my life.  I didn't mean to do it intentionally but in hind-sight thought, "geez that came across wrong."  Unfortunately I haven't always said sorry to the person and am afraid they may think the same about me.  So just another view on the same subject.  Punkin - please don't think I am dismissing your post because I'm not.  Just trying to play devil's advocate.

[PunkinNMe]

Conversation and discussion is healthy . . . even when people don't agree completely.  So I wouldn't think that either of you are being dismissive to this post.  I appreciate your open discussion!

And just as a point of clarification . . . I am not very sensitive when it comes to racial issues.  What I mean by that is, I don't assume that every job I don't get is because I'm black - sometimes I'm just not qualified.  I don't assume that every funny look I get is based on my race - sometimes I just dress funny (and once I wore my spurs to church).  I don't think that every person who doesn't like me is basing their dislike on my race - hell, I can be a lot to take for some people. 

Not every shun, rebuttal, refusal or naysayer is a racist . . .
I'm not saying that and I hope no one thought that was what I was trying to imply.

I give myself credit for being a fiercely intelligent individual.  I am blessed in that way, I know it and I am grateful for it.  I also have my fair share of common sense as well.  Again . . . I am grateful for it.  And with that intelligence, and that common sense - I have a pretty good barometer when it comes to recognizing racism. 

As many of you have said, there are some just plain snotty girls AND GUYS at barrel races.  And yes . . . I have been shunned by them.  That wasn't racism, it was beyotchism . . . I've heard and witnessed barrel racers tear down other barrel racers just for the sake of tearing something.  Heck on one board you can't even type the name Martha Josey because of the slander that went on there. 

I say all of that to say this . . . my first assumption when someone is an a$$hole to me is that they are an a$$hole.  It takes more than just a dissmissive nature or bad attitude to convince me of racism . . . but I do know racism when I am faced with it.  And while some of the things I've faced at barrel races was snotty behavior based on an inferiority complex within someone else . . . some of it was blatant racism.

NOW . . .
To be honest, my post was based on a ONE SPECIFIC POST and ONE SPECIFIC COMMENT made in that post here on this board.  The post had a very similar "feel" to it that a few other posts have had, and up to that day I'd simply let it roll off my back.  I think that THAT day, THAT post and THAT reply . . . that others seemed to find so amusing - was the proverbial straw that broke this camel's back.
I didn't want to believe then, and I hope now that the person who posted and/or commented didn't mean to be a bigot . . . but what was said had a very racist feel to it. 

That feeling, combined with previous brushes with racism at barrel races, and the "feel" of some other posts I've read . . . are the reasons why I posted what I posted.  To start a conversation that hopefully ends with all of us being a little more thoughtful about what we say and WHO we are saying it to. 

The anonimous nature of the internet has a tenency to disable the best of internal filters . . . and people forget that words do in fact hurt. 

[kbrooks]

Oh I sure hope you don't think I was implying you overreacted - DEFINATELY NOT!  I was being more introspective trying to make a point that we should ALL be more the extrovert and say hi and smile.  Amazing what a smile can do.

[PunkinNMe]

No, I didn't think you were waying that I was overreacting at all.

As the thread progressed, and more people commented I kind of felt like someone reading the post could have felt that way about it.  So I kinda wanted to put that out there anyway.  Your post was just the perfect opportunity for me to go all OVER verbal about it!   (woohoo)

[Bob Gould]

I knew you were black from the first time you signed up. Because your avatar was a black girl.  Punkinme was a name that caught My eye so I looked to make sure it wasn't a scammer. Then when I saw you were black I watched to make sure no one said or did anything because of it. I know there are some people on here that just might. That is how I knew you were a good writer just about everything you write is interesting or funny or both. If you will look at how many people read what you write you'll see I'm not the only person who thinks that. Again I feel that treating someone badly because they are a different color of have a different belief system is wrong. I don't mean wrong like telling a lie wrong I mean wrong like stealing a car wrong. I decided along time ago it would not happen anywhere I am.

[Gabe's Babe]

Punkin, I have been told on many occasions that I come off "wrong" towards some issues. You know, you are right. There is something impersonal about emails, forums, blogs etc. You cant read that persons facial expressions, body language etc. It makes it hard cause sometimes something "written" can be felt by others as being down right rude and someone else might think its nothing.......Anyhow, I really think your topic opened everyones eyes!!!!  (((((((HUGS)))))))) (((((((HUGS)))))))) (((((((HUGS)))))))) (((((((HUGS)))))))) (((((((HUGS)))))))) (((((((HUGS)))))))) (((((((HUGS))))))))

[CaughtYawl]

Yyyeaaa you're going to have to tell me when you go to the RCA rodeos. My dad is the "dirt doctor" for them and when he isn't playing on the tractor he's working the back gate, lol only white guy working for Mr. Penny. We have NEVER had a problem at these rodeos, everyone is always more then nice and helpful. lol People offer horses left and right to people they've never met before when something happens to theres..doesn't matter what color you are. We have never had anything happen at them.  I could care less if your black, white, pink, purple or red...I may not talk to you because believe it or not, I am shy. But I can dang sure smile at anyone.