I don't know if it's from living in a diverse state or the people I'm around (mostly minorities) but the systemic racism thing seems to be a regional issue in our country. Where I live is very blue collar, it's about 50% white, 40% Hispanic and 5% each of black and various Asian ethnicities. I work in the ag industry where other than the actual farmers just about everyone is Mexican and a few black guys. I also have family members who are minorities ethnically, when I talk to them about racism most of them laugh at me saying it's not what people make it out to be. From their point of view this is what I've gotten from them....
Are there racist people, absolutely. Are there people in positions of power who look down on minorities of course. Does it make the entire system racist.... now that's painting with a very broad brush.
Many of these guys grew up in rough upbringings and told me that most of the arrests and issues with authorities are brought on from their own doing. Everyday on the local news there are shootings and murders and just about everytime it is gang related. Our jails/local prisons are occupied by mostly minorities, the local gangs are all minority based. Is that because the local cops are racist (many of which are Hispanic) or is it because these guys grew up not respecting humanity, many had fatherless homes and got into drugs?
What that cop did was horrible and needs to pay severe consequences. But I don't see what he did was any more racist than if a black cop did the same thing to a white guy.
The posts from the people to the guy that wrote the article was despicable. It's a bad representation of outdoorsmen that I think most of us would agree isn't the norm. I'm not discounting the fact that he has dealt with racist jerks when fishing but I don't think it can be concluded that all people who fish are racist.
I'm not trying to be the one to throw a different perspective in this thread and cause arguments. The conclusion I think we all have is no matter what race we are all human and all deserve he same respect whether from authority or anyone else. There may be pockets of racism in this country but the white privilege thing has really gotten old.... The fact that we live in America is a privilege, that we are physically able to get up and go to work is a privilege, that we had people of all races die for this country is a privilege. We might not all get to start from the same point but we all have the same opportunities to work your butt of and make something of yourself.
