Does anyone believe that there is a real problem with OPEN racism in the United States?

Question? I hear Black men on TV all the time saying that you cannot be a Racist if you are Black. They are basically saying that the word "Racist" is defined as being Racist against Blacks only. Any thoughts on this?

I believe that there is and has always been some issues with racism within the United States. When looking at racism, it is a problem worldwide and it is not going to be fixed anytime soon. All I know is that I am not a racist person nor my wife and children. I preach to my soldiers to be open to diversity in the workplace and their lives. If I influence my children and my soldiers to treat people as they would like to be treated, then I may have made a difference. I always remember what my dad has said in the past, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't always make him drink". People are individuals and some cannot be influenced, no matter how hard you try. I have found people like that, you just have to limit the attention given to them, most are craving that attention.

Absolutely. I spent 5 years living right across the border in Canada and would cross with friends on a regular basis. In one notable instance, about 13 of us trooped into the CBP station to present passports. 12 of us got cursory glances and a group "Where are you heading?" (This is the normal engagement for known locals at a busy Canadian border). The one black guy had his passport scrutinized while they gave him the third degree. Seriously? I got less trouble despite several border patrolmen clearly (and vocally) disapproving of my choice to live in Canada.

I wish I could say that was a one-off event.

As far as this country has come there is still a long ways to go...it is still very real and prevalent in the US.

I think that there is now. The media and members of the chain of command have divided us as a country. It wasn't something that no one just talked about. Ever since Trayvon Martin, things have been going down hill. There are just some things the POTUS MUST NOT take a SIDE on.

I'm from the South, I wish I could say I have no idea what you are talking about but I have found that most (of the older folks) it is not racism per say but the culture they were raised in. I definitely have a problem with it and any form of hate discrimination in our country. I have found this is still a hot topic and more so depending on where you are located at. I could tell you horror stories about the kind of racism that still exists and what I grew up around (as a community, my family personally was not as bad) but I would rather not fan the flames.

Yes.
I say 20% white on black.
50% black on white.
20% against Mexicans
5% against Asians
50% against all others.

If something happens whether related to race or not, if there is a perception of racism then there is definitely at a minimum some underlying issues within that community. Though to be honest I have been on the receiving end myself as a Caucasian growing up in a City with a large Native American population. So the racism is not one sided by any stretch of the imagination.

Firtst let me start by saying that my opinion in no way means to try to downplay or call BS on what anyone else has experienced. I have never been on the receiving end of racisim and prior to joining the military was from a very rural part of the country so I dont have any experiance with the parts of the country that have lote of racism.

My opinion is that "OPEN" racism as you call it may not be an issue. I have certainly not seen it. I do beleive that a lot of under the table, behind your back racism happens. I am sure a lot of hiring issues, firing issues, legal issues rise from peoples racism. I also believe that there is a lot of perceived racism. I have first hand seen a lot of people who will try to call racism on anything they have done. Before the military I worked at a Pizza Hut. Two cooks were caught standing in the freezer smoking pot. One white, one black. Both were fired on the spot. One tried to sue claiming he got fired because the manager was racist. I also believe there is a quite a bit of reverse racism going on as well. In a very noble attempt to right wrongs it is getting spun the oppisite way.

Do i believe that race is a huge issue we are currently dealing with in this country? Of course I would be a fool not to. Do I think that people are openly walking around being racist? Not so much. Race may have had an issue with some of the recent police cases but i doubt anyone of them just picked a random minority and said "I am gonna kill that N****." It is an issue but it is not OPEN the way you aask.

Just what i see from my foxhole.

I think having elected the first African American president brought all this bubbling to the surface, not that it wasn't an issue before. But I think people believe because we have a black president that racism doesn't exist. And you heard the saying that the greatest power evil has is convincing the world it doesn't exist. it's alive and well but no one has to believe it because we have cultural examples that negate it. For example how can we have elected a black president of America is racist? this is an example that has fueled issue after issue. It's like president Obama has become the token black friend to all white people. It doesn't matter what color the president is or how successful JZ has become. We have a race problem. Hell...we have a socioeconomic problem and disenfranchised poor. You can be blue with orange stripes but if you have $$$ you'll fit right in. but it doesn't explain white people dressing in black face having "hip hop" parties on college campuses. See the movie "Dear White People". I've seen it with my own ears, so to speak. And it persists because good people do nothing. the fear of confrontation has every one scared speachless. Unless we start having some real talk this is going lead us down a narrow path.