What is it with all of these racist occurrences nowadays?

I'm a white country boy from the South-and proud to be.

I'm going to tell you straight up, no chaser that some of the closest friends I have in this world are from "minority" races who grew up in the city. Life has taught me that there's only one "color" that matters...blood red. That might sound kinda "gung ho" ignorant...but it's just the simple truth. Some folks will love you till they bleed...others will bleed you no matter how much you love 'em. That's what matters to me.

I wasn't around for Segregation-let alone slavery. Still, I'd imagine that if I had lived in the 1860s, or the 1960s...I'd have found both every bit as reprehensible as I do now. My ancestors who lived through both periods did...and one died in the fight to remove slavery from this country. I'm proud of him, and while I can respect some folks heritage and history (and some of the brave men who fought for what they felt was right)...you won't see a "rebel flag" on this boy's truck, hat, or in his yard.

All that said, I'm equally proud to be descended from Scotsmen, Irishmen (and even a few Frenchmen) who fought for freedom and against tyranny too. The were strung up, falsely accused, shoved into poor houses , workhouses, and the wild frontier. Too many were taken half-starved, straight off boats in New York...and shipped straight to Dixie to fight against their brothers who came there to flee the English and famine. Less than a century ago, to be a white catholic here in Tennessee was a good way to get treated worse than a Cherokee.

Racism works both ways, and is tragically self-reciprocating and self-sustaining. Once a person of any "color" starts believing that everyone of another "color" is their enemy...we all lose.

To "kill" collective racism, we have to feed individual respect...not demand a "balancing" of the cosmic scales, 'cause you can't ever pay that crap back. We have to look at every person as the soul within, judging each by actions...not associations. Most importantly, we have to be willing to be the first to extend a hand in friendship...rather than anger.

We will never be able to stop people from thinking and believing what they want to believe. The most we can do is constantly set the example that we are human just like everyone else, so the masses of those who don't hold racist views will help to drown out the hatred.

IMHO...Racism will always be around...unfortunately. I think that racist tirades are more prevalent because of instant social media reporting. I believe they have always been around under the surface. You want to know the truth about the way someone feels, then get them some loudmouth soup and it is amazing what will come out....the truth! What I also want to state is that racism isn't just white on black or black on white...I have witnessed all of the following blacks against mexicans, native americans against white, chinese against japanese...koreans against japanese, whites against japanese, pacific islanders against "howlies" and all of these vice versa. I hear it in music about killing people of various races. Unless we can stop perpetuating it in the home, stop politicizing it, and through entertainment venues like music, movies, plays etc young people will let it continue and it will get worse.
What we need to do is to realize that God made us all...one race is not better than another...PERIOD. You cut anyone of us we all bleed red, we all eat, sleep, piss, crap, sneeze, pass gas, love, hate, and a myriad of things. However, God made us unique as individuals and as different races for whatever reason (He knows and with faith we can accept that) but we can't survive without each other. That is where we have to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each individual and realize that diversity (all races, religions, genders) is what makes us strong.
Will we ever end racism??? IMHO no but we can make it better one person at a time...starting with looking in the mirror...all of us.