Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on racial bias he's experienced throughout career

MAJ Byron Oyler that's actually one of the biggest issues I've had since joining the military. I either associated with people who couldn't see how what they've said or do can be seen as racist/discrimination or others who believe everything is racist/everyone is out to get you solely on that singular factor of your being.

Yeah. I have never walked in a black person’s shoes so I did the next best thing; I had candid and somber conversations with black people about how they are treated by society. My mind was a tabla rasa and had an open mind. All the black people I talked to said the same thing. They experience discrimination in this society. Sometimes they are treated poorly. I am incensed and sympathetic to blacks. What does a parent tell his young daughter how to deal with the discrimination? It pisses me off that the topic has to be broached.

Agreed.

Says the one that made it to 1SG in the so racist Army? What I have seen in the recent years is hate crimes against whites but those are not listed as hate crimes. I guess we have it coming to us. Considering we have been oppressing everyone else for centuries.
I say this to all my subordinates. We no time for prejudice or racist acts in this work place. I cannot control what you do outside these walls but when you are in my building you will treat everyone with the utmost respect and dignity. Same when I was a section Sergeant in the Army. Yes, I is there racism today, Absolutely. Majority of people in this country are not. The racists in the country do not speak for the non racists but unfortunately we all get painted with the same brush.

Well said. It gets frustrating when people say "oh well so and so was *insert race* we can't have systemic racism in America". There still is systemic racism, some people don't want to have that conversation so they dismiss it. Same as saying "I don't see color".

Based on what? Just because you say so?

SSG Edward Tilton - Did you ever read "Painted Bird"? An excellent metaphor for natural prejudice. Doesn't excuse it, but demonstrates the need to rise above our animal instincts. That's why we have brains...

America is racist - and every system in this country was built on racism. People who sit there and try to pretend it isn't or to discount POC and their struggles are what keeps racism alive in this country.

People have been extremely allowed to act out their racist ways the last 4 years. The ignorance on this post is astounding but it's not surprising the people it's coming from.

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - Gen Colon Powell easily could have been the first Black President. I read his book. It is very clear he was mentored and guided because of his abilities being recognized early in his careerand he was chairman of the Joint aChiefs f staff. Barack Obama was elected President twice by an over whelming Majority of Americans. I we have minorities at every level of government etc. watch TV and we have minorities in al facets of advertising and entertainment. Minorities are members of faculty and students nine every lite University in America. Now if that isn’t enough anyone of any note caught expressing an anti minority opinion is cancelled, career, career over. America was not built on racism. Please explain.

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - Based on what? During the four years of the Trump Administration, blacks and other minorities enjoyed the greatest economic advances in world history, advances that are being erased by the mismanagement we now have. President Trump joined with Senator Rick Scott to establish economic opportunity zones in minority neighborhoods. Traditionally black colleges enjoyed federal funding such as they had never before seen. Unemployment of minority workers descended to historic lows. These are all demonstrable facts. What do you have?