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Comment by RokStdy | Hacker News Reader

I think there is a lot wrong with this comment. Perhaps since you're an immigrant you're not familiar with the concept of institutional racism[1].

Regarding Obama's 2012 Election: according to [2]and[3], 62 million of 221 million possible voters cast their ballot for Obama. ~28% of citizens voting for you does not really signal the end of racism in the US.

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institutional_racism#Institutio... [2]http://elections.gmu.edu/Turnout_2012G.html [3]http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/elections/common/pop_vote.h...

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Amusing aside; if "none of the above" could have won that election it would have been a landslide victory.

Consent of the governed, yeah, right.

28% of citizens voting or number that's as low happens every election. And the reason for it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism

And has nothing to do with racism.

If institutionalized racism in fact existed it wouldn't have allowed us to have a Black President in the first place. Actually, it wouldn't allow Obama to even be considered a contender. You can talk your talk but the facts speak for themselves. The Leader of the Free World (or however you want to call it) is Black. What type of institutionalized racism built in the system in the US would allow for that? Because the institutionalized racism is a myth, we do have a Black President. If you want to find out what institutionalized racism is look at apartheid system that existed in South Africa and not at the United States. IMHO, you are intellectualy dishonest to suggest racism in the US. Try having a black president in any of the European or Asian nations. Go doing shopping with a black person in Paris. You will find out what a real racism is. When I worked for IBM there was this Black Lady hired by us. She was late her first day for 2 hours. When gently asked by the Manager what happened, she started yelling at him and never showed up at the office. A month later we find out she sued IBM for racism on false accusations that the Manager didn't like her skin color. The Manager's wife is Black. There institutionalized racism if you talk about "affirmative action". That's the only example of institutionalized racism I can see in the US.

And any arguments instead of usual Marxist "there are a lot of things that are wrong in what you say" ????

No. I think the idea of inverted totalitarianism ridiculously abdicates the individual's role in our society, but I don't care to argue that point.

The point I was making is that you cannot use the election of Obama as confirmation that racism is dead. If the argument you make is that "Obama isn't elected if racism exists" you have zero facts behind you.

Giving you the greatest benefit of the doubt you could assert as fact that 28% of the voting eligible population isn't racist. Again, being as generous as possible to your (in my opinion horrible) argument 72% of the voting aged populous may or may not be racist.

That's a FAR cry from "no racism to see here, move along". You simply provide no facts at all to support your position. I grant you that racism is a difficult and nuanced issue, but dismissing it cavalierly is sad.

The point I was trying to argue with you was institutionalized racism not racism in general.

Again, as I said before, there is no institutionalized racism in the US. And the Obama success story is a great point to see that. US being racist society can be disputed if you want to. Personally, after living for a long time in the US, I can assure you that I couldn't see any racism in the DC area, but yeah some, very little, in LA area. In DC, people -- and really white people - take pride in being open. I mean like they are proud of this that there is no racism in their life. For me saying there is racism in DC is a ridiculous lie. In LA, maybe. Then maybe in places like Alabama it is common place. I don't know. But I'm not buying even for 1 nanosecond an idea of instituionalized racism in the US which is the claim you made and I responded to. And again, I can't even imagine 10% of Brits or Germans or French (forget Japanese) voting for Black President.

Again, from personal experience, I met a Black American in Paris. He was originally from Texas (San Antonio). He told me that the trip was life changing experience for him. Because he experienced what racist society is. In France. Not in Texas.It is just this bad in super-hyper-liberal Paris compared to backwards Texas. He said he has never, ever experienced racism in San Antonio. There are a little subtle hints, but it's not like you go to a restaurant and hear "Get Out!!!". Which happened to him in Paris. Just one incident. There were more. But then to be honest, I heard that too on occasion when in Strasbourg (France) talking Polish, so maybe they just don't like anybody who isn't white French. Again, I'm not making whole movement and covering my life in tears because of that. Somebody else made money that night on my meal, right?

Another thing you conveniently didn't address is affirmative action which is a great example of institutionalized racism in the US. The Law says if you are Black - purely based on race - it is easier for you to get to certain schools, or to certain jobs. And whatever the excuses you might have for it, if you are looking for examples of institutionalized racism - that would be great example.

And to give you full disclosure Poland is a racist as it gets. I have a good comparison. Yes, there might be still issues in the US, but to say there is instituinalized racism is a little too much. Maybe on a personal level some people are prejudiced or racist, I understand that and I'm not denying that. And it's a shame. But institutionalized?

I stayed overnight at friends place in New York, Brooklyn. I got quite bad allergic reaction about 3am and had to go outside. A lot of Black guys, really - if you forgive me - criminal type. Nobody cared about me. I was just wondering on the streets, the reaction was to cat, I couldn't go back to the apartment. I took a few pills and decided for a walk. Nothing happened to me, I was ignored. I wasn't even scared after initial 10 - 15 minutes. Then cops show up from nowhere. All white 5 of them. There are shady types all over the place, they approach me and on of them yells "And what is your fing problem?!". I explained, showed him the hives and they went their way. But I was the only guy stopped. Now invert the situation. Don't you think if you were the only Black there and others where White, you'd feel targeted by the cops. I know I was. Because clean and shaved, wearing nice clothes white guy isn't a common sight in this area of Brooklyn. That's why they approached. Am I yelling racism left & right? No, I don't give a crap, I'm happy I survived and I'm happy with my life and career. And some people just see racism everywhere they turn their heads to. No, there is no institutionalized racism in the US. Some people are racist. I'm not their psychiatrist, I can't help them.

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