Tree worker beat by crowd

I see it like this:

Imagine my family and I live in a village in Africa. Why Africa? Tigers.

Every day another villager gets attacked and killed by a tiger. Week after week stories pile up about tiger attacks. Guess what? I'm gonna start watching the tigers. They've become a threat to my family. I don't care how many fricken stripes they have, how endangered they are, profiling, or anything that anyone has to say. Get near my family and guess what? A tiger's getting shot.

Does this make me a bad person? Well, since we are all animals it's just natural to protect our children. And that's what I'll do. Why? Billions of years of evolution has made me that way.

We can talk this to death. The government and the news can tell us how to think, or why this is happening. But when it comes down to it, people will start protecting themselves as they should.

It's a terrible thing that happened to this guy. He's part of a group we're all proud of; he's an arborist.
 
Logic, i must say i am pissed off by that post. i think i understand where you are coming from, but man that sounded viscously racist.

So I this scenario the tiger you shot is a black guy?! Tigers weigh close to 500 pounds, have retractable claws sharp teeth and bone crushing jaws. AND wanna kill you to eat your ass.

At best your analogy SUCKS at worst it is an excuse for killing black folks, because you've heard bad things. What about Germans man? What about the centuries of genocide carried out by American Caucasians on ALL other races and ethnicities. We're the ones who shouldn't be trusted. Won't just kill your family, but everyone with your skin tone
 
Mac, you should take it easy. I have no idea where your opinions come from but I'd guess the news plays a big role.

The point of my post is that it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, you mess with my family, the blinders go on, and you're going down. Not racist in the least. Just love and protection my friend.

I have very many friends that are not Caucasian. We have much care and respect for each other.

Mac, are you white? Sounds like you hate your own race. That's racist.

Tigers in Africa...sorry, should've went with lions.
 
White as they come, just a realist. Don't have tv, don't watch the news. I would have guessed your views were based largely on the news. A lot of my views on race are based on having grown up in SC and attending public school. Also marrying into a family of color
 
macswan said:
White as they come, just a realist. Don't have tv, don't watch the news. I would have guessed your views were based largely on the news. A lot of my views on race are based on having grown up in SC and attending public school. Also marrying into a family of color
Click to expand...
Aiken, SC? :)

Mac, I dont hate anyone. I love all. My Granfather here in Charleston had more black friends than white. I see people as individuals. Period! But when threatened i will become a warrior. Not against any group or race.

But when my race is targeted, I am seen as a target. At that point, I have no choice but to be vigilant.

So, my research tells me you used to have horses. What kind of horses did yall have? We have some Friesians/Arabians. See, I have no problem with mix. :D
Seriously though, would love to hear about your life in SC. PM me if you want.
 
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Reading this exchange makes me think of this story in a different light. What if the driver had been black? Would his medical bills have been covered by strangers? Would he have been treated as a criminal instead of an innocent victim? Maybe those people who delivered that beating felt like they were the villagers and the white driver was the tiger. In my eyes, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. A veritable symbol of the foot on their neck that they have felt for years. I'm not defending behavior or giving justification for it. Everyone has to take responsibility for their actions. I just think it is important to have sympathy for all of those involved and to not ignore the lingering effects of a racist culture a few generations removed from slavery.
 
[QUOTElaughing , post: 383369, member: 2486"]Wow,
I never thought of it that way. Amazing.
Ever thought of running for office?[/QUOTE]
I was laughing when I wrote that.
 
What happened to that tree guy sucks. He got a raw deal, seems he was trying to do the right thing.

But what happened is the result of the systems created and controlled by white males. 400 or so years of oppression and violence.

Race is comprehended very differently by the people who suffer as a result of those systems.
 
jim454 said:
[QUOTElaughing , post: 383369, member: 2486"]Wow,
I never thought of it that way. Amazing.
Ever thought of running for office?
Click to expand...
I was laughing when I wrote that.[/QUOTE]

How do you think of it Jim? I hate politics. Red/blue, it's all a joke. Green that's the political color that matters
 
if the black people who attacked the white driver did so because he was white then the black people are racists

Macswan, just curious? how long should every white male feel responsible for slavery? 10 generations? 20?

Speaking personally I don't feel in anyway responsible for slavery, I wasn't there and neither were the blacks who attacked that driver.

Where does that leave us? by us I mean all of us, blacks and whites.
 
Why don't you guys hash this out in a private conversation? Guessing at who beat up who and why isn't going to help other tree workers avoid having this happen to them.

Last year, I think it was, when a couple of line clearance guys got shot by some old kook I started thinking about possible situations like this a lot.

We stick out. Sometimes I feel like a lightning rod for crazy, luckily they've all been harmless so far. It'll probably never be an issue but maybe someday they won't be so harmless. I feel like its a good thing to keep in the back of your mind.

People can be hard to predict, play it safe.
 
TC said:
if the black people who attacked the white driver did so because he was white then the black people are racists

Macswan, just curious? how long should every white male feel responsible for slavery? 10 generations? 20?

Speaking personally I don't feel in anyway responsible for slavery, I wasn't there and neither were the blacks who attacked that driver.

Where does that leave us? by us I mean all of us, blacks and whites.
Click to expand...
I'm not talking about slavery, this country is set up to benefit wealthy white men and exploit everyone else. The first in line to be exploited are minorities and women. If you're not a white male in America, you're a second class citizen.

There are very few places where we are the targets of bigotry and violence. Where the system fails to ensure our safety and comfort. I'm willing to accept the fact that some people of color might hold a grudge against my white skin. Comes with the territory, being part of the entitled class. Who have actively held back others to there own advancement.

Even if I don't feel responsible for slavery I never forget that the wealth, and opulence in this country would not be so profound if it had not existed. And that while slavery may be illegal, there are plenty of ways to exploit workers of all colors. The white and wealthy are still in charge, and making money off a rigged system. If you don't believe that, I have a hard time finding it worthwhile to continue conversation.
 
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I actually wonder if this is an awakenings thread. Mostly, you it's hard to avoid shit like this. If I hit a kid with my car, I'm gonna get out and own the responsibility. Whatever the consequences are. Hearing this guy got beat by an angry mob, might make me worry more, but wouldn't change my actions.
 
I'm not sure why it matters much Mac. We shouldn't be looking at this as, "How do we change our actions because of it?"
We should change the mob's actions so it doesn't happen again. I don't feel that's an easy task. But to do my part, my 1911 will be at my side if I stop to help anyone in a bad neighborhood. I'd be willing to bet that if this guy recovers (and I pray that he does) he'll be carrying in the future too.
 
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