The difference between Southern and Northern racism

[YoungDemCA]

In my view, the historical difference between Southern and Northern racism can be summarized as thus:

In the South, white people were very much invested in keeping the black population as a whole alive - provided, of course, that they didn't get "uppity" and that they always "knew their place" as subhuman slaves who were permanently yoked to their white owners. It was an extreme form of paternalistic dominance and total social control; "Trust us, n---ers. We will take care of you." Of course, who ever said that extremely cruel, abusive, even sadistic people didn't harbor severe delusions as to how "benevolent" they were in treating others?

In the North, on the other hand, white people had no such investment, and consequently, couldn't care less whether black people lived or died (for the most part). The entire black race could be wiped off the face of the Earth and most Northern whites wouldn't even bat an eyelid; in fact, many would welcome such a development, as it would permanently solve the "Race Problem" that stirred in the hearts of many Northern whites feelings of guilt and anguish. Otherwise, black people were a useful, yet readily disposable source of cheap labor for Northern employers.

Pick your poison.

[unblock]

1. wow

[rusty quoin]

2. It is historically true, for the most part.

I'm glad much has changed, and I don't mean Bill O'Reilly.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. I can summarize even further in the historical perspective...

"Southern: in their faces; Northern: behind their backs."

[Ellen Forradalom]

4. Reminds me of a Dick Gregory quote

For a black man, there's no difference between the North and the South. In the South, they don't mind how close I get, as long as I don't get too big. In the North, they don't mind how big I get, as long as I don't get too close.

— Dick Gregory

[TreasonousBastard]

5. When I was a kid, we had a cleaning woman come in once a week...

and after going through a bunch of them we settled on Georgia-- a black woman who grew up on the cotton fields somewhere in the Carolinas, I think.

Georgia was marvelous. Not just hard working, but perfectly centered and so honest that when my father died she was the one my mother entrusted the valuables to. Georgia would have defended not just the valuables, but us, with her life, if it came down to that. Georgia was also of invaluable support while my father was dying.

One day she announced she was going back home down South. "It's not you", she said, "it's just that down there, as bad as it is, when I walk down the street at least I know where I stand."

[uponit7771]

6. +1, "when I walk down the street at least I know where I stand." I've heard this so many times from

... other black male northern migrants including myself... here at least I know

[JRLeft]

7. It's the same here in California.

Smile in your face while stabbing you in the back. In the South they will tell you how they feel to your face.

[YoungDemCA]

8. My impression is that it's actually easier for black people to be friends with Southern whites

than it is for them to be friends with Northern whites, as odd as that sounds. But when you consider the fact that black and white people have about four centuries of shared history living in the South in the same communities, it makes a lot of sense.

I could be off base though, but this seems reasonable to me.

[JRLeft]

9. I have plenty of white friends here in Northern and Southern California.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

11. Southern California also has a lot of explicit and implicit racism as well.

[JRLeft]

12. As does northern California, Orange County has a large white supremacists following.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

10. Agreed! I experienced more racism in Boston, Chicago, Southern New Jersey and Connecticut...

than I ever did in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina or Tennessee.

Just saying.

Northern racism is far more insidious in my view because so many don't believe that they are racist, and their psychological, ingrained racism is harder to eradicate. Many of us who are from the South know who are enemy is. I'd rather the hate be up and in my face than someone who is incredibly bigoted and who refuses to believe his/her own prejudice.