TexasCHLforum.com

03Lightningrocks wrote: ↑Sat Jun 20, 2020 11:55 am

K.Mooneyham wrote: ↑Sat Jun 20, 2020 11:31 am If some folks can't see that "Nickgibson72" is politically trolling, I really don't know what to say. In fact, it is a standard method for those with a leftwing ideology to come onto a forum or social media page, and launch an all-out attack. They will say whatever is necessary to get you to doubt yourself and how you have lived your life. They will then dial back somewhat, and engage in "dialogue" which is DESIGNED to help you "see the error of your ways". The tactic is right out of Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals". The attack is NOT about anything except politics. I will make no other replies to this post.

I think you are a little quick to react, I do not see how he is trolling. We all know that liberals monitor this web site but like he stated, i do not see anything political in his posts. He even apologized for the generalization he made. I could be wrong but I do not see any trolling.

It’s alright for us to disagree and we need opposite views for good conversation. I would rather debate with someone with views other than mine, it is usually a good way to see another viewpoint that otherwise might not have been considered. It doesn’t mean I will change but I do not mind hearing other viewpoints. I am a very conservative Christian but I have one friend in particular that is a lifelong liberal. Heck, the majority of my family are liberals. At least with my liberal friend we can view our opinions and disagree and rib each other but we never get mad over it.

Nickgibson72 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 20, 2020 9:33 am All I've seen since moving here is a state filled with racists.

You’re painting with a broad brush, I’m sure you don’t like that being done to you so why do it to others? I’m sure you are exaggerating quite a bit. Let me share something that I have not before, I know quite a few people off this forum but have never shared this.

I appear white but am actually half Mexican with my moms side of the family immigrating to the US in the 1800’s. Since I appear “white” most people don’t know of my Mexican heritage. So you’d think with people assuming I’m white I would hear all the racism against blacks, hispanics, Asians etc. on a regular basis since as you state, this is a state filled with racists. You know most racists won’t say things to your face but will behind your back. The reality is that it’s just not the case, the people that do that are in the minority.

I lived a few years in a Mexican neighborhood in Corpus Christi, it was actually in “the projects”. With my appearance I was frequently taunted and cussed at for appearing white. I even experienced discrimination at a neighborhood bakery. I did not speak Spanish and walked in to buy something. The staff waited on everyone else, even those that came in before me, before even addressing me. I passed it off to me know knowing Spanish. When I told my cousin (who is also “half Mexican” like me and who grew up in the neighborhood she took off out the door and went to the bakery and had words with them. It turns out the waited on me last because I looked white and they did that to her when she was growing up. The difference is that she was fluent in Spanish and after that it never happened again. It was a tough neighborhood that was low income and most housing was low income government housing.

I moved up out of that neighborhood to a garage apartment owned by an illegal alien from Mexico. $200 a month with bills paid was all I could afford working my two minimum wage jobs at 70 hours a week. I had a girl friend and baby to provide for. That place had mice and bugs all over but it’s all I could afford and we just barely survived using WIC to buy food for my baby girl. I worked retail all day at the worst job I’ve ever had and cooked at a steakhouse at night. I had no help from anyone and I only had myself to count on. I ended up joining the Air Force and made more as an E1 as I did with both those jobs.

I’ve been pulled over three times by police due to profiling. Once I was in an old beat up car and the DPS officer said I had a license plate light burnt out. I was not speeding or doing anything illegal. Another time I was driving a new truck with dark tinted windows in an area known for drug running. I was pulled over by the DPS for following too close but I was doing nothing illegal. In reality he was making sure I wasn’t running drugs. The third time I was in my old Grand Marquis in an area known for running drugs. A new vehicle had just passed me and was doing well over 80 in a 70 zone. DPS came up on us from the other direction right as I was passed and he turned around and pulled me over. My cruise control was on 70 and once again I was doing nothing illegal. My wife asked hi how fast I was going and he said 71. All three times I did nothing wrong but they found probable cause to fish for something and once they found out I was a CHL holder (this was a few years back) they quickly let me go.

Those experiences didn’t shape my worldview and I’m sure since I appear white you’d think I would never have experienced them. I grew up poor, twice in my childhood we lived without electricity (not fun during winter in the Midwest). I spent most of my childhood hungry and looked forward to school just to get a meal. My parents were divorced when I was 8 and most of the kids in my neighborhood were into drugs (my neighborhood was mostly white and ranged from middle class to poverty level). We stood in line to get government cheese and butter to have something to eat with the day old bread we bought for .25 at the discount store.

Things happen and sometimes it’s racial and most times it’s not. I will tell you though that I’ve seen very few racists in my life but they do exist. Not everybody is what you think and most probably haven’t lived the life you think they have.