I have to point out, the original article that was posted her, by me, was written by a brit, no a yank. As someone who's family tree includes a good number of ethnicities beyond my native blood, which is the dominant ethnography of our family blood, but my children will need to be comfortable with being, as I was taught, a "breed". That is a half-blood, neither one or the other. The way I was taught to deal with racism, I am not a racist, I hate everybody.
However, racism in America, which is ever present, in it's most vicious forms, trace back to four groups and their profound "Colonial" presence in the west. I say four, b/c the Spanish, really, honestly didn't care. As long as you accepted the church anyway. The Portuguese and Dutch (primary European traffickers of humans), if you look in Brazil, a former Portuguese colony, (I have Brazilian friends), you will note, the ghettos are dominated by natives and blacks. The Dutch, also known in some parts of the world as "the Boers". Very much did not care for dark skin, or non-Christians. The French, I'm just say look at Louisiana, Haiti and a few other well known places. Haiti is the best example, they did not allow proper education to the lower class, they also did not permit mixed marriages at all. England, introduced scalping, attempted to "breed" out the Scottish, a trait which was passed to the US when it came to the Native American assimilation program.
It is true, racism is everywhere. Here in China, it is bred by the party. I understand the hatred of Japan. Most intelligent Chinese that I meet, know the US backs Japan for political reasons. As a military veteran, I should point out for Willy, the US military has no desire to engage in warfare with China, especially in areas where China has the advantage. It's a simple matter of knowing the party has lost the ability to make decisions to benefit the people and that it is going to lead China to a very place. Sadly, most of the world doesn't realize this.
In our city here, Handan. My wife's mother is from a Shandong family, her father is from a Liaoning family. Anyone who knows a little about Chinese history, in particular, the no longer discussed Cultural "Revolution" and the fact that families were relocated by the government. So she is not "Handanren". She is Dongbeiren. We associate with mostly other Dongbei, the Handanren we know, don't care, much, that she married a laowei. If someone is looking for an argument, my wife simply interrupts the discussion, and informs them that I don't understand. She further takes any questions they have and asks me in English, so no offense is taken. At least for me, she knows that I come from an actual "filial" family. Very much evidenced when a "smart, young man" decided to invoke a popular Chinese insult, toward my grandfather. 'We' have not seen him since and most of her friends shunned him, for being 'so smart'.
In the military, I remember being in Korea, dating a Korean and when the subject of marriage came up, she politely told me, she would be happy to be my wife, but we could never have children, b/c they would not be "pure". Therefore, they would be 'abominations'. I also think of my older sister, my father adopted her in Vietnam, found her in the ruins of a razed village while on a convoy mission, the only way they would give her medical care, was if she was someone's family. Her mother finally appeared in Saigon, shortly before dad was to return to the States. She tried convincing dad to marry her, problem, dad was already married. My mom was disappointed she wouldn't have a daughter. However, my sister had an American name, so shortly after, she and her mother were permitted to immigrate to the US. She's now a Doctor, sends dad a father's day card and every couple years a birthday card as well.
I know in parts of South America, if you have blue eyes, someone will try to kill you, because you are the devil. In Africa, you are a white, you are an imperialist seeking to exploit them. In Asia, enough said.
Racism is rampant in all countries, I don't remember hearing any of my friends, or reading anything that said they were lynching blacks in the streets in London. Maybe they did, who knows, but I know in the county where I grew up. They had pictures on the front page of the paper, when a black man was lynched. Many of the 'old timers' are still happy to talk about when the last of the "injuns" got removed from the county. As well, I know where the Klan is still the local authority in my home state. I don't need to go to Kentucky or Georgia.
Am I worried that my wife may have trouble adapting to life in America? Yes, even though there is an Asian population in Lansing, even though we can run over to Chicago, or into Canada, if she gets homesick. Granted, being Dongbei, in Handan, she openly told me, she does not consider Handan, "home". Even though she studied music at the conservatory in Beijing, she is a "second fiddle" in Handan. She is terrified of blacks. We went and played pool one night with friends and there were three African students in the pool hall. Also, at our favorite 'hot-spring' park, she freaked when she saw their 'theme dancers', the men were all extremely dark for Asians. However, they were Asian/Pacific Islander. I can not from where, because I've never seen an "Asian" that dark skinned.
Would I live in China? If I thought we could have a fair shake, with my being a laowei, yes. However, despite the families acceptance of me and my willingness to relocate, they have all (both grandmas, all the aunts and uncles along with cousins) said we should live in America. As one of the uncles is on the city committee, I take that to heart.
Willy, I want you to understand, I love China. However, China is going to have to change, before all hell breaks lose, both at home and regionally in Asia. Yes, the PLA is large enough to wipe everyone but India off the map. That doesn't mean that the continent wouldn't be totally destroyed. You can say all the wicked little pokes you want about America, I don't care.
JohnB, I was screwed by the unions, after my family helped to build them. A 'liberal bias' is not an 'informed opinion', it is a leftist lean. I sit the fence politically speaking. I would happily see both parties lose, so the US can get back to being the US, not a media circus. However, I should inform you, I know plenty of people who have been on both sides of the fence that are 'ex-pats' and should your buddy (going by your opinion) win again in November, I'm considering taking a long extended teaching vacation. I would rather deal with a corrupt communist who admits to what they are. Then live with some lying bastard who would happily shaft my fellow veteran, and piss on the constitution. Until he has destroyed what the founders tried to create.
I know we say to keep politics out, so please, keep politics out. Before studying accounting, I studied Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy. I know the theories, I also know the "Democrats" have rewritten the definition of "Liberal" to something that the founders would not agree with. An educated person knows that when the US was born, when the Constitution was written, by Madison, Jay and Hamilton, the definition of Liberal ideology was "The rights and freedoms of the individual, as protected by the government". Why, because they were smart enough to know, there is no such thing as "social-equality" without screwing over everyone but those at the top. Just look at the system in China. If that's not enough, go to South Korea and ask a defector from the North, what happens if you don't "worship" the Kim family and their "government".