this post was submitted on 08 May 2026
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[–] imahappyguy@lemmy.world 31 points 1 month ago (3 children)

It is very naïve to assume racism only belonged to the Confederacy. Just because black folks were free in the North, doesn't mean it was all sunshine and roses. This was inevitable from America's founding as a white nation. It's a sad, hapless truth; one that, as every society has, will bring us to collapse. So, stock up, play nice with neighbors, and ride out the fall of America.

[–] JcbAzPx@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)

On the scale of racists, I'll take the ones that are ashamed of being that way over the loudly and proudly defiant ones.

[–] imahappyguy@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Were they ashamed when they segregated the black people? Were they ashamed when they economically crippled them at every turn? Were they ashamed when they made them sit in the back of their churches? Were they ashamed when they were forced to go to their own people's colleges and universities, because they weren't allowed admittance to the white school? This all happened in the north post Civil War. This was the endgame of America. Always has been and it's been known since the beginning. It's time to just sit back and watch the collapse of the empire. Nothing else to do. Racism will never fully be extinguished because it preys on our tribalistic instinct. Hard to overwrite that one.

[–] athatet@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Racism as a concept was invented in the 1700’s by rich, white Europeans. It has nothing to do with humans existing in tribes and can absolutely be extinguished.

[–] imahappyguy@lemmy.world -4 points 1 month ago

That 1700s example is something hotly debated by historians and anthropologists. So, I'm not going to touch on it. My point was that humans innately need/want a tribe. Some humans now, use race in place of a tribe. Others use nationality. Some use religion. It's all the same. This was always the endgame. There is no other outcome. You will never be able to move past it. To think so, is naïveté. Because there will always be a group in the shadows waiting to strike and poison the well.

It just doesn't matter, dude. We as humanity deserve to die regardless. As a species we're absolutely useless to this Earth. We're selfish, narcissistic people. We're animals. We make choices based on how it can help our people first, not others. It has been this way since the start of society.

P.S. I will add that, racism is always discrimination, but discrimination isn't always racism. As such, it doesn't matter if it's called racism, or not. It's discrimination rooted from a tribalistic us v them ideology.

[–] Bluescluestoothpaste@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Bro you're not teaching anything anyone just being annoying. Yes, Lincoln and the rest of the North was racist, everybody knows that. But they still gave African-Americans the right to vote because they believed in democracy. The confederacy started a war to stop Black people from voting. There was a palpable difference. We don't need racists to start liking minorities, we need democracy and freedom protected for all. And yes we should have hanged confederate leaders and this country would be decades more advanced right now.

[–] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Considering some of Europe started adopting some form of universal healthcare in the 1940s, that's ~8 decades and counting, just for that one milestone of modern civilization.

We cant even get away from lead waterpipes and asbestos schools.

There are starving children in Africa* with better access to healthcare, clean water, and an education.

Oh, and internet.

* By American definition of "starving", so like, ~1800kcal per day.

[–] imahappyguy@lemmy.world -1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

But like, there is starvation in Africa. I am being pedantic, but it's worth not forgetting about the current Sudan situation.

[–] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 month ago

There's starvation in America, too.

Maybe the 80s were more prosperous, but that's what our parents would tell us millenials when we were kids who didn't finish their dinner. We also sat Indian-style and played Chinese Kickball. It was a different time.

But kids today, we may as well just tell them that there are starving kids in their classroom...because there more than likely are.

[–] imahappyguy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (2 children)

It was very nice to give them the right to vote, as long as they stayed far enough away from the whites. I'm just saying, it's naïve to say that this level of racism was only fostered from the Confederacy. It's tribalism. The most exceptional part of the human race. It's what kept us alive long enough to evolve this way. Every single one of us is sucept to it. To think not is folly, friend. You have a level of anger in your heart that is best put aside for a sandwich with a friend. The world has not changed, it has always been this way. How you choose to react is your own. Peace and love to you.

[–] Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I get your point, but calling them the same is not accurate. The idea of the south was that black people were not people, and should only be counted for property.

You can still be racist and think that black people are people, but there's levels to it, it's not an on or off thing.

This said, it's not representative of the whole south or the whole north, but the variance was absolutely enough to make progress.

[–] imahappyguy@lemmy.world -4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I think the fundamental disagreement we have is, you have faith in progress; and I am jaded.

[–] Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Oh believe me I'm jaded as well. What we have going on right now is the opposite of progress. We're headed toward fascism on a global scale. We're already balls deep in the US.

I still think it's important to call out the positives, even in a flawed setting because that can give a glimmer of hope, and without hope we'd just surrender. Fuck that. I'm too petty for that, and wrong is wrong.

It's all the same or that's not good enough or it could have been better shouldn't get in the way of progress no matter how small. The difference between the north and south in that time may seem small now, but it was a massive difference for those that were affected. It was the catalyst that got us to the point we were at a decade ago (prior to the maga shift) which compared to north or south of the time is a monumental difference. Even a decade ago, we were no where near finished, but it was progress.

[–] imahappyguy@lemmy.world -4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

What is the difference between enslaving someone from not viewing them as equal and setting their house on fire with them in it, for not viewing them as equal? You bring up recent history saying things were getting better, even ten years ago. I disagree. The thing that brought it back out was electing a black president. And all those with racism in their hearts saw it as the end for them. So, they're gonna make everyone pay for that. Because America has always been racist. It will never stop until whites in america are the minority.

If you think it was better, you missed the part where we vehemently imposed cruelty on Arabs in the past three decades.

[–] Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This conversation can't work if we're going to ignore reality

[–] Bluescluestoothpaste@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

it’s naïve to say that this level of racism was only fostered from the Confederacy

It's not naive because Northen racism still fought a war to give African-Americans the right to be citizens. It objectively did not rise to the level of taking those voting rights away, which is what OP is about. Those are two distinct levels of racism is what I'm saying.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

racism was thier SOLE mission, beliefs, of course it was also in the north. but it fuel thier economy in thier south through segregaiton and slavery. the problem was not ELIMINATING the remaining confederacy strongholds.

[–] imahappyguy@lemmy.world -4 points 1 month ago

*Their.

Segregation was common across across the whole country. This whole country has always been racist. My point was this wasn't a north south issue. It is the heart of America. What does it matter if we give people freedom and still starve them? What good is freedom if you have no home? What good is freedom if you're still burning them? This is wasn't progress in the north, it was trying to feign righteousness. America, all of it, is a racist country.