Do you feel that military personnel are more racist than civilian?
343169
I spent 20 years in the Army.  I would say that if anything, the military people are less racist than the rest of society.\n\nWe go through so much together, and are trained to rely on each other at times that are so far outside of race issues, that it is hard to be racist and be a successful soldier.  \n\nI think Dr. Kings comment "I had a dream of a time when a man would be judged by the content of his character and not the color of his skin" is the most closely shown in the comradery that is present in the military (especially the combat arms).
943215
Yes there are many military personnel that are doing the job they committed to do without regard to their personal feelings.\n\nI am ex-military... 1985-1991 and look at me... I am one of the loudest voices against Bush and his madman war.
990604
I am Black and I know some of my fellow people do that. I personally think its silly I know there is racism in the world but you have to work ur hardest to make the best for you. But I don't think its only Black people I am sure other races feel the same way. A lot of people are prejudice against all types of people Its not just a Black thing anymore... have you seen the movie Crash?
669091
I think that we are all racists - but some more than others. The main thing is to be aware of it, and try to work with it.\n\nI think the real problem humans have is with difference, because then we start making comparisons, and that's uncomfortable. Racism is another form of difference.\n\nAs a white european woman living in London, I try not to be racist, but I am aware of racist thoughts sometimes. And sometimes people are racist to me! (I have an Irish heritage) But I am trying to do my bit by bringing up my sons to be as aware as possible.
624728
Racism, for it is never justified.  One might say that being jingoistic could be justified on patriotic grounds, but racism can never be.
871573
No mate... you're not..\n\nI live in a large city with a very high ethnic/immigrant population. I have grown up with people from all cultures and am pleased that my children don't recognise racial and religious differences. I am now way racist and shirk from saying anything because of the fear of being branded as such...\n\nBut...... enough is enough...\n\nI work in a small town where the majority of people are racist and I hate their attitudes... but you can see the popularity of what they say growing...\n\nI have concerns for the future.. I worry that it will be ok in the future to be openly racist and aggressive to minorities, as was acceptable in Nazi Germany...\n\nAll of our politicians, irrespective of political persussion must do something soon to stop the "immigration" issue becoming a negative issue upon which bigots can campaign and stand. It's a worry... but equally worrying is the fact that we really are being swamped.\n\nI recently completed a canvass for the local Council by completing their electoral registers in a few wards. Iwas shocked at the number of nationalities represented: Poles, Czechs, Russians, Italians, French, Germans, Gambians, Ghanaians, Phillpinos, Burmese, Jamaican, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Croatian, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Potugeese and Hungarian.\n\nIt came as a shock to find so many confined in such a small area. It was like a ghetto...\n\nReally... it's time to act with sense and decency before more radical steps have to be taken.
861247
im just p issed that they get better treatment than native folk. its becoming a muslim state.\nim not a racist, roll on the day when everyones equal
1027509
yes. we are so oversensitive these days that  if you ever disagree with someone of another color. then you are automatically labelled racist. amazing how thin skinned we are these days..
833049
G'day Gistambition,\n\nThank you for your question.\n\nThey would probably end what they considered to be racism but it might not embrace their own attitudes.\n\nAs they don't have such power and are unlikely to get it, it doesn't worry me too much.\n\nRegards
1019456
Maybe you are attracted to the style and way that the military ppl are.
392566
It should be up to the men who serve with them. It's probably a homophobic attitude but I would never feel comfortable serving with a homosexual. Not when you have to live with them day in and day out. And if you didn't feel comfortable with the squad your in, you would compromise the efficiency of the unit therefore every ones lives would be more at risk. And you can say what you want in reply to that, it is my view, not yours.
669344
I hope this helps:\n\n\nThe American troops likeliest to fight and die in a war against Iraq are disproportionately white, not black, military statistics show — contradicting a belief widely held since the early days of the Vietnam War. \n\nIn a little-publicized trend, black recruits have gravitated toward non-combat jobs that provide marketable skills for post-military careers, while white soldiers are over-represented in front-line combat forces.\n\nThe tilt toward white combat troops is recognized by many senior commanders and a small group of scholars who study the military.\n\n"If anybody should be complaining about battlefield deaths, it is poor, rural whites," says Charles Moskos, a military sociologist at Northwestern University in Illinois.\n\nWhen Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., called recently for the return of a military draft, he evoked images of inequality raised during the early years of the Vietnam War, when black soldiers died at rates much greater than their share of the U.S. population. \n\nThough Rangel is right that blacks and lower-income Americans still serve in disproportionate numbers, that fact misses another significant trend. While blacks are 20% of the military — compared with 12% of the U.S. population — they make up a far smaller percentage of troops in combat jobs on the front line.\n\nIn a host of high-risk slots — from Army commandos to Navy and Air Force fighter pilots — blacks constitute less than 5% of the force, statistics show.\n\nBlacks, especially in the enlisted ranks, tend to be disproportionately drawn to non-combat fields such as unit administration and communications. They are underrepresented in jobs shooting rifles or dropping bombs. \n\nExamples:\n\nOf the Army's 45,586 enlisted combat infantryman, 10.6% are black. \n\nOf the Air Force's 12,000 pilots, 245, or about 2%, are black. \n\nIn the Navy, 2.5% of the pilots are black. \n\nSenior Air Force officials say they are troubled by the number of black pilots and plan to do better.\n\nThe Army's enlisted Green Berets are among the least diverse groups in the military. Only 196 of the Army's 4,278 enlisted Green Berets — fewer than 5% — are black. \n\nThe reasons for the racial divide are unclear, but several theories have emerged, including lingering racism in some quarters of the military and a tendency among black recruits to choose jobs that help them find work in the civilian sector.
387349
Yes, you'd like to think of them as criminals rather than just people looking for any kind of work.  I'm sure it makes your racism that much more comfortable.
741039
I served in Afghanistan and received quite a bit of hate mail from back home. I was injured while on patrol and upon returning home had garbage and other things thrown at me as I entered the base for my discharge. Iraq is far more controversial so I am glad that I do not have to bear coming home from Iraq and receive even worse criticism. Joining the Army was my CHOICE!. You people may not like wars but you are not fighting in it so I don't know what gives anti war protesters the right to spit on me when I am only serving my country and my countrymen, including them. We are told not to argue, but I wish they would put their time to better use than standing outside all day and ridiculing the soldiers. Fortunately others and I are far too proud to take too much offense.
912399
I don't know, but I am quite certain that ANY of them have more courage than you do. Most of them are probably a lot less racist than you also.
926883
I feel comfortable when I am with people who smile and act laid-back. I feel very tense and nervous around people who are aggressive and loud and sending out violent vibes. It has nothing to with their ethnicity.\nThere are people of all colours and creed who wear hatred as some kind of badge, and they are not pleasant to be around. \nOn the other hand, people who display patience and tolerance and acceptance are easy to be with.
391778
sstooc2001: Have YOU ever served in the military?  I doubt it.  And,. I'd like to see if you'd compare the military to criminals to anyone of our faces..  I doubt that as well.