80% of Veterans Affairs employees say "racism is a moderate or serious issue"

[essentialsaltes]

LINK

The Government Accountability Office will investigate claims of systemic racism within the Department of Veterans Affairs, lawmakers said Thursday, two months after a government union said most of its surveyed members saw racism as a problem inside the agency.


The survey of 1,500 union members who are VA employees concluded that nearly 80 percent of staffers said racism is a moderate or serious issue, with more than half reporting they had witnessed racism aimed at veterans, according to the American Federation of Government Employees.

 

[Arc F1]

LINK

The Government Accountability Office will investigate claims of systemic racism within the Department of Veterans Affairs, lawmakers said Thursday, two months after a government union said most of its surveyed members saw racism as a problem inside the agency.


The survey of 1,500 union members who are VA employees concluded that nearly 80 percent of staffers said racism is a moderate or serious issue, with more than half reporting they had witnessed racism aimed at veterans, according to the American Federation of Government Employees.

Perceived racism is really getting out of control. More often than not it has nothing to do with the color of one's skin.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Perceived racism is really getting out of control. More often than not it has nothing to do with the color of one's skin.

You shouldn't have to be black to identify racism.

 

[Pommer]

Perceived racism is really getting out of control. More often than not it has nothing to do with the color of one's skin.

Yeah...racism is never about that.

 

[Yesitstrue]

Perceived racism is really getting out of control. More often than not it has nothing to do with the color of one's skin.

When you walk through a store and are tailed by security and you are brown... Well?

When you walk by cars and people lock there doors raise windows and your black... well?

When you walk in the neighborhood where you live coming home with drink. Are shot by a person who lives in the neighborhood because your brown and they get away with it...well?

When you are charged with a sentence and its double the length of sentencing as a whote person doing same crime.... well?

When you are killed charged for selling a contraband cigarette allegedly by police and you are black.. well?

This is small mentions compared to vast occurrences an great number that happen every day

 

[Ken-1122]

When you walk through a store and are tailed by security and you are brown... Well?

When you walk by cars and people lock there doors raise windows and your black... well?

When you walk in the neighborhood where you live coming home with drink. Are shot by a person who lives in the neighborhood because your brown and they get away with it...well?

When you are charged with a sentence and its double the length of sentencing as a whote person doing same crime.... well?

When you are killed charged for selling a contraband cigarette allegedly by police and you are black.. well?

This is small mentions compared to vast occurrences an great number that happen every day

How about when this happens when you are white; well?

 

[Jimmy D]

How about when this happens when you are white; well?

How about it? Are you denying that racism is a problem?

 

[Arc F1]

When you walk through a store and are tailed by security and you are brown... Well?

When you walk by cars and people lock there doors raise windows and your black... well?

When you walk in the neighborhood where you live coming home with drink. Are shot by a person who lives in the neighborhood because your brown and they get away with it...well?

When you are charged with a sentence and its double the length of sentencing as a whote person doing same crime.... well?

When you are killed charged for selling a contraband cigarette allegedly by police and you are black.. well?

This is small mentions compared to vast occurrences an great number that happen every day

When the exact same happens to a white person how do you explain that? Is it because they deserve it?

When a white officer shoots a black man can the only reason be that it's racist? In the George Floyd case the officer that first pulled him from the car was black. He also stood by doing nothing and was charged in the guy's death. Was he a racist also? My point is that we to often jump to conclusions when it has nothing to do with racism.

 

[Arc F1]

You shouldn't have to be black to identify racism.

I'm not saying there is no racism. I'm saying we are blowing it way out of proportion. Almost everyday something is blamed on racism with no proof of intent.

 

[Arc F1]

Yeah...racism is never about that.

Most cases we see reported have nothing to do with racism. Intent is no longer necessary now its just any interaction between a poc and a white person. Victim mentality and lack of personal responsibility. All it does is water down the real cases

 

[Yesitstrue]

When the exact same happens to a white person how do you explain that? Is it because they deserve it?

When a white officer shoots a black man can the only reason be that it's racist? In the George Floyd case the officer that first pulled him from the car was black. He also stood by doing nothing and was charged in the guy's death. Was he a racist also? My point is that we to often jump to conclusions when it has nothing to do with racism.

 

[Caliban]

Perceived racism is really getting out of control. More often than not it has nothing to do with the color of one's skin.

Do you have stats for this claim or is it just an assertion from your own worldview?

 

[Arc F1]

Do you have stats for this claim or is it just an assertion from your own worldview?

It's hard to know ones intent. We tend to see racism as the very first thing thrown out there because it makes good headlines. Just look at the floyd case. One of the officers involved was black. Yet they are all seen as racist in news articles because the guy has light brown skin. I have to assume they didn't think anyone would notice.

 

[Ken-1122]

How about it? Are you denying that racism is a problem?

It's a problem for everyone.

 

[Caliban]

It's hard to know ones intent. We tend to see racism as the very first thing thrown out there because it makes good headlines. Just look at the floyd case. One of the officers involved was black. Yet they are all seen as racist in news articles because the guy has light brown skin. I have to assume they didn't think anyone would notice.

People measure racism by different metrics. Identifying intent is one way, the imbalance of racial power dynamics is another, and the disparity of racial outcomes is still another. I personally do not think a person has to have a hateful motive to be racist. Much of racism has to do with expectations and stereotypes. When a person perceives racism and we live in a country with open and hidden racism, it seems reasonable to believe them. We can look specific instances in a case-by-case basis to determine if there was overt racist intent, but most racism is subtle and clouded with humor and denial.

 

[Ken-1122]

People measure racism by different metrics. Identifying intent is one way, the imbalance of racial power dynamics is another, and the disparity of racial outcomes is still another.

IMO I think it would be a big mistake to view an imbalance of power dynamics, and the disparity of outcomes as examples of racism.

 

[Caliban]

IMO I think it would be a big mistake to view an imbalance of power dynamics, and the disparity of outcomes as examples of racism.

If you look at every imbalance of power and every case of outcompetes disparity and an example of racism--I'd agree with you. However, if there is large inequity in a given institution and no one attempt to make changes or address underlying race issues, that could easily be an example of implicit racism. Discrimination is rarely obvious nowadays, is is deeply cultural and impeded in good intentions.

 

[Yesitstrue]

You can be in a black family and be black but darker black and be treated differently than your lighter skinned cousin who is black. I know from my own family. Unfortunately this occurs. To deny the occurrence or say condemn white racism is to belittle and deny the severity and its existence instead of acknowledgement and begin healing change. For everyone.

 

[Ken-1122]

If you look at every imbalance of power and every case of outcompetes disparity and an example of racism--I'd agree with you. However, if there is large inequity in a given institution and no one attempt to make changes or address underlying race issues, that could easily be an example of implicit racism. Discrimination is rarely obvious nowadays, is is deeply cultural and impeded in good intentions.

The imbalance of power in this country is not based on race, so it is not a racial issue.

 

[Yesitstrue]

IMO I think it would be a big mistake to view an imbalance of power dynamics, and the disparity of outcomes as examples of racism.

Imbalance of power and disparity are perfect examples of racism. Blacks and Hispanics Asians native Americans women are all perfect examples

They are not treated equally paid equally or even vote equally. Black communities have to wait 11 hours to vote in some places whites 15 minutes

Look at this
https://twitter.com/clairecmc/status/1315691917817139206?s=09