macsrollers
224 posts
Nov 22, 2009
12:08 AM
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More and more I see the subject of race being factored in to this hobby and competitions. I have been in rollers 14 years now and never have experienced racism or prejudice at any event I have attended due to color of skin or background. I have experienced prejudice in regards to family of birds, color of birds, and as to whether one competes or just is a backyard flier. I go to shows and flies in Southern California on the average about 8 times a year. As far as color of skin I, being white, am by far in the minority by color of skin each time. Whether in Norco or Compton I have never felt in the minority or been treated as such, nor have I considered other races and color of skin as minorities. At our Tribute to William Pensom Show this year a attorney attended. She is known as controversial in regards to being a advocate of human rights. She came because she had heard about rollers and wanted to see what they were all about. Randy Gibson and I were asking her what she thought and her response had nothing to do about the birds. She stated that she was amazed at the diversity of people that were there and how they all interacted and enjoyed themselves. I never looked at it from that perspective but I realized she was right on. The roller hobby is best described by the word diversity, not racism or prejudice. We in the hobby should be proud of that as there aren't many hobbies in this world that can best describe themselves as diverse. So people should really think about that and appreciate how little prejudice and racism there is in our hobby vs. the real world. Now if we can just get everyone to be less prejudice about family of birds, color of birds, and competition vs. backyard flier then we really will be in the best hobby in the world! Enjoy your next fly!
Don M. Mac's Rollers LVRC
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BA Rollers
296 posts
Nov 22, 2009
9:15 AM
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Don, I find the cohesive interaction between people of all races and all walks of life to be the sole most amazing things that rollers do. I try to describe it to people and its hard to really get the point across because outside of rollers, this diverse joining together wouldn't happen. In fact it is often the opposite.
Racism is usually founded upon and coupled with HATE. No matter where you go or what you do, even in the wonderful world of pigeons and rollers there will be people who have either been raised or conditioned to be hateful and racist. Generally its a product of their environment or their upbringing. In some instances it is the results of experiences from incarceration.
You cannot change the ingnorant, hateful, racist people that you may occasionally encounter in this his hobby. I find it is simply best to just avoid them.
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katyroller
641 posts
Nov 22, 2009
12:13 PM
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Unfortunately, there are those that still have issues. The hobby as a group has to police our ranks and let these individuals know that they are not welcome in our hobby. The easiest way to do this, is to not associate with these individuals or reply to their racist posts on the different BR Forums. These individuals will eventually watch what they say or give up the hobby.
Tracey
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Hector Coya
580 posts
Nov 22, 2009
1:16 PM
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Im proud of being part of this hobby,Like you said,Not many hobby's or groups can get along so well.
If you do find some Racism,its a very some percent.
Usually its those people that look for it,and they will find it,I myself have never experience it personally,I have friends of every walk of life and we all see each other as Pigeon friends.
Hector
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Ballrollers
GOLD MEMBER
2152 posts
Nov 22, 2009
3:59 PM
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Don
Excellent observations. I, too, echo your hopes for our hobby.
Cliff
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Windjammer Loft
1008 posts
Nov 23, 2009
7:20 AM
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None of these thoughs about color of skin, nationality
or whatever plays apart in this hobby for ME. To me we are all AMERICANS... first and foremost. Everything else is secondary to me....
And I could care less....
Fly High and Roll On
Paul
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pigeon pete
432 posts
Nov 23, 2009
8:50 AM
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Paul.
Isn't nationalism in the same sphere as racism? ;)
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katyroller
644 posts
Nov 23, 2009
9:16 AM
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Pigeon Pete,
Sir, you a crafty one!LOL I understand where you are coming from and to answer your question, I say YES.
Tracey
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Spin City USA
264 posts
Nov 23, 2009
7:50 PM
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Pete IS pretty crafty, I think the problem starts with "ism" whenever you see that at the end of a word you have a problem. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your race or the country you have chosen to live in. When you cross a certain point and go over board,ie: muffs or clean leg, backyard or comp, religon, politics or race you have a big problem and if a person can not recognize where the conversation or situation is going it can escalate and get nasty. Some times it is wise to just back away and move on.
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They gotta Spin to win.....Jay
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pigeon pete
433 posts
Nov 24, 2009
8:32 AM
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Hi
I think that if Hitler had just relied on racism to motivate the German People we wouldn't have had WW2.
Nationalism was the driving force. The soldiers were not fighting to kill all foreigners, they were fighting for the motherland.
I am British English and white, and I am not proud of it either. What effort did I put in to be born as I am? None.
I am pleased I was born where and when I was, when I see how millions of other poor suckers are suffering all around the World.
I have never understood the "proud to be" brigade.
Talking of WW2, I just read a quote attributed to
Winston Churchill the British Prime Miinister at the time.
Quote= "Appeasement is like feeding a crocodile hoping it will eat you last".
Pete.
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fhtfire
2227 posts
Nov 24, 2009
12:15 PM
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Great Post Mac,
You know..at the Convention during my little speach..LOL I made a little comment about these rollers and how race, religion, economic status has no bias when it comes to rollers...we all love this little bird. All our pictures you can see how we all get along just fine..you have the latinos..brotha's...asians...whites..and the list goes on....all with smiles and all with arms around each other etc...that my friend is called friendship.
It is funny...Mookie and Rob are both Sac fliers..they came from L.A. and were well....lets say they were wild back in the day...anyway...they come to my house all the time to watch the birds...we cook breakfast and just hang out....Rob said something interesting to me just the other day..we were talking about how he grew up in the streets...gang banging...etc etc...and that just 10 years ago..he never thought in a million years that he would be in Woodland..kickin it with a white boy...in a real nice neighborhood and then finding how many things we have in common...just those words meant alot to me...I never really thought of it that way beacause I have been around many races my whole life....but to Rob it meant something.....he said since he was with the pigeon guys...its the first time that he had ever asked to use a bathroom and nobody followed him into the house "pretending" they were doing something to make sure the brotha did not steal anything...but he says with the pigeon guys...it is different...we are all trusting...and well...friends...anyway...I just thought it was cool....and I too have always thought that these little birds were special.
Hell...because of these little birds....I am one of the very few white boys that could say they spent a whole day in the North and South Side of Richmond CA. and came out alive...again..Rollers..or pigeons in general are a special kind of bird...maybe that is why the dove is the sign of peace!!
Rock and ROLL
Paul
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nicksiders
GOLD MEMBER
3862 posts
Nov 24, 2009
1:01 PM
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Common ground; it is all about common ground. A funny thing, I have been in Richmond up north and Compton down south and I have never had anyone give me any shit. I don't know if it is because I am so damn ugly or what it is. I think it is all in how you look at people giving off no suspicion and no fear.
Now, in Cleveland, OH I did have a problem when I wondered off into a prodominately Polish community and they thought I was Italion; I had just came out of that neighborhood of prodominatly Italion. I had my ass handed to me in quick time. Now that was in the 1960's and I like to think that problem has deminished and hopefully disappeared.
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Just My Take On Things
Nick Siders
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Windjammer Loft
1011 posts
Nov 25, 2009
6:51 AM
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Nick..... I hate to say this but.... It's probably worse nowadays.... That's why I moved out to Amish country... Just getten back to the natural way of life for me..
Fly High and Roll On
Paul
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bman
733 posts
Nov 25, 2009
7:02 AM
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Nick,they probably mistook you for a Steelers fan.lol
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Ron
Borderline lofts
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Mongrel Lofts
614 posts
Nov 25, 2009
8:27 AM
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It has been my experience that those that throw the word racist and racism around are 99 times out of a 100 the real racist. My friends come from every race you can imagine. I don't even think about or consider anyones race. I judge a man by his character. What does skin color have to do with anything?
Jay Ventress is on this list. Don't tell anyone, but he is Black and I am white. I would Trust Jay with my children, my wife and my bank account!LOL. What does color of skin have to do with anything? I really don't get it!
When Cornell Norwood came down to visit, we ended up on a river bank craw fishing, drinking rum and coke and singing old dewap songs! LOL
only racist run to the racist and racism word. It's much like a racial slur. It's only used to degrade someone else when your argument is weak. It really just sticks mudd and points out the racism in the person using it. Every man that enters my home is my friend,My brother, until. He proves different! Just my opinion. KGB
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Good Times Roll
62 posts
Nov 26, 2009
11:35 AM
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What about "Prejudice" in our hobby ?
RL
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Mongrel Lofts
617 posts
Nov 26, 2009
2:04 PM
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Well Prejudice,
I don't like squid. It is slimey and hard to swallow. I guess I'm prejudice against squid. Dishonest crooked people. I don't care for them. I guess I'm predjudice against liars and crooks! Yea, I think we are all predjudice against some things Wether we admit it or not. KGB
Last Edited by on Nov 26, 2009 3:39 PM
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Good Times Roll
63 posts
Nov 26, 2009
9:31 PM
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Way to go Kenny,If squid is aka for Skuidly Didly and he flies rollers and is a dishonest crook and liar then that would have to do with our hobby lol
RL
Last Edited by on Nov 26, 2009 9:51 PM
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JBow
129 posts
Nov 26, 2009
10:09 PM
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Any judge that is predjudice about the flyer or about the family of birds being flown is simply not a judge period. We need to drop all this talk about familys and color birds its is a cancer in our sport. To me family and color has nothing to with what the birds do on fly day............ Jim Bowen
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Good Times Roll
65 posts
Nov 27, 2009
9:32 AM
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I agree Jim, My post was intentionally food for thought, Sence it seems we can all come togeter in one way, why not all!
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Scott
2633 posts
Nov 27, 2009
2:55 PM
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Absolutly not ! our countries are our home that many have paid the ultimate price for, I have a true love for my country which has nothing to do with the ignorance of racism.
(Paul.
Isn't nationalism in the same sphere as racism? ;)
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Scott Campbell
" God Bless "
Last Edited by on Nov 27, 2009 2:57 PM
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katyroller
655 posts
Nov 28, 2009
11:49 AM
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Nationalism can be taken to the extreme and become a negative influence. It is honorable to support and defend one's nation but when one takes it to the point that they are unable to acknowledge and appreciate another countries traditions and achievements, it becomes a negative. I have traveled to many countries while serving in the military and witnessed behavior that was degrading to the host nation. Phrases such as "Well... in America we do it this way" can be very damaging when used to suggest that OUR way is the only way. Growing up in Hawaii and attending school with many military dependents, local kids often heard such phrases and they were usually used or taken to suggest we were backwards. This is still an issue in Hawaii today.
Proud to be an educated American!
Tracey
Last Edited by on Nov 28, 2009 11:51 AM
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