Racial controversy surrounds race

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From the Miami Herald
Racial controversy surrounds race

BY CAMMY CLARK

cclark@herald.com

HAMPTON, Ga. - A newly formed group called the National Association for Minority Race Fans said it is planning a Confederate flag exchange today before the Nextel Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but NASCAR officials believe the group has more sinister plans.

Alston & Bird LLP, an Atlanta law firm representing NASCAR, sent a letter to Texas businessman John Eckerd on Wednesday accusing him of conspiring with NAMRF to plan a staged racial incident using actors who will try to get arrested.

The letter also said Eckerd is helping to plan the hiring of an actress to falsely claim she had been raped or sexually assaulted at a NASCAR event.

The reason is to create footage for a film project called either Dixie 500 or Jasper 500.

''It's absurd that I've been dragged into this by NASCAR,'' Eckerd said in a statement provided by NAMRF. ``I believe in NAMRF's cause and I believe the movie will be provocative and profitable. But to accuse me of being the point man of a group conspiring to stage a crime is preposterous.''

NAMRF's statement said Eckerd is an independent consultant and part of a large group arranging financing for the documentary, which is scheduled for release Feb. 20 in conjunction with the Daytona 500.

Excerpts of the film on the NAMRF website show footage of racist comments from people appearing to be NASCAR fans.

Law enforcement, including the FBI, are looking into NASCAR's allegations.

Shawn Griffith, who is producing the film, said Saturday that he is working with local law enforcement to stage a flag exchange at Atlanta Motor Speedway in which race fans are given either American, NASCAR or selected driver flags in exchange for Confederate flags.

NAMRF said its mission is ``to make NASCAR races safe for all races.''

But NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said: ``It's clear now that this has nothing to do with civil rights, has nothing to do with diversity. Our worse suspicions are now confirmed that this is a scheme to intimidate NASCAR and to turn a profit.''
 
I've already read this too. What a freakin' joke. I don't personally have a confederate flag, but if I did I wouldn't take anybody's flag in exchange for it. If the minorities want to be accepted in NASCAR, then they should earn that right the same way the other crews, owners, and drivers have in the past. SACRAFICE to be a racer. For car owners to go out of their way to hire minorities is too political for me. Just hire the best man for the job, black, red, or white!

Civil rights are earned not given. Act civil and you'll be treated civil, regardless of the color of your skin.

Just my 2 cents.

RacerRod
 
I'm assuming the racist comments I've heard against whites at NBA games and at NFL games will also be recognized...no? Didn't think so...
 
It ticks me off to hear or read about this type of things. I personally believe that the only reason we still have the degree of racism in this country is because the "so called" minorities refuse to let it go. Instead of mixing into the "melting pot" that the United States is supposed to be, they've chosen to create their own functions, groups, and communities. Minorites are given their own scholarships, their own holidays, their own social groups, and even their own schools. I think minorities are as much at fault for racism as the white popluation. Our freedoms are available to anyone who will work for them! If you decided to be sucessful and a good upstanding citizen then you'll reap the benefits regardless of your race or color! If minorities want to be treated as equals then they should act as equals. I have many friends that are black, hispanic, or from other ethnic groups so I wouldn't say that I'm a racist. Instead, I think I'm a person who sees thing for what they truely are. Like I've said before, genetics loads the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.
 
What if we had?????????
White boy only collage fund (united negro collage fund)
White entertainment TV (BET Black enertainment Television)
NAAWP (naacp national association for the advancment of colored people)
A phobe book consisting of only white owned businsses (like the black pages)
black panthers ( i guess the KKK)
I tell you what would happen you would be run out of town!!!!!!!!
they fight discrimination unless its reverse discrimination then it OK!!!!!!!!!
 
As I understand, they are mad because some fans are racist? What does that have to do with NASCAR? If a person chooses to be a racist and also chooses to be a fan of stock car racing, that is the individual person's choice. No orginazation can change that or has the right to try and do so. What would any group hope to accomplish by having a confederate flag swap? Those who fly it do so to show that they are either proud of their southern heritage or to show that they are nonconformists. The flag does not represent racism or slavery. It is clearly a publicity stunt that they know will go wrong and that is what they want. Has anyone ever heard of any problems where minorities have been assualted for attending any stock car race?
 
Like it or not, the flag of the Confedracy (and there is more than one) are apart of History and as the line in the song says " You can't take that away."
Freedom gives me the right to remember my Southern Heritage, "American by birth, Southern by the Grace of God." Freedom also gives me the right to free expression. I choose not to forget and the best way for History to NOT repeat itself is to never forget.

To many the flag has to do with their heritage as it does for me.
To others it has to do with hate of which they use it to stir up racial conflict.
It means many different things to many different people.

Therfore I choose to show the "Stars and Bars" and the "Bonnie Blue" battle flag proudly along with "Old Glory" on our race car. If it offends anyone I feel your pain as in mine if I could not express my desire to NOT FORGET.

Momma Drew
"ROLL TIDE"
 
Reason why they hang onto this theory that there is racism is to get oportunities..free ones..tv and advertisment time hoping someone will pave a golden brick road for them to follow and thats sad. They pick the races and nascar..just like the fcc..because..money..and plenty there to be had...just like ole Rev Jackson. Display those flags..and be proud.
 
Swapping out the rebel flag is their big power move right now, their current goal(besides pissing off McDonalds). Answer this: Even if the people who fly those flags, flew them to represent "slavery or racism", what does that have to do with Asians, Mexicans and others. I realize that they feel threatened by the presence of that flag because they feel it reminds them of slavery, but slaves were black. What does the flag swap have to do with the OTHER minorities and the women and children whom they feel aren't safe in the infield areas of the NASCAR circuit?

Being from the heart of the USA, I can honestly say that I have always been exposed to a bit of racism. I have relatives who owned slaves no doubt(several generations back was a plantation owner), and I live in an area that is primarily white. However, I have never owned slaves and I have nothing against people of different nationalities, but this doesn't keep me from having to deal with reverse-racism and I have. I don't think that there is ever going to be a time that it will NOT exist from either side.

I think their site is alot of smoke and mirrors, too. Just read the message board on there. There is a post about from a Canadian fan who is female and has been to alot of tracks on the circuit and has never felt threatened or seen the racism that they claim exists. Read it for yourself and see how the guy from their site responds to her posts.
 
Didn't you know that anyone that flies that flag has a whole group of blacks tied to a tree in the back yard? It's true, just ask 'em!
 
I can only say one thing, there is no such thing as reverse discrimination, you have either been discriminated against or you have not color has nothing to do with it. Discrimination is discrimination regardless of the color of your skin. I also believe that this whole thing is crap but that is just my opinion.


Tommy Clyne
 
smokingjoe said:
What if we had?????????
White boy only collage fund (united negro collage fund)
White entertainment TV (BET Black enertainment Television)
NAAWP (naacp national association for the advancment of colored people)
A phobe book consisting of only white owned businsses (like the black pages)
black panthers ( i guess the KKK)
I tell you what would happen you would be run out of town!!!!!!!!
they fight discrimination unless its reverse discrimination then it OK!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Don't forget a Miss White America.
 
Now thats what u call comedy. Come on. George Wallace and NASCAR?? What a nut. I couldnt agree more with smoking joe. If u tried to start an all white orginization of any type you would be a racist automatically, but if a black man tried to start the same orginization but for blacks only, he would be a hero. It would be great progress and a great accomplishment. Or if we had a white history month, what would be said about that? Im not a racist, but i also dont owe anybody anything. Blacks arent the only ppl who suffered, and they havent suffered the most. A whole race of ppl whom ive partially decended from was pretty well removed from existance here in america. And if blacks dont like the negativity of racism, they need to not be racist. Over 95% of the times you hear the work "nigger" or "nigga" (its the same word i dont care what you say) its come out of the mouth of a black person. If you dont want it said, dont say it, dont put it on records or on tv. Ive been called a honkey, whitey, cracker, redneck, and countless others, and that was ok, but if i said anything back then i was a racist and the one in the wrong. Its BS. That site and documentary are a joke. If a black person wants to race, thats great, get a car and drive it. Sure, some ppl wont like u, but ppl dont like a lot of racers, it will prolly be for other reasons beside skin color. If you think nascar is unfair and racist, start a new organization. Its american, you have the right to do that. JMO
 
I forgot about black history month. Funnny you mentioned that i had it out with the kids teacher on some big project at school for that. I told her they will do the project right after they do the white history month project didnt go over big, but tough ****!!!!
 
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