Iraq war support split along racial lines

[Craig]

While this is not really directly related to Asian or American issues, it does sort of coincide with a general observation that I've made. Of the non-white people I've talked to (including non-Asians) most of them seem opposed to this war. Meanwhile, I think every white person I've run across has been in support of the war. I was wondering if a similar situation was being observed by other people in their day to day lifes. On a side note, I don't talk to any white-washed Asians, so I don't have any explicit opinions for them.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_ea...ast/2921583.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2921583.stm)

Iraq war divides South Africa

By Barnaby Phillips
BBC southern Africa correspondent

South Africans are split along racial lines over the war in Iraq

The US consulate in Johannesburg is in the smart traditionally Jewish neighbourhood of Killarney; hardly fertile ground for anti-American sentiment.

Yet ever since the start of the war, there has been a 24-hour vigil by protesters at the consulate gate: and when they call on passing motorists to beep their horns in solidarity, many drivers oblige.

The invasion of Iraq is unpopular in South Africa.

Most people resent what they see as blatant American aggression.

This country's moral leaders, Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, are appalled.

Several dozen South Africans went to Baghdad as human shields; thousands have marched in the streets in protest.

But judging from the radio phone-in programmes and chats with friends, there is also a racial divide.

In so far as there is support for the war, it comes from the white minority, just as it did after 11 September.

Zimbabwe paradox

Many white South Africans instinctively see themselves as part of the West and support Britain and America in times of crisis; many non-whites adopt the opposite position.

Whites have been heard to grumble, wondering why the government is such an outspoken opponent of a war it could not possibly hope to avert, when it is so silent on the crisis in neighbouring Zimbabwe, where it could exert real influence if it so chose.

It is ironic then that one of the reasons President Thabo Mbeki is opposed to the war is because it is diverting attention and money away from Africa, and its pressing concerns.

His own New Partnership for African Development (Nepad) is now on the back-burner.

Africa is once again in the shadows at a time of a global crisis.

[SunWuKong]

i personally know white people who are against the war. and almost every protester i've seen here in DC is white. with a few black people here and there. never seen an asian person protest though.

[TyroneK(prettypretty)]

I can see why support for the war is racially divided in many parts of the world. Nonwhite people have been the victims of white imperialism for the past 500 years or so. Any move on a western government in a non-western part of the world is going to smack of that past injustice.

[KeCleveland]

There are plenty of Asians that I've seen protesting. I live in a heterogenous community, representing every "major" race and religion, and Asians make up a substantial proportion of my town, compared with other integrated places. Personally, I think that there are a certain type of people that are pro-war and anti-war. Personally, my community is anti-war. We are a liberal community, we were the largest place in Ohio (a republican state) to vote for Gore in the 2000 elections, and a hefty amount voted for Nader.

But to tell you the truth, if you look at a lot of the people in war, a lot of them went in to get money, not to "do their duty to the Country" or whatever. It's usually to pay for college, and the only people I've known to actually go into the military to support America, and not on a financial basis, were white.

I could see how people could think of it along racial lines. Like VBKao said, white Europeans have enslaved and murdered and colonized so many different nations without recourse. It's crazy. But I also think Sadaam is crazy and he needs to be shot, not that it's for me to decide.

[Elizabeth A.]

I've noticed a racial divide of sorts, as well. I heard a statistic that while 20% of white Americans are opposed to the war, 60% of black Americans are opposed.

Also, when I was at the NYC peace march last month, there was a diverse mix of people; Asians-Americans (there were especially a lot of Indians), African-Americans, Hispanics, whites, everyone. However, all the pro-war counter-demonstrators on the sidelines were white. Every last one of them. (And interestingly enough, they were also mostly men, except for maybe two women)

As to why; I think VBKao has a point.

[kitty]

Do you think non-whites feel more sensitive towards discrimination, and so seek a more peaceful situation? I've noticed this racial divide too, and I've wondered why non-whites seem more inclined to be liberal-minded (young Asians too).

Edit: wow... just made mafia.

[SunWuKong]

Originally posted by kittygirl@Apr 6 2003, 08:28 PM
Edit: wow... just made mafia.
now you can change your title :)

[BeTheReds]

I don't think it's divided by racial lines at all.

I have not really met anyone at all who is in favor of this war, other than a few japanese people, a japanese american who works for the navy, my brother and maybe 2 or 3 other people.

Meanwhile I've seen plenty of anti-war whites here.

[Tao]

Originally posted by BeTheReds@Apr 6 2003, 10:35 PM
I don't think it's divided by racial lines at all.

I have not really met anyone at all who is in favor of this war, other than a few japanese people, a japanese american who works for the navy, my brother and maybe 2 or 3 other people.
go visit one of the rectangular states

[kuanyin]

i know many white people who oppose the war. the social justice work i do basically teaches that violence is wrong, and war = violence, you get the pix. a number of people at my school who are white do not believe the war is right. i think its because i live in la.

[Tao]

Originally posted by kuanyin@Apr 6 2003, 11:10 PM
i know many white people who oppose the war. the social justice work i do basically teaches that violence is wrong, and war = violence, you get the pix. a number of people at my school who are white do not believe the war is right. i think its because i live in la.
again, go visit somewhere besides a major city. you'll be in for a shock

[VV o n g B a]

all the whites and whitewashed asians i know support the war with few caveats. the non-whitewashed asians i know (including me) either support the war with large caveats or are against it.

[kuanyin]

Originally posted by Tao@Apr 6 2003, 08:55 PM
again, go visit somewhere besides a major city. you'll be in for a shock
ha! i'll never leave...you can't make me!
i know its very different outside of sowcow, i mean socal.
just taking a trip up north shows me how different LA really is, how diverse it is...how i think it needs to be this way elsewhere. how i couldn't live without this kind of dviersity. not that la doesn't have its downsides. but in the end, i's have to call it home and i've decided all my efforts in fighting for social justice will happen right here.

props to all you living elsewhere..i know its harder work.

[rakovlam]

House Resolution 104 stated "support and appreciation of the nation for the President and the members of the armed forces who are participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom". 23/37 members of the Congressional Black Caucus voted either "nay" or "present" for this resolution. (interesting article AB posted about Asian Congressmen Inouye and Akaka asking for support of troops. No mention of Mike Honda since he voted nay).

33/37 of the CBC voted against the October resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq. Of course, I don't see this as a racial issue since in 1998 only 3/38 CBC members voted against Operation Desert Fox. So this is more of a partisan issue (a large majority of minorities in Congress is Democrat).

[myself808]

I have to agree that support for the war or lack thereof tends to follow political ideologies. Those of a moderate to conservative point of view will express support and the more you move to the liberal spectrum, opposition grows in proportion to how liberal your views run.
I have a bigger question that I will try to post when I gather my thoughts: What's next? now that we have taken Iraq. On to Syria? Just because we have defeated Saddam Hussein's regime that does in no way mean we have defeated terrorism.

also FYI: Senator Akaka (HI, D) is more native Hawaiian than Asain and is a moderate democrat.

[AngryABCGirl]

I know a lot of people are upset about how the war and the government puts racial minorities in positions to join the army for money. Three Asians at my church from low-income families are in Iraq. It seems like every Latino you talk to knows someone or has family members in the armed forces. But these groups come from histories of white imperialism as well, and are more likely to be liberal = against the war.