Just wondering

-- (funky@white.boy), November 02, 1999

Answers

Why?

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), November 02, 1999.

Because my sense is that the majority of preppers are middle class, middle aged white folks. That is not a racist notion, just an uninformed pop-sociological guess.

-- (funky@white.boy), November 02, 1999.

Actually you are wrong funky.

There was a thread quite a while back detailing a survey of the socio- economic classes that were prepping and/or taking y2k seriously.

African Aamericans were significantly ahead percentage wise in their grasp of the problem and their prepping. Probably a 10-15% difference from memory.

The reasons are pretty obvious - but it was a good thread if you can find it in the archives.

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), November 02, 1999.

"On the Net, no one knows you're a dog."

No colors on here, KC, or rather, all colors, shapes, and sizes. We've got a great mix: African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, Europeans, guys, gals, young, old, a few in wheelchairs, maybe even some who are blind or hearing-impaired. Heck, we've even got a "dEiTeR"! A motley assortment of folks with more than a passing interest in the impacts from the coming Century Date Change. Color doesn't mean anything here in the forum.

Reminds me of a number of Heinlein's books, where you have no idea that a character is African-American or Hispanic or whatever until you are well into the tale. Heck, you get all the way to the end of Starship Troopers before you find out that Johnny (Juan) Rico is Phillipino. That's as it should be.

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), November 02, 1999.

Yup, I read that story Andy.

With, what, at least a few hunderd people, I'ld guess that we have all kinds here. Large ones, small ones, fat ones, tall ones... or something like that...

Me, I'm just a good old, born in the USA, white, did I say old (47) hippie. Peace my brothers! <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), November 02, 1999.

'Tony Brown's Journal', a PBS show moderated by a black had a former FBI agent on who had recently quit. The show was titled 'Race and Y2k'. The FBI agent claimed that blacks were twice as likely to prepare for Y2k than whites, however they tended to prepare for lesser time.

An interesting part of the show was the FBI's categorizing the 3 levels of possible civil breakdown:

1. Brownout - minor interuptions of power, etc. 2. Blackout - interuptions of power, water and food lasting 1 to 2 weeks, but spread out. 3. Mad Max - Total meltdown. Total Anarchy. In this scenario the FBI's 'Hostage Rescue Team' (calming name, don't you think?) would go into urban trouble spots under the cover of darkness and remove or terminate any problems.

-- mark (info@gasmasks.com), November 02, 1999.

:-)

-- :-) (:@-.)), November 02, 1999.

I'm a right-handed Roman Catholic. Is that close enough?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 02, 1999.

Blue eyed hungarian here.

-- Lumber Jack (johnsellis@webtv.net), November 02, 1999.

Regarding the statistic, quoted above, that blacks are more likely to prepare: I have read the exact opposite in several places.

It's human nature. People who chronically fail to plan their lives weeks or even days in advance, are not likely to become suddenly prudent when faced with a disaster that might not happen. Based on that, I'm guessing that blacks will prepare far less than whites. Also the poor in general will prepare less than the middle-class -- not because of lack of funds, but because lack of prudence & good judgment is a large part of what keeps them poor in the first place.

-- just a (young@white.chick), November 02, 1999.

An interesting article (one of many) on this topic in an influential e-zine called iMP (July 99 special edition on Y2K)

http://www.cisp.org/imp/july_99/07_99contents.htm

"I know how to make bread from scratch": Why the Black Community is Silent about Y2K By Nat Irvin, II

-- Lewis (aslanshow@yahoo.com), November 02, 1999.

Saw the Tony Brown piece. Not surprised.

-- Itol D. Youso (Here There @Everwhere.com), November 02, 1999.

Okay, I'm here, I'm BLACK. Just what do you really want to know? Before you answer, we really don't need any monolithic dialogue. I don't speak for the entire black community. Our communities are just as diverse as yours. Unfortunately, I'm impacting very few people and consider myself lucky that I've got half of my family prepared. the other half thinks I'm crazy.

-- Marsha (MSykes@court.co.macon.il.us), November 02, 1999.

Marsha - I really don't think it matters - as you found out, the accept/reject rate is probably as much a function of the "trust" (mistrust ?) in government efforts and programs as it is in anything else.

After all, the administration has been long pushing and publicizing their self-serving and profiteering views and opinions, and if they are correct, there will be no y2k-induced problems - after Monday, Jan 03.

If you accept the government's and their news media's opinons, there is no problem anymore. It is only when you investigate further, or investigate thoroughly the secondary/tertiary/quadrary effects (economy/supply chains/interrelated services that (may) cause further failures in additional systems), that you begin see wide-spread effects that may cause very definite troubles for a much longer period of time.

Keep your spirits up and keep yourself and your family safe against the uncertainities that lie ahead.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 02, 1999.

Only about 1/4 of my blue-blood relatives are doing anything to prepare.

I think the others are just too scared to think about it.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), November 02, 1999.

Marsha and others-- Thanks for your reassurance that black folks are also preppers. Certainly there should not be a cultural bias in percieving an event that could adversely affect us all.

-- (funky@white.boy), November 02, 1999.

Ah yes, the race thing. Gotta know cause "Blacks" are "different" people, so I want to know what "they" are doing.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), November 02, 1999.

Oh yeah, nearly forgot....

Are there any Latvians out there prepping? And I know Chuck's Italian, but are there any others? And Poles, can't forget the Poles, any Polish GIs?

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), November 02, 1999.

Left-handed, rehaired Aquarius here. Does that count?

-- No way Jose (lurkinghere@home.duh), November 02, 1999.

I said DUH... should be redHAIRED... :-D

-- No way Jose (lurkinghere@home.duh), November 02, 1999.

Robert,

You TOO...??????

And I thought I was the only right handed roman catholic in the whole world.... wow... what a revelation...

-- STFrancis (STFrancis@heaven.com), November 02, 1999.

African Americans are the most oppressed people in this country. They do not trust goverment because goverment has never earned their trust. Millions are guilty on a daily basis of driving why black as well as many other oppresive acts. For this reason of distrust they prepare on the same facts as we white doomers do. I would be willing to bet that half of the white doomers have been oppressed as well in their lifetimes by big goverment. This is why we are not in the sheeple herd. We refuse to be oppressed in the same way that the herd has accepted. Our oppression that we live with is much more blantant like the black mans oppression.

From a 38 year old white male

-- I Love Jesus (god@savetheworld.com), November 02, 1999.

Left handed, half breed Cherokee Indian/Imported German. With hazel eyes and a real cute grin too.

S.O.B.

-- sweetolebob (buffgun@hotmail.com), November 02, 1999.

Hey Mac!

Everyone knows I am a dog! (snicker)

No, really!!!

snoozin' on the porch...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), November 02, 1999.

Uncle Doodah Dee. Cut the patronizing crap. I asked a relevant question--"are there any African Americans on this forum?". Only Marsha answered "yes". To me, the TB2000 crowd sounds very white bread. If there are only Caucasions here, then I think that is interesting and troubling. Interesting because that means there is a cultural dimension to "getting it". Troubling because if y2k is for real then it will be an equal opportunity (and then some) disaster.

-- (funky@white.boy), November 02, 1999.

Uncle Dee -

My husband is as he told me when we were dating - a Lithuanian Lutheran - is that close enough? As for me, well - sig says it all - with a small bit of Pennsylvania Dutch thrown in...

-- Valkyrie (Anon@please.xnet), November 02, 1999.

Yo, Funky,

I have a little black in me, and a little brown, a little white, and those silver ones around my muzzle, a little beige, and grey...

(snicker)

chasin' the cat...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), November 02, 1999.

Thats MISTER Doodah Dee to you.

I will not say that I am sorry for my "patronizing crap". I get very weary of the divisions caused by "Whites think this" "Blacks think that" horseshit that is so common in the media, and elsewhere.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), November 02, 1999.

I'm not, but the character I take my "handle" from, is. So, I guess that means, I'm not an African-American person, but I play one on an internet forum...

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), November 02, 1999.

White Boy, I'm a "GI" because I don't assume too much and look at as many angles as my brain will permit.

I'll let you guess whether I'm white or black. Whatever color/creed/religion of the people on this forum, we're all assured to be flamed, as well as be understood by others.

I find this thread to be a trollish trap, but I'm certain you had no intentions of it being so.

-- Chris (#$%^&@pond.com), November 02, 1999.

How about Russian Jews, Armenian Jews, Chinese Catholics, Latvian pagans, Filipino atheists, Mexican protestants?

Northern European American atheist, here.

-- A (A@AisA.com), November 02, 1999.

My girlfriend is black, she one the way that started doing the preparing over a year and a half ago. I don't think she has ever posted, but she lurks nonetheless.

-- SgtSchultz (SgtHansSchultz@stalag13.com), November 02, 1999.

My girlfriend is black, she was the one that started doing the preparing over a year and a half ago. I don't think she has ever posted, but she lurks nonetheless.

-- SgtSchultz (SgtHansSchultz@stalag13.com), November 02, 1999.

Americans should stop hyphenating themselves and just be Americans... How about instead of "African-American", (or whatever), using American of (fill in the blank) descent. Stop the stupid polarization!

This is playing into the hands of those that are trying to "divide and conquer" and you're allowing it. If the American people ever stopped playing stupid games such as this and got down to finding out why they're being kept divided, TPTB would be done for in a hurry.

-- Patrick (pmchenry@gradall.com), November 02, 1999.

I'm a recovering Catholic.

-- (DoneWithThe@Diety.com), November 02, 1999.

WB, The question is where are Black Americans getting their Y2K information from? The majority of the time I'm recognized as Y2K shopping is by Blacks. If we start trading notes, they reveal that they aren't using the Y2K forums.

Most inform me that their impetus for Y2K preparations is through religious organizations. Basically the viewpoint is that this is one problem where there is a possibility to be ahead of the curve instead of the historic role of trailing the curve.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), November 02, 1999.

This is the issue as I see it? I am white, my children are white, they don't have a clue because they have not been glued to the Internet for the past year.My neighbors, my co-workers are in the same category. I have given up on trying to warn anyone of possible problems (didn't we evacuate due to Floyd?, and wasn't I one of the ones looking at empty shelves of candles and masking tape before we were told to leave?) A family with young kids does not have the time to do the research. Since the Government won't come right out and tell us to prepare, I think the question was asking "Human, of a different color, are you on-line as much as I am? Hope you are preparing too". By the way, I have sone "Injun" blood somewhere too. Heaven's speed.

-- Nana (Nana@home.com), November 02, 1999.

Just to get it outta the way, I am a white, 28 (soon to be 29) year old woman, Welsh and English descent, w/a tad bit of Irish thrown in just for kicks, 29th generation American , 10th generation Texan (mom did the research ---took years to learn all that) Right handed Sagitarrius, lots of thick dark hair and about 15 pounds too heavy, but carry it rather nicely, I must say. Is that enough?

As far as minorities and preparing goes, I have discussed Y2K with my 8th graders (open forum, I played devil's advocate to every position as a good teacher should) and my students are about 96% Hispanic. Very few of them were even aware of this, but most are from Mexico and when we got to talking about alternative ways of living (read: low tech, outhouse style living) they totally understood. They have lived that way, after all. One of my students is still learning English--just came here a year ago at the age of 13 and until she and her family came here, she never slept on a BED. Never used the bathroom indoors. They all nodded and I realized, they could live that way again quite easily. They know it already.

Still, this is a bit off the topic, but my heart just breaks at the thought of Y2K being more than say a 3, b/c of my students. Even their parents are blissfully unaware. (sigh)

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), November 02, 1999.

Preparing,

Wow, 29 generations! I figure a generation is at least 20 years. So 29 generations is 580 years. You are a member of which American Indian tribe?

-- (amazing@family.tree), November 02, 1999.

Thanks for the your insightful answer to my trollish lil question. I wish my church took any interest at all in this issue.

-- (funky@white.boy), November 02, 1999.

Thank you amazing for that correction, should have been 20TH generation American (and really if we want to be nit-picky it wasn't quite America at that point). We were early starters, average age of first child in my family tree seems to be 15-18 years old, average number of kids-8. (Sheesh. Here I am with one and one only.)

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), November 02, 1999.

"Certainly there should not be a cultural bias in percieving an event that could adversely affect us all." ...white-boy

Now, "white-boy", what kind of comment is that? No offense but this sounds like the garbage that rolls off the lips of liberal bureaucrats and socialist politicians with an agenda.

I belong to Jesus and He has a remnant from all nations and tribes.

sdb

-- S. David Bays (SDBAYS@prodigy.net), November 02, 1999.

Black people pick up on it much more easily, in general, because they know that things aren't always that smooth--in general. That said, I do have a black friend, the wife of a black doctor, who is prepping.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), November 03, 1999.

me = about 25-50% Irish Catholic; throw in 1/8 czech, 1/8 swede, 25-50% Welsh or Scots Irish, and 1/8 (Western) Cherokee. There is a possibility I have a little African American in me because of the Cherokee lineage, which is said to have intermarried quite a bit with escaped slaves. But who the heck knows and who cares. I am a mutt and proud of it. I have no culture and no heritage to speak of, really. As Bill Murray says in the movie _Stripes_, "mutts are the smartest, most loyal kind of dog." Woof woof! :)

-- coprolith (coprolith@rocketship.com), November 03, 1999.

Preparing, wow 20 generations! I am researching our genealogy now and have us back (on one side anyway) to pre 1720 SC. We are white, german, irish....waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much inbreeding if you ask me! I am astounded at what I have found and THANK GOD dad married out of that gene pool. Speaking of gene pools and african americans....I also discovered that there is a large group of african american which share my family name...related? Probably. So how does that affect me? Not at all. Don't know them...Don't even live in the country at the moment to meet them.

It is perfectly proper to ask the question asked to begin this thread. It is dismaying to find it treated as non pc. We are polarized because of what we read into things. Our country has long had a "race" issue and Y2K, as promulgated largely on this forum, will certainly push us all to the breaking point. Certainly it is an appropriate question to ask here. It made no inferences, those were all in your heads. It is also appropriate to ask about other large contingents in this country. How many here are hispanic? My husband is often assumed to be so because of his last name, but is not. Will that make a difference after Y2K? I hope not.

To all ethnic persuasions, prepare, pray and may God be with us all.

-- Ynott (Ynott@incorruptible.com), November 03, 1999.

Nope, race, creed, color, or height (or number of toes) doesn't matter in terms of year 2000 awareness or attitude: BUT what a person believes, and how much a person believes in the media and government does matter. Perhaps the inner city/deep rural populaation - said to harbor the most pockets of poverty, and thus the people who are the most dependent on government services more - might be much more affected than those who are more independent of the government.

But that dependence doesn't neccesarily determine whether a person is aware of the impending potential for troubles.

---

Hi Preparing:

So which German enclave in TX did they settle? Veronica's side: the outskirts of Castroville (the newer settlers (1846/48) were to the west side of the town so the Comanches would raid their houses, rather than the older houses on the east side of the town!). Other branch from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France/Germany, also settled near Castroville in the mid 1850's. The first European-derived settlers were from the SC and TN areas, but arrived in only early 1830's. Very. very few before Mexico opened up the region in the mid-1820's to S. Austin and Baron Braunfels.

Mine: mom's ancestors came to the Bastrop/Red Rock/Rockne region in mid-1850's from lower Germany, village of Wurst. (Guess that makes me a worst German.) Settled there, and didn't move much since.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 03, 1999.

Greybear, who is an ambidextreous Eastern Orthodox Texan.

Who was always proud of his Scotch heritage until he found out it was just another one of those damed Irish potato eaters parading around in a kilt.

Now 100% TEXAN.

For most of the world that's more than enough. (As proof of this, after working in New Jersey for 2 months I keep getting these offers of a free one-way ticket to Texas.)

-Greybear

-- Get Beans.

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), November 03, 1999.

Just another right-handed roman catholic here, though I admit that I am a convert if that gets me any bonus points. I have written some commentary on Y2K and preparation that was published in several black newspapers across the country. Some editors told me that my writings had impact. I do get the feeling that African Americans in Chicago have heard more about Y2K than others, elsewhere. This feeling may just be because I have a good line into the black community there as opposed to elsewhere. Suprisingly, the black leadership (conservatives and liberals) have had little to say about Y2K. I'm not sure why that is. I doubt that a black discussion on Y2K would happen here, but I do not doubt that there are lurkers of many colors, religions, ethnic groups, etc. I have corresponded with many of them in private email.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (faryna@groupmail.com), November 03, 1999.

Wow, this became quite a thread. Race remains a hair-trigger subject. Since this was my thread, I get to choose the best answers: Wildweasel, thanks for a real insight. Ynot, thanks for understanding the nature of my question. Good luck to all.

-- (funky@white.boy), November 03, 1999.

Yes, I'm here and have been here lurking and posting since the summer of '98....Black, upper-middle class, pro-gun yada, yada, yada

quietly preparing in Texas

-- quietly (quietly@preparing.com), November 03, 1999.