Oct 28, 2008

Don't Be Scared

This entry was inspired by the following news headline: WASHINGTON (Oct. 27) - Two white supremacists allegedly plotted to go on a national killing spree, shooting and decapitating black people and ultimately targeting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, federal authorities said Monday, and an entry made by Teresa at Shadows of The Moon. First is some demographic information from the 2000 Census, followed by my commentary in red text.

The United States is a diverse country racially and ethnically. White Americans are the racial majority and are spread throughout the country; racial minorities, composing one fourth of the population, are concentrated in coastal and metropolitan areas. The Black American or African American population is concentrated in the South, and also spread throughout parts of the Northeast and Midwest. Black Americans make up the largest racial minority in the United States.

White Americans are the majority in forty-eight of the fifty states, with California and Hawaii as the exceptions. The District of Columbia, which is not a state, also has a non-white majority. Non-Hispanic Whites, however, are the majority in forty-six states, with Hawaii, New Mexico, California, and Texas, as well as the District of Columbia, as the exceptions. The latter five have "minority majorities", i.e. minority groups are a majority of their populations.

Areas with the largest "American" ancestry populations were mostly settled by English, French, Welsh, Scottish and Irish.

██ German
██ American
██ Mexican
██ Irish
██ African
██ Italian
██ English
██ Japanese
██ Puerto Rican






A new report from the Census Bureau projects that by 2042 non-Hispanic whites will no longer make up the majority of the population. This is a revision of earlier projections which projected this demographic change to take place in 2050. Today non-Hispanic whites make up about 68% of the population. This is expected to fall to 46% in 2050. This, as a result of a much older white population, relative to minorities. The report foresees the Hispanic population rising from 15% today to 30% by 2050. Today African Americans make up 12% of the population, in 2050 they are projected to comprise 15% of the population. Asian Americans make up 5% of the population today and they are expected to make up 9% in 2050. The U.S. has nearly 305 million people today. The population is projected to reach 400 million by 2039 and 439 million in 2050.

People are scared of change, and scared of losing their perceived previous hold over what was going on. We have the illusion of control, and when we see or hear things that are different or challenge that illusion, then there is a negative reaction, and we push back. Psychology tells us that 10% will embrace change, 10% will actively oppose change, and 80% will wait and see. Unfortunately, it is the 10% extremes that get the attention and publicity, typically with the negative connotations getting more air time – because that is what sells. Until the other 80% truly become engaged in change, and I mean stepping up and making change for ourselves (which is much more than casting a ballot), then we are being prevented from moving to the new reality for this country of ours. We must change and care more – care for others in our country, care for others in less developed countries, care for our environment, care for displaced animals that cannot help themselves, care for ourselves enough to stop living beyond our means, as individuals and as a country. These must be OUR values, which is very different from religious morality.

15 comments:

  1. Not only was it fascinating to read the changing demographics of our country, I loved what you wrote about change in ourselves. I visited Teresa's entry as well, and I commented over there that change happens all the time, and it's our choice to fight it, or understand it and be a part of it.

    We've all known people at work who just can't handle a change. Why are we doing this? This is stupid. This can't work. There are times that I agree that it might be stupid, but in that case, I'll make my voice heard. Sometimes that results in modifications to the original plan (more change!). Other times, you just have to go with the flow and see how it works out.

    Change is a part of life, and you can either accept that or fight against it. The two ignoramuses who hatched their plot are of the latter type. I choose to not be that way.

    Great entry!
    Beth

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  2. change is the only constant in life. embrace it as a friend in need of a hug.
    Karen

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  3. Hey Ken :) Just stopping in and catching up on reading your journal. Just wanted to let you know I am still here and reading. It was a busy weekend. The demographics are interesting.

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  4. Great entry... however, it will never reach the ears of the ignorant few...

    be well...

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  5. One of my fond sayings is life changed the rules. Nothing ever stays the same, why would we expect our lives would change as well.

    I have to say even if the extremist are only 10%, that 10% can reak hell, in no time at all. Anger and fear build a fire under people that sometimes can't be put out. I'm hoping the election goes by without any more incidents. (Hugs)Indigo

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  6. Meant to say wouldn't not would. I'm sure your realized that though. (Hugs)Indy

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  7. I'm really far behind in catching up today. Have a good night.

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  8. Great entry and well written.

    Hugs, Rose

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  9. An interesting entry and I liked reading how it all breaks down. I find it odd that a country like the US is about opportunity, and realising your dreams that there are many who simply cannot accept that there has to be change, it's not a case of a black man who may take over the country and be exact some kind of terrible revenge on all whites because of what's happened in the past, this is a man who wants to move forward, and make the changes so that least all Americans are on some kind of level pegging, regardless of race, religion etc.
    With luck there will be a new dawn for you.

    Yasmin
    x

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  10. Ken:
    A great entry, and so very true!

    "Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." John F. Kennedy

    Peace&Love
    Wes

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  11. well.. change has been my middle name. :)

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  12. Good Ken. Unfortunately, as someone pointed out, the message will never get into the stupid. It isn't that the 10% or more who fight change aren't exposed to the truth of thing, it's that they simply don't hear it. There is no reasoning involved. Those people will always exist. All we can do is to make sure they don't run things.

    By the way, you dance very well. DB

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  13. Kinda sad to know that certain mentalities still exist in this day and age.

    We can always hope right?

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  14. Agree to your values! Interesting post. I've been reading about the future population change in my HR text books.
    Sonya

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  15. I read this post yesterday but I think the phone rang before I posted a comment. I think that your title sums it all up. Fear is a powerful emotion and can motivate us to do things that we would never consider if we were't afraid.

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