Re: [DL] ethnic diversity

["Daniel Gwyn" <dgwyn@colba.net>]

Hi,
    With regards to racism and Deadlands, an important thing to consider is
that the truly institutional racism that we associate with the Old South
(i.e. the post-Civil war, pre-civil rights South) was in many ways a product
of the post-reconstruction backlash against blacks rather than a baseline
event.  "Jim Crow laws" only showed up long after the Civil War.
    My reading of history projected into the Deadlands Universe, is that
while a lot of people might be racist,  most don't waste all that much time
and effort on it.  People may not like "blacks, indians, chinese, irish,
catholics, jews, etc." but I don't think they will go around stirring up
trouble on a regular basis.  Nor would most of them let race or religion
stand in the way of making a buck.  "The black cowboy wants to buy a drink?
Let him."
    There is also the common sense argument.  If a multi-racial but
otherwise typical (i.e. well-armed) posse moseys into a saloon in some small
town populated entirely by white folks, the bigots in the crowd might not
like their appearance, but most would be smart enough to leave (the posse)
alone.  "They may be [racial slurs], but they're well armed [racial slurs]
and they're just passing through."  Granted some idiot might try taking them
on but then he's an idiot.  Or maybe somebody powerful enough might indulge
his racism.  However, the average bigot isn't likely to hassle
pistol-packing passers-by.
    My two cents worth.
          Daniel Gwyn
"Yeah, I'm bitter.  Dyin' does that to you."
Pete Josephson (1845-1878)