"Racism?" - There's No Such Thing!

On a recent whim, I decided to study this omnipresent creature that everyone despises singularly - the

Hey Flatearther.

 

I'll just say welcome, for now, and read this later. I'm a bit busy at the mo.

 

no worries, mate.Cheers!

I was watching Survivor last night (love that show), and this year they have 4 teams divided by race. Asian, Hispanic, African American and Caucasian. All of the teams at one point or another, brought up the race divide and said it would be interesting how it played out. The African american team brought up over and over the whole race issue, and that they were going to show that blacks could do more than run track and play football. None of the other teams spoke out like that. I think it will be interesting to watch how it all comes out.

 

It is interesting to my wife and I how people look at color. We are both white and have one Blondie biological daughter. We also have one adopted daughter from Guatemala who is Mayan Indian. When my wife took her to her first day of kindergarten, she said other mothers did'nt say much to her, just kind of looked and kept back. We have a large Hispanic pop. and to the average soccer mom that's what they think she is. Then a couple days later for a test we both took her to school and to the door, and we got a whole differant reception from the other parents. After seeing both parents and her sister everything was differant in there eyes.

Thanx for that, NN - you've obviously gone to enough bother to watch the world around you and have reaped the benefits. However, my main concern is not the actual distribution of 'races' but of the way that language is used and misused. For example, when an Italian is criticised and responds with the 'racist' reply, this is clearly an emotional ploy, because objectively, Italians are not a "race" - neither are Jews, French, Lakota, Tasmanians or any other such cultural group. Yet the 'racist' slur continues as a tool of opportunity. I'll say it again and again,. Swap the term 'racist' with 'critic' and it all makes sense. Cheers!

NazzNegg wrote:

 

Kind of like the bong-theory of

Posted by Flatearther:

So I figured that to qualify as a ‘racist’, one needed to practice some sort of ‘ism’, as in ‘Racism’.

The best I've had this explained to me is, a 'racist' is on whom believes in, preaches, or practices racial separation. Socially, politically, or reproductively.

 

Automatically when people here the term 'racist' they conjure up images of hatred and oppression. Which is fair considering the efforts of many throughout history to destroy others through the guide of racist motivation.

 

Racism can be purely a form of racial preservation. Devoid of actual hatred or acts of aggression towards those of another race. A preaching of the value of maintaining some semblance of purity in a singular race. Which has a great importance if you ask me. Imagine a world, lets say 1,000 years from now, that has witnessed centuries of various races mixing inexplicably until we reach the point whereas all people have the same skin tone. The same language. The same culture. Doesn't sound very interesting to me. Quite a shame actually.

 

So in effect, racism is essential to preserving the many variances of human beings.

Jhony5 wrote:

Automatically when people here the term 'racist' they conjure up images of hatred and oppression. Which is fair considering the efforts of many throughout history to destroy others through the guide of racist motivation

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All nice, warm & fuzzy stuff, mate, but my whole emphasis leans on the fact that if you scour all media before about 1960, you won't find any popular currency for the word, which, as I pointed out is an abstract noun and means nothing objectively. Then, like the change in meaning of the word "gay' , the word 'racist' started getting more & more usage and it was clear that the emotive effect of it was strong enough to substitute for the term 'critic'. Think about it - swap 'racism' for 'criticism' & it all makes a barrel of good sense. Ask most folks what a racist reads, eats or thinks & you'll get a blank wall - as indeed you should. But they all know what a critic does and they'll do most anything to defang one. Cheers!

 

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Posted by Flatearter:

but my whole emphasis leans on the fact that if you scour all media before about 1960, you won't find any popular currency for the word, which, as I pointed out is an abstract noun and means nothing objectively.

You've brought out a key element in understanding what racism is understood as. Being 'critical' of a specific race. Lets use specific examples to clarify.

 

Jimmy 'the greek' was a very popular sportscaster in the 1980's here in America. He made some comments in a report about the black athelete, and pointed out some of the reasons why blacks excel in sports. All truthful, factual reasons as to why this is. Nothing meant to be construed as insulting. In actuality it should have been received as complimentary by the members of the black race. But such a stigma has been cursed upon any white man that has anything whatsoever to say in criticism of the black race. Jimmy the greek was immeadiatly fired and was never heard from again.

As the dictionary would define the word exactly>

Criticism:

1)the act of criticizing usually unfavorably <seeking encouragement rather than criticism.

2)the art of evaluating or analyzing works of art or literature.

3)the scientific investigation of literary documents (as the Bible) in regard to such matters as origin, text, composition, or history .

Now using the example of Jimmy the greek being labeled as a racist and subsequently chastised, do his comments falll under the definition of criticism? He pointed out that the black man has an extra long tendon in their legs. He pointed out the hundreds of years of hard laborious slavery which, in essence, evolved the black man into a physically superior specimen. Was he being critical of blacks? Yes. Was it bad that he did? Not in my opinion.

 

As defined by Merriam Webster.

Racism:

1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

2 : racial prejudice or discrimination.

Under definition (1) Jimmy the greek was indeed being racist, or practicing racism, in favor of the black race. How very odd indeed.

Beautiful & elegant work here, J5. You've definitely got the gift, like Nazz Negg.I think this passage should be force fed to every feminist & PC geek in squabbling distance. The rider I would tag on here, though, is that the race (criticism) card gets played even in games where it definitely does not belong. Let me illustrate. Here in Australia (I assume in other lands too) the question becomes: how does one legitemately criticise a coloured (Hindu, African, Aboriginal etc) without unleashing the 'racist' avalanche? How does one criticise legitemately a homosexual for anything without being accused of having a mental illness (homophobia)? How does one criticise a Jew for anything without the immediate "Anti-Semite" slur? The only ones that seem to be open targets are white males. Cheers!

Posted by Flatearther:

The only ones that seem to be open targets are white males. Cheers!

I've always claimed that the most discriminated demographic on the planet is a healthy-heterosexual-white man. Why? Because he can't be discriminated against according to the unwritten laws of racism. Leaving him as fair game for all the so called ethnics.

So in effect, racism is essential to preserving the many variances of human beings.

 

This makes no sense.

 

I've always claimed that the most discriminated demographic on the planet is a healthy-heterosexual-white man. Why? Because he can't be discriminated against according to the unwritten laws of racism. Leaving him as fair game for all the so called ethnics.

 

Being susceptible to be labeled a racist doesn't make white males the demographic who truly suffers from discrimination. That's hyperbolizing the issue and you know it.

I disagree with criticism and racism.

Although they can go hand in hand, example “I hate the way black people talk” would be criticism and racisms. You criticize the way they talk and you boxed ALL blacks together. Now if I said “I hate the way the Jones’s talk” would be criticism. But “I hate how those ******s talk” would be racist. Not only did you box all blacks together, you threw in a slang to drive the point home that you don’t like them probably for the simple fact that they are different than you.

I’ve said this before but it comes down to nouns, they, those, them, and such.

Racism lives. People pre-judge you because you are different then them.

snafu wrote:

 

]I disagree with criticism and racism.

Although they can go hand in hand, example “I hate the way black people talk” would be criticism and racisms. You criticize the way they talk and you boxed ALL blacks together. Now if I said “I hate the way the Jones’s talk” would be criticism. But “I hate how those ******s talk” would be racist. Not only did you box all blacks together, you threw in a slang to drive the point home that you don’t like them probably for the simple fact that they are different than you.

 

In actual practice, though, you will never hear ANYONE separate their arguments into neat, tidy little piles. I have yet to hear where any ethnic doesn't reach for the 'racist' sledgehammer as the automatic first option rather than the last desperate resort. Here, in Australia, you only have to look sideways at an Aborigine & you're automatically called a racist for WHATEVER you've said, if your words aren't carping and flattering.But try calling an Aborigine a racist & see how far you get. Try filing a complaint of race discrimination against anyone other than a white person & it's simply 'game over'. If you have examples of whites successfully getting convictions against non-whites for the 'racist' slur, now's the time to really nail me. I can't wait for the onslaught of real, printable evidence. To turn your argument backwards, find me any ethnic that doesn't consider ALL whites to be pure racists, because words like 'criticism' are way too useless because of their neutral and non inflammatory nature. According to them only rich lawyers use fancy words like that. The margin of tolerance is not exactly hefted with all that much balance.

 

I’ve said this before but it comes down to nouns, they, those, them, and such.

Racism lives. People pre-judge you because you are different then them.

 

You've illustrated my point - people do indeed judge others, and usually quite outrageously harshly and unfairly for their own advantage - and that's without exception - black, white, brindle - and even those green bastards from mars have a bit to answer for. EVERYONE is sloppy with the language, not for grammatical or linguistic reasons, but for an emotional and usually political edge - especially the ones who can't even spell noun. But in the war of words, white people aren't even considered for fair play. The hardest part still is to find this elusive 'racist' as outlined in my original thread. Most people will automatically look for a white guy with a red neck without so much as blinking - am I wrong? If there is racism as you claim, show me a concrete example of some (any colour or ethnic derivative will do) that I can shove under my microscope for a good look. Will I find just one simple and easy group to deal with - just white trash, perhaps and no other hues to mix with them? I'm not about to hold my breath, though.Cheers!

I know what your saying about a white person filing for discrimination. I don’t know if it’s as bad now as a decade ago but I had that problem. I tried to file an EEO complaint and they said I had to be a minority. I said “what am I”? She said “Caucasian”. I then asked her “by definition you are segregating me to one class; doesn’t that make me a minority”?

But back to your answer you make a statement on how life is were you are. Although racism exists were I live, I wasn’t brought up around it. I can only comment on how I perceive life.

We live in an era where it’s now reverse discrimination which festers more racism.

 

I can only give you examples as Farrakhan, Jessie Jackson, the KKK and there followers. We have hate crimes daily in our society. People assaulted and our murdered simply for their color or sexuality. And yes its war with words. But your definition of the phrase (war with words) in it’s self could be misconstrued as racist to some. So I would agree with you in that as a white we are considered “racist claiming that “we” are discriminated against by our censorship.

 

PS: Boy, I gotta cut down on the dope. I'm too lazy to qoute you so you'll have to piece this together.

Very very well said. Good analogy. And I agree totally. But in that stereo-typed black man with the trousers at his ankles with his jaws hangin out, there are some I believe are not racist. Only if you break down and talk to them at an even level do you find were their minds at.

NazzNegg wrote:

 

True