Are Racists Dumb?

[Granny]

Racism is not so much a matter of being dumb as it is a matter of lack of education and/or intellectual honesty. Martin Luther King put it very simply: We shouldn't judge people by the color of their skin but the content of their character.

"Racism" is also a much overused word that is very often misused. It continues to be a subject of great "debate" because people won't let it die - and that applies to both sides of the issue whether black, white or purple. I grew up in the desegregated South, never went to school with a black student and I managed to survive a parent who hated blacks, Jews and Catholics alike. I never had problems getting along with other races or people of other religions.

Just because I sometimes make a statement about some race does not make me a racist. It's just a statement about a particular situation or a particular person. There's good and bad in all of us.

 

[IanC]

Racism is not so much a matter of being dumb as it is a matter of lack of education and/or intellectual honesty. Martin Luther King put it very simply: We shouldn't judge people by the color of their skin but the content of their character.

that is certainly how I conduct my life. I also support programs that help people of lesser means. I am capable of putting more into society than I take away, and indeed that is what I do. I did not come from a privileged upbringing and it would have been easy to stay in a marginal lifestyle. I chose not to.

individual responsibility is the cornerstone of MLK's comment about content of character. its not where you start from but where you end up. it pisses me off that because I made choices that lifted me into the middle class, I am now being blamed for the poor choices that keep others in moral and material poverty. along the way I also noticed that clever people made better life choices than dull people did unless they were crippled by emotional issues. interestingly enough, I found that the vast preponderance of evidence supported that supposition.

why am I called a racist for pointing out that different races have different cognitive abilities that lead to a different quality of life decisions?

many people DECLARE that everyone has the same level of intelligence, despite their everyday experience and measurements at all levels and all places.

why is someone who notices that there are racial differences (on average) considered racist and hateful, and according to the thread title, stupid? it seems to me that those who cannot see that the emperor has no clothes are the ones who are dumb.

 

[Zona]

Racism is not so much a matter of being dumb as it is a matter of lack of education and/or intellectual honesty. Martin Luther King put it very simply: We shouldn't judge people by the color of their skin but the content of their character.

"Racism" is also a much overused word that is very often misused. It continues to be a subject of great "debate" because people won't let it die - and that applies to both sides of the issue whether black, white or purple. I grew up in the desegregated South, never went to school with a black student and I managed to survive a parent who hated blacks, Jews and Catholics alike. I never had problems getting along with other races or people of other religions.

Just because I sometimes make a statement about some race does not make me a racist. It's just a statement about a particular situation or a particular person. There's good and bad in all of us.

I used to teach (facilitate actually) a course in the Navy called NR&R and we did a lot of talks about racism. For me, it came down to this, if you start a sentance off with "all those people"...you aare wrong. Period. No one person represents an entire race of people, everyone is an individual.

I am from West Philly. Mantua Hall, Pascal projects and then 58th and market. If you know philly, you would know these are not the greatest area's to be raised in. When I see crime in those area's reported on the news, I know I have nothing to do with, nor have I ever been involved with anything pertaining to that mess. Not everyone from the "ghetto" is ghetto.

I also know because you are poor and lived in the hills of W Virginia, it doesn't mean anything either. One of my best supervisors was from that background. He was an outstanding leader and eventually a good friend.

(Damn I miss the service.) Boo hoo, yeah, I know.

 

[IanC]

I used to teach (facilitate actually) a course in the Navy called NR&R and we did a lot of talks about racism. For me, it came down to this, if you start a sentance off with "all those people"...you aare wrong. Period. No one person represents an entire race of people, everyone is an individual.

that doesn't really apply to whites though, does it? all whites are responsible for slavery even though the vast majority (including ancestors) never had anything to do with it, while blacks are not responsible for black crime even though 1 in 3 black males go to jail in their lifetime.

 

[ForestGirl]

Yup, it's all about statistics. 10% of the population, 90% of the problem.

 

[ConHog]

I used to teach (facilitate actually) a course in the Navy called NR&R and we did a lot of talks about racism. For me, it came down to this, if you start a sentance off with "all those people"...you aare wrong. Period. No one person represents an entire race of people, everyone is an individual.

that doesn't really apply to whites though, does it? all whites are responsible for slavery even though the vast majority (including ancestors) never had anything to do with it, while blacks are not responsible for black crime even though 1 in 3 black males go to jail in their lifetime.

Exactly right there. One side of my family were poor share croppers from Tenn who probably wished they had it as well as some slaves, and the other side of my family were Native Americans who well we all know how that story ended........... How do I owe any black anything? Oh yeah , I don't.

 

[IanC]

isn't it odd that so many really smart people, working in fields that deal with actual data and logical conclusions, find it sensible to believe that there are genetic (and therefore racist) differences between races.

 

[jgbkab]

isn't it odd that so many really smart people, working in fields that deal with actual data and logical conclusions, find it sensible to believe that there are genetic (and therefore racist) differences between races.

So many? Really? It would be safe to say that most "really smart people" dismiss the notion of a correlation between race and IQ as bullshit.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Okay.......is racism stupid? Yes.

Anytime that you ignore the ideas and thoughts of another person based purely on the basis of their racial features, you are limiting yourself in your own knowledge.

Limiting yourself in your own knowledge is not only stupid, it's dangerous. Ask any military person, we HAVE to understand what we are dealing with in various parts of the world, as well as what to look out for, otherwise, you're dead.

That is just one extreme example. If you're from the city, and have never been in the wilderness, but decide because you have a cell phone and a Garmin, you don't really need to study much about the area you're going camping in.

Ignore the bears, I promise, they won't ignore you, nor care too awful much about how much knowledge you've got. If you don't understand bears because you chose to willingly limit your knowledge about them, you're stupid for being in their area.

Yeah. Racism is stupid.

 

[IanC]

Okay.......is racism stupid? Yes.

Anytime that you ignore the ideas and thoughts of another person based purely on the basis of their racial features, you are limiting yourself in your own knowledge.

Limiting yourself in your own knowledge is not only stupid, it's dangerous. Ask any military person, we HAVE to understand what we are dealing with in various parts of the world, as well as what to look out for, otherwise, you're dead.

That is just one extreme example. If you're from the city, and have never been in the wilderness, but decide because you have a cell phone and a Garmin, you don't really need to study much about the area you're going camping in.

Ignore the bears, I promise, they won't ignore you, nor care too awful much about how much knowledge you've got. If you don't understand bears because you chose to willingly limit your knowledge about them, you're stupid for being in their area.

Yeah. Racism is stupid.

hahaha, what a stupid comment. it is 'antiracists' that ignore information. and your example!! was it a freudian slip?

That is just one extreme example. If you're from the city, and have never been in the ghetto, but decide because you have a cell phone and a liberal attitude, you don't really need to study much about the area you're going cruising in.

Ignore the dwellers, I promise, they won't ignore you, nor care too awful much about how much liberal guilt you've got. If you don't understand ghetto dwellers because you chose to willingly limit your knowledge about them, you're stupid for being in their area.

Yeah. Liberalism is stupid

hahahaha

 

[IanC]

isn't it odd that so many really smart people, working in fields that deal with actual data and logical conclusions, find it sensible to believe that there are genetic (and therefore racist) differences between races.

So many? Really? It would be safe to say that most "really smart people" dismiss the notion of a correlation between race and IQ as bullshit.

most just sidestep the issue because it is too dangerous.

 

[Zona]

I used to teach (facilitate actually) a course in the Navy called NR&R and we did a lot of talks about racism. For me, it came down to this, if you start a sentance off with "all those people"...you aare wrong. Period. No one person represents an entire race of people, everyone is an individual.

that doesn't really apply to whites though, does it? all whites are responsible for slavery even though the vast majority (including ancestors) never had anything to do with it, while blacks are not responsible for black crime even though 1 in 3 black males go to jail in their lifetime.

I don't point to a white guy and say, hey you...you son of a slave owner (4 times removed?), its your fault why I didn't get promoted, home loan, or whatever...

I also don't point a a white guy and say, hey, since your white, and my 401k is down, I blame you because Bernie Madoff was white.

You mention 1 in 3 black males go to jail...well, no one in my family, my neighborhood or who I worked with in the service did. You can understand why they would be looked at, every day, strangely and suspiciously BECAUSE of those numbers, cant you?

In that course I taught, I had a kid do a study on demographics and crime. You would be amazed at the numbers he came up with, with regards to crimes, identical mind you, crimes and punishment that occurred between whites and black people. He quoted case after case where everything from dismissal to probation and some time of course was awarded for one group and serious time for the other. NO wonder 1 in 3 end up with that record you quoted?

 

[ABikerSailor]

Racism is people ignoring others based on their looks.

Yeah, it is stupid, because something you don't know about can kill you.

Nope, no freudian slip, racism is stupid.

 

[Zona]

Yup, it's all about statistics. 10% of the population, 90% of the problem.

Amanda, do you have a link?

While you are LINKING, please link us to the stats on serial killers.

 

[IanC]

In that course I taught, I had a kid do a study on demographics and crime. You would be amazed at the numbers he came up with, with regards to crimes, identical mind you, crimes and punishment that occurred between whites and black people. He quoted case after case where everything from dismissal to probation and some time of course was awarded for one group and serious time for the other. NO wonder 1 in 3 end up with that record you quoted?

I've seen studies that support both sides. Typically the ones that take contributing factors into account find no difference in sentencing.

 

[IanC]

While you are LINKING, please link us to the stats on serial killers.

here is a link on serial killers for you. Why Most Serial Killers Are White Men

it has many interesting ideas on crime and race, you should read it

 

[IanC]

You mention 1 in 3 black males go to jail...well, no one in my family, my neighborhood or who I worked with in the service did. You can understand why they would be looked at, every day, strangely and suspiciously BECAUSE of those numbers, cant you?

just out of curiosity, are you more concerned passing a gang of 16-20 year olds youths in a dark alley or a group of 60 year olds? does it make a difference if they were girls? how about if they were in tuxedoes or gang colours? 120 pounders or 240 pounders?

I have been looked at suspiciously lots of times in my life. it depends on lots of things

 

[ABikerSailor]

You know.......if the 16 year olds were playing football and looking at me as I walked by? Wouldn't have a problem.

I see a bunch of 60 year olds dressed in KKK clothing with swastikas? I'm nervous whether or not they are looking towards me.

 

[Granny]

Racism is not so much a matter of being dumb as it is a matter of lack of education and/or intellectual honesty. Martin Luther King put it very simply: We shouldn't judge people by the color of their skin but the content of their character.

that is certainly how I conduct my life. I also support programs that help people of lesser means. I am capable of putting more into society than I take away, and indeed that is what I do. I did not come from a privileged upbringing and it would have been easy to stay in a marginal lifestyle. I chose not to.

individual responsibility is the cornerstone of MLK's comment about content of character. its not where you start from but where you end up. it pisses me off that because I made choices that lifted me into the middle class, I am now being blamed for the poor choices that keep others in moral and material poverty. along the way I also noticed that clever people made better life choices than dull people did unless they were crippled by emotional issues. interestingly enough, I found that the vast preponderance of evidence supported that supposition.

why am I called a racist for pointing out that different races have different cognitive abilities that lead to a different quality of life decisions?

many people DECLARE that everyone has the same level of intelligence, despite their everyday experience and measurements at all levels and all places.

why is someone who notices that there are racial differences (on average) considered racist and hateful, and according to the thread title, stupid? it seems to me that those who cannot see that the emperor has no clothes are the ones who are dumb.

Not sure why you chose to quote me, but if for some reason you think I'm from a privileged upbringing - you're very sadly mistaken. I don't recall blaming you specifically or anybody else on the board generally of being anything. I certainly would not condemn anyone for making choices that were good or that bettered their situation. I did the same thing.

Maybe I just don't understand your post at all. I was simply giving an opinion/answer to an OP question.

 

[Zona]

In that course I taught, I had a kid do a study on demographics and crime. You would be amazed at the numbers he came up with, with regards to crimes, identical mind you, crimes and punishment that occurred between whites and black people. He quoted case after case where everything from dismissal to probation and some time of course was awarded for one group and serious time for the other. NO wonder 1 in 3 end up with that record you quoted?

I've seen studies that support both sides. Typically the ones that take contributing factors into account find no difference in sentencing.

Uh no...I took one class (on our lunch break) out to Coronado Ca. (going to North Island) to see who was pulled over by those cops since I unofficially looked at this every single morning going to work. Coronado makes it so you have to drive down one street (after exiting the bridge) to get to the main gate so it was easy to watch for the purposes of my experiment. You cant make lefts or rights, only straight down one street.

with one exception, every single person that was pulled over for that hour we watched was a minority. (11 total) 100% of them had military stickers, but that is a whole different thread.

This is just an isolated city of course, but with the stories that kid quoted for that class, it proved something to me and most of the class. Contributing factors aside, he had cases that were almost identical, and he proved to me at least, there is a lot of injustice in this world. Blah blah, I know. Don't break the law and you will never have to deal with it. I live like that, but justice should be fair.

Eh. Whatever.