Zone1 What are “isms” - Racism and Racist

[Coyote]

First, Obamas policies can be opposed due to racism. Second, when a specific race has and continues to create policies that cause social problems calling that out is not racism. Third, we should not be gaslighted into the belief that the term is overused by the people who practice racism.

On the first, that is possible, but less likely imo. I think that is one example of where accusations of racist were being thrown around to avoid discussing policies.

On the second, it is less clear imo. For example, are these racist?

• A policy is created with the intent of excluding or marginalizing a particular race.
• A policy, not intended to be racist, has the unintended consequence of racial inequality.
• A policy, originally intended for the purpose of racial exclusion, no longer operates with that intent but continues to have that effect.
• A racist policy is discontinued but it is so interwoven into the structure of our society the effect continues.

I do not think it is gas lighting to call out false or misleading accusations of racist. I think it is a term that should be used carefully or it becomes background noise.

My definition is the belief that racism is a trait, whether positive or negative, that is applied to an entire race of people. That is why the practice should be described as the behavior of a subgroup. For example, all whites are not racists, but there is a subgroup that primarily consists of white right wing republicans. But, there are white liberals who are also racists but not in the same number.

I agree with that.

However modern racism cannot be defined by old definitions. That's where laissez faire racism enters the discussion. Laissez faire racisn is what we see most here and it's really something that needs to be discussed.

That is where I think it is often misused. Is it racism, racial or bias? Racism needs to have an intent or belief behind it that ascribes characteristics to an entire group, a belief that these traits are race based and that certain races are inherently superior or inferior due to those traits. I think racism is also present when races are held to different collective standards.

When people say Blacks this and Blacks that, not some Blacks they are grouping them and speak of them as group, not individuals, and holding them to standards as a group.

When there is yet another mass shooting at a school (where the killer is almost always White) are Whites as race held responsible? How about Hitler’s genocide, are Whites as an entire race held responsible? Are there demands that they, as a race, need to fix this problem? Blacks seem to be held to a different collective standard than other races in responsibility for problems caused by a minority of them.

If they are being held to different collective standards…is that racism?

 

[Coyote]

Refusing to enroll your children in an urban school is not racist if it is poor-performing, it is plagued by violence, or your child would be a minority and the majority kids are racist.

On the first two, agree. On the third…that is very subjective.

 

[Blaster]

Obama's goal was to USE Racism in order to divide and transform America. He was very successful in achieving his goal. I could care less whether he personally is or is not Racist. His policies exploiting Racism is what damaged America greatly.

Obama had an opportunity to unite us among racial lines but instead chose to further divide us. Many folks voted for him thinking he would be a uniter.

 

[Lisa558]

On the first two, agree. On the third…that is very subjective.

Well, I speak from personal experience where I belonged to a minority and the majority kids subjected me to hate crimes. My parents got me out of that school.

 

[Coyote]

Obama had an opportunity to unite us among racial lines but instead chose to further divide us. Many folks voted for him thinking he would be a uniter.

What specifically did he do to divide?

 

[Blaster]

What specifically did he do to divide?

Please tell me you are kidding.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Racism is just collectivism.

It is a learned mindset that views humans who share superficial physical traits only as members of groups and never as individuals.

As collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups...

 

[Natural Citizen]

As an aside, it is widely understood that modern liberalism is a byproduct of the same collectivist thinking that characterizes racism.

As well, it is also widely understood that so-called ''diversity'' advocates are largely the folks who historically perpetuate racism because they actively encourage others to only think of humans only as members of groups rather than as Individuals.