So What's Wrong With Racism?

[CharlestonChad]

Racism is wrong because the less intelligent racists, not the WJ's, resort to violence. It's human nature for violence to arise in the presence of extreme ignorance and stupidity. Example: Violence surrounding the civil rights movement.

 

[Gunny]

I believe there are genetic subdivisions according to ethnic groups/shared ancestry, and that there are dividing factors between ethnic groups. But I believe "race" to be too strong a word for the things that divide us. Race speaks of deeply rooted division, while I believe only in superficial divisions. For example, if a Pacific Islander was raised in Switzerland from birth, he would not identify himself as a Pacific Islander who grew up in Switzerland. He would identify himself as Swiss.

I try to look beyond all invented divisions, in the interest of entertaining some semblance of the truth.

What you are essentially saying is you apply your own definition to the word "race" in contradiction to the actual definition.

Pacific islander is an ethinicity based on heredity while being Swiss identifies nationality according to lines drawn on a map. There's no comparison between one and the other.

 

[rayboyusmc]

Being a racist isn't the problem. Having power and acting out your racism is.

Anyone can be a racist. It has more to do with power than with the color of your skin.

DOD has one of the best schools, The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute at Patrick Airforce Base, FL, that deals with the issue of all the "isms" in the military and trains both Officers and Staff NCOs in all 5 services.

 

[LOki]

Huh? Plenty of folks argue this, me among them. Craig Ventner by now admits this (though denies importance). Actually, there isn't really a scientific argument that there aren't genetic differences among races --- there are.

I apologize for not being clear. Arguments have two sides, and what I meant to express was the notion thatthere really is no argment regarding genetic foundations appurtenant to the races. For instance, there is no argument regarding the genetic determination of skin pigments--the nature of those pigments are determined by gentics. I think we agree.

The argument is over how much influence this has. The weight of the evidence? A LOT.

No so much. Correlation may suggest causation, but it doesn't mean causation. As I mentioned earlier, Strakon argues (IMO, unneccessarily) the genteic determination of traits, but then goes on a question begging mission of value assignments to traits that have not been genetically mapped, only to refute himself by bringing up "the Eddie Willers Question."

Racism claims that the content of a man's mind (not his cognitive apparatus, but its content) is inherited; that a man's convictions, values and character are determined before he is born, by physical forces beyond his control.

 

[Paulie]

Racism is wrong because the less intelligent racists, not the WJ's, resort to violence. It's human nature for violence to arise in the presence of extreme ignorance and stupidity. Example: Violence surrounding the civil rights movement.

How about, example:

After 9/11, people of ALL races were beating up and robbing gas station attendants, and others that APPEARED "muslim". Many were not even muslim, and were in fact Hindu.

In my neck of the woods, there was a Hindu-owned gas station that actually had a large sign up that read something like this:

"Please do not be angry with us. We are not Muslim, we are Hindu. We come from India, not Afghanistan, and we love America."

This country was practically UNITED in racism after 9/11. Many still are. It's one reason why neo-conservatism has had so much success.

 

[Helios]

How about, example:

After 9/11, people of ALL races were beating up and robbing gas station attendants, and others that APPEARED "muslim". Many were not even muslim, and were in fact Hindu.

In my neck of the woods, there was a Hindu-owned gas station that actually had a large sign up that read something like this:

"Please do not be angry with us. We are not Muslim, we are Hindu. We come from India, not Afghanistan, and we love America."

This country was practically UNITED in racism after 9/11. Many still are. It's one reason why neo-conservatism has had so much success.

The sooner people realize racism isn't human nature, but rather a tool implemented by politicians to unite people, the better. United people, vote united. They like that. They like no opposition, instead of the pathetically small opposition the people usually put up.

 

[Nevadamedic]

Hillary is a racist, Biden is a racist, RP is a racist... so they say these days. But what exactly is the factual or moral problem here? What is it that "racists" think, say or do that is not based on facts or morality?

Can you make or participate in just one thread that isn't racist or have a racist remark in it?

 

[eots]

Can you make or participate in just one thread that isn't racist or have a racist remark in it?

I THINK MR I WILL ALWAYS HATE GOOKS ..MR 100YR WAR IS ABOUT AS RACIST AS IT GETS

 

[manifold]

The sooner people realize racism isn't human nature...

Everything I've ever learned or observed suggests the contrary. I have no idea what fantasy land you grew up in that you could possibly believe what you stated...as fact no less.

 

[Helios]

Everything I've ever learned or observed suggests the contrary. I have no idea what fantasy land you grew up in that you could possibly believe what you stated...as fact no less.

I guess I'm just asking questions that have no answer.

Oh, and I'd be very interested to see facts that support racism is human nature. I'm not talking about competition for resources, I'm talking about irrational hatred. We are given the impression that if we didn't have people to oppress we could not have a high standard of life, which is more of a fantasy than anything I said.

 

[William Joyce]

irrational hatred.

What would be an example of that? Hatred, like love, is only ever rational in its core. But this is not to deny its ultimate LEGITIMACY and REALITY. If you "hate" the cold, there's a good reason for that: it'll KILL YOU. Likewise with blacks. They will kill you. Check out the FBI's crime statistics.

 

[mattskramer]

What would be an example of that? Hatred, like love, is only ever rational in its core. But this is not to deny its ultimate LEGITIMACY and REALITY. If you "hate" the cold, there's a good reason for that: it'll KILL YOU. Likewise with blacks. They will kill you. Check out the FBI's crime statistics.

Actually, I like cold weather. It tends to wake me up. I enjoy the crisp breeze on my face and the gentle falling of snowflakes. It is true that if weather gets too cold and you fall into an icy lake, you could die.

Okay. Blacks commit more crimes than do Whites. I think that you are exaggerating the significance of such information. I doubt that you are ever going to get murdered or assaulted by a Black person (or a White person for that matter). Just use reasonable precaution. If bad weather is approaching, bundle up. If your neighborhood experiences an increase in crime, buy extra security.

 

[Taomon]

Actually, I like cold weather. It tends to wake me up. I enjoy the crisp breeze on my face and the gentle falling of snowflakes. It is true that if weather gets too cold and you fall into an icy lake, you could die. Likewise, see the chart.

Okay. Blacks commit more crimes than do Whites. I think that you are exaggerating the significance of such information. I doubt that you are ever going to get murdered or assaulted by a Black person (or a White person for that matter). Just use reasonable precaution. If bad weather is approaching, bundle up. If your neighborhood experiences an increase in crime, buy extra security.

Let's not forget that crime can be directly linked to poverty. Not many rich White serial killers.

 

[Gurdari]

What would be an example of that? Hatred, like love, is only ever rational in its core. But this is not to deny its ultimate LEGITIMACY and REALITY. If you "hate" the cold, there's a good reason for that: it'll KILL YOU. Likewise with blacks. They will kill you. Check out the FBI's crime statistics.

Racism is a disservice to two things:
Intellectual logic and equality.
Besides, any true racist believes nobody should be treated better than others based on their race/creed/whatever.

As for WJ - there is no such things as 'cold' only heat, and black people must be inferior at dealing out death compared to old ****** if you look at the macro view or person to person, the fair skinned have ended the most lives pre-maturely and with considerable aggression.

(for nations in which whites have ended many lives - look at: India, Japan, Russia, Germany, much of North and South America, much of Africa)

 

[Ravi]

Okay. Blacks commit more crimes than do Whites. I think that you are exaggerating the significance of such information. I doubt that you are ever going to get murdered or assaulted by a Black person (or a White person for that matter). Just use reasonable precaution. If bad weather is approaching, bundle up. If your neighborhood experiences an increase in crime, buy extra security.

Your chart shows the race of the victim, not the perp, so I'm not quite sure how you are drawing your conclusion.

 

[mattskramer]

Your chart shows the race of the victim, not the perp, so I'm not quite sure how you are drawing your conclusion.

Ooops. My mistake. Good catch. Check out this site:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/race.htm

 

[jeffex]

I'm of the belief that "racism" is acting on prejudice. By acting I mean teaching your children to have the same prejudices, talking bad about someone your never met because of race, not voting for a candidate simply because of race. these are all actions. Everyone has prejudices. Thoughts are benign but actions based on thoughts result in racism IMO. Blacks hate whites and descriminate against them too. A little racism is probably a "normal " thing in the modern world. Its part of the protectionism we all develope as we mature. Our enviornment teaches us to be cautious from lifes experiences. If you live in the suburbs and have very little exposure to other races your mind may be more open by simply not having any or as many negative experiences. It is the extreme cases that breed hatred. Cultural differences , physical differences, economic differences,...etc. all can fuel the degree or level of "racism" . The problem with racism in our modern culture is its used primarily to define hatred by "whites" against just about any other race. However, Its not just racism one way! The other side of racism is it is used as a crutch or excuse to rationalize life being a struggle. So whats wrong with racism? I can only say that I believe that teaching it is the worst part of it. Promoting hatred is its worst element IMO. don't get me wrong , I have my own prejudices but I wouldn't think of teaching them.

 

[Gurdari]

it's facile to look at one factor and not others.

You could say that motorists kill more people every year than soldiers do.
You could say white people embezzle money WAY more than hispanics.
Or even that people kill themselves more often than strangers do.

All possibly true, yet misleading statements.

 

[Ravi]

Ooops. My mistake. Good catch. Check out this site:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/race.htm

Okay, I see the statistics point out that black people are more apt to commit violent crimes. I didn't explore too deeply so I'm not sure if these statistics are based on arrests or convictions, but that probably doesn't matter. Nor are other factors like poverty, drug use or the fact that black people may have the courts stacked against them addressed.

But if it is agreed that black people are more likely to commit violent crimes, what do we as a society do about it? If anything? Or do we just try to address the deeper issue that men are more likely to commit violent crimes than women?

 

[mattskramer]

Okay, I see the statistics point out that black people are more apt to commit violent crimes. I didn't explore too deeply so I'm not sure if these statistics are based on arrests or convictions, but that probably doesn't matter. Nor are other factors like poverty, drug use or the fact that black people may have the courts stacked against them addressed.

But if it is agreed that black people are more likely to commit violent crimes, what do we as a society do about it? If anything? Or do we just try to address the deeper issue that men are more likely to commit violent crimes than women?

I don’t think that the statistic is that important. Some people want to make such a huge deal about it. That is basically my point.