Alright, so obvious racism is obvious, but what about all the stupid little things people say that gets under your skin?
At what point does a statement go from an innocuous observation to a racial epithet?
How much truth, in your opinion, is there to the distinctions we point out among the races? If you can immediately think of a dozen exceptions, does it really qualify as a racial characteristic?
Why do people think that you can only be racist in favor of your own race, or in opposition to others?
How much of a role does racism play in the way we raise our children? In the way our children raise each other? (you parents know what I mean)
How much of all this is just complete and total bullshit that we impose on ourselves and each other? I say damn near all of it.
I might be asking too much , but I’d really like for this to remain an adult conversation.
Obviously Mufasa is in, but doesn’t want to actively participate. That’s cool. I have my dreads about it, too, but I do want to get some real opinions.
Sorry, Jay…
I didn’t mean for my post to be a hi-jack or disrespectful…
But the answers to these questions will be as predictable as asking Tiribulus what he thinks about the Pope or asking Zeb what he thinks about President Obama.
Mufasa
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
Alright, so obvious racism is obvious, but what about all the stupid little things people say that gets under your skin?
At what point does a statement go from an innocuous observation to a racial epithet?
How much truth, in your opinion, is there to the distinctions we point out among the races? If you can immediately think of a dozen exceptions, does it really qualify as a racial characteristic?
Why do people think that you can only be racist in favor of your own race, or in opposition to others?
How much of a role does racism play in the way we raise our children? In the way our children raise each other? (you parents know what I mean)
How much of all this is just complete and total bullshit that we impose on ourselves and each other? I say damn near all of it.
[/quote]
In my opinion most of the percieved differences in race are cultural not racial
Part of the perpetuation of racist nonsense is the idea people are of differing races. We are all the same race. People are simply reacting to differences in pigmentation, eye shape, culture, etc. All pretty silly if you ask me.
Jay, what is your opinion on gay marriage? The similarities between dislike of homosexuals and people of other races comes up a lot.
[quote]Mufasa wrote:
Sorry, Jay…
I didn’t mean for my post to be a hi-jack or disrespectful…
But the answers to these questions will be as predictable as asking Tiribulus what he thinks about the Pope or asking Zeb what he thinks about President Obama.
Mufasa[/quote]
I have promised myself I’d disregard the usual ignorant knee-jerk reactions. Hopefully that will keep the shit-flies at bay.
[quote]pittbulll wrote:
In my opinion most of the percieved differences in race are cultural not racial [/quote]
That’s not a much better situation, though. What I’m really getting at is the tendency to view a person as part of a group rather than as an individual.
It strikes me as flat-out social laziness. It’s easier to assume that all people of this group are this way, and all people of that group are that way, and all people of my group are just like me.
[quote]cwill1973 wrote:
Part of the perpetuation of racist nonsense is the idea people are of differing races. We are all the same race. People are simply reacting to differences in pigmentation, eye shape, culture, etc. All pretty silly if you ask me. [/quote]
Agree wholeheartedly.
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]pittbulll wrote:
In my opinion most of the percieved differences in race are cultural not racial [/quote]
That’s not a much better situation, though. What I’m really getting at is the tendency to view a person as part of a group rather than as an individual.
It strikes me as flat-out social laziness. It’s easier to assume that all people of this group are this way, and all people of that group are that way, and all people of my group are just like me.[/quote]
To deny difference in cultures would be foolish IMO. I think tolerance is the answer , live and let live .
[quote]sufiandy wrote:
Jay, what is your opinion on gay marriage? The similarities between dislike of homosexuals and people of other races comes up a lot.[/quote]
To each their own.
That brings up a whole new can of turds that I think would be better left to another thread, but I will say this;
I’m frustrated with fellow Christians for insisting that something we don’t agree with should be outlawed. That is not the spirit of liberty, and I very much support everyone’s right to personal freedom as long as it isn’t violent (the Biblical form of the word ‘violent’, not the popular definition). After all, if the Lord sees fit for each of us to have free will, how could anyone see fit to take it away.
[quote]cwill1973 wrote:
Part of the perpetuation of racist nonsense is the idea people are of differing races. We are all the same race. People are simply reacting to differences in pigmentation, eye shape, culture, etc. All pretty silly if you ask me. [/quote]
The largest genetic gap between any two races is about 1/3 of a percent. If that sounds underwhelming to you, keep in mind we are only about 2% short of being chimps.
Race is a thing. 200,000 years of evolution has changed more than just our skin.
Your comment is an example of the cultural pendulum swinging way too far on too the other side. You don’t have to deny race to not be racist.
[quote]pittbulll wrote:
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]pittbulll wrote:
In my opinion most of the percieved differences in race are cultural not racial [/quote]
That’s not a much better situation, though. What I’m really getting at is the tendency to view a person as part of a group rather than as an individual.
It strikes me as flat-out social laziness. It’s easier to assume that all people of this group are this way, and all people of that group are that way, and all people of my group are just like me.[/quote]
To deny difference in cultures would be foolish IMO. I think tolerance is the answer , live and let live .
[/quote]
I agree to an extent. Being respectful of cultural differences is definitely wise when you are among that culture, but I don’t understand the notion that I should cater to another culture when they are the stranger here.
Tolerance is definitely the answer. But tolerance means different things to different people, and most often takes different meanings depending on who they are talking about.
[quote]TigerTime wrote:
Race is a thing. 200,000 years of evolution has changed more than just our skin.
[/quote]
So, if you were to take 10 different children from all over the world and raise them all in the same household with the same parents, what would the differences be when they all turned 18?
[quote]TigerTime wrote:
Race is a thing. 200,000 years of evolution has changed more than just our skin.[/quote]
Pigmentation, hair texture, and slight bone structure differences seem superficial.
Larger differences like blood type certainly exist, but no one considers people with different blood types to be from different “races”.
Why is it that we define “race” solely based on superficial visual differences?
Racism only exists because of racial awareness.
CS
[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
Racism only exists because of racial awareness.
CS[/quote]
Well, yes. But seeing as we are extremely visual animals, it’s hard to ignore the fact that we have some differences. It takes experience, acceptance (not just tolerance), and understanding to overcome that “he looks different” gut reaction.
[quote]TigerTime wrote:
[quote]cwill1973 wrote:
Part of the perpetuation of racist nonsense is the idea people are of differing races. We are all the same race. People are simply reacting to differences in pigmentation, eye shape, culture, etc. All pretty silly if you ask me. [/quote]
The largest genetic gap between any two races is about 1/3 of a percent. If that sounds underwhelming to you, keep in mind we are only about 2% short of being chimps.
Race is a thing. 200,000 years of evolution has changed more than just our skin.
Your comment is an example of the cultural pendulum swinging way too far on too the other side. You don’t have to deny race to not be racist.[/quote]
human-race is a political term with political implications. Its believed that the term became popular under the colonial era as a means to explain why it was okay for europeens to control other peoples lands. From there its been used in many different situations as an legitimation for cruel actions against different groups. Ergo you honor that tradition if you try to upphold that term.
I’m fairly certain gingers are not human.
