A question about racism

[Vgfian]

After looking at my mothers earlier life,I'm quite surprised that she isn't as racist as she ,"should" be.
Shewas abused,for most of her childhood at school by the black students/faculty because she was white.
I'm also quite surprised that she doesn;t stereotype that much either,even though she has been denied seriously needed medical treatment,or even beaten,because her black teacher was high as a kite.
EXAMPLE.My mom was just mindin her own business when one someone decides to close the large classroom door on her hand,nearly chopping her entire finger off.
She started bleeding in large amounts.
How does her teacher respond?By saying the following:

child you be bleedn all ova mah classroom.go out in the hall or somethin.

My mom was eventually abused to the point of dropping out in what i believe she said was the ninth grade.

I bring up these thing that I've observed about my mother's life,in order to bring up the two questons.

1)Does or rather should someone have a right to be racist?
2) Do you believe tat there are ,"levels" or ,"stages" to racism?

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

1. Re-phrase everything in your post. Quick.

2. I do believe that we should have the right to our own thoughts, including hateful ones. Yes, we have the right to be racist.

[Valigarmander]

I wouldn't hold it against a person for being racist to any degree.

I would if said racism motivated that person to do bad things.

[1-up Salesman]

If people are racist, they can keep their thoughts to themselves and discuss it with their friends and family. But no, no one should mistreat black people, and black people should not mistreat white people.

[Bomby]

^

Racism: It only happens between Black and White people.

[Vgfian]

Originally Posted by I REALLY HATE POKEMON!

1. Re-phrase everything in your post. Quick.

No.

[CuccoLady]

People have every right (no matter how much I disagree with them) to be racist and think according to that bias. As Voltaire said, "I do not agree with a word you are saying but I will defend to the death your right to say it." It is that person's right to believe or speak according to their bias SO LONG AS they do not act upon it or cause harm to those they look down upon.

Thinking a certain way is not illegal. Acting upon a bias and being rude, mean, unfair, or cruel to someone because of it is, or at the very least, is wrong.

[Crazyswordsman]

Originally Posted by Bomby

^

Racism: It only happens between Black and White people.

Assuming you're being sarcastic here, because of the institutionalized racism against ethnic minorities in China. I read recently that the CCP is forcing all hotels to report all instances where Tibetan guests are staying at hotels to the police. -CSM

[Valigarmander]

Originally Posted by Crazyswordsman

Assuming you're being sarcastic here,

*Don't be ridiculous.*

[Eagle Eye]

Everyone is a little prejudice/stereotypical when you think about it, it's human nature.

For example: you grow up around a certain type of people, then a different type of people, or people you didn't grow up with, will be foreign to you. As far as your mom goes, she went through a ****ty situation, and she is one of many.
In the end, you can't let your experiences with few judge the whole. I've been treated horribly by blacks for being "too smart" or "not black enough" and I've been treated horribly by whites for the same reason. Am I angry at them? For the most part, no, because that's all most of them knew.

In that town, the races seem to be mostly separated, and people get confused when one acts "outside of their own area"

Racism is really the act of believing one race is superior to another, so no, being racist is not okay.

[ZeldaGirl]

Everyone's a ritter bit lacist.

[Swordmaster Link]

I'll be as concise as I can, but the last part of Andre's post sums up what I believe racism to be. To be specific, I think racism is the hating someone simply because of the fact that they are of a different race.

That's in italics because people over-use that word way too much. If someone makes fun of me for being "too smart" or "not black enough" as Andre said, I don't consider that racist. Stupid? Yes. Racist? No. Just because people are foreign to you, that doesn't mean you might develop a hatred for them. As for the stereotype thing, yeah they're out there, but at the end of the day you can decide how you react to those images of people. The problem I have is when people say things like "You're not really [insert race here], they don't do that type of thing." The hell does that mean? Can somebody tell me why that is considered insulting? Shouldn't that be a good thing, because it shows that the person interacts with different kinds of people, and is thus exposed to different ways of life? I listen to hip-hop, but I also like to ski and play tennis. I like watching/playing basketball, but I also wear a little Old Navy (what, it's cheap sue me)

To answer your questions: No and No. The latter, because there are no degrees...you either think you are inherently superior to another race or you don't. The former, because I consider race to be a social construct anyway. People like to extrapolate too much. I'm sorry that your mother was mistreated by blacks because of the color of her skin, but that doesn't give her (or anyone) the right to extrapolate those negative experiences on all other blacks.

Damn, that wasn't very concise. I hate PP&R.

Addendum: Hanging out with the same type of people all the time would be boring, anyway.

[CuccoLady]

I think that people have a RIGHT to be racist, not that they are right in being so. It's just that when they cross that line into harassment due to it then that is just plain wrong on all accounts.

[LASER BEAR ASSAULT UNIT]

I ticked three, cause my racism level is OVER 9000!!!!

Originally Posted by ZeldaGirl

Everyone's a ritter bit lacist.

Doesn't mean you around co-mitt-ing, hate CRIIII-IIIII-IIIMES.

[Kargath]

[Cosmonautical]

Originally Posted by CL- WE ARE HOT STUPID

I think that people have a RIGHT to be racist, not that they are right in being so. It's just that when they cross that line into harassment due to it then that is just plain wrong on all accounts.

Just because racism is not illegal does not make it a right. There is no document stating racism as a right.


Guild, it is racist to a degree that you make the distinction that the teacher was a black man and did this to your mother. The funny thing is that racism comes in different flavors, but make no mistake that you can be racist but less racist. You either think in a racist manner or you do not.

It is racist, for instance, to suggest that she would have had an easier time in school simply should her peers and teachers been a different color. Bullies are bullies to anyone they can be, and it doesn't matter what reason they have. They are just bullies.

Racism in itself is just a defensive mechanism. It represents fear and distrust. You give others control by fearing them, and will be a weaker person for it.

[Saria Dragon of the Rain Wilds]

The problem here being that if you think as a racist, it's almost impossible to act in a non-racist fashion towards those you perceive differently.

I'll also add that I agree with SML entirely. Racism isn't about noting someone is of a different skin colour or making stereotyping jokes. Racism is an irrational prejudice against ALL people of a certain race.

Finally, no one has the right to be racist because of their experiences. Passing judgement against an entire race on the basis of a few is wrong in any instance (hating all women because your wife cheated on you; hating all homeless people because one stole from you; hating all religious people because one chose to attack you for not believing the same thing as them, etc). If someone is abused by their own race, they won't go on to hate all others of their race. So why should it be different if they happened to befall misfortune at the hands of some people who are a different race?

Racism is an excuse for inexcusable behaviour.

[Bomby]

People have a right to be racist. And I have a right to think they're morons.

[Joker]

I have a deep seated belief in my freedoms as an American and even more so as a human being. I believe that as an individual capable of conscious thought and as a person with opinions, I should be able to view and judge things according to my own free will.

Racism, as a moral belief or thought or even as a concept that your race is superior to another’s is perfectly okay. You as a human being endowed with a free will and intellectual mind should be able to create and believe what ever philosophies or ideas that you wish. It is when you over step your right to believe in something and begin to act out and impede on the rights of others that you are in the wrong.

For example: Communism is an idea that was created by the human mind, in the mind of that person his logic was sound. However when the idea and social reform began to take on physical action against others, that is when the idea is no longer just an idea, rather it becomes an enforcement of ones will or teachings. Enforcing your beliefs on others or depriving others of their freedom to act, live or think as freely as you do is not okay. And it is in that respect that I do not agree with racism.

If I think that all Mexican’s are filth and should be wiped off the face of the earth. I should be free to believe in that logic. I should be able to write stories about my ideas no matter how off the wall or against the grain it may go. We as humans are creators. We can create with in the construct of our own minds anything that we want. We should be free to believe in what we want, like who we want to like, dislike who want to dislike. We should be able to live as God intended…..FREE!!

I could be called racist for some of my views against midgets and those addicted to Heroin…and I should be allowed to believe whatever I want about them…but I do not have the right to EVER act on those ideas or beliefs. I value their right to live and their freedoms as much as I do my own.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone racism as an act of violence or as a way to deprive some one of their rights. I do believe it has the right to exist in the form of a concept and idea or a belief. For me censorship of any kind against a persons beliefs or way of thinking is deplorable. Those who do not believe in racism have as much of a right to do so as those who do believe in it. Neither of them should enforce their will on others through a deprivation of ones freedoms or right to live.

CL quoted one of my favorite quotes from Voltaire “ I do not agree with a word you are saying but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” In essence this is the code that I live by. I could not care less what events or teaching lead you to your beliefs, nor do I care if I agree with them or not…I do care that you should have the right to think as you do. And simply because I think that your opinions and way of thinking are evil or unconscionable does not mean you do not have the right to your opinion.

The argument that it is impossible or near impossible to not act on your own beliefs or treat others based on your way of thinking is understandable. However, the way you act and the attitude you hold is another form of free will. Although, not acting upon our beliefs can be difficult as mentioned previously, it is still the right of that person to try and live their life doing so. Those who fail in their attempts deserve to be reprimanded no doubt. But just because we might not be able to contain our beliefs does not mean we do not hold the right to have them.

[heh]

they have a legal right to be racist i guess, it still never a good thing. (ever)