What's the deal with Racists?

Look i know there are racists in the world so i'm sure there's going to be some here on these boards.

I'm just wondering. Whats the deal?

I got no beef with anyone for what race, nationality, religion, sex they are, are from, believe in, etc.

I treat everyone as an individual based on how they treat me and others around them, talk to me and others around them.

So I'm just wondering, not trying to get racists to expose themselves on these boards, but just to add to the discussion, what is the deal? How come people can treat other people differently just because they were born a different color, in a different country perhaps, etc. Is it because you think you're better than them? That they deserve to be treated like that, or treated worse than you?

I don't know so I'm asking.

Can someone please explain what the deal is?

I'm just trying to find out what drives this peculiar behavior.

Thank you

In my opinion, racism is a product of failure or perceived limitations. Many people look for an external cause for their personal failures. When they become financially stressed, for example, rather than take personal responsibility for their situation and choices they find someone else to blame. But rather than blame an individual they heap the blame on specifc groups. By focusing all their anger and frustration on an outside group they are freed from having to look within.

Another similar behavior is the 'running down' syndrome. There are only two ways to get ahead (although only one really works): First, is to work to better yourself. The second is to 'run down' the opposition. The latter involves trashing your perceived opponent (either verbally or inwardly) to make yourself seem superior. Of course, in reality trashing your opponent actually does nothing to change your personal situation so it will need to be repeated and you will never progress. But it takes far less work than actually bettering yourself.

Racism is basically ignorance and insecurity with ones own self.

thats my opinion sorry for the short post

Racism
What a question. There is no easy answer for this one. Or should I say no answer that fits in a nice neat category.

Its primarily different for every racist. One racist may say (Add racial group here) are useless because when I was a kid I was wronged by (Add racial group here).

another racist may use religion as an excuse. Still another may use jobs, or lack of promotion as a reason. There are as many excuse as there are racist.

In my mind it all boils down to one thing. HATE!!! Hate will be the killer of our world. in the end there will be no winners. Just because we could not work together. Great thread by the way. I gave you five stars just for having the guts to bring this up.

Originally posted by DaRAGE
How come people can treat other people differently just because they were born a different color, ...

The nice thing about chat forums is that they are COLOR BLIND. The only reason someone would know what skin color another person has is if they deem it necessary to say so.

Some people like to wave their skin color around .. like it's supposed to impress others or something. - I'm white so I'm better. Make sure you pay attention to the fact that I'm black. blah blah blah It's freak'n stupid and it's sick.

I think the word racist is misused. Bigot is probably a better fit.

Typical misuse of the word racist:

person 1: I hate Japanese people

person 2: wow, what a racist

person 1: I did not know that Japanese were a race

racists are ignorant. that's normally because they are unfortunate products of a racist environment. either that or they have some unresolved anger issues that manifest themselves in hate movements.

Thanks everyone for your contribution. It's been enlightening.

I just want to add a few what i think are wise words.

Do not judge a book by it's cover (That book being a person by its colour, race, nationality, religion, etc).

Treat others as you would like them to treat you.

Everyone is an individual. Everyone is different, including yourself.

Martin Luther King said some wise words about judging people by the content of their character.

I really just think don't judge people at all. I don't think you'd like to be judged either. We're all just trying to get by in this world.

Racism, discrimination, sexism, etc is pollution, and the people who carry it out are worthless to earth except to create hate and violence, which is not needed.

I view racism as a virus. No one is born a racist. However one can become a racist by being raised in an environment where this contagion is present. When a newborn is raised in environment of racism, it is only natural to expect that that child will grow up with the racist attitudes of his/her parents, family and friends. The influence, especially during the formative years, of racist attitudes and beliefs are all too easily inculcated into the psyche -- when left unchallenged -- to become a part of the child's core belief system.

I have seen television shows (i.e., Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, Montel Williams, for example) that have depicted young children who express hatred for Jews, Blacks, Whites or you name it. Often it is very clear that these children did not develop their "beliefs" independently. These children learned their beliefs, their hatred from their environment. One example of this can be seen in this video about two young teen-aged girls who have made a name for themselves in the White Supremacy movement. Calling themselves "Prussian Blue", these two twins perform songs with decidedly white supremacist lyrics and ideologies.




These children were not, obviously, born holding white supremacist beliefs. They were not born knowing who Adolf Hitler was much less knowing what he stood for. These children were not born feeling superior to Blacks, Jews, Catholics and whatever. These children were taught to feel this way by their parents, their friends, their community and their environment. What is frightening, however, is that, like a contagious disease, they seek to spread and infect others through their music , noteriety and appeal to others -- especially others their age.

[edit on 6/16/2007 by benevolent tyrant]

Racists come in all shapes, colors, creeds, religions and groups. The only thing they have in common is hate based on fear and ignorance. I was raised to judge a person based on their actions not on what religion, skin color or whatever. If you are a good person you are a good person and I couldn't care less about anything else. Or as I like to say Action talks; BS walks.

The best any of us can do to combat racism is to educate ourselves first, then our children and set an example for others. If we all do that and accept personal responsibility for our actions then we will have accomplished much in the fight to eliminate racist behaviors.

racism, well... the deal is that it's a mind virus. one that we should be rid of by now. pretty much all forms of bigotry are mind viruses. racism is normally not something one develops on their own. it's something that's caught from someone else, maybe a parent or a friend

I don't think it's always that simple. Racism is many times ignited when some other nation does injustice to another. Usually people don't start with racism and need some propaganda, unless injustice is great.

For example, in Germany racism was easy to ignite because Jews really owned a lot of banks, shops and media. They also published books and were involved at politics. Hitler saw all that and also observed how incompetent politicians were and how easy corrupted. Enough to ignite his hatred. Unfair and blind? I doubt so. He tried to change things peacefully too.

Today you are a victim of different types of racism. When you ask about Nazis for example, nobody will explain to you why they felt so strongly against certain people -- they will just portray them as monsters. Double standards all the time, hehe.

I am not against other nations but saying there is no difference between different races is ignorant.

Originally posted by sb2012
I don't think it's always that simple. Racism is many times ignited when some other nation does injustice to another.

Well this is certainly the way some racism might begin. Unfortunately, the general populations of nations might seek to blame individuals for their problems instead of the leaders who instigate the injustice. Keep in mind that the masses are often subjected to subtle (and not so subtle) ideological manipulation.

Originally posted by sb2012For example, in Germany racism was easy to ignite because Jews really owned a lot of banks, shops and media. They also published books and were involved at politics.

Yes, racism against Jews was easy to ignite but not necessarily because of bank ownership or that businesses and some media might have been owned by Jews. Keep in mind that there were also banks, businesses and media that were owned by non-Jews. Racism was ignited by Hitler because he was able to tap into a belief system that held that the Jews had killed Christ and, therefore, were damned. Why would Hitler rekindle such illogical hatred? Because he needed a scapegoat for the economic conditions which existed in post WWI Germany. A condition for which, incidentally, the Allied nations were responsible through their policies of financial retribution. Hitler was able to capitalize on this hatred by nationalizing assets belonging to Jews. And not just the banks but the small shops and business that simply belonged to average, law-abiding people whose only crime was their faith and the accident of birth that allowed them to be born as Jews.

The roots of racism against the Jews are essentially illogical just as the roots of racism against Moslems or Christians are equally without reason. Blind hatred is simply that -- blind.

Originally posted by sb2012I am not against other nations but saying there is no difference between different races is ignorant.

Aside from skin color, belief systems and cultural, societal and geographical opportunities (or lack of them), I'd be curious to hear your opinions of the "differences between the races".

[edit on 6/18/2007 by benevolent tyrant]

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
The roots of racism against the Jews are essentially illogical just as the roots of racism against Moslems or Christians are equally without reason. Blind hatred is simply that -- blind.

Originally posted by sb2012I am not against other nations but saying there is no difference between different races is ignorant.

Aside from skin color, belief systems and cultural, societal and geographical opportunities (or lack of them), I'd be curious to hear your opinions of the "differences between the races".

Well, it's hard to say how much environment and society and how much genes are responsible, but some races are better mathematicians (Chinese), some are better in sport and music (blacks) and some are very good bankers (*censored by ADL*).

Yes it seems like it's blind hatred but when some nation is scattered around it will feel the need to organize, so it survives. This is not bad, but it can quickly become too large and too influential when you are in the midst of another unsuspecting nation. This is what Hitler saw and wrote about in his book Mein Kampf. Same book has views from Rudolf Hess too, since he helped Adolf with it.

I just want to check both sides of a story. This is best cure against propaganda -- being informed.

Originally posted by sb2012
Well, it's hard to say how much environment and society and how much genes are responsible, but some races are better mathematicians (Chinese), some are better in sport and music (blacks) and some are very good bankers (*censored by ADL*).

I'm sorry but I am actually at a loss for words when it comes to refuting the comments you have just made. To say that the Chinese are better at math, that Blacks are better in sport in sports and music are the sort of generalizations that are at the heart of racism. What about the great Arab mathemetians? What about the incredibly agile and skilled Chinese acrobats? Do you discount the wonderfully talented musicians of every nationality, every culture? And are some people actually better bankers? For every example of some specific trait that you generalize as being attributed to one race or another, one could easily find exceptions.

Hitler himself was a racist. He considered all non-Aryans inferior and in that belief he persecuted Slavs with equal distain. Hitlers' hatred was certainly not limited to the Jews. He hated Christians, Catholics, Jehowah witnesses, homosexuals. Hitler even hated his own people through the planned extermination of the mentally handicapped and physically disabled Germans.

To hate anyone because of their race, nationality, creed, sexual orientation or physical or mental disability is racism pure and simple.
To make generalizations about any group is, likewise, a form of racism. It is akin to saying that I met an [fill in the blank] and he was rude thus all [fill in the blank] are rude.

If Hitler had a problem with the Jewish Bankers, he should have arrested them. Why persecute Jewish mothers, children, innocent shop-keepers? How could he generalize that ALL Jews were evil on the basis of what he perceived to be the monopolization of German banks by the Jews?

Racism is simply irrational hatred.


[edit on 6/18/2007 by benevolent tyrant]

It could be dangerous to assume there are no differences between races, at least physiologically.

Here are some examples:

Previous studies in adults have shown that African Americans have a higher fasting insulin concentration and a lower insulin sensitivity than whites.

findarticles.com

The cancer (Merkel Cell Cancer) mostly affects Caucasian people between the ages of 60 and 80 years of age.

www.rush.edu...

Some other random things from random sites:


Caucasoid nose holes are triangular, Negroid's square, and Mongoloid's diamond-shaped. Negroid femur bones are also straighter than other racial groups.

80 to 95 percent of East Asians have dry earwax

"Caucasoids" are generalized to have the lowest degree of projection of the alveolar ridge bones which contain the teeth, a notable size prominence of the cranium and forehead region, and a projection of the midfacial region. "Negroid" traits are generalized to include more rounded eye sockets; broader, more rounded nasal cavity; a forward-slanting facial profile (prognathism); and a dolichocephalic skull (proportionally longer from front to back).

Anyway, back on topic...I've tried to understand this behavior too, even going so far as to visit racist message boards. Most of 'em seemed concerned about keeping their race "pure".
I think for the most part it is learned from the parents, the rest probably just need something to make themselves feel superior.

Originally posted by jtma508
In my opinion, racism is a product of failure or perceived limitations. Many people look for an external cause for their personal failures. When they become financially stressed, for example, rather than take personal responsibility for their situation and choices they find someone else to blame. But rather than blame an individual they heap the blame on specifc groups. By focusing all their anger and frustration on an outside group they are freed from having to look within.

I agree with what he said.. but. I must first state I am BY NO MEANS a racist. I simply tell it in my opinion, as I see it. I do not hate blacks, asians, hispanics, jews, muslims, canadians, swiss, australians, mongolians, bosnians, liechtensteinians, or anybody. With that said, I will tentatively state my argument...

I feel that what people call racism is often not, but simply a result of an overtly political correct society, where everyone is trying too hard to force respect and equality down every one's throats. I also think that many things in place to make the world fair for minorities has actually made it unfair for the majority. My take on affirmative action and equal opportunity is this. Giving someone a job or accepting them into college, over a man of another color, simply because of his color, sounds like were back in the '50s doesnt it?

Also, I like to live by the adage "Not all muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are muslims". I like to see that as in the U.S. I know many people will say things like "Not necessarily, there are eco-terrorists and the IRA and other countries" but im more talking about the severe racism here in the U.S towards muslims. It is unneeded and unwarranted. 99% of muslim reject these radical views of the extremists. I'm catholic, but I dont lock my daughter up and make her wear a chastity belt cause the bible says I should. Because a few priests touched little boys, doesn't mean all of them are pedophiles. and because a few islamic extremists decided to fly a plane into our towers doesn't mean they all will.


Also, my view on the illegal immigrant issue is this. They should simply not be allowed into our country if they cant take the time and effort to apply legally. Not only are they ruining our health care system and education system, but they are getting free schooling while we pay taxes. Don't come to our country and expect everyone to speak spanish. If you sing our national anthem, sing it in the language it was written in. and I can't tell you how tired I am of 'pressing 1 for english'. The other week I went to Los Angeles for business and i had a lay over in dallas-forth worth airport. I went around town briefly and noticed that on signs, spanish was on top and english on bottom. Also, when I called the travel agency in the airport to make sure of my time, the option was first spanish then english. I dont care if were in Texas where the majority is hispanic. We're still in america, so speak english. In something like 8 states now, caucasians are the minority. Just saying, they won't be able to use the minority race card much longer.



[edit on 18-6-2007 by BlissfullIgnorance]

Contrary to popular beliefs and all the propaganda, racism is natural response to foreign people, usually aggressive. After a while when you see they are mostly not harmful, you learn to tolerate them and later even cooperate with them. This is how it worked in past 20.000 years, so no wonder we are so easily manipulated in racism for political reasons or sometimes for no reason at all. It's prehistoric fear, and some people are afraid of this fear. Of what they may become.

Still you need to be careful. Sometimes there are reasons for fear. Just look at Africa and Balkans in recent decades.

Challenge is to learn to tolerate each others differences. Saying we are all equal is foolish. We are not equal, but we can coexist. Maybe.

Yes, sometimes kids ARE raised in racists families to be racist, but part of growing up is also learning right or wrong, so by the time they grow up, they should question whether their family was teaching them right or wrong.

There is absolutely no racism in my family, but my family has taught me all my life that Russia is a bad guy and everyone who lives there lives a poor life under a tyrant government. All my life I obviously ignored it and am on my way to serving the military of my country Russia, and maybe someday even have a government position there, who knows?