Is Racism Real?

Racism is just a business for minority leaders to keep their jobs. If it's not then why don't they ever step up to the plate when something good happens or when something bad happens to white people. I live in Benton Harbor Michigan it's a special little hell hole created by it's leaders.

Explanation: Uhm???

Of course it's learned. We aren't born racist and we aren't born feeling inferior or superior. It's all learned - from parents, society, experience, HISTORY...

Would that learned racism include my guts normal instinctive reaction based urge to purge say naturally occuring E-coli, salmonella ect. which
of course are another distinct race??? Because if it is, then we are and aren't born racist in both senses of the argument. Sometimes things are rejected immediately and in an offhand kind of way due to failing an "at face value" assesment out of pure survival safety requirements and morality along with good judgement get tossed out with it in the process.
Sometimes that kind of response saves lives and who is going to willingly start a war with their stomach who definately knows better if only instinctually itself?

Personal Disclosure: I have quoted Benevolent Heretic's post but I'm seeking an answer from all who agree with that statement.

Racism. Bigotry. Been around for as long as mankind has been different looking/different acting then his/her neighbor...

It's very real. Everyone encounters it, regardless of ethnic, social, religious backgrounds. Yes, some do encounter more often as a group than others...only a true idiot would believe otherwise.

That having been said... It's obvious you realize that it exists, why are you asking?

Are you wondering if it is somehow different in other places? Or something of that nature?

Just curious.

reply to post by seagull


Maybe the title of the thread is slightly mis-leading and I shall change it if you want?

I'm not denying that there aren't racists i.e. people who dislike others simply because of their skin colour and/or race and religion.

What I'm trying to get at is why do people become offended when someone use's their skin colour in an insult against them?

I've already stated that I think people who dislike other simply because of their colour or race are mindless, narrow minded idiots.

I would just like to know why I haven't ever met a white person who would feel offended if someone insulted them and called them white?

Originally posted by Death_Kron
My point being is that there is no chance in hell that every black person for example is aware of their races history and that's why they become insulted when someone uses an expletive describing their colour.

But you're sure that every one of them are offended by skin color remarks? Are you sure about that?

I don't get offended when someone calls me white, because I am white.

Yeah, you said that... A few times now. You don't really need to repeat it. You are you. Not everyone is going to respond to life the same way you do. You are no better or worse than anyone else because of the way you respond to life. You don't live in another's shoes, so judging them for how they respond might be a bit assumptive on your part.

One of my all-time vary favorite ATS threads ever... It started out all nice, but got insanely confrontational. It taught me a lot. Thanks, ceci!

Why is Race Such a Taboo Subject?

It's a LONG thread, but very interesting and entertaining, IMO.

Originally posted by OmegaLogos
Would that learned racism include my guts normal instinctive reaction based urge to purge say naturally occuring E-coli, salmonella ect. which
of course are another distinct race???

Yeah, I get it. We're all one race. The human race. And I agree. But that's semantics. You know the OP is talking about race as in skin color and heritage.

Originally posted by Death_Kron
I would just like to know why I haven't ever met a white person who would feel offended if someone insulted them and called them white?

That question has been answered. You responded to it be bringing up white or white slavery (which was NOT about skin color or race, btw). If you don't understand why the historically dominant race doesn't get offended by someone mentioning their race, then you need to really study history in detail.

reply to post by Death_Kron

Death_Kron ,

I believe that unconsciously everybody is racist to some extend. Here is a copy from a reply I made in an other thread.

If you would ask an average person if he is a racist, most will directly answer "No!!"

Try the next test to see how it works out for you...

Here we have a list of words. Every word that you read, that you experience as positive or with every name that is indigenous, tap with your right hand on the right side of the table. With every negative word or every foreign name tap with your left hand on the left side of the table.
(use a timer to see your response time)

Love
John
Cancer
Mike
Jose
Peace
Secure
Achmed
Jorge
War
Daniel
Death
George
Healthy
Fun
Torture
Abdul
Paul
Sad
Happy
Mohammed
Frank
Luck
Pain
Aziz

Now let's do this test again only this time tap with your right hand on the right side of the table with every positive word or every foreign name. With your left hand you tap the left side of the table when you read negative words or indigenous names....

This is called the Implicit-association-test. It measures if we subconsciously have negative or positive association with something. Most people have difficulty combining foreign names with positive words. So are we all racist subconsciously??

Have fun!!!

Peace


[edit on 6-9-2010 by operation mindcrime]

reply to post by Death_Kron


Ah... Gotcha.

No need to change anything... I'm just a little dense, and tired, this morning...

If someone, whoever it may be, insults you with a bigoted remark, shouldn't you be at least a trifle offended? I am, though it doesn't happen too often, as I'm a fairly large guy, who doesn't look like the affable gentleman that I am... But it has happened, and I do get offended. Not to the point of punches or shooting, but to the point of informing said individual that his/her remarks are not welcome...(and the next time it happens, I'm going to pull their liver out through their nose...j/k.)

Taking offense, if done in the right manner, can help point out the wrongness. Where ignoring it, as you seem to do, while maintaining the peace, does nothing to rectify the problem.

reply to post by operation mindcrime


Is it racism/bigotry? Or is it merely being unfamiliar with the word? It is an interesting notion, though...

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


I was going to mention that thread, too.

A living breathing example of good intentions going awry in a big way...

Originally posted by Death_Kron

I'm a white, British male and if someone insulted me with *expletive* white man I simply would not be offended, do you know why?

Because I am white.

Tell you what. Move to a part of Hawaii where there are few whites and very anti haole; then tell us how you feel about racism. After you get your house robbed and vandalized, daily verbal abuse based on your skin color and see your children beat up/bullied in school due to their skin color; you may have a different view about the reality of racism.

It's easy enough to to claim racism isn't real when you are part of the majority race and have little to fear from racism.

[edit on 6-9-2010 by Kaploink]

reply to post by seagull

Or is it merely being unfamiliar with the word?

No, it's word association!! Somehow you are better able to combine happy thoughts with people of our own "kind". The second time you do the test you have to combine happy thoughts with people from the other "kind".

I believe it is rooted very deep in our basic configuration. You know, when you used to belong to one tribe and entering into the other would get you killed. Basic survival instinct left overs I guess..

The phobia one has for people outside their "tribe" really isn't that strange, nature is full of it. I guess what matters most is what you do with such "fear"......

Peace

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


I haven't seen, heard or witnessed many black people not be offended when someone mentions their skin colour.

However, this thread wasn't specifically directed towards blacks or any race for that matter.

I'll read the thread you linked and get back to you.

reply to post by seagull


I didn't say I was ignoring anything, I just basically stated that an obvious comment about my appearance be that my skin colour, weight, height wouldn't affect me if it was true.

Weight is a tricky one though as height and skin colour can't be controlled, a persons weight can be controlled - although some people will always be larger than others regardless of what they do.

However, the same principle still applies, pointing out the obvious shouldn't be offensive.

reply to post by Death_Kron


Hello,
I'm a white British male too, but I do take a different view point to yourself.

You mentioned that if you tried to complain about someone calling you '-something bad- white boy' you would be laughed at. This is true, so why isn't it the same the other way around? Because black people today, especially those born in Britain, don't know a thing about what it's like to be persecuted. They really don't. They just use the past as an excuse. And believe me I have never abused anyone or made anyone my slave, so why on Earth should we all, now, not be subject to the same laws and restrictions?

I think racism does exist, but it isn't in the name calling; the real racism is how people are treated by, for example, the system, or the government. Or whatever. After spending the last seven years in a school that has about one white kid to every ten, I (rightly or wrongly) see racism being directed at white people far more than at Black people or Asian people.

That then means it's the minority that get picked on; which we all know anyway, but I'm straying.

Racism does exist, in my opinion, and- forgetting about the prats who don't like people for the way they look- needs to be stamped out of this wishy washy system that's in place in so many countries. I'm sick and tired of living where I, because of who I am, get less than others for who they are. We should all forget about the petty name calling and events that happened before most people were born.

Oh and we should just ignore the racist hecklers in the street, because they live pointless lives.

Ramadwarf on his experiences with racism, and how, whenever he sees threads like this, he just haas to rant.

reply to post by Ramadwarf Philes


That was an excellent post, have a star

I agree with nearly everything you said.

For background information, I went to college with a class where I was the only white, English man. Didn't have a problem with anyone though, they were all lovely people!

I'm also a white British male. That you don't get upset when somebody calls you a 'white boy' is a credit to yourself, in my opinion. I've never actually met a black person who objects to being called 'black', however.

reply to post by operation mindcrime


That's true enough, and I agree so far as it goes.

But it's a bit harder to have happy thoughts about something you are unfamiliar with, is it not?

Some of my best friends on this planet are black, Muslim, gay, and many other things that I am not.

Association is all very well and good...but what experiences color those associations?

I tried it though, and my associations were, in all likelihood, very different from what someone with a more sheltered life would get.

It's interesting, but I'm not sure what evidence for an inborn sense of bigotry we can draw from it? If that is, indeed, what you are trying to tell me. If I'm drawing the wrong conclusion here, please tell me.

This is an interesting look at it. You've got my attention.

It's a sad fact, but racism definitely exists. It certainly does here, in Savannah GA. You get it from both sides though, the whites are racist towards the blacks, and vice-versa.

I dont see this as an issue that will be resolved any time soon, either. I mean that on a global scale. As long as people are different, culturally, racism will exist. It's not easy for the average person to embrace the unknown.

This is sad. Look at all of the progress we have made in the last 100 years with technology. Look at how much easier life has become. Yet we cant reconsider our differences.

As long as hate exists, racism will exist.

Originally posted by ANOK
It's offensive because people of colour, and other minority groups, have been the victims of discrimination at the hands of white people for a very long time.

Whites have not been discriminated is this way, so to call someone a 'white person' holds no racial negativity.

That's nonsense.

A black person, for example, does not in any way, share the suffering of people throughout history, that happened to share similar racial traits to his, or her, self.

The whole notion that someone nowadays should be affected by historical atrocities committed against other people that share similar genetic characteristics to them, is racially biased, and nonsensical.

The only racism that any person can suffer, is that which they have personally experienced, therefore there should be no distinction between insulting someone for being black, white or brown.

All are equally ignorant.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


You forget that the blacks sold each other into slavery as well.....

reply to post by Sherlock Holmes


You hit the nail on the head there, Sherlock! I couldn't agree more.

If we were all to be upset due to HISTORY then I am pretty sure every ethnicity should be running around screaming racism all the time.

Why aren't the Jewish awarded scholarships because their relatives were involved in the holocaust?

Why aren't hispanics given scholarships because of the Arizona immigrations law?

Why don't we have a JET, or a Jewish Entertainment Television, we have a BET, Black Entertainment Television.

Ebony magazine. black awards shows, black radio stations "for the people",

Do you know what would happen if there was a White Entertainment Television or a white radio station?

Where I am from ethinicites are treated pretty damn well. People go out of their way to appease them. (When I think everyone should be appeased!) At my college, UTC, in order for white students to qualify for the Dean's List scholarship they require a 3.5 gpa, whereas the blacks will recieve it for a mere 3.0 gpa. (Which is offensive to blacks, in my opinion! But that's a whole 'nother can of nasty worms!)

An any rate, it seems that a great deal of posters here aren't understanding the question being posed by the OP.

Insult me for being stupid, insult me for being arrogant, insult me for being annoying, but don't mention my skin color! (Which is far too white....anyone know of any good spray tan salons?)