Equality and Racial issues

Equality -
The state of being equal, esp. in status, rights, and opportunities.
(This has to do with collectivisms you can find my ideals and take on that in my signature below for a broader perspective in this thread)

Now, I'm a mutt, form many different backgrounds and such but look white and a little red prolly just to much sun. Not that matters thought we should just get my race out of the way first. And to start out proving a point, race has nothing to do with equality. The idea of race in fact holds us back form achieving it. As this is a sensitive topic I appreciate sensitive and mature responsive.

Racism is a word that get throw around like theres no tomorrow. Despite this the word hasn't deluded much as it still a fairly new concept. Racism does still exist unfortunately though the number of true racist has gone down. In fact being a Racist could only be done as a life style. You can't get a job if you're Racist and it comes with social stigma. Not to say this is a bad thing, racism shouldn't be encouraged and in fact frowned upon. However the word itself should be used as a bullet to immediately discredit people, in less they were in fact a true racist.

Now what really is a racist?
Racisim -The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

-a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

-hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

Now people on the Left and sometimes the right have will have the *cough* somewhat racist idea that Minorities can not get a leg up in this world because white people have pushed them down. If you believe that then you also believe "to distinguish as inferior or superior to another race or races." and then will implement laws that just might "based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.". This is not a low blow and I'm not calling you a racist, its just that racist ideals are still in our culture and society. They have changed, to believe that minorities can not achieve without help from white people is to say that they are inferior. I don't want you to get angry I just want you to think on it.

tvtropes.org...

The secret to equality is not about dividing us into group of races, or demand one race owe another race. Or even seeing people as a race but instead as human beings and individuals, each with his or her own experience beliefs . That is not to say the battle for equality is over, far from it. As we still see people as a race. However we should not be shooting for Racial equality but Human equality.

Equality -
The state of being equal, esp. in status, rights, and opportunities.

Everyone deserves the Status of human being as an individual and free thinker, everyone deserves the same basic human rights no race above the other, and we all deserve the same opportunities as everyone else regardless of race and or social status.

Now lets move on to history, the United states once owned slaves and this is fact. It is a terrible and horrible thing. Our modern society has transcended those ideals however. After that we then went through segregation and discrimination. Our society has transcended those ideals for the most part and is still working through them. Same with interracial relationships again transcended for the most part( I small few still hold on to these beliefs).

It is important to know this, it is our history not just the U.S but they worlds and as a species. To know and learn form these thing to make sure it will never be repeated. To discusses why these things were bad. Not to feel guilty about them or try to make things right by putting a dollar amount on it, but to prevent them from happing again, to ensure equality for all.

One thing we still haven't managed to transcended is the idea of race. We still have black people/brown/asian/ and white. We still view people this way in some from or another. If equality is something you truly want, then stop seeing black/brown/asian/white just start seeing people, to start seeing individuals.

reply to post by Mcupobob


Its how wars have become socially acceptable!

Without the "divide and conquer" technique tptb use there would be no such thing as racism and wars would not be happening

The problem you talk about is not an issue for individual people but for the masses.... they must stop watching TV, stop buying corrupt brain washing "news" papers and think for themselves again!

I see the politicians of the world using the race card daily..........and the mass majority just listen....thats NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming

There are individuals; some are white, some are black, some are brown, etc.

We are not one race, we are one species with many different sub-species (A.K.A. races)

Don't mix bad science with a misguided morality system. You'll end up with illogical results.

reply to post by Mcupobob


Just to be clear on what you're saying, you think white people, who recognize the inequality of the past and want to 'even it up' or 'set it straight' with programs (like Affirmative Action) that cater to minorities, are racist. I know you said you're not calling them racist, but you used all the words from the definition of the word to describe this action, so it's pretty obvious what your intention is.

What you're leaving out (not necessarily intentionally) is that because of slavery and the civil rights era, there is a pervasive mindset that black people are somehow less than white people. Ask almost any individual if they are racist and they'll deny it. But I know for a fact that I still carry deeply ingrained, racial prejudice. I do all I can to fight it, but it's what I was taught as a child and it's hard to completely let it go. At my somewhat advanced age, I still struggle with it. I consider myself one of the least racist people in the US - I've had black friends and black boyfriends through my life - but if I am totally honest, I do still have an initial experience of curiosity upon meeting a black person. This experience is one of recognition of their race and curiosity and wonder at what their life is like. It's almost like they're from another culture or country - foreign, in a way. And it's all because of the 'otherness' that was pounded into my head as a child (and throughout life), not just from my parents, but from commercials, TV, magazines, and other media.

So, here I am, logically KNOWING that there is no real difference in the 'races', and also having a genuine desire for equality for all people, but still... a nagging remnant of racism exists in my mind... And I don't think I'm alone. In fact, I think most people over 30 (in the US) have SOME form of latent racism that they may not even be aware of. Of course, many are aware of it and choose not to fight it...

Now, do I think social programs that aid minorities are the best answer? Maybe not. But until we do come up with the best answer OR until society proves that they are shedding the remnants of racism that exist, then I don't see a problem with the programs.

Black people don't need a leg up. They're NOT inferior. But the subtle racism that exists prevents a fair playing field and should be compensated for somehow, IMO.

This is not a low blow and I'm not calling you a racist, its just that racist ideals are still in our culture and society.

This is true. Racism still exists.

They have changed, to believe that minorities can not achieve without help from white people is to say that they are inferior.

This is not true. As I said, it's not that minorities can not achieve without help from white people. It's that our society is still prejudiced and it's only fair to counteract that prejudice when we can... There's nothing wrong with minorities' abilities. What's wrong is the natural tendency for the average white American to choose a white person over a black person, regardless of qualifications in jobs and other arenas like getting an apartment or a loan.

My hope is that soon, programs like AA won't be necessary because as the age of the populous rises, the less prejudiced youth will be taking positions of power in business. But that time has not come. We can see by how our current president is treated that prejudice and racism are rampant, even though it's subtler than it's ever been. I can't tell you how many times I've heard that white people voted for Obama because of his race... That it was out of some form of 'white guilt' that people chose Obama. Now, while I'm sure the number of people who did so is greater than zero, the vast majority of people who voted for him did so because of his policies or the fact that he wasn't Bush. In any case, he has been disrespected as no other president has ever been.

Yes, Black People Still Face Discrimination

In the same week the Oklahoman insinuated that government gives African-Americans a "tremendous advantage," the New York Times reported on data showing black scientists are "markedly less likely" to win government grants than white scientists. A few weeks earlier, the Pew Research Center had reported that "the median wealth of white households is 20 times that of black households."

These representative snapshots remind us that despite Denialist rhetoric, institutional racism and white privilege dominate American society.

This truth is everywhere. You can see it in black unemployment rates, which are twice as high as white unemployment rates -- a disparity that persists even when controlling for education levels.

You don't have to be actively using the N-word or lynching people to be racist.

reply to post by Mcupobob


That is because race is real. It isn't just skin pigment either. They can tell your race from your bones. And the same medicine that might work wonders with a "white" person could very well kill a "black" person. This sameness campaign BS is nothing short then a campaign of genocide.

And no one has the right to enslave another period. Total equality requires such a thing, thus total equality is a terrible moral sin. The only equality that should and must exist is equality within the law's. As that is the only kind of equality that can exist without creating new inequalities or discrimination's.