Then the war is about killing 'brown people' (why do self-appointed enlightened ones always use this term?)
Then the war is about killing muslims (which is a religion, not a color)
If you think America or most Americans that are for the war are for it because we are killing 'brown people', then I seriously think you need to find a self-hate support group.
I have never said any of those three things. I believe the reason for the war is coming out. Mostly about providing stability and control in a region we had little involvement.
I only believe that the use of deadly force was easy and will continue because our nation has all but completely dehumanized the people that are dying.. and further we blame them for their own deaths.
We were never and even still don't consider ourselves a nation that will kill hundreds of thousands of people for political positon. Yet we are - it only requires that we first develop a contempt for the people we are about to kill. However subconscious it may be.
I have never said any of those three things. I believe the reason for the war is coming out. Mostly about providing stability and control in a region we had little involvement.
I only believe that the use of deadly force was easy and will continue because our nation has all but completely dehumanized the people that are dying.. and further we blame them for their own deaths.
We were never and even still don't consider ourselves a nation that will kill hundreds of thousands of people for political positon. Yet we are - it only requires that we first develop a contempt for the people we are about to kill. However subconscious it may be.
Here's the thing....I don't believe it is about color at all. I think that some Americans are ok with it because of the religious portion (Muslims) and they unfortunately identify all Muslims with the muslims that flew planes into the WTC. That is certainly wrong.
But to go out and say the US is a racist nation is absurd. Have you been outside the US? The US has it's fair share of difficulties, usually highlighted on the evening news, but other countries aren't that much different.
And what do you think some random guy living somewhere in the middle east thinks about a 'western looking whitey'? How about what they think about a Christian...a jew...
If you are going to start naming countries as racist, there are far more appropriate places to start.
Does th eUS have a problem with racism? Absolutely. Doe sthis make the US a racist nation...hell no.
Oh yeah? So, the stereotypes that African-Americans are better at basketball and Caucasion boys can't dance and Oriental people are smart is "racist"? No. These aren't racial comments, they are STEREOTYPES.
ster·e·o·type (st?r'?-?-t?p', stîr'-) Pronunciation Key
n.
A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
- A too-simple and therefore distorted image of a group, such as “Football players are stupid” or “The English are cold and unfriendly people.”
Here's the thing....I don't believe it is about color at all. I think that some Americans are ok with it because of the religious portion (Muslims) and they unfortunately identify all Muslims with the muslims that flew planes into the WTC. That is certainly wrong.
But to go out and say the US is a racist nation is absurd. Have you been outside the US? The US has it's fair share of difficulties, usually highlighted on the evening news, but other countries aren't that much different.
And what do you think some random guy living somewhere in the middle east thinks about a 'western looking whitey'? How about what they think about a Christian...a jew...
If you are going to start naming countries as racist, there are far more appropriate places to start.
Does th eUS have a problem with racism? Absolutely. Doe sthis make the US a racist nation...hell no.
I disagree. Yes, there are nations that are worse, but surely that is a different discussion.
We were a racist nation when be bought sold tortured and enslaved blacks. We have corrected that which of course is a good thing. unfortunately, the only thing that seems to change is who we dehumanize. Its not blacks - now its Middle Easterners. Now we don't abuse them for labor - its for something else.
We don't have the moral fiber we think we have. We continue to happily ignore what we can brush under the carpet.
I disagree. Yes, there are nations that are worse, but surely that is a different discussion.
We were a racist nation when be bought sold tortured and enslaved blacks. We have corrected that which of course is a good thing. unfortunately, the only thing that seems to change is who we dehumanize. Its not blacks - now its Middle Easterners. Now we don't abuse them for labor - its for something else.
We don't have the moral fiber we think we have. We continue to happily ignore what we can brush under the carpet.
We don't ignore it. It's all over the place. In fact, we talk about it way too much.
EDIT: Talking about it way too much because all we do is blame and point fingers when it comes to race issues.
Oh yeah? So, the stereotypes that African-Americans are better at basketball and Caucasion boys can't dance and Oriental people are smart is "racist"? No. These aren't racial comments, they are STEREOTYPES.
ster·e·o·type (st?r'?-?-t?p', stîr'-) Pronunciation Key
n.
A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
- A too-simple and therefore distorted image of a group, such as “Football players are stupid” or “The English are cold and unfriendly people.”
There is a distinction between the two words. However, if we take a stereotype to help smoth our conscience as be brutally kill people of a certain race or culture - it becomes racism.
I don't think anyone would compare Shock and Awe bombings in Iraq with saying white men can't jump.
Jimmy The Greek was fired for suggesting the reason blacks were better at sports stemed for slave breeding. Glen Beck was not for suggesting a US congressman could not be trusted simply because he was a Muslim.
Muslim to the average US citizen in interchangable with many other words - like Arab, Islam, Middle Eastern. If you use you power to hurt any of these things based on a stereotype, you are racist.
We don't ignore it. It's all over the place. In fact, we talk about it way too much.
EDIT: Talking about it way too much because all we do is blame and point fingers when it comes to race issues.
We only talk about it from our point of view. We don't examin the point of view of Iraqis - We don't show their innocence and suffering in this. There are many wonderful people that have been unjustly brutalized - we don't see that at all.
We only talk about it from our point of view. We don't examin the point of view of Iraqis - We don't show their innocence and suffering in this. There are many wonderful people that have been unjustly brutalized - we don't see that at all.
Well, I guess it is fairly obvious to say that I disagree with you.
I also disagree with Mother Teresa apparently (your quote)...I walk fast at work all the time, and I am not happy about it.
If you use you power to hurt any of these things based on a stereotype, you are racist.
I agree, but in a former post by someone, they implied that someone being blonde and blue-eyed as being "all-American" is a racial comment. It's not, since there's no hatred involved. It's just a stereotype.
Oh yeah? So, the stereotypes that African-Americans are better at basketball and Caucasion boys can't dance and Oriental people are smart is "racist"? No. These aren't racial comments, they are STEREOTYPES.
ster·e·o·type (st?r'?-?-t?p', stîr'-) Pronunciation Key
n.
A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
- A too-simple and therefore distorted image of a group, such as “Football players are stupid” or “The English are cold and unfriendly people.”
Without race-based stereotypes, positive or negative, racism could not exist. In fact, I refrain from classifying any of those stereotypes as positive because they infer that those particular races are naturally adept at those talents. Such an inference is exclusionary of other races.
rac·ism
–noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
The typical interpretation of racism is the #3 definition, but #1 merely entails perceived inherent differences.
Those stereotypes that you mentioned may seem harmless, but they are spawned by the type of closed-mindedness that can morph into overt racism.
And as I said in my first post, what the GAP cashier said was not overt racism, but still racist. That is, it can lead to decisions and perceptions that - while on the surface do not directly discrminate- still make a delineation. And in a truly color-blind world, there is no delineation.
Comments
I have never said any of those three things. I believe the reason for the war is coming out. Mostly about providing stability and control in a region we had little involvement.
I only believe that the use of deadly force was easy and will continue because our nation has all but completely dehumanized the people that are dying.. and further we blame them for their own deaths.
We were never and even still don't consider ourselves a nation that will kill hundreds of thousands of people for political positon. Yet we are - it only requires that we first develop a contempt for the people we are about to kill. However subconscious it may be.
Here's the thing....I don't believe it is about color at all. I think that some Americans are ok with it because of the religious portion (Muslims) and they unfortunately identify all Muslims with the muslims that flew planes into the WTC. That is certainly wrong.
But to go out and say the US is a racist nation is absurd. Have you been outside the US? The US has it's fair share of difficulties, usually highlighted on the evening news, but other countries aren't that much different.
And what do you think some random guy living somewhere in the middle east thinks about a 'western looking whitey'? How about what they think about a Christian...a jew...
If you are going to start naming countries as racist, there are far more appropriate places to start.
Does th eUS have a problem with racism? Absolutely. Doe sthis make the US a racist nation...hell no.
ster·e·o·type (st?r'?-?-t?p', stîr'-) Pronunciation Key
n.
A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
- A too-simple and therefore distorted image of a group, such as “Football players are stupid” or “The English are cold and unfriendly people.”
I disagree. Yes, there are nations that are worse, but surely that is a different discussion.
We were a racist nation when be bought sold tortured and enslaved blacks. We have corrected that which of course is a good thing. unfortunately, the only thing that seems to change is who we dehumanize. Its not blacks - now its Middle Easterners. Now we don't abuse them for labor - its for something else.
We don't have the moral fiber we think we have. We continue to happily ignore what we can brush under the carpet.
We don't ignore it. It's all over the place. In fact, we talk about it way too much.
EDIT: Talking about it way too much because all we do is blame and point fingers when it comes to race issues.
There is a distinction between the two words. However, if we take a stereotype to help smoth our conscience as be brutally kill people of a certain race or culture - it becomes racism.
I don't think anyone would compare Shock and Awe bombings in Iraq with saying white men can't jump.
Jimmy The Greek was fired for suggesting the reason blacks were better at sports stemed for slave breeding. Glen Beck was not for suggesting a US congressman could not be trusted simply because he was a Muslim.
Muslim to the average US citizen in interchangable with many other words - like Arab, Islam, Middle Eastern. If you use you power to hurt any of these things based on a stereotype, you are racist.
We only talk about it from our point of view. We don't examin the point of view of Iraqis - We don't show their innocence and suffering in this. There are many wonderful people that have been unjustly brutalized - we don't see that at all.
Well, I guess it is fairly obvious to say that I disagree with you.
I also disagree with Mother Teresa apparently (your quote)...I walk fast at work all the time, and I am not happy about it.
I agree, but in a former post by someone, they implied that someone being blonde and blue-eyed as being "all-American" is a racial comment. It's not, since there's no hatred involved. It's just a stereotype.
You may not be happy about having to walk fast.. but while you are walking fast you are not unhappy...
Ummm...yep I am.
I also think that if you believe that we can have a society without racism, it can be achieved.
I suppose that if complacent, lazy, fat fuck is a race...America is as racist as it gets...because that's what America is full of.
old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
Without race-based stereotypes, positive or negative, racism could not exist. In fact, I refrain from classifying any of those stereotypes as positive because they infer that those particular races are naturally adept at those talents. Such an inference is exclusionary of other races.
rac·ism
–noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
The typical interpretation of racism is the #3 definition, but #1 merely entails perceived inherent differences.
Those stereotypes that you mentioned may seem harmless, but they are spawned by the type of closed-mindedness that can morph into overt racism.
And as I said in my first post, what the GAP cashier said was not overt racism, but still racist. That is, it can lead to decisions and perceptions that - while on the surface do not directly discrminate- still make a delineation. And in a truly color-blind world, there is no delineation.
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