People really believe we are not a racist nation

cincybearcat

Abuskedti wrote:

You may not be happy about having to walk fast.. but while you are walking fast you are not unhappy...

Ummm...yep I am.

enharmonic

I think that if you want America to be about racism, it will be.

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.

sponger

Jeanwah wrote:

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.