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A huge majority of individuals are in no position to discriminate, ever. I don't hire people, I don't rent apartments, I don't decide who gets tickets ro events or on transportation. I'm not a cop or a lifeguard or a doctor. I don't admit people to universities or night clubs. What I think of any person has absolutely no influence whatsoever on that person's access to accommodations. If I root for a certain player in a sports event, what effect do I have on the outcome of the game?
All I can do that is discriminatory is, if I have a huge basket in the supermarket line, I can let somebody with 3 items go ahead of me, or not, depending on her color. Big deal.
I just don't get to discriminate in any meaningful way---I'm way not that important. So it would not matter if I am racist or not.
It's important in a free society to have safeguards against unreasonable discrimination in public policy, but as an individual, who cares?
A huge majority of individuals are in no position to discriminate, ever. I don't hire people, I don't rent apartments, I don't decide who gets tickets ro events or on transportation. I'm not a cop or a lifeguard or a doctor. I don't admit people to universities or night clubs. What I think of any person has absolutely no influence whatsoever on that person's access to accommodations. If I root for a certain player in a sports event, what effect do I have on the outcome of the game?
All I can do that is discriminatory is, if I have a huge basket in the supermarket line, I can let somebody with 3 items go ahead of me, or not, depending on her color. Big deal.
I just don't get to discriminate in any meaningful way---I'm way not that important. So it would not matter if I am racist or not.
It's important in a free society to have safeguards against unreasonable discrimination in public policy, but as an individual, who cares?
You have to imagine what it would be like for a Mexican or any other minority to live in a city where 50-70 % of the white population treats him less cordially than they do the white person standing next to him. Assuming since 44% of whites voted for Obama that may still leave a large portion of white society who might be racist. No they are not denying you a job or house because they are powerless to do any real “harm.” Why would a person want to adopt the values, language, and mores, of a society where 7out of 10 people treat you as if you don’t exist? I think it creates a hostile environment.
You have to imagine what it would be like for a Mexican or any other minority to live in a city where 50-70 % of the white population treats him less cordially than they do the white person standing next to him. Assuming since 44% of whites voted for Obama that may still leave a large portion of white society who might be racist. No they are not denying you a job or house because they are powerless to do any real “harm.” Why would a person want to adopt the values, language, and mores, of a society where 7out of 10 people treat you as if you don’t exist? I think it creates a hostile environment.
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What a pathetic comment. "That still leaves a large portion who might be racist"???? Give me a break. You must have read the "Right wing extremist" document from the state department.
Hostile environment my ass. People have lined up to give them jobs over the local majority. They have welcomed them to assimilate into their communities and operate their own little micro economies and ship large revenues back to Mexico.
If it was so ****ing hostile they wouldn't be flooding the border. Maybe we should all just hold house warming parties for immigrants? I nominate your house.
You have to imagine what it would be like for a Mexican or any other minority to live in a city where 50-70 % of the white population treats him less cordially than they do the white person standing next to him. Assuming since 44% of whites voted for Obama that may still leave a large portion of white society who might be racist. No they are not denying you a job or house because they are powerless to do any real “harm.” Why would a person want to adopt the values, language, and mores, of a society where 7out of 10 people treat you as if you don’t exist? I think it creates a hostile environment.
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You've certainly mastered all the pc catchphrases allright, but I think you need to spend a little less time on the left-wing websites. You might get a realistic picture of how people really are. My workplace is 98% black and it has just as many racists as the predominantly white places I've worked. There are good people and bad people, and every place, group, neighborhood and society has both. By and large the people at my work are good honest hard working folks, but if you think racism is the sole property of the white man, think again my naive little friend. By the way, the world is a "hostile environment", get a helmet.
That's the point of my post. We can hate them all we want, but it sure hasn't stopped them. It prolly has the opposite effect, they won't spend their money in a business where they feel unwelcome so they have to set up their own little micro businesses and those dollars keep rolling over in their own communities which creates wealth, which brings on more hate. "Black Wall Street" was subject to aerial bombing and destroyed in the 1920’s due to this unintended result of racial hatred and segregation. Large minority groups are economic powerhouses because they spend every penny they make. It’s prolly more productive to direct the hatred towards the people who are making money off of the backs of immigrants and minorities.
Last edited by thriftylefty; 04-17-2009 at 11:35 AM..
You have to imagine what it would be like for a Mexican or any other minority to live in a city where 50-70 % of the white population treats him less cordially than they do the white person standing next to him.
OK, I just did. Here's the picture. Here in America, Minorities treat me less cordially than they treat each other. I deal with it.
I have also traveled in more than 100 countries, and generally, I have no complaint about the cordiality with which I, as a minority and outlander, was treated in any of them, so if Amercans can't do that, too, then your quarrel is with the American psyche, not with theoretical humanity-wide questions about racism and discrimiantion.
Here, too, is a something Ive observed as a difference beween the USA and Canada. In the US, I often (used to) approach immigrants, to talk about their home country, which in most cases I have visited. They are rudely uninterested and brush me off. However, in Canada, immigrants are proud of the country they come from, and are pleased when Canadians talk to them about their background. It seems, they have learned that their Canadian neighbors respect them and welcome them and appreciate them, and the immigrants have become accustomed to friendly confersations with them. Conversely, immigrants to America have learned a defensive posture, as if any American who knows where they are from is confronttionally preparing to tell them to get the hell back there.
I'm a racist. Or at least, I've been called that. I notice that nearly the players in the NBA are black. I have to detect that for myself, because the commentators never make any reference to that. I notice that when a driver drives a car with rims and a boomer in the trunk, slumped down in the drivers seat so he can barely see over the hood, cruising real slow through malls and supermarket parking lots, but never stopping and getting out, I notice that he is always black. It is racist to notice that. Being blind is not an asset nor a virtue. But it is politically correct.
I understand the point you're trying to make. Certain things are not PC to discuss, or in your scenario, even notice. What might be interesting to consider is what other people notice while watching the same NBA game.....or what other people 'detect' without media commentary. Some people might not even think about the things you noticed. The things you notice say a lot about the way you see the world around you. I doubt anyone watching the game would want or much less feel the need for this to be pointed out by the commentators. What's the point? What does it matter? If you asked people to list what they noticed while watching an NBA game, given they are basketball fans and watch a lot of games, I doubt that ANY of them would include what you had to detect for yourself, much less expect the announcers to point it out. It's just not something the true fans think about, or even notice. The only people I've ever heard make comments like that are people prone to being prejudice and judgmental.
Some people in here need to take some Prozac. Yeah, I can feel the hate when you go into certain places (i'm mixed), but you learn to ignore it. People respect strength, and walking around thinking everyone hates you is not it. Convos like this give rise to the idea it's become an excuse more than a serious issue to tackle.
Is it sad and hurtful, yes, and it's tragic it exists, but to a great degree, you give the racists the fuel they need to keep going. Which person is a raicst going to target? The guy who says "son, please" or the guy who gets emo about it and frets over how some meth smoking trailer trash doesn't like him?
I've always felt that those who jump to cry that they aren't prejudice, almost always are. It's sometimes denial, others just don't realize it. But I do have one friend who is quite racist and admits it (and it bothers her a bit).
Prejudice and racist can go hand in hand but are really not the same thing. Racism is cut 'n' dried. Prejudice comes in many forms. I grew up in a town with a lot of racism in the schools; however, the WORST prejudice I remember witnessing was against a large homely, "poor white trash" girl back in the 60's. It was awful, and I felt so sorry for her. Yes, bullies existed then, too.
I really don't know many racist people today. But I'd say that most of them have prejudices of their own, including myself. Mine has never involved race or color of skin; rather, there are certain cultures that I have "problems" with. Same with drug abusers.
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