Racist are not dangerous, but bigots are. (racism, KKK, school)
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It occurred to me recently that there is actually nothing particularly dangerous about racism. Now I say this as a black male, who hates the idea of racism. But if I am to be honest, racism is not what makes people dangerous. so let's look at the meaning of racism
A racist is someone who feels there are differences between human races, who believe in the existence of race, and moreover may even feel they are superior, or feel there is natural superiority among races. Now even if we were to take racism as someone who feels they are superior to members of another race. That itself is not a dangerous belief. And I'll explain why. Because just because you feel you are superior to something or someone, does NOT mean you hate that thing. For example, I do feel humans are intellectually superior to dogs. This doesn't necessarily mean that I feel all dogs should now be exterminated. And it doesn't mean I hate dogs as a result of this fact.
Now when people refer to racism, what they're actually referring to is bigotry. A hatred and disdain for people who are different than you. Hate is an emotion, and there is generally no logical reason for why you hate something. Sure there is a motive, but hate for the most part is irrational. What you will find through most of American's history is a problem with bigotry. The KKK may very well believe that all black people are inferior to whites. And even if you could prove without a shadow of a doubt this is not true, this would not shake their dislike of black people. Because hate is so irrational, people are always looking for an excuse to justify it. Racism is just another excuse for bigotry.
So with that said, I do think racism is ignorant. And while I would vehemently disagree with the premise that some races are superior to others, I don't think this viewpoint comes with intrinsic dangers. and I know about Eugenics and dysgenics. Trust me I'm well read in this stuff. But that's born out of bigotry. Now this suggest that racism is a dangerous premise, and I can agree that it is. But racism in vaccum is not dangerous.
1. Comparing feelings about dogs to feelings about humans is bizarre.
2. It's thin line (if there is a line) between having racist feelings and committing racist acts, even if the racist act is an act of omission.
3. And I agree with Pub-911: people who try to fine tune negativity out of grossly negative concepts are problematic. It reminds me all too much of the way Germans pretended that "we didn't know" in the 1930s and 1940s.
1. Comparing feelings about dogs to feelings about humans is bizarre.
2. It's thin line (if there is a line) between having racist feelings and committing racist acts, even if the racist act is an act of omission.
3. And I agree with Pub-911: people who try to fine tune negativity out of grossly negative concepts are problematic. It reminds me all too much of the way Germans pretended that "we didn't know" in the 1930s and 1940s.
Trying to be too attuned to racism and bigotry is equally crazy. Most people on this planet (at least in my world) are just trying to wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, hang with their kids, and enjoy their spouses. I don't feel that racism and bigotry is nearly as widespread and rampant as the media and politicians want you to believe. Trumped up sensational examples of racism have ZERO bearing on my lives and the lives of people in my life.
I think that people are too hung up on this crap. We are all different shades of tan. Some of us are light tan, and others are dark tan, but we are all the same color.
Last edited by WiseManOnceSaid; 05-08-2017 at 10:50 AM..
All people descriminate against others for whatever reason.
These "fads" where race is so bad as a form of discrimination mean nothing. We all discriminate, we are all bad in that way. No one is better or worse because their discrimination is based on skin color. In fact, because this fad is so exploited the self righteous indignation felt when someone discriminates against your skin color can be so great you've became what you pretend to abhor.
You (not you, in particular) then discriminate right back against those who have this particular struggle of discrimination. Being no better than them, placing much emphasis on it due to both sharing the same struggle which goes hand in hand together
I fear racists and bigots equally, along with people who try to make a distinction.
The purpose is really not to excuse racist. I don't think they're dangerous, but I also don't like them. I think the main issue is conflating racism with bigotry. Bigotry is a lot more dangerous because it doesn't come from a feeling of superiority, but rather from a feeling of distain and hatred. Hate is the motive, while the racism and emphasis on superiority is more or less just the rationale. To try to reconcile a highly emotional and irrational viewpoint with a grounded and more rational point of view. Why is it important to make the distinction? Because people are not so much against racist but bigots who actively try to propagate their overall hatred. To me bigotry is the root cause and the real problem you need to stomp out. I feel that going against racist is going against ideas. Sure I'm convinced that racist definitely have it wrong, but it's their right to feel the way the feel. I'm more against bigots who don't like other people and try to find ways to act on their internal feelings.
Hate doesn't have to be present to marginalize the people you feel are inferior to you. Marginalizing people and limiting their options in life is a type of violence, if "only" psychological. Separate schools, vocational training vs. university education, you'd be ok with two tracks like that in society, based on race? Duly noted. And doubted.
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