Racism...

[ballisticn8]

Hey, now I can honestly say that "mine's bigger"

 

[Wreckoncile]

Racism is a pretty lengthy and nuanced sort of topic because there are varying degrees of it. The worst racism is the belief in the inherent superiority of a single race, Nazis, klansmen, etc. That's also the most irrational. There's another form of racism that is considerably less insidious: the belief in propensities of behavior. Now, this is a tricky one because these beliefs are often to some extent or another based on observation (whether flawed or accurate). It may be considered racist to claim that a person of X background is more/less likely to engage in activity Y, but in many cases, these beliefs exist in part because they're based on observable trends. The case of someone saying "black people are more likely to commit crime" which is based on observed incarceration rates. Now, too often, people fail to nuance these observations by isolating for variables such as income, family status (interestingly enough, the most common variable for prison inmates is lack of a father in the home), or other potential causal variables.

Now, even in the cases where someone holds such belief, I wouldn't necessarily jump to attack and cry "racist." To some extent, people form beliefs of collective groups as a means to categorize things in their brains and condition themselves towards certain expectations. The one thing that I would say, is that even in situations where people hold the beliefs based on race, if they give each individual a chance to prove their worth and merit prior to passing judgement, I say they are effective not "racist." Merely recognizing distinctions between races/ethnicities in the aggregate based on experience (whether anecdotal or empirical) is not ipso facto "racist" in my opinion as long as the person who makes such claims on the collective approaches each interaction with the individual with an open mind and an open heart. Ultimately, everything reduces to the individual. I don't judge people based on the larger group to which they belong, nor do I wish to be judged on anything other than my own personality and worth.

 

[mrqs]

[...] for trying to get clarity from another's post?

i thought you said your comment was just poking fun...

anyway, wtf happened to this thread?
thanks to Wreckoncile for bringing it back on topic with an insightful post - i wholeheartedly agree with everything you said

 

[hakr100]

The false and misleading reportage of Andrew Breitbart and Fox News that led to the firing (if temporary) of Shirley Sherrod is a perfect example of modern-day racism.

Breitbart's manipulation of the interview tape and Fox's reporting of it led some people astray, but the reality is that both that individual and Fox knew exactly what they were doing. Their problem is...they got caught.

Racism, pure and simple

 

[LiamSHepard]

The false and misleading reportage of Andrew Breitbart and Fox News that lead to the firing (if temporary) of Shirley Sherrod is a perfect example of modern-day racism.

Breitbart's manipulation of the interview tape and Fox's reporting of it lead some people astray, but the reality is that both that individual and Fox knew exactly what they were doing. Their problem is...they got caught.

Racism, pure and simple

The new "Tanning" tax can also be included as an example of racism.

 

[IOWA]

The new "Tanning" tax can also be included as an example of racism.

*blink*

What?

 

[LiamSHepard]

*blink*

What?

It is part of the new healthcare bill. It is a 10% tax for tanning salons. I do not remember ever seeing anyone not Caucasian at a tanning salon. I am sure other races utilize their services, but I do believe Caucasian would be the majority of the clients.

 

[hakr100]

It is part of the new healthcare bill. It is a 10% tax for tanning salons. I do not remember ever seeing anyone not Caucasian at a tanning salon. I am sure other races utilize their services, but I do believe Caucasian would be the majority of the clients.

Spend a lot of time at tanning salons, eh?

 

[LiamSHepard]

Spend a lot of time at tanning salons, eh?

Me? nah, i have a nice farmers tan from working on my yard though.

 

[IOWA]

It is part of the new healthcare bill. It is a 10% tax for tanning salons. I do not remember ever seeing anyone not Caucasian at a tanning salon. I am sure other races utilize their services, but I do believe Caucasian would be the majority of the clients.

No shit. Well that's our racist president for you.

 

[fried]

What does it matter? They say it's for Equal Opportunity, but that doesn't seem Equal to me.

I think your standpoint only works in an ideal world situation. If we could erase all traces of racial bias from everyone's mind, then fine, but we can't. I'm a white guy from England and have never been on the receiving end of racist comments or bias, but I have Asian and black friends that have. They're living in a world where racism still rears its ugly head all the time.

To me, "equal opportunity" equates to laws that provide equal opportunities for the people that might not otherwise get it, be it through race, age, sexual preference, disability or whatever. Laws based on such things can be abused by some, but sadly I don't think we're in a position to do away with these laws and we probably never will be.

I'm no loony lefty and I can see both sides though.

 

[Outatime]

Personally, I'm an American. I believe in Freedom. I believe everyone has an individual responsibility for their own actions. You succeed by your own hand, you fail by your own hand. If you want to be an American too, then stand up with me! I'd be proud to stand next to you.

If you choose to identify youself as African-American, German-American, Spanish-American... well that's ok too. Just as long as you know that by doing so, you're half the American that I am.

 

[Outatime]

Well that's our racist president for you.

LOL... you mean the One-Term Savior? Well, that's coming to an end soon.

Edit: It's amazing to me that when the Founding Fathers wrote "The President must be a natural born citizen of the United States" that they were seeing over 200 years into the future and trying to prevent this abomination from being elected.

Too bad we didn't heed their warning.

 

[IOWA]

LOL... you mean the One-Term Savior? Well, that's coming to an end soon.

Edit: It's amazing to me that when the Founding Fathers wrote "The President must be a natural born citizen of the United States" that they were seeing over 200 years into the future and trying to prevent this abomination from being elected.

Too bad we didn't heed their warning.

And something funny, congress finally passes something good for a change, ( No More Bailouts - WSJ.com ) and they are somehow giving Obama the credit for putting his name on the paper.. seriously? Wtf? How is this HIS doing?

 

[ddoolin]

And something funny, congress finally passes something good for a change, ( No More Bailouts - WSJ.com ) and they are somehow giving Obama the credit for putting his name on the paper.. seriously? Wtf? How is this HIS doing?

If you really think that would've happened without him, I want whatever you're smoking.

 

[IOWA]

If you really think that would've happened without him, I want whatever you're smoking.

How wouldn't it have?

 

[ddoolin]

How wouldn't it have?

The same way health care reform wouldn't have happened. Somebody has to push it or it wouldn't ever get done properly.

 

[IOWA]

The same way health care reform wouldn't have happened. Somebody has to push it or it wouldn't ever get done properly.

Lol he didn't push this.. and the Healthcare "Reform" is garbage.

 

[ddoolin]

Lol he didn't push this.. and the Healthcare "Reform" is garbage.

Right...I just saw him on TV practically begging for Republican support the other night. .

Good thing you're not the policy maker. I don't think the statement was in regard to the quality of the policy itself anyway. Whatever floats your boat though...

 

[IOWA]

Right...I just saw him on TV practically begging for Republican support the other night. .

Good thing you're not the policy maker. I don't think the statement was in regard to the quality of the policy itself anyway. Whatever floats your boat though...

Socialist healthcare which our country can't afford to pay is not what we need.

No more big company bailouts? That's something we need. This bill passed congress without Obama, or his support.

 

[ddoolin]

Socialist healthcare which our country can't afford to pay is not what we need.

Because non-socialist health care gobbling up a like-wise enormous portion of our GDP (and rising!) is what we need!

 

[mpw]

That's what he always tries to do. We ask for proof of anything, "Oh, I did already." Umm, I guess there must be a secret section on the forum only for mpw, because NO-ONE else can see them. That's classic troll behavior, misdirection. Something he doesn't like? Change the subject...

I wish you'd stop posting all this ****ing crap IOWA, I've responded a number of times when you've falsely accused me of lying and asked you to show where; you've repeatedly failed to do so, I've shown where you've lied. Yet you keep calling me a liar without any proof, and then make out like I'm being evasive when I'm not. Next time you accuse me of being a liar please actually show where you think I've lied, and I will prove you wrong, maybe then you'll be reasonable enough to apologise.

i thought you said your comment was just poking fun...

Nope, I never said that; maybe this is an example of you not understanding what I'm posting.

It is part of the new healthcare bill. It is a 10% tax for tanning salons. I do not remember ever seeing anyone not Caucasian at a tanning salon. I am sure other races utilize their services, but I do believe Caucasian would be the majority of the clients.

I'm assuming that's a joke, as it has nothing to do with racism.

..."The President must be a natural born citizen of the United States" that they were seeing over 200 years into the future and trying to prevent this abomination from being elected...

I thought he was born in Hawaii; how is that not part of the US? what do you mean?

 

[hakr100]

LOL... you mean the One-Term Savior? Well, that's coming to an end soon.

Edit: It's amazing to me that when the Founding Fathers wrote "The President must be a natural born citizen of the United States" that they were seeing over 200 years into the future and trying to prevent this abomination from being elected.

Too bad we didn't heed their warning.

Wow...a birther!

Is Hawaii no longer part of the United States?

 

[mrqs]

Nope, I never said that; maybe this is an example of you not understanding what I'm posting.

Actually my original comment on this was intended to be quite light-heartedly pointing out that what he said could be read as the opposite of what I believed he'd intended to say.

you seem to go back and forth between light-hearted and serious-cat

still say your original comment comes off as the latter, especially in the context - right after a literal misinterpretation of iowa's comment

if the comment was meant as the former, i suggest you make that apparent next time, perhaps use one of these ->
putting "/s" at the end is another popular one, perhaps "lol"
or simply phrasing the comment so that it doesn't come off as if you actually didn't understand what you're quoting

 

[hakr100]

No shit. Well that's our racist president for you.

Indeed, I am sure the tanning tax will be the next major cause brought up as a new reason to oppose Obma on Fox News, World Nutcase Daily, tea party events, et cetera, and since it involves the tanning of paleskins, will be turned into something typically right-wing, hateful, and racial.

I envision a Glenn Beck special.