Quote:
Originally posted by librasoul22
First of all, Tom Earp: your incessant rambling is Whitman-like in its total incoherence (although I suppose even Whitman had a method to his madness  ) With each off-kilter post, you prove yourself to be more and more close-minded. I say this because you use YOUR life experience to globally define the ways of the world for everyone. You say you do not discriminate then turn around and do so in the NEXT breath. Sigh.
Neicy81: I think your posts would be MUCH better received if you would just clarify rather than disparaging everyone, calling them "hun," reciting dictionary definitions, and telling people to read. If people understood, they would not ask you to clarify. If you are going to make a statement, best to have info to elaborate on it so that the ignorant may be enlightened. Otherwise you will send people like Tom Earp on an exclamation point rampage.
Now on topic: Racism, prejudice, whatever. Blacks (or whatever your term of preference is) attribute 'racism' to those with POWER (as some have already stated), and in America, this means whites only. Whites equate racism with skin color. Fine. Agree to disagree, just know the disparity exists.
My two cents: Since we have now turned to breaking down words, "racism" itself is just BS. Why? Because the word "RACE" is BS. There is no such thing. There is ETHNICITY, CULTURE, HERITAGE, ANCESTORY, NATIONALITY...and then there is SKIN COLOR. "RACE" is nothing more than a divisive measure that is used to classify and segregate.
From my view, about 80% of people's arguments in this thread are insignificant. Before you hit the the reply button ready to flame me, please consider this: Your ONE experience and that ONE Militant Black Man, and any other SINGLUAR example CANNOT...
let me emphasize that...
CANNOT
be used to indicate any sort of alarming trend.
For example, James Byrd's dragging death was a horrible hate crime. But does it mean that ALL white men in Texas are racist and capable of committing such an act? No it does not.
Now when the original poster of this topic or ANYONE can come up with SEVERAL instances of African-Americans/Blacks/etc. committing hate crimes on a Caucasian-American (or any sort of widespread form of discrimination/oppression), then maybe there will be a valid issue.
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Discrimination deals with POWER
Segregation deals with POWER
Racism is about RACE, there is no disparity, only misunderstanding by certain groups. If you WANT to believe that Racism is attributed to power, fine. But that is INCORRECT, as far as ANY formal definition of the word throughout history is concerned. Understanding the meaning of words is the first step in correcting the problem, until then, you are at a standstill as far as becoming "open-minded." Racism is being misconstrued by the black community, not because they don't understand but because they can't accept the fact that they do not OWN the word.
Let's be clear about this for once. And please, turn on that "open-minded" brain for a second. Isn't it possible that the african-american community is so upset and angry with white americans that some feel the need to take the word Racism and turn it into their personal description of the white community's oppression? For example, the Jewish community (which in case you didn't realize consists of ALL Races) cannot be considered ANTI-SEMETIC to themselves. Therefore, the term anti-semetic can never be used to describe someone jewish. This not only bothers black people, but pisses them off so much that they do not have a word like that for them to use against other races. It's almost CHILDISH and RIDICULOUS to discuss, but it really has some minor truth to it at best.
Since we are trying to breakdown Racism, the word race appears to be BS to you. Why? Honestly, there are different categories of individuals/groups in this world. They are different RACES. Yes, other factors come into consideration when grouping these peple, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, locality, skin pigmentation, language, and ancestry. The combination of all, not just one of these determines someones race. And the variation of one to another creates a different race. And thus, the different treatment of the variations becomes racism, discrimination, segregation, antisemetism, prejudice, etc. Racism is not BS, it is real and the more ignorant one becomes in accepting the problem, the harder it will become to solve it.
And so you're open-minded self says, well gee, only white people commit hate crimes against black people, so what's up with that? You seriously believe that there has never been a reported hate crime committed by the black community onto a white one without provocation? Well, that may depend on how narrow you're definitions are. IF you limit it to the USA, within the past 200 years, strictly black (not even mexicans) on white racism, THEN you might win the argument
However, I'm not about to do the research for you since you made the statement. It's easier to assume the negatives than the positives. I will say this, I don't believe anyone's race is above racism, and there is no way you are gonna convince me otherwise on that point, today, tomorrow, 1000 years from now. The human race will always have the mens rea, it's the actus that may disappear with some understanding and effort.
RUgreek