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Originally posted by librasoul22
I am glad that you are the new authority on which definitions are "correct." And also, it is good that you were sent to determine who "owns" particular words, as well as why a "race" may or may not like them.
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I never said I was the new authority on anything. Nor did I state I determine ownership of words. I say no one owns words. Don't get smart with me, this is just a discussion, not an attack on you.
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ktsnake has had valid points all throughout this thread, and he is absolutely right. Just because Webster says it, that does not make it so. My life and your life have seen 2 different perspectives of discrimination, I assure you. And with that comes 2 different defintions of racism and prejudice.
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By that same argument, if you want to be balanced, just because its in Webster doesn't make it wrong, and if doesn't meet your personal definition of the word, it doesn't mean anything either. I don't know nor do I absolutely assure you that our perspectives of discrimination are different. Maybe our opinions are, but don't make assumptions about people you don't know, just some friendly advice.
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You have dismissed my point as being closed-minded because it is hard for you to think about. Race is not something tangible or visible, no matter how much you would like to believe it so. When you say someone is of the race BLACK, you are neglecting their ancestory...they may be African-American, they may be Jamaican, they may be Canadian, etc. All of THESE labels are nationality. BLACK is a SKIN COLOR (however archaic the term). WHITE people may also be AFRICAN-American, Jamaican, Canadian, etc. Same argument. The little boxes we check on tests and surveys are used to CLASSIFY us. Just like the concept of race was created to do. If you do not believe that I think you are somewhat naive.
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I never called you closed-minded or dismissed your points, apparently you believe so. I never wrote that race is color, this is more of a neicy comment, but go back to my second to last post and you'll see what I wrote is practically the SAME as what you tried to bark at me.
This isn't about semantics, this topic centers around a subject matter that no one here has the guts to admit. All races, no matter how you define them or classify them or describe them CAN and DO commit racism onto another race - also by however you wish to label them. This is the only argument I am trying to make. I have not sat here arguing anything but that. Unfortunately, everyone thinks they are smarter because they can nit-pick at every word I type to make it sound like a vicious statement.
Racism is whatever you want it to be, if it's yogurt with fruits on top, then so be it. But NOBODY owns the word Racism, and I'm sorry to tell you this, but that includes the black community (however you would like to imagine it). Words carry different meanings not just by the way they are said but by who says it.
You may think what you want about me, it's human nature. Naive, possibly on certain levels, but not this. I do not get involved in topics I don't have a good understanding of. The only thing I wanted to get across, which was lost a long time ago, was that racism exists in everyone. But I see now that no one is willing to say it, so I'll drop this useless debate.
- RUgreek