Shocked & Disgusted

[preciousjeni]

...it serves as a giant stop sign for interaction in these sorts of threads

I can only assume that it would be a stop sign because it makes people uncomfortable. Otherwise, it shouldn't be an issue. No one need feel uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by KSig RC

I openly question what constitutes a "complete overhaul"

It's an enormous task that would require our entire nation to be on-board and willing to come to terms with their own status as well as determining what sacrifices they'd be willing to make. For one, there has to be a massive redistribution of resources (not just money) that is hindered by capitalism. I'm not saying that we should move entirely away from capitalism to another extreme; rather that capitalism inherently drives a bigger and bigger wedge between the haves and have-nots. Capitalism favors those who have accrued wealth/resources or those who have the ability to pool resources toward a common goal.

why you have such a stark view of gradual change to a system.

Not a stark view. I'd just prefer that the change be a coordinated effort rather than a happenstance. Much energy is wasted tackling hurdles that could be removed altogether if we all decided enough was enough. I would say the same for classism as well, except that I wasn't talking about classism to begin with.

Racism was not instituted in a traumatic or instantaneous fashion, but rather gradually, over time, and in a robust and institutional way. Wouldn't the proper way to fight it be exactly the same?

You left out intentional. And, yes, a possible way to correct it would be to reverse the process. But, we have no reversal. We have small victories won in spite of the institutional barriers.

I find that people mislabel prejudice as racism and believe that the issue is solely interpersonal. If we don't understand what racism is, how can we possibly correct it?