ballisticn8
Android Expert
Hey, now I can honestly say that "mine's bigger" 
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Racism...
- Thread starter TheBeardedMann
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Wreckoncile
Member
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.
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.
hakr100
Android Expert
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
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
Member
The new "Tanning" tax can also be included as an example of racism.
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
LiamSHepard
Member
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
Android Expert
LiamSHepard
Member
Spend a lot of time at tanning salons, eh?
Me? nah, i have a nice farmers tan from working on my yard though.
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
No shit. Well that's our racist president for you.
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
Android Expert
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.
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
Android Expert
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
Mr. Logic Pants
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
Member
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
If you really think that would've happened without him, I want whatever you're smoking.
How wouldn't it have?
ddoolin
Member
The same way health care reform wouldn't have happened. Somebody has to push it or it wouldn't ever get done properly.
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
Lol he didn't push this.. and the Healthcare "Reform" is garbage.
ddoolin
Member
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
Mr. Logic Pants
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
Member
Because non-socialist health care gobbling up a like-wise enormous portion of our GDP (and rising!) is what we need!
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.
Nope, I never said that; maybe this is an example of you not understanding what I'm posting.
I'm assuming that's a joke, as it has nothing to do with racism.
I thought he was born in Hawaii; how is that not part of the US? what do you mean?
hakr100
Android Expert
mrqs
Android Expert
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
Android Expert
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.
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