Racism.

[Shawnee123]

[Cicero]

Shawnee, you've got mail!

[Jeboduuza]

We sailed on together
We drifted apart
And here you are by my side
so now I come
to you
with oooooooooooooopen arms
nothing to hide
believe what I say

[Cicero]

Jeb...that's annoying....
not even funny.

[Jeboduuza]

ok let's go back to spitting racial slurs then...

[Shawnee123]

Guess what? This is the first time I've ever said anything racial to FC and that was only to TRY to make him see that sexist crap statements are no different. But, he doesn't get it.

If you don't really know what's going on, please go back to the lame lyrics insertions.

[Jeboduuza]

hips don't lie

Hell yeah they do!

[yesman065]

Geez - I gotta work for a couple freakin hours and look what happens - Wow - just freakin wow.

Exactly which line of philsophy is this again?

Oh yeah, and I agree with rk!

[DanaC]

That was just amazing. I am impressed at the speed with which this thread degenerated. Outstanding Shawnee !

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by DanaC

That was just amazing. I am impressed at the speed with which this thread degenerated. Outstanding Shawnee !

lol...the thread degenerated as compared to the beginning of the thread where one of the poll answer choices was: freshnesschronic is a fucking racist shit-for-brains? I think it might have been elevated.

[piercehawkeye45]

I'll get it back on track and I haven't read the thread yet so keep that in mind.

I personally don't believe in race even though I am subconciously racist because of where I was raised. There are two ways I can see racism going away.

1) Everyone becomes the same race
2) A society is fully integrated by race

The first reason is obvious and the second reason is because racism stems from stereotypes and a fully integrated society will eliminate the stereotypes, which will eliminate racism to the point where skin color and minute physical features will be as relevant as hair and eye color to white society today.

I think the first answer is more likely than the second unfortunately.

[DanaC]

I think the first answer is more likely than the second unfortunately.

I think neither is likely in the short term.

Anecdote: I recall about two years ago watching a TV reporter try to get a sense of people's opinions of recent migration trends and how it was affecting their local area etc. He interviewed a bunch of people and looked at a bunch of statistics, but one part really stuck in my mind. He interviewed a young British Asian about his opinions and he was vehement that we shouldn't be letting in all these immigrants and letting them leech off the state etc. That young man, of about 20 years old, who was born in the UK, but whose parents were most likely from Pakistan, or Kashmir, considered himself British to the point of sharing in our slightly xenophobic national character.

Racism isn't always a matter of colour. It isn't just about the other, it's also about the self. There will always be those who are other, and those who are other, will always to a certain extent help us define ourselves at a cultural level.

[piercehawkeye45]

To comment on the poll, basically the argument is "reactionary racism" the same as oppressionary racism (yes I made that word up).

Either way the answer will be hypocritical with the rest of society. If I murder someone I will go to jail for 25 years but if someone tries to murder and I fight back and murder them I leave on self defense. If I steal from someone I will go to jail but if someone steals from me and I steal something back I will still go to jail. They both can be compared to how racism works but just not as extreme since reactionary racism can be seen both as resistance against being oppressed and revenge.

I personally think the biggest reason is intent (see last sentence). If a group have been told by society to be ashamed of their skin and they get together to boost each others confidence without the presence of the symbol of the oppressor, that is not bad in my opinion. If they create a group just to hate on others, then racism can easily be applied.

You also have to remember that white only groups are usually institutionalized anyways so you are comparing apples with oranges. Black only groups usually have to be openly discriminatory while white only groups don't have to be openly discriminatory to be discriminatory.

Now, as the lines become blurred the real issue becomes clearer... less intellectual people feel they need a "them" to hate and blame their short-comings on.
When you can't use something you've used before like the imaginary "race" bs, then it will be xenophobia, class, culture, etc...
It is an "I accept truth" vs. "I have no ego of my own" issue.
Some just need to create false issues so they can look-down on others so they can feel better about themselves. People like that don't do things that they can be proud of on their own, so they have to create them.
"Racism" is a symptom... it is not the problem.