Racism?

[Will Graham]

This is not a thread about your opinions on racism in general, there are a few specific things I wish to discuss/get your thoughts on.

Do you consider positive stereotypes, discrimination? For example the 'Black men have large penises' or 'Asian people are good at math' stereotypes

What are your thoughts on racial slurs that do not pertain to your race, I was watching the Office which is what made me think of this. One character made a joke (hinging on the well hung black gent stereotype, to be funny), and the sole black person who heard it was not offended. However a few of his white colleagues were, so my question is;

Do you have to be of a certain ethnicity to be legitimately offended by a racial slur directed at that ethnicity?

I wonder if anyone considers my use of 'black' to be racist, but I have never heard African-English/Irish, so I did not use those terms.

 

[Squid]

I think people are overly politically correct these days.
Of course racism is bad if it's intended to hurt someone and I think anyone can become offended (black, white, Asian, etc) if you say something racist to hurt another person even if they're not of the same race.

If you're joking and it's obvious and you're even saying something positive then there's no reason for others to get their knickers in a knot. Specially people who the joke wasn't even referring to.

I feel people these days want to kick up a fuss and will find the tiniest things and turn them into a huge deal. But to answer your last question (coz I am not sure if I did in my random babble) I don't think you have to be of a certain ethnicity to be offended because people will get offended at anything, but I don't think they should get offended over things that aren't meant to be offensive because then they're just starting a fight over nothing.

Still not sure if I answered the question haha

 

[Tucker]

I completely agree with Toni.

Even though I'm just white, I believe it is blown out of proportion so very often.
Not to mention many times people of another ethnicity usually get pretty riled up at racial jokes/stereotypes.
But when you think about it, what IS racism? It is discrimination and/or hatred against/of another race. Are all those little stereotypes, especially the positive ones, hatred or discrimination? No.

Do you have to be of a certain ethnicity to be legitimately offended by a racial slur directed at that ethnicity?

I don't believe so. But then again, define "racial slur".

Yeah my post is a bit all over the place, not sure if I completely covered all points. Aw well.

 

[Will Graham]

Well Stars, let us use the n-word for this example

Are you offended when you hear other white people use it?

What about when a black person calls another black person the n-word?

Or the colloquial n*gga (which is less offensive for some reason, though still gets word filtered icy)

 

[Tucker]

Well I always thought it was a degrading term. Even though, in the times of the Civil War, it wasn't always used in a harsh way, but just as a neutral term for the slaves.
It really depends in context, I guess.
However, I always found it ironic that many black rappers and singers (some like A-kon and the Black Eyed Peas) use the words many times in their songs.
But, since if another black person calls another black person the n-word, they are implying they are one too.
I guess if one of another race uses it, it can mean and be perceived differently.
Once again, my post is a bit all over the place

 

[Donald Trump]

Even though I'm just white, I believe it is blown out of proportion so very often.

Of course white people think that, they're the ones being racist most of the time. They start raging about how they can't call gollywogs gollywogs anymore. They can't accept that it just isn't acceptable anymore.

Do you have to be of a certain ethnicity to be legitimately offended by a racial slur directed at that ethnicity?

I don't know, I gave up being offended a long time ago. I was doing this music course last year and the n word was used in such a kind of nasty way that I exhaled very deepily.
I say kind of because it wasn't really meant to cause offence, it was a song by a guy called Rebel Joe I think, or something similar, but it was from the 60s or earlier and it was stated as if it were a fact. It probably would have been offensive if it was sung by some neo-nazi skinhead.
I'd argue it both ways though because I am a professional advocate of any contrary opinion. Sadly it is an unpaid job:sad5:

I often have a problem with the white middle class lefties who constantly crusade against racism. By that I mean people who read and write for The Guardian, I also dislike their incredibly pro-feminist pseudo-intellectual bullshit. But I also dislike the lower class supporters of the right who can be racist and who also go on about some kind of male equivalent to feminism. I think both sides are cunts. Although if I had to make a choice between them I'd be on the pinko leftist Guardian side.

I don't think people actually take positive stereotypes seriously, they're often referred to ironically, although from all the porn I have seen it does seem that black people have massive penises. There is one guy whose dick is like two foot long. Obviously it is fake and maybe he is also referring to the stereotype in an ironic way, I doubt it though, there doesn't seem to be much irony in porn.

 

[Ethics]

Well I always thought it was a degrading term. Even though, in the times of the Civil War, it wasn't always used in a harsh way, but just as a neutral term for the slaves.
It really depends in context, I guess.
However, I always found it ironic that many black rappers and singers (some like A-kon and the Black Eyed Peas) use the words many times in their songs.
But, since if another black person calls another black person the n-word, they are implying they are one too.
I guess if one of another race uses it, it can mean and be perceived differently.
Once again, my post is a bit all over the place

If they would stop encouraging it, the word may just dissapear. How many Filipinos do you know calling each other gooks? You don't. Or anyone from the middle east refer to another as a Hadji? It's names branded on them by outsiders. If you wear it as a badge of pride, you can expect the word to live a very, very long life. The amount of blacks I have met who don't use the term are minimal in comparison to those who do. Of course it isn't all their fault, I realize that, but this is another topic all in itself.


I think if you're offended by someone's descrimination (positive or not) you should step back, examine yourself, figure out if you fit that mold then move on. If you are, great, you know more about yourself than most people do. If you are not, chalk up the racism to yet another ignorant person in this world.


The short version is this: All discrimination is the same, and people will always classify people and you may very well end up in the group that person does not like. It will not go away, so it's up to you to not make an ass of yourself and show you're more than just a steriotype, positive of not. (That doesn't mean drop your pants in public, for those black gents here )

 

[Roland_Deschain]

I believe that stereotypes are not born out of hate most of the time, but rather born from the races actions as a larger percentage. I will give some example's of what I am saying.

African Americans being criminal = Now this one is age old, before our generations, and I find them rather understandable. Do not get me wrong, I have nothing agaisnt black people in general but the honest truth is that so many of them do make a name for themselves.

In general a large population of black people do live in bad areas, and a large percentage of them that do sling drugs and participate in gang related crimes. This is not to say that white people don't, because they do, but statistics are pretty solid based on the rate of crime compared to their ratio of citizens.

Also you have to take a look at how so many of them dress, even if they are not criminals, a lot of their outfits seem criminal. This is a fad that white people sucked up and copied as well.

Living in China I noticed that the Africans all come down to China and get a work permit, and then sell drugs in China as their job. There are a lot of these situations.

In general it seems that the ones who participate in unethical activities and lifestyles, music, fashion, gives the whole race a bad name. Not to mention the rampid violence that has stormed through Africa does not help the image either.

Asians being smart and good at math = This is a huge misconception by everyone who says this. They are not BETTER, they have just been educated a lot more. Growing up in asian countries there is a battle for jobs and placements in school, most of the time growing up they attend two schools in primary school. Its the drive of competition that makes them just learn harder, not faster.

Another thing I will add is the stereotype of hard work and no fun. The thing is that in many asian countries it is not an option, because connections and qualifications are so important. If you are not working than you are sucking up to your superiors or having business dinners. In fact the pressured lifestyle of places like Japan and China have on one hand formulated a race of many qualified and intelligent people, but on the other hand has discouraged creativity and outside thinking.

I will add that they do have smaller dicks.....true fact. I am not gay but those bathrooms are populated in Beijing, and the urinals are close ^^

Illegal hispanics being the source to problems with taxes, crime, population. = Well l just have to say.... the older illegals give birth to younger citizens, not good. Many of them just do not learn English, this does not help them either. They have the highest rate of underage pregnancys.

A lot of them come from crime filled regions of Mexico, and that is why they strive for something better, so its expected that a lot of them will bring problems with them, especially cocaine. Another issue is that they don't pay taxes, ect ect... so I think this stereotype is also to be expected, it gives a bad name for the illegal immagrants children, and other Hispanic citizens.

If you come to America I do not think you should just be coming to take advantage of it, but instead be an American.



I will come up with more sometime later, but anyway thats what I think on the issue.

 

[unadulteratedawesome]

Of course white people think that, they're the ones being racist most of the time.

Haha, that's a good joke. One of the things I noticed from traveling the states is that each 'race' of people is equally racist. It's just who they're racist towards and how that changes. I doubt this trend changes much outside the states.

I think people can get legitimately offended by hearing racial slurs not targeted at their race, but getting offended at this kind of shit (even if it's directed at you) is fucking stupid. It's just one more handhold someone has on you to piss you off.

 

[VanillesHope-FXIII]

If you are willing to believe in any stereotypes, then yes you should take the "Positives aswell". It is just hippacritical to stereo type a Race for one thing that is bad, then disagree with a positive stereotype, if ur going to stereotype DO IT PROPERLY lol jokes, i dont stereotype, everyone is individual god or bad.

 

[Ayumi Hamasaki]

Well I always thought it was a degrading term. Even though, in the times of the Civil War, it wasn't always used in a harsh way, but just as a neutral term for the slaves.
It really depends in context, I guess.
However, I always found it ironic that many black rappers and singers (some like A-kon and the Black Eyed Peas) use the words many times in their songs.
But, since if another black person calls another black person the n-word, they are implying they are one too.
I guess if one of another race uses it, it can mean and be perceived differently.
Once again, my post is a bit all over the place

Well it's like being gay. My homosexual friends can call me a fruit or a faggot and it's a joke among us. A heterosexual friend could too, but it'd be slightly more offensive. And if a person I didn't know called me it, even if they meant it as a joke, it'd be offensive and slur-like. That's how I thing of the n-word now.

That said, racism is thrown around so much nowadays, when it's not even relevant most of the time, that is getting ridiculous. If you're offended by a joke about the size of your penis like they just said something totally worth being offended about then you have WAY too much time on your hands.

 

[Richard B Riddick]

The thing about racism that offends me most is how the reality of it is swept under a rug and people are kept in the dark & ignorant as to the realities of it.

Not many recognize scientists put africans in cages with gorillas to try to prove africans were a sub-class of human closely related to gorillas & able reproduce young with them. The role science played in demonizing africans and denying them of their human rights is important to prevent such mistakes from being repeated in the future.

The story of politicians and wealthy plantation owners conspiring to legalize slavery is another aspect of the story in need of publicizing as today it may be quite common for wealthy corporations to engage in exploitation, abuse and neglect in much the same way.

Its the same with racism outside the United States.

Not many know anti-semitic sentiment in Germany was mainly the result germans being concerned with jews taking their jobs and the economic and civil unrest of the era. Much less be able to connect the dots with how that eventually led to the holocaust.

The average person today knows absolutely nothing useful or applicable to real racism, the real causes of it & how the rich & wealthy can benefit from it.

What passes for education is a complete & total joke in a lot of ways.

 

[Disaresta]

I believe that many stereotypes are born from observation. One such that I can think off is black people liking chicken. I personally having had quite a few black friends do know for a fact that the stereotype is for the most part true. Many a fried chicken was shared between I and them(it remains the best i've ever tasted by the way). It also occurs to me that a high percentage of black people that I did not know seemed to talk about eating said dish for dinner on a regular basis.

Apparently do to the mass number of people who have also observed this behavior a stereotype is born. However it's always important to note that like observations, stereotypes are never absolute.

 

[Roland_Deschain]

Jon Stewart made a pretty great speech regarding racism at an abolish hate/fear rally.

His point is pretty much that racism in America is like a joke. He said that there are KKK, there are neo nazis, prolitarians, al queda, there is this term and that term ect ect.

He says thats we as Americans need to cut that shit out because none of us have put forward the incredible effort and work... that it takes to hate.

Not only are we slowing our own country down by magnifying these simple difference and CALLING it racism... but we are also insulting those real racists who have put forward the incredible work and effort it takes to earn those titles and hate... haha funny point imo.

Just like thinking all muslims are terrorists... makes us less safe, and not more safe. If we amplify every, we hear nothing. The media wants to focus us and would have us believe we are racists... when we are really just people who disagree.

AMERICA is a 10 lane highway... and each car has somebody different. One car is a Mexican carpenter, another is a wall street banker, another is a black gay man, another is a liberal woman, another is a conservative christian. The point is that all of these cars have to somehow squeeze into a 2 lane tunnel. AND WE DO... we take turns with beliefs, with equality, fairness, and freedom EVERY damn day. You go then I'll go... repeat.

Everyday American figures out how to squeeze those great numbers of race and beliefs into a small tunnel built to shelter us all, and so far I think we have been doing a pretty good job considering how quickly everything has changed.

I don't think a country such as America could do what they do in regards to that if we truly were a racist country.

 

[vilrouge]

I think that social discrimination is often mistaken with racial discrimination.

Somehow people make asumption that someone is from the lower social class based on the colour of his skin, and if there is a suspicion that a guy belongs to the poor people, then all the stereotypes come to mind: maybe he is a dealer, he probably has no education, he probably behaves in a bad way... etc, etc...


In all the centuries, in every places, the poors have always been despised by the rest of the population, and I'm not sure but I think in the USA black people are the most numbered in the lower social class of the society. (In france the situation is similar, just put "north african muslim" instead of black people).

PS: sorry for my poor english, I hope my message is understandable

 

[Kahotep]

Do you consider positive stereotypes, discrimination? For example the 'Black men have large penises' or 'Asian people are good at math' stereotypes

Positive stereotypes may appear less offensive than negative stereotypes at first, but they can still be harmful. An Asian guy who isn't good at math might feel that he has failed to live up to what's normal for his people and is thus aberrant, which I imagine would damage his self-esteem. As for the "large black penis" thing, as I recall it has historically been associated with the idea of African sexual lasciviousness and promiscuity, which is why anyone considers it offensive.