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I've thought about this a lot recently (prejudice + power = racism). nossy Send a noteboard - 26/07/2013 10:36:16 AM

Sorry, this got long-winded. I'm just not sure I understand the nuances here. Typical.


View original postMany people think that people cannot be racist against whites, which, according to the sociological definition of racism, is accurate. Racism as used in the common vernacular means something more akin to "prejudiced"; however, in the academic context, it refers to something more specific.

The average person is going to take "racist" to mean Something Bad that one individual or group does or says to another because of race. Do you stop in the middle of the conversation and correct them - tell them that if they are referring to an act against the powerful majority, it's only "racial prejudice?" I can't decide if this is fair, no matter how academically accurate it may be.

People have power individually, and I'm not sure that if someone hurts me because of my race, I wouldn't be able to call it racist behavior. Not just racial prejudice, which implies thoughts/feelings rather than actions.

This only comes up because of an argument I observed once - a girl of Asian descent was going after whitey, basically. She claimed that no matter what, whites cannot be victims of racism. That's fallacious anyway, because we aren't always a powerful majority, but I digress.

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"Trayvon Martin could have been me." President Obama MrFarstrider - 19/07/2013 11:27:21 PM 1581 Views
My interpretation is that he's being incredibly racist...against blacks A Deathwatch Guard - 19/07/2013 11:52:37 PM 944 Views
I think you're right MrFarstrider - 19/07/2013 11:54:41 PM 835 Views
From the litlle I heard on NPR I had a couple real problems with it random thoughts - 20/07/2013 12:53:40 AM 894 Views
Would he just shut up about it already? *pukes a little in mouth* *NM* everynametaken - 20/07/2013 04:20:07 AM 371 Views
Yeah. As someone who voted for Obama and would do so again, this is embarrassing. Ghavrel - 20/07/2013 10:10:53 AM 758 Views
Ditto. Except I didn't vote for him a second time. everynametaken - 21/07/2013 01:34:54 AM 871 Views
Does it matter now? Martin is still dead and Zimmerman will stay free. It's over. Tom - 20/07/2013 04:24:43 AM 762 Views
It makes a great deal of difference MrFarstrider - 20/07/2013 04:40:55 AM 813 Views
C'mon guys. It's sounding very "I'm not a racist, I swear!" in here. nossy - 20/07/2013 03:32:08 PM 950 Views
I can't like your reply enough. *NM* Rebekah - 20/07/2013 03:42:00 PM 381 Views
"I am not a racist I swear it" is what we are reduced for not agreeing on race random thoughts - 20/07/2013 04:44:52 PM 821 Views
No. As I'll say to Isaac in a minute, I'll apologize for lumping everyone in nossy - 20/07/2013 08:06:49 PM 821 Views
for me his about what will work not what is fair random thoughts - 22/07/2013 06:06:13 PM 874 Views
It has to be both. Period. Nobody will accept someone else trying to change them nossy - 22/07/2013 07:29:15 PM 894 Views
sorry I don't see where he says a change in behaviour is part of the solution random thoughts - 23/07/2013 06:29:16 PM 752 Views
He did not talk about the case nossy - 23/07/2013 07:32:44 PM 776 Views
A touch over the top don't you think? Isaac - 20/07/2013 05:20:21 PM 789 Views
One comment, maybe. If anyone has taken offense nossy - 20/07/2013 09:09:45 PM 792 Views
Re: One comment, maybe. If anyone has taken offense Isaac - 20/07/2013 11:53:08 PM 833 Views
As mentioned nossy - 21/07/2013 12:18:14 AM 872 Views
Re: As mentioned Isaac - 21/07/2013 02:25:30 PM 786 Views
You just EXACTLY quoted the point I was making MrFarstrider - 20/07/2013 06:04:25 PM 871 Views
Em... not so sure I did. nossy - 20/07/2013 10:19:54 PM 725 Views
I think he's wrong for continuing to talk about it, and doing so in this manner A Deathwatch Guard - 21/07/2013 06:59:11 AM 908 Views
We will also have to agree to disagree. nossy - 21/07/2013 10:25:13 AM 929 Views
There are more important things for him to be focusing on, I think. That said, I think you're right. *NM* Ghavrel - 21/07/2013 08:16:34 AM 377 Views
There will always be something "more important." *NM* nossy - 21/07/2013 10:25:46 AM 346 Views
That's specious reasoning. Ghavrel - 21/07/2013 12:02:17 PM 749 Views
It is if you sidestep my point. nossy - 21/07/2013 05:15:19 PM 717 Views
I am of two minds on the issue. *edit* Avendesora - 21/07/2013 02:04:48 PM 829 Views
Well, that's good. I feel like I'm working on 3 or 4 at this point. nossy - 21/07/2013 05:41:21 PM 845 Views
People do forget that he's only half black - and more importantly, not "African American" at all. Legolas - 21/07/2013 07:08:28 PM 732 Views
I'm one of those annoying people who corrects others with "biracial". Avendesora - 22/07/2013 08:03:10 PM 870 Views
That's not appropriate. Obama identifies as black. *NM* Ghavrel - 23/07/2013 06:22:06 AM 406 Views
So do lots of white kids. nossy - 23/07/2013 08:50:12 AM 702 Views
It is the truth, though. Ghavrel - 23/07/2013 06:30:53 PM 759 Views
I do not agree. nossy - 23/07/2013 07:06:33 PM 789 Views
Because he has publicly said that he has lived the life of a black man. Ghavrel - 24/07/2013 06:12:27 AM 696 Views
I'm not saying he hasn't. In fact, I've said too many times in this thread that he has. nossy - 24/07/2013 08:21:04 AM 875 Views
Re: I'm not saying he hasn't. In fact, I've said too many times in this thread that he has. Avendesora - 24/07/2013 02:22:58 PM 807 Views
I know, and I find that weird. Avendesora - 23/07/2013 12:57:39 PM 813 Views
This is a complex issue. Avendesora - 23/07/2013 01:09:00 PM 731 Views
Because he looks black, he's been treated like a black person. Ghavrel - 23/07/2013 06:28:41 PM 718 Views
Yes nossy - 23/07/2013 07:11:54 PM 884 Views
Re: Because he looks black, he's been treated like a black person. Avendesora - 23/07/2013 11:31:03 PM 705 Views
Yes, Obama was raised by white people. Wikipedia says so, so it must be true! *NM* Macharius - 24/07/2013 04:16:31 AM 390 Views
Perusing. Avendesora - 24/07/2013 04:02:53 AM 827 Views
That makes sense. Generally, though, one should go by whatever the person in question identifies as. *NM* Ghavrel - 24/07/2013 06:13:28 AM 363 Views
I noticed the press wasn't aboard with idea when it came to Zimmerman random thoughts - 24/07/2013 12:49:00 PM 763 Views
Which is silly, because anyone can be racist. You are right, though. *NM* Ghavrel - 24/07/2013 10:32:55 PM 361 Views
No, only white people can be racist. /sarcasm Macharius - 25/07/2013 04:38:13 PM 802 Views
No, not really. Ghavrel - 26/07/2013 07:40:45 AM 702 Views
I've thought about this a lot recently (prejudice + power = racism). nossy - 26/07/2013 10:36:16 AM 958 Views
so some liberal ivory tower racist redefined the word to mean they were no racist random thoughts - 26/07/2013 01:16:48 PM 778 Views
My reply to Nossy above. Avendesora - 24/07/2013 02:25:49 PM 750 Views
As always, the voice of reason when I am about to discount the US as fucking mental. *NM* ironclad - 21/07/2013 03:17:15 PM 350 Views
That's not very nice. MrFarstrider - 21/07/2013 09:03:55 PM 848 Views
No, probably not. ironclad - 21/07/2013 10:01:36 PM 774 Views
Its unfortunate you see us the way you do MrFarstrider - 22/07/2013 06:05:30 AM 816 Views
So Obama smoked weed, punched school bus drivers, and got arrested for theft? Anonymous2000 - 21/07/2013 05:10:26 AM 747 Views
No, but he could have. jh - 21/07/2013 01:08:26 PM 703 Views
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