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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 1468 Views
My interpretation is that he's being incredibly racist...against blacks A Deathwatch Guard - 19/07/2013 11:52:37 PM 786 Views
I think you're right MrFarstrider - 19/07/2013 11:54:41 PM 735 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 755 Views
Would he just shut up about it already? *pukes a little in mouth* *NM* everynametaken - 20/07/2013 04:20:07 AM 317 Views
Yeah. As someone who voted for Obama and would do so again, this is embarrassing. Ghavrel - 20/07/2013 10:10:53 AM 654 Views
Ditto. Except I didn't vote for him a second time. everynametaken - 21/07/2013 01:34:54 AM 762 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 660 Views
It makes a great deal of difference MrFarstrider - 20/07/2013 04:40:55 AM 704 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 842 Views
I can't like your reply enough. *NM* Rebekah - 20/07/2013 03:42:00 PM 334 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 702 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 693 Views
for me his about what will work not what is fair random thoughts - 22/07/2013 06:06:13 PM 753 Views
It has to be both. Period. Nobody will accept someone else trying to change them nossy - 22/07/2013 07:29:15 PM 746 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 641 Views
He did not talk about the case nossy - 23/07/2013 07:32:44 PM 658 Views
A touch over the top don't you think? Isaac - 20/07/2013 05:20:21 PM 675 Views
One comment, maybe. If anyone has taken offense nossy - 20/07/2013 09:09:45 PM 681 Views
Re: One comment, maybe. If anyone has taken offense Isaac - 20/07/2013 11:53:08 PM 712 Views
As mentioned nossy - 21/07/2013 12:18:14 AM 756 Views
Re: As mentioned Isaac - 21/07/2013 02:25:30 PM 679 Views
You just EXACTLY quoted the point I was making MrFarstrider - 20/07/2013 06:04:25 PM 751 Views
Em... not so sure I did. nossy - 20/07/2013 10:19:54 PM 606 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 775 Views
We will also have to agree to disagree. nossy - 21/07/2013 10:25:13 AM 806 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 331 Views
There will always be something "more important." *NM* nossy - 21/07/2013 10:25:46 AM 301 Views
That's specious reasoning. Ghavrel - 21/07/2013 12:02:17 PM 638 Views
It is if you sidestep my point. nossy - 21/07/2013 05:15:19 PM 606 Views
I am of two minds on the issue. *edit* Avendesora - 21/07/2013 02:04:48 PM 697 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 732 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 621 Views
I'm one of those annoying people who corrects others with "biracial". Avendesora - 22/07/2013 08:03:10 PM 760 Views
That's not appropriate. Obama identifies as black. *NM* Ghavrel - 23/07/2013 06:22:06 AM 356 Views
So do lots of white kids. nossy - 23/07/2013 08:50:12 AM 600 Views
It is the truth, though. Ghavrel - 23/07/2013 06:30:53 PM 653 Views
I do not agree. nossy - 23/07/2013 07:06:33 PM 684 Views
Because he has publicly said that he has lived the life of a black man. Ghavrel - 24/07/2013 06:12:27 AM 587 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 761 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 686 Views
I know, and I find that weird. Avendesora - 23/07/2013 12:57:39 PM 697 Views
This is a complex issue. Avendesora - 23/07/2013 01:09:00 PM 605 Views
Because he looks black, he's been treated like a black person. Ghavrel - 23/07/2013 06:28:41 PM 603 Views
Yes nossy - 23/07/2013 07:11:54 PM 769 Views
Re: Because he looks black, he's been treated like a black person. Avendesora - 23/07/2013 11:31:03 PM 591 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 337 Views
Perusing. Avendesora - 24/07/2013 04:02:53 AM 681 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 313 Views
I noticed the press wasn't aboard with idea when it came to Zimmerman random thoughts - 24/07/2013 12:49:00 PM 643 Views
Which is silly, because anyone can be racist. You are right, though. *NM* Ghavrel - 24/07/2013 10:32:55 PM 315 Views
No, only white people can be racist. /sarcasm Macharius - 25/07/2013 04:38:13 PM 676 Views
No, not really. Ghavrel - 26/07/2013 07:40:45 AM 593 Views
I've thought about this a lot recently (prejudice + power = racism). nossy - 26/07/2013 10:36:16 AM 846 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 667 Views
My reply to Nossy above. Avendesora - 24/07/2013 02:25:49 PM 635 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 303 Views
That's not very nice. MrFarstrider - 21/07/2013 09:03:55 PM 695 Views
No, probably not. ironclad - 21/07/2013 10:01:36 PM 661 Views
Its unfortunate you see us the way you do MrFarstrider - 22/07/2013 06:05:30 AM 712 Views
So Obama smoked weed, punched school bus drivers, and got arrested for theft? Anonymous2000 - 21/07/2013 05:10:26 AM 636 Views
No, but he could have. jh - 21/07/2013 01:08:26 PM 603 Views
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