I see a problem with discrimination, but not with racism. Isn't that natural?

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: datalink7

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: datalink7

Originally posted by: BD2003
The funny thing about racism is how everyone claims they aren't, but they really are. And theres nothing wrong with it, its natural, based on your own experience. Its when you take it too far that it becomes a problem.

But honestly, its more than just the color of the skin. Its the whole appearance. A thug is a thug, and a businessman is a businessman, regardless of skin color.

I think it's possible to not be racist. I would say that I'm not.

Considering where you live, thats not surprising.

True about Oregon, but I go to a University and so it isn't like I only see "white people" all the time.

Oh I'm sure...if it came off the wrong way, I didnt mean it like that. The way I see it, there are two kinds of racism:

For the people that live largely with their own, its racism out of fear. You've heard stories, seen a few bad seeds, makes an impression on the whole, and that sticks. This is the kind of racism that tends to be really demonized, and rightfully so. Racism like this comes from lack of real experience with people of other races.

For the people that live in a place like new york city, or any major city, its racism out of understanding. Youve seen the good, youve seen the bad. Youve seen how color of someones skin is only part of the picture. You get an intuitive sense of it. *Sometimes* youre wrong, but mostly, youre right. Living in a place like the city, you can try your hardest not to be racist at all, but its impossible. The color of someone's skin will have no effect on whether or not you can relate to someone on a personal level, but as far as the people you see on the street, you couldnt ignore your experience if you tried.

You dont judge the quality of a book by its cover, but the cover tends to represent the book.

 

[datalink7]

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: datalink7

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: datalink7

Originally posted by: BD2003
The funny thing about racism is how everyone claims they aren't, but they really are. And theres nothing wrong with it, its natural, based on your own experience. Its when you take it too far that it becomes a problem.

But honestly, its more than just the color of the skin. Its the whole appearance. A thug is a thug, and a businessman is a businessman, regardless of skin color.

I think it's possible to not be racist. I would say that I'm not.

Considering where you live, thats not surprising.

True about Oregon, but I go to a University and so it isn't like I only see "white people" all the time.

Oh I'm sure...if it came off the wrong way, I didnt mean it like that. The way I see it, there are two kinds of racism:

For the people that live largely with their own, its racism out of fear. You've heard stories, seen a few bad seeds, makes an impression on the whole, and that sticks. This is the kind of racism that tends to be really demonized, and rightfully so. Racism like this comes from lack of real experience with people of other races.

For the people that live in a place like new york city, or any major city, its racism out of understanding. Youve seen the good, youve seen the bad. Youve seen how color of someones skin is only part of the picture. You get an intuitive sense of it. *Sometimes* youre wrong, but mostly, youre right. Living in a place like the city, you can try your hardest not to be racist at all, but its impossible. The color of someone's skin will have no effect on whether or not you can relate to someone on a personal level, but as far as the people you see on the street, you couldnt ignore your experience if you tried.

You dont judge the quality of a book by its cover, but the cover tends to represent the book.

I don't know... I see skin color as just a physical characteristic. Like I have a big nose. Do I notice the size of other peoples noses? Sure. However, I don't think it colors (no pun intended ) my view of other people in any substantial way.

For instance, I was sitting in a room with my best friends this last year. They have been my best friends for three years, since I started going to school here and met them in the dorms.

This other guy walks into the room (friend of one of my friends, but I didn't really know him that well). Anyway, he says to me a little later "must be weird sitting around and being the only white dude in the room."

My best friends are two black guys, a mexican and an asian. Truely, I never realized I was the only "white guy" in the room untill he pointed it out. I was just sitting there with my friends. And even he, who I didn't know and who is black, didn't awaken me to the realization that I was the only white guy in the room.

Do I "notice" that they are black, brown, or whatever? Sure. But it doesn't matter, and doesn't register any more significance than one has a big nose, and one has short hair.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: datalink7

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: datalink7

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: datalink7

Originally posted by: BD2003
The funny thing about racism is how everyone claims they aren't, but they really are. And theres nothing wrong with it, its natural, based on your own experience. Its when you take it too far that it becomes a problem.

But honestly, its more than just the color of the skin. Its the whole appearance. A thug is a thug, and a businessman is a businessman, regardless of skin color.

I think it's possible to not be racist. I would say that I'm not.

Considering where you live, thats not surprising.

True about Oregon, but I go to a University and so it isn't like I only see "white people" all the time.

Oh I'm sure...if it came off the wrong way, I didnt mean it like that. The way I see it, there are two kinds of racism:

For the people that live largely with their own, its racism out of fear. You've heard stories, seen a few bad seeds, makes an impression on the whole, and that sticks. This is the kind of racism that tends to be really demonized, and rightfully so. Racism like this comes from lack of real experience with people of other races.

For the people that live in a place like new york city, or any major city, its racism out of understanding. Youve seen the good, youve seen the bad. Youve seen how color of someones skin is only part of the picture. You get an intuitive sense of it. *Sometimes* youre wrong, but mostly, youre right. Living in a place like the city, you can try your hardest not to be racist at all, but its impossible. The color of someone's skin will have no effect on whether or not you can relate to someone on a personal level, but as far as the people you see on the street, you couldnt ignore your experience if you tried.

You dont judge the quality of a book by its cover, but the cover tends to represent the book.

I don't know... I see skin color as just a physical characteristic. Like I have a big nose. Do I notice the size of other peoples noses? Sure. However, I don't think it colors (no pun intended ) my view of other people in any substantial way.

For instance, I was sitting in a room with my best friends this last year. They have been my best friends for three years, since I started going to school here and met them in the dorms.

This other guy walks into the room (friend of one of my friends, but I didn't really know him that well). Anyway, he says to me a little later "must be weird sitting around and being the only white dude in the room."

My best friends are two black guys, a mexican and an asian. Truely, I never realized I was the only "white guy" in the room untill he pointed it out. I was just sitting there with my friends. And even he, who I didn't know and who is black, didn't awaken me to the realization that I was the only white guy in the room.

Do I "notice" that they are black, brown, or whatever? Sure. But it doesn't matter, and doesn't register any more significance than one has a big nose, and one has short hair.

Same here, my best friends are from every race, and they always have been. Hell, I've been the lone white kid hanging out with 20 asians on plenty of occassions.

That being said, I'm going to be a bit more alert at night when I see a kid in a hoody and baggy jeans, as opposed to a guy in a three piece suit. It just so happens that certain races tend to wear certain things, and act in certain ways, on average.

This is of course, only a factor when you dont know someone. If you still hold a stereotype after you KNOW someone, then you have a real problem. That would make you a real racist, not a functional one.

There, I said it.

Flame on!

 

[simms]

To whatever post before asked me about discrimination.. that's wrong because you act upon it based on your position.
eg: Say you give a job to a white person instead of a black person based on skin colour. That's discrimination...

 

[KarenMarie]

Originally posted by: simms
To whatever post before asked me about discrimination.. that's wrong because you act upon it based on your position.
eg: Say you give a job to a white person instead of a black person based on skin colour. That's discrimination...

isnt discrimination the verb of racism?
how do you separate them.

So, it is ok to say that black people are lazy and you dont want to hire them... but it is not ok to not actually hire them?

 

[JoeKing]

So you trust all racist people to never show favor toward one race versus another? Or allow their racist tendancies to never show?

The problem with racism is the people. Very few (if any) are able to prevent unfair assumptions from manifesting even if they didn't mean for it to happen.