What is racism?

[scaeagles]

I am not interested in a dictionary definition.

In AZ, we passed Prop 200 last November. What this ballot initiative did was to put into law that to receive anything other than emergency services, everyone must present proof of citizenship. Any social services, enrollment in school, etc. This has been called "racist" by some local Hispanic leaders, and they have called for boycotts of AZ until it is repealed.

I don't think it's racist to deny illegal aliens everything but emergency services.

Vincente Fox, el Presidente of Mexico, recently said that "Hispanics do the jobs not even blacks are willing to do." Is this racist?

Howard Dean said at some recent rally "The only way republicans could have this many blacks at a rally is if they brought in the entire hotel staff." Is that racist?

Is using the "N" word in and of itself make you a racist? When Robert Byrd used the word a couple of times during an interview, was he being a racist? Was Chirs Dodd racist for praising Byrd a few weeks later?

Was Trent Lott a racist because he praised Strom Thurmond at a party in his honor?

I think the term "racist" is overused in a political context and therefore cheapens true racism when it occurs. This is not to say that none of the above items are racist in nature. Maybe some are. But isn't it overdone a bit?

I'm about as much of a WASP as you can be (is that a racist term?), so maybe I just don't understand.

[Gemini Cricket]

I'm not certain about anything any more. But I think everyone's a little bit racist. Like it says in the song from Avenue Q:

"Everyone's a little bit racist
Sometimes.
Doesn't mean we go
Around committing hate crimes.
Look around and you will find
No one's really color blind.
Maybe it's a fact
We all should face
Everyone makes judgments
Based on race."

[wendybeth]

I haven't read the actual Prop you speak of, but if it specifically states "Hispanics', then perhaps it could be considered racist. It sounds like it's intended to strengthen and enforce illegal immigration law, so what's the problem? The very fact that the term 'illegal alien' exists indicates that the person is in our country illegally, and in post 9/11 it is very foolish not to have stringent regulations. What's more, our resources are at the breaking point, especially in the border states. No wonder Fox wants us to allow illegal immigration- he doesn't have to pay for them, and they send money home to be spent locally.

I think what Fox said was very offensive, and simply untrue. He defended it by saying it was a common perception in Hispanic (particularily Mexican) culture. That doesn't make it right. We have lots of misconceptions in our country with regards to people of different races and cultures, and yet when a person (usually a politician) makes a comment or commits an action that plays into those misconceptions, they are generally called on it.

I think racism is the intentional persecution or harassment of person from a different race or culture, and it goes both ways. All races are guilty of it, and it is (and probably always will be ) an ongoing battle to define and suppress it wherever it rears it's ugly head.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Everything's about context. For example:

Presidente Fox's comments were a reference to the stereotype that Meixcans hold of blacks as hard workers. "He works like a black man" is a common saying in Mexico. So while even "positive" stereotyping has its pitfalls, I don't consider his comments particularly mallicious.

Compare that to Galloway's use of "Zionist" and "fundamental Christians." He pointedly meant those as insults. A far more distressing thing.

The view of prop 200 being racist has to do with who it affects, how, and why. My personal opinion is the resolution has to start at the border. If you don't want illegal immigrants, do more to prevent them, and relax that requirements for legal immigration. But I'm of the opinion that politicians (on either side) don't want that because of what it will do to the economy. These kinds of denial of service aren't going to slow illegal immigration. It's still more attractive to be here. So all that it's doing is putting illegals, who, in Arizona, are nearly all hispanic, at risk. It may not be because they are hispanic, but the fact is that it's a law that affects almost exclusively hispanics and fails to address the root problem.

Is the "N" word inherently racist? Language is tricky. On one level, words are just words and only have power if we let them. On the other hand, if we don't create a distinction, then it becomes difficult to recognize where the dividing line is. If we allow people to be okay with using racial slurs, then it makes it that much more difficult to impress in the society how to recognize true racism and that it's a problem. Yes, language only has as much power as we give it, but I think it's important for us to give it that power.

[Betty]

[quote=Ghoulish Delight]Everything's about context. For example:

Presidente Fox's comments were a reference to the stereotype that Meixcans hold of blacks as hard workers. "He works like a black man" is a common saying in Mexico.QUOTE]


Someone else (a hispanic) had mentioned that to me but took it differently - that blacks were lazy - so it was an insult and not a compliment.

I'm all for not allowing illegal immigrants to use our schools, social services etc, with the exception of dire emergency services... and even then there needs to be some restrictions as people should not be going to the ER for an ear ache. In Mexico, you will be deported as an illegal alien. You don't get social services... you can't send your kids to school...

And yet they expect it from us when they enter illegally.

I think the billboard that read Los Angeles, Mexico raised a lot of eyebrows.

Racist is an overused word that caries a lot of baggage and is often used for to further an agenda that has nothing to do with racism.

[Tref]

Originally Posted by Betty

Racist is an overused word that caries a lot of baggage and is often used for to further an agenda that has nothing to do with racism.

Are you saying racists over pack?

[Not Afraid]

Here's a summary from a paper on HR Management on racism.

Racism and discrimination go hand in hand. Noticing cultural or racial differernces is not racism. Discriminating against a person BECAUSE of cultural or racial differences IS racism. Any person, place or institution that promotes inequality between races is practising racism.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Betty

Someone else (a hispanic) had mentioned that to me but took it differently - that blacks were lazy - so it was an insult and not a compliment.

But it doesn't even make sense that way. I mean, if what he meant was that blacks are lazy, then he was saying, "We Mexicans are even lazier than blacks!"

Now, I'm still don't think the comment was completely "okay". Like I said, even positive stereotypes can be devisive. Lord knows that saying something like, "That math problem's too hard, even for an Asian," is not really kosher. But I'm less bothered by it than outright hate speach.

[scaeagles]

Well, if positive stereotyping is OK, then negative stereotyping must by default be OK, would it not be? Not that anyone would prefer the negative to the positive, but isn't it all just about the same in terms of generalizations of a given race?

I believe a lot of stereotyping is cultural rather than race based. There are clear differences between races in physical features.....does it not follow that there are psychological or mental differences as well? This does not mean any differences along those lines are bad.....so I've never understood why pointing out differences is bad. Diversity is a good thing, right? If we are wanting diversity, than we have to be noticing that people are different. But is some differences are pointed out, you get in trouble.

I don't know - I'm just rambling myself into nowhere, I suppose.

[Name]

no, made perfect sense to me sca...........and I agree........in a nutshell, P.C. sucks.