What is racism?

[IceBlaZe]

I didnt say all europeans are racist... I just said that from MY experience about every second european kid I used to see on IRC (Before I quit) or on ICQ was racist towards jews... A lot of kids I talked to werent really racist after they talked to me for some time and I told them I'm jewish, and they went like 'Whow, you are jewish? but your nice and stuff'. Can't blame them for their ignorancy, its the TV and education.



'Every second european uses the word jew as a curse' doesnt mean I will take 2 people and say one of the must use the J word lol. It just means that statistically from my experiences, that is about the case among european teenagers. Maye 1 to 3 or 1 to 4 but you get the idea, you can notice it around.

 

[Vrylakas]

Racism is the belief that people outside of your group, whether everyone or select target groups, have certain innate traits or qualities merely because they are from another group. Racism can impune positive qualities to other groups - for instance Europeans and Americans commonly believe Asians are innately more intelligent - but it is racism nonetheless.

Sadly, in the modern world this term "racism" has been used and over-used, rather like the old Russian Boy-Who-Cried-Wolf story, to the point where it is almost meaningless. I have lived in or visited no society that is immune to racism, but let's face it we all have our favorite "whipping posts". Few are interested in the wider extent of racism, prefering to stick someone else with the label. As a student in Hungary I was amazed when I met several Anthro professors who spoke American Indian languages and had an expert understanding of the plight of Blacks and Indians in America, having set up several institutes to study them - but after a while I came to realize that Hungary had (at the time) no similar institutes to study Hungary's Gypsy/Romani population, and these same Anthros would often make anti-Jewish or anti-Arab (communist Hungary was awash with Arabs and Third World students) comments. Some French friends who were connected to the North African population in France talked of their struggles, while Dutch friends similarly told me about Vietnamese and Chinese students in the Netherlands. A friend from Mali told me about troubles there between ethnic groups. An Iraqi assured me the Shiites were evil. A young woman from a minority group in Laos told me about how her people suffered under majority Laotian rule. An ethnic Korean native of Japan told me about Japanese chauvanism... The list goes on.

We are all pre-programmed with instincts that tell us to trust those from our own group, those who look like us. This is a natural human condition. Unfortunately, however, modern society requires that all citizens of all states be given maximum access to opportunities for prosperity and personal autonomy - all must be treated equally before the laws. Theis means we all have work to do...

 

[andycapp]

"Show me a person who doesn't have racial prejudices and I'll show you a liar or a fool". I can't remember the original statement or the person who made it but it seems appropriate when discussing the definition of racism.

The exception to the above is a child who is yet to inherit their parents or societies beliefs/prejudices or have negative experiences of other peoples/races.

Another good post Vrylakas.

 

[Hitro]

Originally posted by IceBlaze
Can't blame them for their ignorancy, its the TV and education.

I'm not sure if that was a joke, but if it wasn't, where did you get the idea that European television would promote anti-semitism?

Vrylakas, what you say is (unfortunately) right, of course.
But what I was pointing at is the "overuse" of the word racism in our modern, political correct world. Not every kind of hatred or prejudice is racist. Too much is of course, as you pointed out very well.

 

[Hitro]

Originally posted by andycapp
The exception to the above is a child who is yet to inherit their parents or societies beliefs/prejudices or have negative experiences of other peoples/races.

I disagree. As Vrylakas pointed out it seems to be part of the human nature that "We are all pre-programmed with instincts that tell us to trust those from our own group, those who look like us".
Only education and intelligence can overcome that instinct.

But you are right of course that education can also breed more racism than there originally was. Anti-semitism is a "good" example for that, cause at least here in Germany most Jews don't look different than the other Germans. Therefore the reason of the hatred they faced (and unfortunately still face from some) must be more than just instinct.

 

[Kublai-Khan]

What is the meaning of Latino?
mestizo?hispanic?
Are Italians and spaniards latinos?

 

[andycapp]

Originally posted by Hitro

I disagree. As Vrylakas pointed out it seems to be part of the human nature that "We are all pre-programmed with instincts that tell us to trust those from our own group, those who look like us".
Only education and intelligence can overcome that instinct.

But you are right of course that education can also breed more racism than there originally was. Anti-semitism is a "good" example for that, cause at least here in Germany most Jews don't look different than the other Germans. Therefore the reason of the hatred they faced (and unfortunately still face from some) must be more than just instinct.

My instincts and observations suggest that a child learns racial prejudice - I would be interested to see any research that shows otherwise.

 

[Hitro]

You aren't born with racial prejucdice but most people have a fear for what they don't know. That doesn't mean a white person automatically dislikes black people but it means that if a white person who has grown up exclusively among other white people is likely to be suspicious if he meets black people. In other words, he won't be as open to that person as he would be if the person was white.
Of course that doesn't apply to all individuals but I believe that the urge to demarcate themselves from others is in most people.
And one expression of that urge can be racism.
It can also be nationalism etc.

 

[FearlessLeader2]

"Isms, as a rule, are bad."
--Ferris Bueller

Dictionary definitions aside, racism is bigotry based solely upon ancestry of the victim.

Vrylakas really nailed it in his post.

I wonder how many supposed 'Christians' would still tell Jew-jokes if someone reminded them that Jesus was a Jew too.

Well, like Vry said, it's like that everywhere. The world has a lot of work to do, and a lot less time.

 

[scorch]

Originally posted by ainwood


Remember Billy T James? (for international people, he was a Maori comedian). He made a living out of poking fun at Maori stereotypes. A European New Zealander could have never got away with it though....

hahahahah, whats the maori word for arial? Kotanga.

man hes funny.

 

[Knight-Dragon]

Originally posted by Kublai-Khan
What is the meaning of Latino?
mestizo?hispanic?
Are Italians and spaniards latinos?

I believe Latino and Hispanic refer to people fr Central and South America while Mestizo are those of mixed white and Amerindian ancestry.

I don't think the Italians and Spaniards are considered Latino though.

 

[Juize]

Originally posted by IceBlaZe
I didnt say all europeans are racist... I just said that from MY experience about every second european kid I used to see on IRC (Before I quit) or on ICQ was racist towards jews... A lot of kids I talked to werent really racist after they talked to me for some time and I told them I'm jewish, and they went like 'Whow, you are jewish? but your nice and stuff'. Can't blame them for their ignorancy, its the TV and education.



'Every second european uses the word jew as a curse' doesnt mean I will take 2 people and say one of the must use the J word lol. It just means that statistically from my experiences, that is about the case among european teenagers. Maye 1 to 3 or 1 to 4 but you get the idea, you can notice it around.

Nobody here in Finland, except the Spuges, uses the word "Jew" as a curse.


Another good reason to have TV and Education Goverment-controlled.