Is It Possible Not to be Racist?

Yeah, I know what you're thinking... "what's with Celly and her threads lately?". Just been wondering about these things as of lately.

I found this question randomly on another board:

Quote:
Is it possible not to be racist in this society when so many people live up the expectations of racism? I know most people get all PC about this subject, but you have to admit when it comes to racism, it does exist for a reason and usually it’s because there are many examples that support what a person feels racist about. For example people are racist towards black people because of their lack of education and therefore treat them differently. However, it’s a well known fact that culturally they do not graduate college or high school at the same rate that other races do. So how can you expect someone not to be racist towards them when they show time and time again that they do the things people are racist towards them for?

Please keep in mind some folks might be sensitive to the subject, express yourself but keep that in mind!

I dont call racism racism, I call it prejudiced or stereotypical.

same here.

That's stereotyping to me as well.

Yea I would say prejudiced is everywhere as well . . . although one little thing that bothers me is when people say "Oh my friend so and so, she's ____ (insert race here)"

Why do you have to say what race the person is? Why does it matter?

Soooooo, the word "racism" should be defined as "prejudice to black ppl only" then?

I mean, there aren't any stereotypes against other races, perhaps? Hmmmm....

Since black ppl are our case study, society is now reaping the benefits of its rape on ppl of african descent. When you condition somebody to be a beast of burden then free them and don't recondition them so they can function well in your society how could u then have the gall to say "well, they're uneducated" when in the first place you put institutions in place to keep them disenfranchised? Only 40 years ago, 40 years in America did they have a movement that attempted to grant black ppl the same liberties as their caucasian counterparts and yet today, there still is a need for a body to continue fighting for black liberties. Do ppl really have that much balls?

Originally Posted by |<33 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yea I would say prejudiced is everywhere as well . . . although one little thing that bothers me is when people say "Oh my friend so and so, she's ____ (insert race here)"
Why do you have to say what race the person is? Why does it matter?

I totally agree, and it pisses me off everytime I have to fill that in on a gov't form... Once I have the right to live here, what the hell does my race matter? And why is race the first adjective we use to describe somebody?

I definitely think the stereotypes are everywhere and applied to everyone . . . not just race, I have to deal with a lot of stereotypes and prejudice just being from Newfoundland.

Newfoundlanders are some of the nicest, hard working people you will ever meet yet my in laws keep using the word Newfie or Newf to describe someone who is lazy or stupid.

Just the other day my mother in law said to my father in law "My god, you're such a Newf" when he was having trouble with the DVD player . . . wtf, you KNOW I'm a Newfoundlander, don't you? Yet no matter now many times I point out that it is NOT ok to used that word in a derogatory manner, they keep on doing it.

I won't say that here aren't any lazy or stupid people in Newfoundland because there are . . . but no more so than everywhere else in the world!

Originally Posted by |<33 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yea I would say prejudiced is everywhere as well . . . although one little thing that bothers me is when people say "Oh my friend so and so, she's ____ (insert race here)"
Why do you have to say what race the person is? Why does it matter?

I'm guilty of saying my friend is (inserting race) because i find it interesting what nationality a person is, especially if there of a mixed race because i am mix myself, the first thing that comes to my mind when filling out a job application and it ask what origin/nationality you are is because there wanting to know if your a legal citizen, also they are trying to get to know the person a little through the application process.i could be wrong but that's the impression i get.

The original poster on the other board has it wrong. It is actually, statistically, the Latinos of this generation that are not up to par when it comes to graduating.

They have a higher drop out rate, as well as a higher rate of substance abuse and teenage pregnancy.

I think racism is an ultimate form of ignorance.

OF COURSE there are those who live up to stereotypes, but the numbers that don't are far greater.

Why do we not see them, thus allowing a fair comparison?

They are at home/work/school and not on the streets for us to observe.

I have learned that although some live up to thier sterotypes it never excuses me placing those judgements on Jos Schmoe on the street.

Those who mask thier bogotry with excuses and rhetoric concern me far more.

Wow, you have me pondering now! lol

I get magazines and other mailers in the mail regularly that are geared solely toward black people ("Black Expressions", "Our Tampa", etc) because they think my name sounds black, I guess. Also, a lot of times if people hear my name before they meet me, they tend to assume I'm black (they tell me this later on). I'm not really sure what this has to do with racism, but I guess it could go along with stereotypes regarding the names people choose for their children according to their ethnic background?

Ultimately, I think our brains naturally want to categorize everything (including people) just to allow for more efficient memory recall. So, in some sense, I don't think it's possible for anyone to be 100 percent free of stereotyping. However, if it forms into racism where judgements are attributed to a group of people simply because of their ethnicity, that is wrong. And it absolutely should not be tolerated, imo.

Originally Posted by StereoXGirl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ultimately, I think our brains naturally want to categorize everything (including people) just to allow for more efficient memory recall. So, in some sense, I don't think it's possible for anyone to be 100 percent free of stereotyping. However, if it forms into racism where judgements are attributed to a group of people simply because of their ethnicity, that is wrong. And it absolutely should not be tolerated, imo.

Perfectly said!
I think it depends on the culture/society. Racism and prejudice are different things and I agree with Aprill - it's easier to call ourself prejudice than racist because that just takes on a whole other level of ignorance.

Depends on which society you're in - but I think most folks have, at one point in their life, done things that is prejudice/stereotyping.

Originally Posted by |<33 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yea I would say prejudiced is everywhere as well . . . although one little thing that bothers me is when people say "Oh my friend so and so, she's ____ (insert race here)"
Why do you have to say what race the person is? Why does it matter?

I totally agree with that. That annoys me so much when people do that! They might not mean it but the way they say it makes it sound like the race of the person is relevant to their point which of course it isn't.
As human beings I think we all have an urge to shove everything into boxes. If we see a person dressed head to toe in black with black eyeliner and piercings we instantly label them a 'goth' and shove them into a little box in our heads with the rest of the 'goths' and it's the same with races and religions too. Like people have said before me I tend to think of racism as stereotyping. They see a person and think 'Oh they're that' according to what their instincts say. I hate stereotyping and I think at one point or another everyone is stereotyped in their life. It happened to me through school and it was an awful experience so I wouldn't intentionally do that to anyone else in a hurtful way. I think you have to stereotype a tiny bit. Like if I was walking home alone in the dark and I saw a guy in a hoodie walking behind me I would start to panic but I think that's human instinct to protect yourself. The guy is probably totally innocent but when adrenaline kicks in in a situation like that you have to stereotype.

I was thinking... I don't really have a problem with saying what race someone is - i think it depends on the way it is said and the conotations attached to it.

I think it gets to the point where everything is too PC. If someone has dark skin, why is it rude to say so? I think that olive and dark skin can be some of the most beautiful in terms of complexion, so why is it so often assumed that it is meant in a derogatory way?

I judge each person on their merits. I've never not spoken to someone because of their background, nor would I really care where they came from or what they looked like.

I do think that it's difficult in todays world for people not to take things as being racist - I live in terror of describing people as they are in case people think I'm being rude - but if I am trying to describe two people of the same name, one who is white, one who is dark - well, how can I do so without appearing to be racist?

I was brought up way to hell and gone out in the Mojave Desert of Southern Calif and would you believe that I was so naive that I honestly thought all prejudice and racism had ended a 100 years ago? It therefore came as a shock when I joined the US Army and found that it was in fact alive and well. :-(

Racism and other prejudice will in fact end some day I think. In this day and age, with us crossing oceans in mere hours and with "interracial" marriages common place, some day we will all be pretty much the same shade and we will all be "mutts" (and no, that does not refer to Make Up Talk)!

I also think that we will make a huge stride in the right direction when they remove all references to race in job, school, grant, etc, applications. Maybe there wont BE an lines when we stop drawing the darn things.

I've seen a few references here to statistics on which races have the lowest high school graduation rates. I have to wonder how much effort was devoted to making sure that other factors were accounted for, such as the average income in the areas studied. Where these kids dropping out because they were Caucasian, black, or Hispanic, or were they dropping out because they saw no future with education and had to get jobs to stay alive?

I have to say that I respectfully disagree with much of what you have said.

Prejudice can go both ways-- white vs. black and black vs. white. (I'm addressing "black" as the minority since that is what your post refers to.) There are a lot of things that black people are afforded that white people simply aren't. One that comes to mind and really irritates me is "United Negro College Fund". If there was a fund set aside *specifically* for and named for white people, Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow Push Colitition along with Al Sharpton would be on every new outlet, marching in Washington screaming "discrimination". But, why is it ok to have an organization for and named for "black people"? Mind you, I don't care what they call it. I just want equality for mankind as a whole. I want the same standard set for everyone, not just one group of individuals.

Secondly, many, many have agreed that affirmative action has done more harm than good when it comes to obtaining an advanced education. By setting a quota for a university to meet in terms of racial ratios, they are allowing those in who don't have the background to succeed, educationally. Therefore, there are many who are flunking out. Now, the problem isn't in the college level-- it starts at the beginning of one's educational journey. Equality in education should be started from the outset, not as an afterthought after many years have passed. If that happened, there'd be no need for affirmative action in education. Everyone would be vying for the same spot and only the cream of the crop would get a spot, black or white or otherwise.

Thirdly, there are many financial aid options open to those who are minorities simply because of the color of their skin. Why should one's skin color be the litmus test for financial aid for education? Shouldn't the *true* litmus test be *need* and everyone given the same access to financial aid?

The last thing I have a MAJOR problem with is those who come from foreign countries to "live the American dream" and are assisted in doing so by our government. Why should a foreigner be allowed to come to the US and obtain grants to start a business based on the mere fact that they are a foreigner and a minority? Why should the government assist those who aren't Americans to live the American dream? Why shouldn't they assist AMERICANS in living the AMERICAN dream? Now, I'm certainly not against others coming to the US to live (My two oldest children are from another country and citizens of that country). What I advocate is equal access to those grants-- and actually, FIRST access to those grants for AMERICANS.

Prejudice doesn't just involve skin color. There's much prejudice against those with disabilities- Deafness, for example. And what about people who are fat? (Yes, fat prejudice is a hobby horse for me!!)

We need a paradigm shift in our thinking. Instead of trying to focus on one group of individuals freedoms, we need to focus on freedoms for ALL groups; equality for ALL groups; applying same standards for ALL groups. If we were to ever succeed in this one area, prejudice would be a thing of the past.

Warmly,

Brandi

Originally Posted by reesesilverstar /img/forum/go_quote.gif Soooooo, the word "racism" should be defined as "prejudice to black ppl only" then?
I mean, there aren't any stereotypes against other races, perhaps? Hmmmm....

Since black ppl are our case study, society is now reaping the benefits of its rape on ppl of african descent. When you condition somebody to be a beast of burden then free them and don't recondition them so they can function well in your society how could u then have the gall to say "well, they're uneducated" when in the first place you put institutions in place to keep them disenfranchised? Only 40 years ago, 40 years in America did they have a movement that attempted to grant black ppl the same liberties as their caucasian counterparts and yet today, there still is a need for a body to continue fighting for black liberties. Do ppl really have that much balls?

I totally agree, and it ****** me off everytime I have to fill that in on a gov't form... Once I have the right to live here, what the hell does my race matter? And why is race the first adjective we use to describe somebody?

Originally Posted by beaglette /img/forum/go_quote.gif And what about people who are fat? (Yes, fat prejudice is a hobby horse for me!!) As someone who is thin and always was thin I can say that there is just as much "skinny" prejudice out there. I grew up with a warped sense of body image because my friends (almost all of whom were larger than me) had me brainwashed into thinking I was not only too skinny, but ugly because of it. I had reverse anorexia because of it . . . eating anything and everything in sight, desperately hoping to be "fat" just so I could be accepted.
I had a large woman poke me once and say "You're too skinny, why don't you eat more?" meanwhile I would never dream of poking a big person and saying "You're fat, why don't you eat less?"

There is way too much accepted prejudice against thin people, I hate it. Somehow it's supposed to be ok, we're supposed to be able to "take it" because we're "skinny". Whatever! Ugh it just makes me so mad to even think about! >:|

Bleh, I could go on and on but I dont wanna stray too far off topic /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I'm sure that's true too. I've not had to deal with being skinny, nor will I ever..ha.

I guess the major difference I see is that even though you are skinny, people still talk to you and consider you a human being. When you're fat, you're sub-human, of the lowest form and they certainly don't make eye contact with you, let alone talk to you. It's like if they look at you, they are going to "catch" getting fat. Ha. I wish my "bad eye" could make them fat for a day... lol!!! (My oldest daughter told us at dinner one night "I gave him the BAD EYE!" (evil eye) I laughed so hard I thought I was going to choke!)

Warmly,

Brandi

Originally Posted by |<33 /img/forum/go_quote.gif As someone who is thin and always was thin I can say that there is just as much "skinny" prejudice out there. I grew up with a warped sense of body image because my friends (almost all of whom were larger than me) had me brainwashed into thinking I was not only too skinny, but ugly because of it. I had reverse anorexia because of it . . . eating anything and everything in sight, desperately hoping to be "fat" just so I could be accepted.
I had a large woman poke me once and say "You're too skinny, why don't you eat more?" meanwhile I would never dream of poking a big person and saying "You're fat, why don't you eat less?"

There is way too much accepted prejudice against thin people, I hate it. Somehow it's supposed to be ok, we're supposed to be able to "take it" because we're "skinny". Whatever! Ugh it just makes me so mad to even think about! >:|

Bleh, I could go on and on but I dont wanna stray too far off topic /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I made a thread so this one can stay on topic

https://forum.makeuptalk.com/f14...ead-82039.html

Perhaps I am over analyzing it, but it seems the root of all racial tension is the "them vs us" mentality. Whether it be race, gender, age, etc, there will always be some sort of prejudice because they are not on the same "side" as you are. So, in a sense, there will always be people that are racist because, in order for their not to be, there would have to be no culture. And I'm fairly certain no one is willing to give up their culture. To hope that people can be open minded and unbiased is wishful thinking, though hopefully not impossible.

Originally Posted by kyuubified /img/forum/go_quote.gif Perhaps I am over analyzing it, but it seems the root of all racial tension is the "them vs us" mentality. Whether it be race, gender, age, etc, there will always be some sort of prejudice because they are not on the same "side" as you are. So, in a sense, there will always be people that are racist because, in order for their not to be, there would have to be no culture. And I'm fairly certain no one is willing to give up their culture. To hope that people can be open minded and unbiased is wishful thinking, though hopefully not impossible. Your post brings up some other questions... What is culture? Is culture learned? Is bias based on culture or is it based on the community to which we belong? What is the difference between culture and community?
Warmly,

Brandi