Racism - Come on down & Splain yourself Eh.

DurkaDurka

Internet Lawyer
Mar 15, 2006
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Toronto
Well, golllleee, I'm a-gittin' a mite kon-fused heer. I'm jest a simpul country boy and all this here talk about who's a racist and who isn't, jest a-gits me itchin' to ask the kweschun...

WHAT EXACTLY IS A RACIST?

Kin anyone help me with that one? Please keep it short and simple as I'm jest a liddle "word-challenged" (but pleez don't single me out an' hold it agin' me!)...if you use them big, high-falutin' terms, I could git my merds all wixed up!


queue the Dukes of Hazard intro. :cool:
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
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The color of their skin has never been included.

I look at voters pretty much the same way...just a bunch of people. Interesting that some people would single out race and color as being important...I just really never thought about it that way as I've always felt that people are just people.

Why wouldn't you factor skin colour in when it comes to what a customer may need? I've had plenty of people factor my skin colour in when it comes to need in terms of health service, aesthetics service, food service... a wide variety of things. I've been told my skin needs different lotions, my children need different glasses, I've been warned that food from other ethnicities might be too hot for me... people use my skin colour as a gauge all the time. I don't think of them as racists.
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
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In the bush near Sudbury
Why wouldn't you factor skin colour in when it comes to what a customer may need? I've had plenty of people factor my skin colour in when it comes to need in terms of health service, aesthetics service, food service... a wide variety of things. I've been told my skin needs different lotions, my children need different glasses, I've been warned that food from other ethnicities might be too hot for me... people use my skin colour as a gauge all the time. I don't think of them as racists.


Maybe he doesn't work for Mary Kay? :lol:
 

countryboy

Traditionally Progressive
Nov 30, 2009
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Why wouldn't you factor skin colour in when it comes to what a customer may need? I've had plenty of people factor my skin colour in when it comes to need in terms of health service, aesthetics service, food service... a wide variety of things. I've been told my skin needs different lotions, my children need different glasses, I've been warned that food from other ethnicities might be too hot for me... people use my skin colour as a gauge all the time. I don't think of them as racists.

Simple answer - in MY business it isn't necessary or relevant. And it was MY biz to which I was referring. Can't speak for all them out there...
 

karrie

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Jan 6, 2007
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Simple answer - in MY business it isn't necessary or relevant. And it was MY biz to which I was referring. Can't speak for all them out there...

Ah... I took your statement to mean that it could somehow factor in, but you choose to rise above assumptions. Silly assumption on my part. Sorry.
 

countryboy

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That is easy, countryboy. To an American conservative most Democrats, most liberals are racists. This in spite of the fact that blacks vote liberal, Democratic by more than 90%.

And I think that really rankles Republicans, so this is their way of reaching out to blacks, they call anybody they disagree with ‘racist’. Presumably they hope that by this tactics, blacks will start voting for them.

Please forgive me for not being clear in my question...I meant to ask what is the generally-accepted (universal, if you will) definition of a racist, not who/what any particular person might consider to be an example of one.
 

karrie

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Jan 6, 2007
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WHAT EXACTLY IS A RACIST?


To me....

A racist is someone who categorizes people according to skin colour, and refuses to accept that those categories may not fit as well as they think.

I pointed out people who have made assumptions about me based on skin colour. While I don't find an assumption to be a bad thing, to me, racism would be to stick to those assumptions. To say, refuse to give me the extra hot salsa on my meal because I'm too white for it. To refuse to let my kids play outside in the afternoon because they're too white. To stick to their guns that things 'MUST' be a certain way based on race, is racism.
 
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Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
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The Off-Topic and Trolling & Sidetracking Posts have been removed.
If I missed anything, I apologize, and can do this again if need be.

Please continue On-Topic, and Thank You for your patience.
 

countryboy

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Ah... I took your statement to mean that it could somehow factor in, but you choose to rise above assumptions. Silly assumption on my part. Sorry.

No problem, Karrie. We use demographic info. to grid the market...sort out customer needs by category, in an effort to link our services with those needs. Color or race has nothing to do with any of the needs...we're just trying to come up with ways to convince the customers to part with their hard-earned cash in exchange for our services. And as far as money is concerned, we like the color of the big bills best!
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
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Racism is a useful tool, a dandy wedge to drive in between the marks, after divide comes conquest. Got a war going on somewhere? There is zero chance that you will not be using racism. I can hear the racist crap everyday on my CBC radio. Constant non stop ****ting on Arabs and Afghans and Eyerainiins everyday for years. Who is the truest target of racism today? The western medias onslaught on the Muslim world continues in ever greater spasms of mindless lethal hate. I don't need a lesson in racism from anybody but I do know some posters here who could benefit. In many cases they will be the first to cast stones. Beware the man whoes pockets are full of rocks.
 
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Mowich

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Dec 25, 2005
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What a pointless thread.

Sorry Goober, but, it's essentially an intellectual circle jerk.

"Racists are bad!"

"Yeah racists are bad!"

"I'm so glad I'm better than them!"

"Me too... we're better than them!"

"Let's sit and pity those people we're better than."

"Yeah. Let's pity them!"

While I'm sure someone said something specific that you felt to be racist, and you want to poke at that and find its source, the argument it came up in is probably the best place to find that out. Dragging it out of context, and wanting people to label themselves, will never work, and you know it. If you want to start a conversation about racism without context of specifics, then the only way to truly explore it is via your OWN shortcomings in that area.

And yes, even you have shortcomings. I don't know a single person who isn't prone to racist knee jerk reactions, or to stereotyping to a degree. Intellectually speaking we usually quickly overcome those reactions, but, that doesn't make their roots worth examining.

Sorry Karrie, but I totally disagree with you. Goober's topic is a good one. Sure he may not get the flamin' racists to fess up, but a discussion on racism allows others to see that maybe they were a little too harsh in their condemnation of a certain person or race. If only one person with racist tendencies is able to open his/her mind because of these discussions, then something really good has come out of it.

In the meantime, airing our views about racism and things we have encountered in our own lives is always illuminating.
 

Mowich

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Seriously....lets all drop the Name Calling or this Thread will become
much shorter to get it back on Topic.

Thanks, Ron. I was getting a tad peeved about people getting off topic by pointing out how useless the thread is. Hey, if you don't want to participate - no one is forcing you.
 

karrie

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Jan 6, 2007
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lol.... that is so funny, because Ron had to erase exactly what the thread set out for... a bunch of finger pointing and accusations. Which means it's still a useless thread... anything other than saying 'I'm not racist, aren't you happy we're all not racists?' is unworkable. :lol: For Goober's actual intention to be met, the thread ends up locked and purged. lol.
 

countryboy

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lol.... that is so funny, because Ron had to erase exactly what the thread set out for... a bunch of finger pointing and accusations. Which means it's still a useless thread... anything other than saying 'I'm not racist, aren't you happy we're all not racists?' is unworkable. :lol: For Goober's actual intention to be met, the thread ends up locked and purged. lol.

Well, I thought the objective was fairly clear in Goober's opening post...he can speak for himself of course, but here's what I saw up near the top of it..."Splain yur thinkin to me and others Eh. "

I think people relate their own experiences as part of their 'Splainin' but I personally have been learning a lot from those stories. Yes, I understand that people can get fairly excited about the topic and perhaps stray off topic a bit :cool:, but those instances are usually fairly brief in nature, which makes them easy to skim over and get back to looking for the more meaningful posts.

I understand your viewpoint, but I guess I am (respectfully) disagreeing with you. I think it's quite a useful thread, at least for me. Best example is how different people define "racism"...that is of great interest to me. Looking forward to more of it. Vive les differences!
 

countryboy

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PS - I'm still a bit confused on the definition of racism...need more, please. For example, if I was challenged to come up with one, I might say something along the lines of this: "Racism is a an attitude that causes people to make decisions about other people, based on their color or race."

I'm sure other people would disagree with that, or at least be able to state it in a more meaningful way, but that's my first pass at it.

In case you're wondering why I'm asking about it, try this...Back in my Christian Sunday School days, the choir leader always told us that the song would turn out much better if we were all singing from the same page of the hymn book.
 

karrie

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Jan 6, 2007
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Well, I thought the objective was fairly clear in Goober's opening post...he can speak for himself of course, but here's what I saw up near the top of it..."Splain yur thinkin to me and others Eh. "

I think people relate their own experiences as part of their 'Splainin' but I personally have been learning a lot from those stories. Yes, I understand that people can get fairly excited about the topic and perhaps stray off topic a bit :cool:, but those instances are usually fairly brief in nature, which makes them easy to skim over and get back to looking for the more meaningful posts.

I understand your viewpoint, but I guess I am (respectfully) disagreeing with you. I think it's quite a useful thread, at least for me. Best example is how different people define "racism"...that is of great interest to me. Looking forward to more of it. Vive les differences!

You know what countryboy, I do owe a clarification... the thread isn't useless. It's the idea as it was first written, that anyone would walk in and say, 'hey, I'm a racist, and here's why', that I found to be ludicrous. As OP's go, it was thought provoking, it was attention sparking, and conversation flowed. But, not in the spirit of his challenge. It flowed exactly, as I said.... 'I'm better than racists', etc..

As soon as a single person walks in and says 'hey, I'm a racist!' and means it, I will happily eat my words on the issue. :smile:
 

AnnaG

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Jul 5, 2009
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lol I'm a bit of a racist. I think the human race is quite a bit better in some ways, than a few other races; like some virii, germs, bacteria, etc. for instance.
 

karrie

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lol I'm a bit of a racist. I think the human race is quite a bit better in some ways, than a few other races; like some virii, germs, bacteria, etc. for instance.

well... then I'm eating my words. *gulp* :lol:
 

countryboy

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Nov 30, 2009
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You know what countryboy, I do owe a clarification... the thread isn't useless. It's the idea as it was first written, that anyone would walk in and say, 'hey, I'm a racist, and here's why', that I found to be ludicrous. As OP's go, it was thought provoking, it was attention sparking, and conversation flowed. But, not in the spirit of his challenge. It flowed exactly, as I said.... 'I'm better than racists', etc..

As soon as a single person walks in and says 'hey, I'm a racist!' and means it, I will happily eat my words on the issue. :smile:

I don't think anyone has to eat words. I know exactly where you're coming from...i.e., I understand what you're saying. I'm just approaching it from a different direction. Lacking superior intelligence (average, at best, but that's questionable most days), I'm looking at your phrase above "Hey, I'm a racist!" and I'm still on page 1 trying to define exactly what a racist is! (Told you I'm slow :lol: )...and I don't mind admitting it - keeps other people's expectations low and reduces stress for me. :lol::lol::lol: