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Your task is to find the joke in this post:
For some reason, H wanted to talk about rascism today. Not the vague sterotyping of race that is practically unavoidable in society, but that hate-filled, slur-spilling, loud kind of racsism of a true beleiver.
He wanted to know if I thought there was any "excuse" for rascism in adults, like say, they'd been victims of a crime or multiple crimes by a specific minority. I had to tell him that while I accept that everyone has baggage in life, there really is no reason for a rational, thinking person to hate a group of people based on the actions of a few. Sometimes people are prejudiced because they were taught that by their family. And if that's the case, their religion might even require that they honor the wishes of their elders. But you can't really order someone to hate someone else. Even Hitler relied on negative feelings already in place in Germany at that time. H didn't seem to think I had thought this thru, and that maybe rascists should be cut a bit more slack. But then, H is pretty even keeled about such things.
I decided that the reason I feel so strongly about this is simply because I am an American. I'm caucasian, and female and middle class. But none of those things speak to the whole of who I am. There are people in Europe who think all Americans watch and really, really love American Idol. Asian "america bars" have big haired blondes and people wearing cowboy hats and digging Bon Jovi. I assure you, none of those things have anything to do with me. Not all Christians support murdering doctors to stop abortions. I know how to spell the word "women" and don't feel the need to alter the spelling to remove the word "men" (as in "womyn", "wimmin" or worse yet "womben"). And since I demand to be treated as a unique individual, I think it's only right that I do my best to extend that courtesy to others. I'm not sure H would understand all that. After all, he's black.
Did anyone notice I switched mood themes today? Ah, ChartityCam...how you delight and amuse!
He wanted to know if I thought there was any "excuse" for rascism in adults, like say, they'd been victims of a crime or multiple crimes by a specific minority. I had to tell him that while I accept that everyone has baggage in life, there really is no reason for a rational, thinking person to hate a group of people based on the actions of a few. Sometimes people are prejudiced because they were taught that by their family. And if that's the case, their religion might even require that they honor the wishes of their elders. But you can't really order someone to hate someone else. Even Hitler relied on negative feelings already in place in Germany at that time. H didn't seem to think I had thought this thru, and that maybe rascists should be cut a bit more slack. But then, H is pretty even keeled about such things.
I decided that the reason I feel so strongly about this is simply because I am an American. I'm caucasian, and female and middle class. But none of those things speak to the whole of who I am. There are people in Europe who think all Americans watch and really, really love American Idol. Asian "america bars" have big haired blondes and people wearing cowboy hats and digging Bon Jovi. I assure you, none of those things have anything to do with me. Not all Christians support murdering doctors to stop abortions. I know how to spell the word "women" and don't feel the need to alter the spelling to remove the word "men" (as in "womyn", "wimmin" or worse yet "womben"). And since I demand to be treated as a unique individual, I think it's only right that I do my best to extend that courtesy to others. I'm not sure H would understand all that. After all, he's black.
Did anyone notice I switched mood themes today? Ah, ChartityCam...how you delight and amuse!
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That sentence made no sense to me - maybe that's because Dad and I finished the vodka? (Hey, I aced another quiz and my 88% on my G and D midterm got raised to a 92% because I found two fuck-ups). I ROCK!
Speaking of which, I have a funny situation to relate to you that I may not have related before:
I was sitting there, talking to a friend. I either did something right or cool and then exclaimed "Yes! I ROCK!" A passerby jokingly said, "Geez, how un-American can you get?" Get it? I rock-Iraq hahahahaha. *shrugs* It was funny at the time.
Oh, and I think it's cool that you're trying to understand why ppl are racist. Sometimes prejustice is b/c of upbringing (They're raised that certain groups are inferior and only see the 'negatives' that are pointed out to them; they're raised to respect their elders (who are prejusticed in those cases); they had horrible, negative experiences...) Yeah, there's no excuse for hatred of certain groups. However: my friend was raped by a black man, that was her first sexual experience. Every time she gets a wiff of certain kinds of 'black' hair products she tenses up and gets kinda nauseated. She doesn't WANT to be racist or anything (cognitively she isn't) but she can't get close to black people. It's an example and she said she feels terrible about it. If it was the dude's cologne or hand shape that she remembered I'm sure that would have been the stimulus that messed her up. But she also doesn't go around hating black people either. It also would have been the same if it were a red-haired guy or a guy with a pointy nose or anything.
Yuk. I still can't find a good 'excuse' for hating specific groups but understanding some of the 'whys' can maybe help to get rid of some of the prejudice?
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Racism is not only largely unwise strategically when you want to live on the planet in harmony with fellow creatures---it's a tool of society/culture/power used to keep people down. It's not enough not to participate in it. It is imcumbent upon us as people of skin privilege to be traitors to that privilege.
I'm sadly undereducated and not very experienced at what that means in real life. Of course it's hard. Think how hard it is for men not to embrace their male privilege. It's quite understandable how beings looking out for their own interests would reinforce tendencies that help them.
The "higher" force in interpersonal relations, and relations between groups of people, too, calls for the renouncing of injustice and cruelty and separatism and hatred. It calls for us to strive to embrace one another.
I'm not at all religious in a conventional sense---wish I could be sometimes, but I lack faith of any sort even vaguely resembling what is to me the main appeal (besides extended family) of religion and church goin'. (Well, some churches have good music, too, I suppose, but my church of origin sure didn't.) That said, I have core convictions of some sort, and most of 'em around the bonding of people with one another. I'm sure it's driven by my fucked up childhood (who isn't driven by hers?), but I don't really give a shit what drives it---it's me. It's my passion and my avocation and my philosophy of life: seek out and commisserate with others, and take what pleasure you can in the company of your fellow creatures---or whatever subset of them will recognize you as fellow.
You, my dear Wednes, are a fellow of mine.
My fellows are rare and fine people.
I'm rambling now. I do digress.
I will take a second to tell you this: I love the spellings "wimmin" and "womon" (though not "womyn") cuzza how it seems as if they're pronounced. (fuck "womben," of course---what kind of sacrosanct bunk is that!) "Hey, you fine wimmin!", fer instance, is pronounced just like it looks. "Womon" has a more langorous second syllable. wuhMAHn---it's almost like the accent shifted. And it's open and hollow and more serious and deeper-voiced and sexier. "Get over here, womon," you might say. Jokingly. And if you're a man it better be very CLEARLY jokingly. (It's all about renouncing default dominance.)
(And beating the New York Yankees of this world!)
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I'm not sure what this sentence means. I took it to mean that you believe that caucasians have a natural social advantage. I don't believe that such is the case. Even if that were true, it doesn't logically follow that people of privilege should be required to do any more than the average person. I think that it would be more equitable to say that "It is incumbent upon us individually as people to treat everyone else as individual people." No one group, self proclaimed or otherwise, should be required to put forth more effort than any other group.
Your task was to find the joke in the post
and you do...
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The requirement I refer to is a requirement for progress toward justice. It's not so much a case of some people being challenged to do more than others, per se---just that some, in such an effort, must needs renounce privilege.
I am not optimistic at my chances of communicating what I mean any more effectively to you here, somehow. And I do find it odd that what you seem to be bristling at is the idea of people being required to put forth effort at something other people may not need to do.
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I know I'll regret this, but I'm interested in knowing how you can beleive that white people don't have a social advantage in America.
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I thought they just tap danced up and down stairs with Shirley Temple.
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"That would be true if everyone started on a level playing field"
Nor is it the case in any country, or any place on this earth. That does not make it ok to hold individuals accountable for the actions of society as a whole.
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Then you are taking it in a needlessly personal way.
Wow...I'm amazed by how much you are missing the point.
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And you haven't earned your place in society.
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"It is imcumbent upon us as people of skin privilege to be traitors to that privilege."
"...just that some, in such an effort, must needs renounce privilege."
Being white does not require, nor should it, that one should behave in any way different than any black person. We are unable to control the motives, and minds of those around us. Being white does not inherently give someone a skin privilege.
Here is a thought experiment:
Two candidates are reviewed for a position, their qualifications equal, the job is given to the white man due to racism. It is the fault of the interviewer, not the candidate. Unless I interpret wrong, this man should renounce the position in favor of the black candidate to advance the cause of equality. Is this an accurate example of the scenario?
The fundamental flaw in your reasoning is that the candidate should bear no responsibility so long as he feels that he is capable of filling the position. It is not his fault that the interviewer is racist and he shouldn't suffer as a result.
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"And you haven't earned your place in society."
How could you possibly know that?
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No one is talking about suffering. It's funny, because this is very similar to your arguement that it's okay for cig companies to sell addictive poison to people because they can choose not to buy it.
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"We consider many other factors as well. Race is one of those..."
http://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/statements/response.html
"They may receive 20 points for one of the following: membership in an underrepresented minority group, socioeconomic disadvantage, attendance at a predominantly minority high school, athletics, or at the Provost's discretion."
http://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/archivedocs/uapolicy.html
Q. Does Michigan take race into account in its undergraduate admissions process?
A. Yes. Race is taken into account as one of many factors in an admissions process that also considers high school GPA, standardized test scores, the quality of an applicant's high school, the strength of the curriculum chosen by the applicant, geographic location, alumni relationships, essays, athletic talent, letters or recommendation and socioeconomic status. Race, like any of these factors, may influence admissions decisions.
http://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/faqs/admisqa.html#qc
I think that considering race during the admissions process is racist.
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Personal responsibility goes toward all aspects of one's character. Cigarette companies create a product for which there is a demand. If we were all held accountable for our own actions there would be no racism.
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Yes, but don't you also think that anyone who believes in hate crimes legislation is rascist as well?
According to this, they are also prejudiced agaisnt non-althetes, the wealthy, alumni non-legacies, out of towners, or anyone who can't get a letter of rec. Why is that any different than considering race?
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I think you ae once again oversimplifying so as not to see the big picture.
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Athletes bring a measurable skill. Letters of recommendation are obviously a better measure of a person's abilities than skin pigment. Certainly preferential treatment should not be given to the wealthy, or legacies. The person's geographical origin would be useful if the school was genuinely interested in creating a multi-cultural environment, but preferring local students is certainly tantamount to racism. But, skin color has absolutely nothing to do with a person's ability to achieve.