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Racism (Ladycat's request)
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Racism (Ladycat's request) |
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DreamEvil Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 2396 |
Essentially, racism stems from a lack of understanding and communication. That statement is a bit narrow in scope and in view. Racism has as many reasons as there are colors of skin. Where does racism come from? Before that question can be answered, we must first have a working definition of racism. The American Heritage Dictionary defines racism as; 1.The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others. 2.Discrimination or prejudice based on race. I find that definition to be poorly thought out. Would you use a Chihuahua to pull a sled or use a St. Bernard to dig out rats? I think not. They are both dogs, as the ability to interbreed clearly shows, not sub-species at all. Just as each breed of dog has a particular value and strength and is used for it's own purpose, so do the different breeds of Humanity. Therefore it could be argued that mixing of the races only serves to dilute the skills and abilities of each breed. Keep in mind that humanity has no long term breeding program in place for itself so we cannot breed for specific characteristics as we do with other animals. If there were such a program in place then racial purity would become redundant. Therefore the definition I will use is thus; Racism is the predilection and preference of an individual for their own genotype and the subsequent pride in belonging to such. Racial hatred is a separate issue and one that can be traced more to a need to lash out at something. Since it is easy to lash out at what we see as different, we will lash out at the most obvious differences. It is all well and good to say that all men are created equal and I would agree, but equality does not mean having the same strengths or weaknesses. Here is an example I am sure will have me marked as racist myself. I live in Minneapolis, Murderapolis really. In the city, black males comprise only 13% of the total population yet are responsible for about 85% of all violent crime in the city. Understand that is all crime both reported and unreported. How is unreported crime measured? Personal experience and accounts of friends as well as video surveillance of high crime areas coupled with the FBI's violent crime index give a good indication of it. This is not a local phenomenon. The statistics hold true for every major city. I will not concern myself much with the why here, only the facts of it. Is it because of a legacy of the slave mentality, or are blacks repressed to this day and that feeds their anger? Let's see shall we. There approximately 13,000 organizations set up solely to help out minorities, which comprise the majority of our population. There are none set up solely to offer aid to Caucasians. There are laws prohibiting exactly that. Isn't that fact more indicative of prejudice against Caucasians than minorities? Blaming our upbringing only pushes the problem back a generation. There is always a fear associated with the forbidden and unknown. That fear affects even mature adults to some degree. Even with insects and snakes there is a tendency to preserve the gene pool so part of the problem is genetic and instinctive. The slave/master mentality of the past two centuries also plays a part in the upbringing of our children, which then influences future generations. Which explains why racism is so prevalent through out nearly every culture. The same explanation applies to the Incest Taboo of most cultures, a desire to maintain racial purity. You would think that the tears of another human being would be enough to make them stop this cruelty. Do the cries of cattle being slaughtered move mankind to become vegetarians? Of course not, we are basically predators. In a world of predators, if you aren't a predator, you are prey. Choose not to fight and the predator will always consume you. It is easier to hate than face ones own failings. If you accept to each his own, why be surprised when predators attack you if they are only following their nature by attacking prey? Predators rarely feed on their own kind, again a Law of Nature that even Man obeys. There are two more issues I want to address on this topic before laying this diatribe to rest. They are Love, capitalized, and prejudice. To be honest, few of my friends are comprised of interracial couples. That does not prevent me from reveling in the joy that any two people of whatever color can find with each other. My sense of Reason tells me that Love from whatever source should be embraced as it happens far too infrequently. Lastly, we come to prejudice. Again, we need a definition to work with. 1. a.An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts. See Synonyms at predilection. b.A preconceived preference or idea. 2.The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived judgments or convictions. 3.Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion. 4.Detriment or injury caused to a person by the preconceived, unfavorable conviction of another or others. Each of these definitions given, has one thing in common, preconception. I would state that I feel no prejudice according to these definitions. I have reasons for the hatred I bear certain groups of people, they have nothing to do with color however. I have detested males because of their treatment of women yet I begin to understand why they do so. I hate niggers and rednecks too. Before you jump down my throat over the "N-word", hear me out. "Nigger" is a corruption of the word Niger, which is the river where the first slaves were reportedly taken. Being a Nigger has nothing to do with the color of a person's skin. It is all attitude. I've known red-skinned, white-skinned, black-skinned and even yellow-skinned people that fit the definition of a "Nigger" and the definition of a "redneck." By no means do I advocate the use of any pejorative term but I do think that all individuals should at least know what it is they are offended by. I suppose I should define the two groups I despise so vehemently. "Niggers" are loud, abrasive, self-centered individuals that would stand upon the back of their own brother to get what they want. "Rednecks" are ignorant braggarts full of the rightness of their own beliefs to the point of intolerance for any view that differs from there own limited perception of reality. Something needs to be addressed before I conclude this essay. I was asked to give an explanation of racism and I have done so to the best of my understanding. This is not to say that I wish to perpetuate any racist beliefs or myths. I was not asked to give my opinion of racism. I will do so now. Racists and bigots are deplorable examples of a waste of flesh. While they can somewhat be understood if they have never learned better, the fact is that there IS better. Reason is what separates Man from animal and for someone to voluntarily abandon reason places them in the same category as a rabid animal. Worse than a rabid animal, because they do so fully aware of the pain and suffering they cause. To conclude this rant, I would ask a question of this scenario. One of my best friends was black, though we have parted ways recently. I did not know this for about a month. Frankly, I could care less. Skin color does not a friend make nor should it make an enemy. My question is this; I feel betrayed by that former friend. Should I then hate all that have black skin? More, I found that in writing this essay, I am forced to reevaluate many of my own attitudes and stances both for and against several groups of people and sub-cultures. It is my hope that the reader does the same. End of rant. ©1999 DreamEvil ------------------ Pain is life, life is short, I will endure. DreamEvil© [This message has been edited by DreamEvil (edited 09-12-99).] [This message has been edited by DreamEvil (edited 09-14-99).] |
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Tara Simms Senior Member
since 1999-08-12
Posts 1244Honea Path, SC USA |
Why do you hate "certain groups of people"? It's not right to hate anyone because they are part of a certain group, be that their skin color or profession, whatever. To hate someone merely because they belong to a group is wrong. That devalues them as an individual. I have a few questions regarding your former best friend. I assume this was an online friendship since you weren't aware that he was black? Is that the reason why you felt betrayed? Because he failed to mention his color? |
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DreamEvil Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 2396 |
Valid questions both. First, I am reevaluating my stance and beliefs about these things because of my writing this essay. Hatred is wrong, yet I feel it. My Reason is working through that. No, as I said, skin color doesn't mean a thing to me. The reasons for our parting are not an issue in this essay. ------------------ Pain is life, life is short, I will endure. DreamEvil© |
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caroline Senior Member
since 1999-08-16
Posts 1218http://members.xoom.com/belladona123/index.htm |
A well thought out, intelligently written essay, Dream. Tara...I read the statement as more that he hates the values held by the group, and not the group itself, or the individuals in it. If he hates the people belonging to the group, it invalidates the entire essay, does it not? Just my thoughts... [This message has been edited by caroline (edited 09-12-99).] |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
I thank God every day that I'm color blind. Not in the true sense of the word. I look beyond the 'outer' person to the person inside. Racism is horrible! Bigotry is horrible! To think that someone is more or less than you are because of color, sex, age or whatever is wrong! When my children were young, a friend of my husband's visited us. They were talking in the living room and the friend used the 'n' word. I became furious! I actually made him leave my home! I will not tolerate it. Period. End of discussion! If you want to be my friend, you darn well better not judge anyone! Leave that to God. (end of my rant) [This message has been edited by Poet deVine (edited 09-12-99).] |
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Lucie Senior Member
since 1999-06-20
Posts 1077Houston |
I am white, my husband is black... you guess my stand on this.  good essay Dream!!! |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
Bravo friend, both on the essay, and the ability to look outside yourself and re-evaluate your beliefs. That is not an easy thing to do as I well know. There are of course many things that could be said on the issue, but since it appears this was more of a self reflection, I will stay silent for once, (don't say it severn!) Racism will no longer exist, when we no longer see people as black or white, but when we see them only as people. |
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