Colin Powell

[Vamoose]

I will probably regret posting in this thread and may be called a racist as a result.

I doubt it soonersfan. Your post seems reasonable and informative to me.

 

[poopgiggle]

I think the problem with allegations of "reverse racism" is that people seem to be operating under the assumption that black racism is as harmful to white people as white racism is to black people.

 

[Parks 788]

Fail troll

Nice try. Very original.

 

[ez bake]

I think the problem with allegations of "reverse racism" is that people seem to be operating under the assumption that black racism is as harmful to white people as white racism is to black people.

Agreed.

I'd say the biggest problem with discussing racism (on this board) is that as soon as you start, facts and actual knowledge flies out the window and in comes "it seems like", "everybody knows", "Its common knowledge".

Racism is still very real (and if your response is "stereotypes are there for a reason", then no amount of explaining is going to help), but it is now used by everyone as it is a hot-topic item to use in political/social debate (I'm using that phrase loosely here).

When the majority of anything does something - it is typically considered by that same majority to be acceptable. When the minority points it out, often times they are met with resistance. Once the issue is out in the open, the people who make up both the majority and minority have a few of options to deal with it (or not).

Here's where it gets tricky. This is just my philosophy, but I tend to think most common-sense folks agree. If someone does/says something you disagree with, you can do one of two things:

1. Call them out for it (or do something about it)
2. Do the same thing back to them in order to teach them a lesson, or show them what they're doing is wrong.

If you do both, you generally are a hypocrite (or more accurately, you're demonstrating narcissistic personality disorder). If it is not ok for someone else to do something (and you point it out) and then you go and do that very thing back to them... you were in essence just complaining about your own actions.

Back to racism now - if you say something with racist undertones (or something that is suggestive as racist), and someone calls you out on it, then bam - you've been busted. If you see someone is doing something racist (i.e. Colin Powell is voting for Obama despite his history of being a republican so you suspect that he is only voting for Obama due to race, then you've just presented your case).

To add "Its no surprise" is to taint what you just said with a suggestively racist comment - its doing exactly what you were just griping about.


Its in fact the same exact thing I hear on the radio. I listen to radio talk-shows from all sides of the political spectrum to get a feel for how people actually think. This morning it was the Ricky Smiley Show (which is rarely full of any truth or actual politics - exactly the same as conservative talk-radio).

I heard Ricky say this when talking about a report of democrats being bullied by republicans (on the road when seeing an Obama bumper sticker, etc.) he said (I'm paraphrasing from memory):
"Don't let those Republicans bully you. The Republicans... at least the Tea Party ones that are down here are racist." He then went on to use the word "White" and then stumbled and started adding various races to the mix as he caught it.

Soak that in for a minute - he's accusing an entire group of people of acting/thinking the same way (i.e. classifying them by their political beliefs - and eventually using race) and that thing he's accusing them of: (wait for it...) racism.

To me there is no difference in Ricky's statement and that of the OPs. Different folks slinging the same poo (see - I tied it back to poo... I think I'm doing that with all my OSA posts from now on)

 

[soonersfan]

I think the problem with allegations of "reverse racism" is that people seem to be operating under the assumption that black racism is as harmful to white people as white racism is to black people.

I think assuming one type of racism is more acceptable than another is a problem. I think quantifying one type of racism as being more harmful than another is a problem. Why can't we just call a racist a racist when the shoe fits?

In my opinion, racism will always exist because of these qualifications. Anytime we give one side a pass for whatever the reason, we give the other side a reason to resent them. It was 20 years ago when I got a temp job at a factory for a company with government contracts. I was a model employee and highly productive. I worked at a low wage with no benefits for close to a year, waiting to get hired on as a permanent employee. During that time, the company hired 3 groups 30 people from outside as permanent employees. There was not a single white person in any of the groups. The outside hiring was done to meet quotas which were required to maintain their government contracts. Less than half of those folks made it six months. Folks like me (regardless of race), who went through the process of earning the position had a much higher success rate.

Fortunately, I was able to distinguish the fact that the system was the problem not another race. Many people can't separate the two. I was clearly the result of "reverse racism" but it was a racist system that favored one race over another, not racist individuals. Until we stop trying to "fix" racism by constantly intervening and trying to even the playing field or by giving one group an advantage over another, racists sentiments will continue to permeate our society. Assuming that white people are not victimized by their race is incorrect. I can't say anymore than than the next person that one type exist more than another. All I know is that it exist and deserves to be dealt with like any other sort of racism.

I now own my own company and fortunately racism has not been a factor in my company. In fact, other than myself over 80% of the management in my company is a minority. I despise racism. I know that it exist. I think when discovered it should be exposed and prosecuted when unlawful. However, I am tired of hearing that white people are the only issue and black people need white people to give them a break to succeed. There should be laws to prevent racism not laws to encourage it. We should all be open minded about race and racists. Regardless of your own race or circumstance, you should not get a pass for being a racists.

 

[RidgeHunter]

Nice screen name bro. I remember that radio commericlal.

Martin Buber said that every man must come out of his own exile in his own way. He didn't exclude radio commercials.

Ha!

oh my god this is the best exchange in board history

say hi to juan hernandez for me

I now own my own company and fortunately racism has not been a factor in my company. In fact, other than myself over 80% of the management in my company is a minority.

dude i'm no mathmagician but 80% is a majority i'm p. sure

 

[soonersfan]

Its in fact the same exact thing I hear on the radio. I listen to radio talk-shows from all sides of the political spectrum to get a feel for how people actually think. This morning it was the Ricky Smiley Show (which is rarely full of any truth or actual politics - exactly the same as conservative talk-radio).

I heard Ricky say this when talking about a report of democrats being bullied by republicans (on the road when seeing an Obama bumper sticker, etc.) he said (I'm paraphrasing from memory):
"Don't let those Republicans bully you. The Republicans... at least the Tea Party ones that are down here are racist." He then went on to use the word "White" and then stumbled and started adding various races to the mix as he caught it.

Soak that in for a minute - he's accusing an entire group of people of acting/thinking the same way (i.e. classifying them by their political beliefs - and eventually using race) and that thing he's accusing them of: (wait for it...) racism.

To me there is no difference in Ricky's statement and that of the OPs. Different folks slinging the same poo (see - I tied it back to poo... I think I'm doing that with all my OSA posts from now on)

I agree with you. I think the double standard only adds fuel to the fire and needs to stop. I was essentially trying to state the same thing but you probably managed to articulate it better than I.

 

[soonersfan]

dude i'm no mathmagician but 80% is a majority i'm p. sure

I was inferring that they were a minority race in our country. Kudos to you though. You got me.

 

[RidgeHunter]

it's cool

 

[poopgiggle]

I think assuming one type of racism is more acceptable than another is a problem. I think quantifying one type of racism as being more harmful than another is a problem. Why can't we just call a racist a racist when the shoe fits?

It's not acceptable but it's certainly less harmful.

In my opinion, racism will always exist because of these qualifications. Anytime we give one side a pass for whatever the reason, we give the other side a reason to resent them. It was 20 years ago when I got a temp job at a factory for a company with government contracts. I was a model employee and highly productive. I worked at a low wage with no benefits for close to a year, waiting to get hired on as a permanent employee. During that time, the company hired 3 groups 30 people from outside as permanent employees. There was not a single white person in any of the groups. The outside hiring was done to meet quotas which were required to maintain their government contracts. Less than half of those folks made it six months. Folks like me (regardless of race), who went through the process of earning the position had a much higher success rate.

Except affirmative action is a (flawed) attempt to address disparities in economic opportunity, which are readily identifiable and quantifiable.

Identifying, naming, and attempting to address racial inequality is not racism.