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Racism - Reviewing the Basics
Racism is ignorance
Date: 6/21/2013 12:48:52 AM ( 11 y ) ... viewed 10928 times I just want to review the basics of racism because I still meet people who "don't get it" yet.. well, one person in particular whom I will call "my nemisis" [you know who you are].
First off, "racism" is a form of "discrimination". Discrimination is the broader term, and and act of discrimination is made on the basis of something other than race - like "women", or "men". It is wrong to discriminate against women, or men, because even though many of them might have an identifyable trait to be critical of, the fact that if even just one of them does not have that trait it is not fair to that one different one.
It is the same with racism - maybe lots of "race X" does do something objectionable, but then again there are some that do not do it, and it is not fair to assume they all do. It is pretty simple stuff.
The thing that alerted me to this issue is that my nemisis was calling First Nations people "smoked meat" but then he claimed that he was not racist because "he had great respect for some of the Indians he has worked with".
No. Thats not it. He doesn't get it. Racism is when we apply traits to anyone based on their race. To see an individual of a "visible minority" and point at them an utter a derogatory term is obviously discrimination, even if you do applaud some of them.
On the other hand, when a CHOICE is made that puts people into a group, then it seems fair to portray them in a negative light. People CHOOSE to become oil industry executives, so they deserve to be critisized for the damage they do. People, like me, CHOOSE to become "socialists" and so go ahead and critisize me for being a socialist, hopefully we can discuss it.
People do not choose their race. It is never right to say negative things about people based on something they did not choose to be [not that being of any race is a bad thing... gee, this is tricky ground - I could easily end up insulting someone I don't mean to].
With that thought in mind, know this - some drug addicts did not CHOOSE to become drug addicts - some, like me, were prescribed addictive drugs until we became addicted - it was perhaps ignorance or misplaced faith in doctors, but I didn't realise what I was getting into. And not all drug addicts are bad people, some are even capable and intelligent!! [no, not me, I am just sayin'...]
Nobody chooses to be abused either - but we see troubled people, perhaps looking like a shipwreck, or maybe addicted to drugs, and we might judge them negatively, but maybe we should think twice about that. Maybe they didn't have a choice, maybe it was an act of survival, or maybe survival is a day-to-day thing.
Racism and discrimination are still rampant, and it is just so ignorant to not understand that if you don't like one of "them" based on what they do, well fine but it isn't because of their race that they do it, and it is unfair to assume that "they" all do that.
Overall, I would just hope we could be more compassionate and less discriminatory.
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