Can Anyone be Racist?

[FranklinMichaelV.3]

It seems you're talking about supremacy or something. The belief in one supreme race. That's what you believe racism is? It appears you do seem to define it entirely different than everyone else.

In a way I do.

From what I've seen racism defined as it's the belief that inherent attributes of a group make them inferior or superior to another.

To me it's not about hatred, or even dislike. But just that idea that because you are part of X you are better than Y.

And that is expressed by society, X has the power and thus Y and Z have to follow what X wants. Y and Z can hate X, but at the end of the day it is X that determines what happens to Y and Z.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I think peoples' increasing confusion about racism stems from our modern dichotomy of being overly politically correct about certain ideas about racism, while at the same time never engaging in open, direct, and honest discussions about race as a society. It's no wonder society is growing more neurotic, spastic, and baffled by all sorts of social and societal issues with the weird and inconsistent mixed-messages they're bombarded with.

 

[Poeticus]

In a way I do.

From what I've seen racism defined as it's the belief that inherent attributes of a group make them inferior or superior to another.

To me it's not about hatred, or even dislike. But just that idea that because you are part of X you are better than Y.

And that is expressed by society, X has the power and thus Y and Z have to follow what X wants. Y and Z can hate X, but at the end of the day it is X that determines what happens to Y and Z.

All forms of racism are not supremacism. But, all forms of supremacism (as pertaining to race) are racist. You can be a racist without being a supremacist.

 

[Draka]

Let me ask you something then Franklin. Is it only sexism if it is harassment/cruelty/stereotyping/so-forth directed at women, or is it also sexism if the same types of things are directed at men as well?

Are you one to use the phrases "reverse-sexism" or "reverse-racism"? Are there such things? Or is there just racism and sexism and the like?

 

[FranklinMichaelV.3]

All forms of racism are not supremacism. But, all forms of supremacism (as pertaining to race) are racist. You can be a racist without being a supremacist.

Supremacy doensn't necessarily have to be a declaration, but something inherent in a system. Given that race is a social construct then racism itself is a social construct.

So for it to be expressed by an individual that individual needs to be part of the group that defines the social needs of the population.

I'm looking at this in an entire population sense. Not an individual to individual sense. In which case I believe that anyone can hate anyone for any reason.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

That's a bigot to me. I think to be a racist you have to believe in race. I don't, so I can never be a racist, much like I can never be a theist. I have to content myself with being a bigot. I confess, I'm not overly fond of bankers.

You can never be racist because you don't believe in race...seriously?

 

[Sha'irullah]

I have expressed this many times before. I am biracial and partly African and despite this and the fact I live in an African American community, I strongly dislike befriending blacks. I usually stay closer to Asians.

So yes a person in a minority ethnicity of America can be racist. Do to the fact that my light skin proposes issues amongst blacks I find the mindset inferior so I primarily ignore them.

So perhaps one could say my racism is as a result of striking back at inner racism

 

[FranklinMichaelV.3]

Let me ask you something then Franklin. Is it only sexism if it is harassment/cruelty/stereotyping/so-forth directed at women, or is it also sexism if the same types of things are directed at men as well?

Are you one to use the phrases "reverse-sexism" or "reverse-racism"? Are there such things? Or is there just racism and sexism and the like?

Just racism and Sexism.

On a social level I would say that there is no such thing as reverse-sexism, as the power structure is obviously (at least here in the U.S.) aimed towards men. I do believe on a case by case basis there can be harassment, cruelty, and stereotyping of men (i.e. all men are dogs), but it's overall impact to the entire male community (while not trying to downgrade the impact), is not comparable to that of women.

That's not to say that Men are under pressure to conform to certain societal expectations, but priveleges of men by society outweigh it.

 

[Draka]

Just racism and Sexism.

On a social level I would say that there is no such thing as reverse-sexism, as the power structure is obviously (at least here in the U.S.) aimed towards men. I do believe on a case by case basis there can be harassment, cruelty, and stereotyping of men (i.e. all men are dogs), but it's overall impact to the entire male community (while not trying to downgrade the impact), is not comparable to that of women.

That's not to say that Men are under pressure to conform to certain societal expectations, but priveleges of men by society outweigh it.

So, all that said though...can men experience sexism? Be victims of it? Can women be guilty of sexism? Yes or no?

 

[FranklinMichaelV.3]

So, all that said though...can men experience sexism? Be victims of it? Can women be guilty of sexism? Yes or no?

Like I said

On a societal basis no they cannot experience sexism.

Individual to Individual sure (that's up to the person to determine).

Also this isn't saying that minorities can say whatever they want to white people, or women can say whatever they want to men. There is respecting what makes people comfortable and what does not. As well as understanding boundaries that people have and respecting them.

Things like that should be treated as important as any form of discrimination.

 

[Draka]

Like I said

On a societal basis no they cannot experience sexism.

Individual to Individual sure (that's up to the person to determine).

Your "societal basis" answer, I hope you realize, makes not one lick of sense.

However, you do acknowledge that it is possible for an individual man to be a victim of sexism, for a woman to be sexist. THEN, that being so, given your attitude about society and who is "in charge" and so on and so forth, why is it not possible for individual people of minority races to be racists?

 

[Poeticus]

Given that race is a social construct then racism itself is a social construct.

The better term is ethnocentrism.

 

[Poeticus]

Your "societal basis" answer, I hope you realize, makes not one lick of sense.

However, you do acknowledge that it is possible for an individual man to be a victim of sexism, for a woman to be sexist. THEN, that being so, given your attitude about society and who is "in charge" and so on and so forth, why is it not possible for individual people of minority races to be racists?

Why you gotta involve da ladies, homie? When we be talkin' bout dem racist folks?

 

[Draka]

Why you gotta involve da ladies, homie? When we be talkin' bout dem racist folks?

Just an example man. Get off my back jack!

 

[FranklinMichaelV.3]

Your "societal basis" answer, I hope you realize, makes not one lick of sense.

However, you do acknowledge that it is possible for an individual man to be a victim of sexism, for a woman to be sexist. THEN, that being so, given your attitude about society and who is "in charge" and so on and so forth, why is it not possible for individual people of minority races to be racists?

Is it more privileged to be a man or a woman?

Is it more privileged to be white or a minority?

Those privileges come from what group of society you belong to. The group that makes the rules, that has the power or whatever you want to call it is the "superior" group. That group can practice racism, sexism, because the laws they make, the policies they implement impact the others. Laws and policiesare put into place to help minorities, women, and the disabled? Why? Because there is an understanding that these individiuals are vunerable in the society we live in. They do not have the power themselves to protect against the majority.

 

[Poeticus]

Just an example man. Get off my back jack!

Aiighttt, guurrrrl.

 

[Draka]

Is it more privileged to be a man or a woman?

Is it more privileged to be white or a minority?

Those privileges come from what group of society you belong to. The group that makes the rules, that has the power or whatever you want to call it is the "superior" group. That group can practice racism, sexism, because the laws they make, the policies they implement impact the others. Laws and policiesare put into place to help minorities, women, and the disabled? Why? Because there is an understanding that these individiuals are vunerable in the society we live in. They do not have the power themselves to protect against the majority.

That's really not answering the question. You're going into this really weird view of "society" and protections against discrimination. And for the record, discrimination can go in any direction. If you have a shop owned by a black person they are required not to discriminate against white people in the hiring process just like a white employer is required not to discriminate against a black person...or insert people of any other races in those spots. Yes, it is possible to discriminate regardless of what race you are against whatever race you so desire.

It is also possible to prejudge a person based solely upon their race. That is what most people are indeed talking about when they are talking about racism. That putting people into boxes based merely on the color of their skin. You think minorities don't do that? To white people? To each other? That by mere virtue or being a minority makes them an innocent in that?

 

[Rakhel]

Rap music.

 

[FranklinMichaelV.3]

That's really not answering the question. You're going into this really weird view of "society" and protections against discrimination. And for the record, discrimination can go in any direction. If you have a shop owned by a black person they are required not to discriminate against white people in the hiring process just like a white employer is required not to discriminate against a black person...or insert people of any other races in those spots. Yes, it is possible to discriminate regardless of what race you are against whatever race you so desire.

It is also possible to prejudge a person based solely upon their race. That is what most people are indeed talking about when they are talking about racism. That putting people into boxes based merely on the color of their skin. You think minorities don't do that? To white people? To each other? That by mere virtue or being a minority makes them an innocent in that?

I'm not saying that minorities are innocent of anything. They can very well hate white people, but overall their influence over whites is severely limited in America.

I'm talking about racism an institution. That's the type of racism that exists prominently today. The social construct that we have today in America is geared towards the white male. The type of racism that has minorities getting more jail time than their white counterparts for the same crimes.

This is America I'm talking about I have no idea what it is like in other countries but that is what I see here.

People rather just say that everyone is a little bit racist, and just move on with it. But if you don't have a society that fosters it, it doesn't matter what an individual thinks, because they can't act on it.

 

[Huey09]

I'm gonna throw in my two cents to this debate with my good friend Chris Rock
http://youtu.be/sJZiygvTZ9o