A Discussion Thread About Racism in America

WisdomJoy

Well-known member
But, it's not a privilege to be accorded one's civil rights. You're not suggesting that everyone be denied their rights, you're saying that everyone should be entitled to them.

No, what I am saying is that regardless of how the constitution was "designed"- for everyone to have the same rights, the very system that dominates the world favours some and not others.
 

aquarius7000

Well-known member
This is the "can do" nation. We can make it better for all people of good will if we put our minds to it.

My comment about leave if you don't like it here was a sarcastic one. I have been on the receiving end lol

Any nation is a can do nation, not just this one. Sad part is if a nation touts itself as a can do one, but the reality reflects pretty much the opposite, and that not the odd time, but pretty often.
 

WisdomJoy

Well-known member
This is the "can do" nation. We can make it better for all people of good will if we put our minds to it.

We can make it a good place for all but that requires people to:

1. Acknowledge the system
2. Understand how they perpetuate racism within the system, overtly or covertly
3. Be willing to give up the comfort of their privilege

It's an unlearning and relearning process. At the end of the day, many people do not want to do this.
 

david starling

Well-known member
Issue these days has become that people want sources, when you get them and these reveal the opposite of what people wanted endorsed, namely what they want to believe in, the source is deemed biased.

Issue also is that all lives matter - for that sake of saying - but in reality all lives matter (except black and coloured in general).

So, it's a matter of pretense versus defacto reality.
 

david starling

Well-known member
We can make it a good place for all but that requires people to:

1. Acknowledge the system
2. Understand how they perpetuate racism within the system, overtly or covertly
3. Be willing to give up the comfort of their privilege

It's an unlearning and relearning process. At the end of the day, many people do not want to do this.

The Civil Rights Movement is still happening. And, no one should give up their own civil rights because they're not being fairly accorded to everyone. They should support ensuring that everyone's civil rights are respected.
 
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david starling

Well-known member
Examples of "white privilege"? Examples that don't involve giving up one's own right to be treated fairly, in an unbiased manner?
 
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aquarius7000

Well-known member
So, it's a matter of pretense versus defacto reality.

Correct. It is something that sounds good and lets you continue to be respected within your social circle. However, living it actually, as in actually treating a human being as a human being and not as a black, brown, yellow coloured being (someone inferior to you - saying that someone looks like a monkey or an ape), there some fail miserably. Or, as in some erstwhile European colonies with brown-skinned locals, the locals were deemed as dogs.

My previous comment actually was very general in nature and not pointed at anyone, but interesting how it landed with some.
 

david starling

Well-known member
Police brutality is the real issue of BLM. And, although it can and does happen to Caucasians, it's completely out of control regarding those of African descent.

Something has to be done about it. The question is what?
 

david starling

Well-known member
Correct. It is something that sounds good and lets you continue to be respected within your social circle. However, living it actually, as in actually treating a human being as a human being and not as a black, brown, yellow coloured being (someone inferior to you - saying that someone looks like a monkey or an ape), there some fail miserably. Or, as in some erstwhile European colonies with brown-skinned locals, the locals were deemed as dogs.

My previous comment actually was very general in nature and not pointed at anyone, but interesting how it landed with some.

Capitalism has its Lords and serfs based almost entirely on one's net "worth$$$".
 

WisdomJoy

Well-known member
The Civil Rights Movement is still happening. And, no one should give up their own civil rights because they're not being fairly accorded to everyone. They should support ensuring that everyone's civil rights are respected.

Oh boy. Nobody is asking anyone to give up their civil rights, where did you get this from? I'm so confused. But the fact that you internalized my statements as asking anyone to give up their basic human right speaks volumes about the overarching system and how we think within that.

What we are saying is that in order to be a part of the solution you need to be actively anti-racist. If the system was built on inherent racism with which certain groups are extremely favoured while others or not then there will be discomfort in making the world a better place.

https://mashable.com/article/how-to-be-antiracist/

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really

This is a very good start.
 

aquarius7000

Well-known member
Police brutality is the real issue of BLM. And, although it can and does happen to Caucasians, it's completely out of control regarding those of African descent.

Something has to be done about it. The question is what?

It does not just happen to African Americans, but to most coloured, even brown-skinned. It could happen for reasons other than being black, like having certain facial features (eyes).

Of course it can happen to caucasians, but what is important to understand is that when a police officer is confronting a caucasian, the same skin colour puts them at par (as equals) with each other. Of course, the police officer still has a certain power that a civilian (of any colour) doesn't, but a oloured oor a black civilian is far more 'disadvantaged' or seen as inferior. Fact of the matter also is that the no. of times it can or has happened to a caucasian in comparison to a coloured or a black person is negligible (which is not to say it should be condoned at all).

Important point also is that if the Police (that should help curb incidents of racism and brutalities against others) themselves are unable to set the example and protect, when they themselves become the oppressors and racists, the perpetrators, such a society has undisputedly serious issues
 
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WisdomJoy

Well-known member
Police brutality is the real issue of BLM. And, although it can and does happen to Caucasians, it's completely out of control regarding those of African descent.

Something has to be done about it. The question is what?

With all do respect, please do not limit the movement to just police brutality when it is very much the world and how it operates.

#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.
 

Inquisag

Well-known member
But you look at the net worth of people in the US for example and why is it that white people conveniently are at the top of this bubble while others are merely sprinkled throughout?
I think a lot of that has to do with Caucasians being the majority group. A myriad of reasons can explain the rest.
 

eekndyn

Well-known member
Correct. It is something that sounds good and lets you continue to be respected within your social circle. However, living it actually, as in actually treating a human being as a human being and not as a black, brown, yellow coloured being (someone inferior to you - saying that someone looks like a monkey or an ape), there some fail miserably. Or, as in some erstwhile European colonies with brown-skinned locals, the locals were deemed as dogs.

My previous comment actually was very general in nature and not pointed at anyone, but interesting how it landed with some.

No :D be honest :D
 

eekndyn

Well-known member
Blm only matters when its a white person who kills a black individual.

Come to Philly come to cincy. Brothers are killing brothers on the daily.
 

david starling

Well-known member
But you look at the net worth of people in the US for example and why is it that white people conveniently are at the top of this bubble while others are merely sprinkled throughout?

Systematic racism from Reconstruction onward. Black-owned businesses were literally burnt to the ground. Since then, contracts were deliberately denied to non-whites, and discriminatory hiring practices. Add in that police brutality is more likely against the poor, and that greatly increases the racial injustice. Affirmative action was helping, but the white racists got it struck down by the courts--get this--because it was being discriminatory!!!
 
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