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All tangled up in racial terms

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Again we disagree

By: flyover0909 (Registered ) on 01-07-2008 08:43

Your definition is flawed. Using simple logic, your theory that one must "have power" over the other can be applied to any group. I am sure your definition is meant to say, although you didn't say it, that blacks cannot be racists. Blacks have the power to stereotype whites, to hate whites, to target whites, etc. Therefore, using your definition, blacks can also be racists. As a white guy, I must have missed all the increase in white hate groups. What do you consider white hate? Being against Obama? To the contrary, being against Obama makes you a sensible conservative given his socialistic objectives for the country. Blacks have the power to vote for Obama as a homogeneous group--which they are doing and polls have shown they are doing for the simple reason of race. Does that make them racist because they have the power to vote for him? Is affirmative action racism because employers and universities have the power to discriminate? I am almost willing to suffer through four years of Obama simply so the country can end its obsession on race...almost. I am unwilling to hope for it because the institutional infrastructure of those who make their livings dividing us by race still won't be satisfied. Using your definition, the Jesse Jackson's and Al Sharpton's and the tens of thousands of others who depend on racism continuing have the power to stop, but the money is just too good.

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It's OK to disagree

By: kbanks (Registered ) on 01-07-2008 16:23

I really appreciate your comments and willingness to share your opinions. It seems like it’s difficult for you to accept that race influences the lives of people today. It’s not just something of the past. Perhaps reading the perspectives of another White males’ developing awareness of these realities would be beneficial (http://www.stlbeacon.org/ voices/in_the_news/ east_st_louis_riot_commentary) or (TimWise.org, “essay archive,” “When Blacks Attack”).

As I stated in the essay, we can agree to disagree on the definitions. These are widely accepted within the academic and anti-racist communities but are not without their controversies. Your assessment is correct, that if we use these definitions- just as I applied them to sexism- it would lead us conclude that while Blacks could be hateful and prejudice that they do not have the power to dictate outcomes (e.g. education, housing, healthcare) for other racial groups.

Regarding your comment about Blacks voting for Obama simply because he is Black- it seems to conveniently ignore the fact that Blacks did not automatically rally behind Clarence Thomas based on race. That’s just the first example that comes to mind, but you seem to not give African Americans enough credit to critically analyze a person’s position. There are a number of Blacks who plan to vote for McCain (some of which I am friends with). Are they simply exceptions? Enlightened? Again, there is heterogeneity within the African American community- more, in fact, than across groups!

You will see one link to an article discussing the rise in hate groups in the other comment post. You can also Google “hate group rise” or “hate group increase” and see a number of other resources. SPLC also has a good definition for a “hate group,” and it is definitely not limited to Blacks or Obama in particular.

Just a quick note on your jab suggesting that people are making too much money off of racial division to end it- I would be more than happy to work myself out of a job. This topic is not one I look forward to having to help my children navigate. However, the reality of the situation requires us to recognize where we are- not lose ourselves in wishful thinking- to work towards eradicating racism.

Again, I sincerely appreciate you voicing your thoughts. Dialogue is the only way we can work to understand where others are coming from.

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Editors' Picks

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- The totals are in in Florida. And the one with the most write in votes was Hillary Clinton with 234. Jesus got 23 votes, and Willie Nelson 1. Check out the entire list at Ben Smith's Blog. | Politico
- Obama sends mixed signals on transparency: Does he really want to apply sunlight to the often shadowy depths of the executive branch, or is it merely a very good marketing campaign? | Chris Soghoian/CNET
- What about Todd? The people who have the knives out for Sarah Palin include people who criticized her for not being there for her children. But they underestimate the value of a strong father in an intact family. | Mona Charen, Columbia Tribune
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- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev gave a state of the nation address the day after the U.S. election, which he said nothing about. He did refer to the United States as being to blame for two problems Russia would not back down from: war in Georgia and the world economic crisis. | The Economist
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- Bombings throughout India should call the government to act agressively against terrorism. | The Times of India
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Region
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- What will the administration of Gov. Jay Nixon mean for Missouri? The Kansas City Star also looks at initiatives that won and lost in that area.
- The United States may have had good reason to remove North Korea from its list of states that sponsor terrorism, but the decision cause problems for Japan, which had conditioned the delisting on resolving the fate of Japanese kidnapped by North Korea decades ago. | The Japan Times
- Plans are in place for many of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's spending cuts to be stopped - parks, historic sites, mental health services. But the threat is not over yet. | Illinois Issues Blog
- Although there would have been merit in waiting to pick a new police chief until the federal investigation into the impouned-car scandal was finished, it seems as though Dan Isom is a good, clean choice. | The St. Louis American
U.S. Elections
- How did newspapers display the election result? Take a look at a selection. | Robb Montgomery
- What did the GOP do wrong? The Washington Post gathers thoughts from Ed Rogers, Carter Eskew, Alex Castellanos, Douglas Schoen, Linda Chavez, Geoff Garin, Greg Mueller and Dick Morris.
- Aftr an election - and before the political battled begin anew - Americans should have one response to the result: Hail to the Chief. | Michael Gerson, townhall.com
- Oh, oh, it looks as though Missouri's reputation as a bellwether state is about to go away. | Chris Suellentrop in The New York Times
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