Where is the racism?

[Mr.Vicchio]

COVALIS, Oregon — Barred from writing columns for the Oregon State University Daily Barometer, senior David Williams is in the eye of a storm some call a racial double standard.
COVALIS, Oregon — Barred from writing columns for the Oregon State University Daily Barometer, senior David Williams is in the eye of a storm some call a racial double standard

The newspaper's editor fired him after he wrote: "I think blacks should be more careful in deciding whom they choose to support. They need to grow beyond the automatic reaction of defending someone because he or she shares the same skin color and is in a dilemma."

Williams, who is white, was referring to examples such as when singer R. Kelly (search), who is accused of being a child pornographer, received a standing ovation at the Soul Train Music Awards. He also cited past support for O.J. Simpson (search) and Allen Iverson (search).

"I guess this case has shown me that just because I'm a different skin color, the merits of what I wrote have been marginalized and ostracized to the point that I'm labeled everything in the book like racist, Nazi," Williams said.

A similar article, written just two days earlier by Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts (search) drew no such outrage. Pitts, who is black, wrote: "Blacks ought to be more thoughtful about whom they choose to rally around, ought to be less automatic in leaping to the defense."

Although Williams admits he read Pitts' article before writing his own, he wasn't fired for plagiarism. And he was canned only after protests erupted on campus.

--more

I think stories like this show how... screwed up race relations are in America. A white guy makes a valid point, in his opinion, and is fired. A black man two days earlier made the SAME claim, but no one says a word.

There is something VERY wrong here.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,118048,00.html

[Suburbanite]

He isn't accused of being a child pornographer? He is accused of having sex with a minor. O. J. Simpson was found innocent, whether he was or wasn't it is anyone's right to support him. And R. Kelly had sex with a 16 year old, not a 8 year old, the difference is substantial (though, he did urinate on her).
This guy should be fired if that’s what his papers wants. This broke the company's policy in their mind, he is gone. The other guy must not have. But don't make it seem like every liberal in the world was knocking down their door, this over exaggeration is extremely obnoxious and I hate hearing it so much. It is as if every white man who didn’t get into college during Affirmative Action didn’t get in because a Black guy did instead. Look, this isn’t “racism” fine and I wouldn’t have fired the guy, but stop victimizing white people.

[Mr.Vicchio]

He was fired after people protested his column as being offensive. This is IMHO a case of a white guy saying something negative against the "black community" and being censored. I.E. White people aren't allowed to be critical of black people cause its "offfensive"

PC run rampent. And that is wrong.

[white rice]

He shouldn't have been fired. His entire article is here. http://barometer.orst.edu/vnews/display.v/...a8?in_archive=1

He knows some facts, but he makes ignorant ass rationalizations like how black groups should be a watchdog over Black celebrities. Where's the White watchdog? And why should any person be held accountable to some racial standard? Roman Polanski was nominated for an Oscar despite being charged for statutory rape and fleeing the country. The nomination was for his movie, not for his actions. Could it be seen as an endorsement of forgiving his crimes because of his talent? Possibly if you look for it.

Sports stars like Iverson and Sosa are totally supported across the spectrum of races despite their attitude or actions. Fandom goes beyond colorlines, and judging by his dopy ass picture he hasn't the faintest clue of the public appeal of an athlete. Why is the accountability of standard rested on racial groups? When Big Mac admitted to using a performance enhancer, where white groups appalled? He's bringing a bad image to white people... no he's bringing a bad image to athletes. Hmm...

Of course, he also knew something when he was writing the article.

"I understand why my judgment may be put into question in this circumstance. I am not black. I have never been the victim of racism. I am a white male. This all is very easy for me to say."

Yes, it is easy for him to say. One has to wonder why he doesn't mention all the white celebrities that despite the various perversions and drug habits, still get awards. One also has to wonder what he thinks of all those good white people supporting Michael Jackson.

Of course the poster of the article, seemed uninterested in posting this, from the same article and note something important:

"Black leaders on campus disagreed with Williams' firing but admit they protested against the article and didn't take the same action for Pitts because of their different races.

Williams "does not know the experiences African-Americans have gone through. He will never know that," said Lauren Smith, president of the university's Black Student Union."

[Mr.Vicchio]

The expreience is, if you are Black you can't be racist, if you're white, you inherintly are.

[joshjosh]

The difference is that whites as a group in society aren't oppressed because of being white, black people are oppressed for being black.

[Mia]

That drives me crazy...everybody is racist! And I mean everybody. Not every individual person, but every group.

[PatrickHenry]

Originally posted by Mr.Vicchio, The expreience is, if you are Black you can't be racist, if you're white, you inherintly are.

Mr. V, I'm white, grew up racist and I hate it now. But your point about "PCness" is not out of line. Blacks routinely use the "N" word on other blacks, but it is verboten to whites. Not that I want to; I hate racism. It(racism) is a challenge our whole society must rise to meet over and over. Someday, the world will all be a nice shade of brown, and color won't be an issue any more, if we last that long...

[Mia]

Originally posted by joshjosh, The difference is that whites as a group in society aren't oppressed because of being white, black people are oppressed for being black.

True. Whites racism hurts blacks far more than the blacks' racism of whites.

[Mia]

[quote=PatrickHenry

Someday, the world will all be a nice shade of brown, and color won't be an issue any more, if we last that long...[/QUOTE]


That would be nice.

Originally posted by Mr.Vicchio, The expreience is, if you are Black you can't be racist, if you're white, you inherintly are.

rac·ism P Pronunciation Key (rszm)
n.
The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

We're individuals. This 'as a group' nonsense is part of the problem.
Culture can be learned independent of race.

I second what was already posted in here. Why do blacks need 'leaders'? If someone came up to me and said he was my white leader, I'd laugh at him and toss him on his behind. People talking about black leadership perpetuate the notion that blacks aren't fully capable of taking care of themselves. They need shepherds.

[Osborn F Enready]

The most important note to me here is this...

All people are different, hold different unique beliefs, live differently, and act different.

Tolerance is the key. Let there be seperatists, let there be organized and unorganized beliefs, let there be difference WITH equality.

Equality only should be in the eyes of the law. All men are created equal, as all men are entitled to live free of oppression. Equalize the law, equalize government, and all else is irrelevant. The reason we are seeing reverse racism is because different courts set different precedent. We have nobody respecting the Constitution, we have bought and paid for public servants in all levels of government, and courts.

How many people here have seen a friend/relative/aquaintance get off from a D.U.I., because they "knew who to see", or "knew the right lawyer, who knew the right judge"??

How many have also seen people have the book proverbially bounced off of them because they didn't play along with the "system"?

Prejudice exists everywhere, in almost everyone, whether prejudice in shampoo, or skin color. Tolerance, equal rights, free speech, freedom of religion are the answers.

In todays jaded society, can you get an honest jury of your "peers"?

[Milton Bradley]

Osborn, you can if you appoint your own 9-11 commision.


I bet we would all like to appoint the people who were going to hear any case against us, right?

[commonsense]

The entire issue of today's "racism" and "reverse racism" is kept alive by politicians simply because it one of the best "taps" stuck into the U.S. Treasury, with tragic sociological consequences.

It is all solved by a return to Libertarian Principles.

Don't give politicians the power or the money to fight over and our country's many artificial racial and ethnic divisions will lose relevance, except for identifying types of cuisine in restaurants, where it belongs.

I refuse to answer U.S. census questions about race or income (the next most divisive "class" distinction) and never check any "box" for race on any other forms, either.

Freedom of opportunity and the ability to pursue one's happiness are what are supposed to guaranteed by the Constitution, not "equality of outcome" or "economic parity" which is not only incompatible with freedom, but also impossible even under the most totalitarian efforts.

The conditions required for allowing any American to thrive are the same for all, regardless of race or class distinction and the government's identification of them leads only to mischief.

[5010]

Here's just an opinion on random obsevations... no supporting evidence cited and your experiences may differ...

Audences of comedians have a double standard as well.
Black pokes fun at white: funny
Black pokes fun at black: funny
White pokes fun at white: funny
White pokes fun at black: not funny

Same can be said about Germans and Jews.

Jew pokes fun at German: funny
Jew pokes fun at Jew: funny
German pokes fun at German: funny
German pokes fun at Jew: not funny

However, I think men can poke fun at women all they want and if they don't like it... tough!

[Mr.Vicchio]

The biggest problem is that Black Leaders often, though not always, seem to play the victim card way too fast, way too often. MLK Jr. believed in judgeing a person on their own merits, but todays civil rights leaders to me atleast, seem to care only about your skin color. And thats sad really.

[white rice]

Originally posted by Mr.Vicchio, The biggest problem is that Black Leaders often, though not always, seem to play the victim card way too fast, way too often. MLK Jr. believed in judgeing a person on their own merits, but todays civil rights leaders to me atleast, seem to care only about your skin color. And thats sad really.

Can you list any specific leaders who helped frame your opinion? I think the general attitude is sad as well, but it's more likely Courageous Illuminaries like O'Reily and Hannity telling me it's sad than anything....

[Mr.Vicchio]

Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Maxine Waters

Shall I continue?

Kwasi Mfume, the NAACP, the treatment of Clarence Thomas, Judge Pickerings disgraceful, sicking treatment by the "congressional black caucus"

Should I continue?