Racism and The Republican Race For 2012 Nomination: real or imagined?

[lsbskins1]

Grow up.

Is it childish to call racism out?

[Cephus]

Yes, you are correct, empathy is the right word.

The problem is, a lot of people *ARE* sympathetic, to the point of losing all perspective. It's like looking at Steven Hawking, just to take an out there example. You and I can look at Hawking and empathize with him. It must suck to have Lou Gehrig's disease. It must suck to be stuck in that chair. I'd never want to be in his position, with the exception of having his amazing mind. I wouldn't mind that part. That said though, while I can empathize with his situation, it's not my responsibility to take care of him or make it better. It can't be made better. His life and his fate are his responsibility. I'm fine with helping if and when I can, but I am not responsible for his care.

Unfortunately, you have a lot of people here who seem to think that society is responsible for "fixing" every problem that comes down the pike. That's sympathy. It's not empathy.

They were not taught and it was not since the 60s. They know where they come from and where they are. The entitlement fantasy is yours not theirs. They know tat it is harder for them to succeed and that is a burden the struggle with.

The problem is they don't know where they come from and where they are. Especially in the black community, you've got the "back to Africa" movement where whites have to be held accountable for slavery, even when no one alive today has ever been a slave. Neither were their parents or grand parents and maybe, just maybe, you might be able to find some great-grandparents or great-great grandparents who were, but they're still trying to milk it for all they can. That's where it all fails.

All of the failures are theirs. They had access to a free education. Did they do well? Did they drop out? Whose fault is that? They got involved in drugs and gangs and went to prison. Whose fault is that? They had children out of wedlock. Whose fault is that? They never worked, they never gained any job skills, they never had any work ethic. Whose fault is that?

But the second you bring up any of that, all you get is "you're being racist!" No, I'm not being racist, I'm being realistic. I'm demanding personal responsibility, which is a bad word to liberals. I don't give a damn what your skin color is. You can be black, white, green, blue or purple. Get off your fucking ass and get a goddamn job. Anyone who calls that racist is an idiot.

[Cephus]

Is it childish to call racism out?

No, it's childish to pretend that anything you don't like is racism.

[LetThereBe]

Is it childish to call racism out?

What is racist is to encourage solidarity based on skin color. What is racist is to perpetuate self-victimization based on wrongs done to ancestors by someone else's ancestors.

[lsbskins1]

So, my friend Gloria, who was a back up singer for Bo Didley in the 60's, DIDN"T have to eat in different places than the white acts they toured with? She didn't live in a world where she wasn't allowed to stay in the same hotels? These "wrongs" kept right on happening, in very fucking terrible form, past the time when I was born and wrongs still happen in less open and violent ways, but they are wrongs none-the-less. Pretending you are not part of a group that you are actually part of does not make the outward markings of that group disappear. Black people will always be black and gay people will always be gay and they are, in fact, part of groups that share certain disadvantages. That it would make your job easier to keep them at disadvantage is no reason why they should not work together to try to stop you. Nobody suggests blacks or gays or Hispanics or Jews should form groups for the purpose of turning the tables and oppressing others, but to suggest that to even identify with the group is somehow racist is both silly and dangerous for the minorities in question.

[ruksak]

This is such an evil mentality. Every human being on the planet has a right to food, water, and shelter. No one should have to work for these items. One should work to escape this bare-minimum existence, and I can't imagine anyone not doing so, but even if they never work a day in their lives, these rights should be guaranteed.

Of course, you ignore the fact that extensive welfare states - nations which contribute far more of their wealth to welfare than the United States - have similar or lower levels of unemployment, a more stable economy, and far superior standards of living. Welfare works. It's an historical fact. Cover up your eyes and scream "lalalala" all you want. It's not only ignorant, it's downright evil.

If I owned a nonsense meter, it would have just exploded from all the nonsense.

Welfare should be reserved for those whom CANNOT do for themselves. The system has become so full of holes that it now perpetuates a society of entitlement and living for handouts.

[lsbskins1]

No, it's childish to pretend that anything you don't like is racism.

I don't like brussel sprouts, but I don't think they are racist. I don't like Bill Belicheck, but I have no evidence he is a racist. I don't like classical music very much (though I respect it) but I don't think everyone who preforms or composes classical music is a racist. I think racist words, actions and attitudes are racist. What you said was racist, whether you like it, accept it or believe it to be so or not.

[Angry Citizen]

AC-

This is the very real racism that still lives. Notice he specifies blacks as being especially egregious in using social assistance because they "must" be doing it, not out of rational and understandable need, but because someone taught them, and they stupidly believed, that the larger society "owes them" something different than it owes anyone else. He doesn't even think this is racist...but it is.

Fair enough. I see your point.

[Angry Citizen]

If I owned a nonsense meter, it would have just exploded from all the nonsense.

Welfare should be reserved for those whom CANNOT do for themselves. The system has become so full of holes that it now perpetuates a society of entitlement and living for handouts.

Sweden, Norway etc prove this mentality not only to be wrong, but willfully ignorant.

[LetThereBe]

So, my friend Gloria, who was a back up singer for Bo Didley in the 60's, DIDN"T have to eat in different places than the white acts they toured with? She didn't live in a world where she wasn't allowed to stay in the same hotels? These "wrongs" kept right on happening, in very fucking terrible form, past the time when I was born and wrongs still happen in less open and violent ways, but they are wrongs none-the-less. Pretending you are not part of a group that you are actually part of does not make the outward markings of that group disappear. Black people will always be black and gay people will always be gay and they are, in fact, part of groups that share certain disadvantages. That it would make your job easier to keep them at disadvantage is no reason why they should not work together to try to stop you. Nobody suggests blacks or gays or Hispanics or Jews should form groups for the purpose of turning the tables and oppressing others, but to suggest that to even identify with the group is somehow racist is both silly and dangerous for the minorities in question.

Some people are victims and do face discrimination. These people should fight and seek justice.
There are other people that have never been discriminated against, but think just because they have skin of a certain color they are owed something. These people need to get over themselves.

Having an opinion of someone or something based on race is, by definition, racist. Treating someone different (for better or worse) based on race is, by definition, racist.
Solidarity based on a belief in equal treatment is fine. Solidarity based on "we both have darker colored skin" is not.

[Trojan_Ripper]

Fair enough. I see your point.

Was that a "yes dear"?

[lsbskins1]

The system has become so full of holes that it now perpetuates a society of entitlement and living for handouts.

This is factually untrue. It gets repeated, ad nauseum, but it is not factual. The data does not support the assertion. Asserting it over and over might make simple people believe it, but it does not make it true.