tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007219760463678844.post7832022430119457577..comments2023-09-13T08:13:12.905-05:00Comments on Musings of a Renaissance Man in training: Everyone is a Little Bit RacistAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797643566097002635noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007219760463678844.post-12141290070234274262013-04-12T21:56:48.281-05:002013-04-12T21:56:48.281-05:00Chris, I know it's been awhile since you poste...Chris, I know it's been awhile since you posted these thoughts, but I just want to thank you for generating open, honest dialog about racial climate and awareness in the United States. I find it very interesting as a black man (American) who has traveled all over the world, that in the United States I feel more confronted (either verbally or non verbally) about my race as an issue in social interaction, than anywhere else.<br />Canadians generally marvel that we are still having these issues and conversations seemingly without traction to finally overcome our differences.<br />Answers are found in respect of self and others and seeing "VALUE" in each person without judgement. I know that seems over simplifying a complicated issue, but it's a good place to start.breauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13435129052392269462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007219760463678844.post-63729528805211880802012-04-18T14:19:49.260-05:002012-04-18T14:19:49.260-05:00Fair enough, Anonymous. Perhaps "racism"...Fair enough, Anonymous. Perhaps "racism" is the action that follows racially charged misconceptions. The fact that, based on the culture in which I was raised I still fight misconceptions about other races, does not make me a racist (this makes me feel better!). This then speaks to my concern about hyper-racial focus - the attention we pay to race actually makes some of us more aware of the racially ignorant misconceptions that we think of, even if those thoughts are not the way we actually feel.<br /><br />I appreciate your clarification. Thanks for posting!<br /><br />~CWAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13797643566097002635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007219760463678844.post-27473913893346929962012-04-18T12:31:24.471-05:002012-04-18T12:31:24.471-05:00I dont like your definition of racism! Racism to ...I dont like your definition of racism! Racism to me means deliberately choosing to allow a persons color/ethnic origin to impact what I think. I prefer the term prejudice meaning pre judgment. This also broadens the introspection as you can prejudge thing besides race.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007219760463678844.post-90389293112922402742012-04-17T12:00:04.150-05:002012-04-17T12:00:04.150-05:00Interesting post Chris. I think you're getting...Interesting post Chris. I think you're getting close to a long-held debate in the modern study of race in America: Is perceiving, noting, and acknowledging racial differences, the same as, or related to racism?<br /><br />I'm not sure I agree with "Everyone is a little racist, in their own mind." I suppose it depends how you define the term. But as far as it meaning, the idea that a person's - let's call them "base socio-economic characteristics" are somehow determined by their race, I know plenty of people, including myself - that in their heart of hearts brook no such nonsense. But the subtleties of the definition? That's where it gets more nuanced.<br /><br />While I like the imagery of your donut shop example, I'm not sure I see indications of certain racism. Including in your own observations (which I took to be more the point than the counter-person's possible bias). Just being observant of differences and being conscious of the existence of bias isn't the same thing as indicating or confirming the presence of racism. And you thinking there might have been a race factor in play, only serves as a reminder that there might be, not an indicator that there is. If, in your example, the counter person did make the mistake that these people were together because they were of an apparent similar racial makeup, is that racism? Maybe. Or it could just be confusion. Did they walk in at the same time? Or is the donut server's unwillingness to ask the other patron if they were with the other group, racism? Possibly. Or maybe it's just a discomfort with possible language barriers? (which sometimes trips me up - I get a weird, unnecessary embarrassment for both of us). And then is that racism, or (what it feels like to me) a form of social anxiety?<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I am not in the slightest arguing that bias even in subtle, insidious forms, doesn't exist. And that even (sometimes, especially) in it's most benign-appearing modes isn't worth discussing and eradicating. I'm just making the argument that I think that suffering a little bit of white guilt (as I do - hence this obvious disclaimer), and knowing that racial differences exist, is different from actual racism. And maybe more importantly, the way WE LET our perception of racial differences color our thoughts and actions are paramount. It's a choice to BE racist. We can't help noticing differences in people (you tall skinny bastard). I think it's whether we let those observations determine our further thoughts about that person, and worse our actions that determines if we're actually racist. (all tall skinny bastards are gadabouts who must be tsk tsk'd)<br /><br />I do want to take specific issue with the Martin/Zimmerman (and snakes) segment for a sec. You say: "These feelings of danger, though based on ignorant stereotypes and misled assumptions, may still be valid fears." Which controverts itself. An ignorant stereotype cannot result in a VALID fear. An actual phobia, might be what you meant. But if your fear is based on something irrational (like the ickiness of snakes - the danger to humans in our part of the world being infinitesimally small) then the fear can only be characterized as also irrational. The FEELING of fear may be real, but it's never "valid," in that it never validates what a reasonable person would call extreme actions - or even thoughts. That implies that we cannot control ourselves (even to the point of running away from the snake) if we're FEEL afraid. As a society (and as a state, Florida [and the 10 other states - including Illinois - that have codified the possibility of excusing irrational actions based on invalid fears, by way of Stand Your Ground laws) we are foolish to overlook the difference between phobias based on stereotype and perception, and actual fear based on real circumstances and likely dangers.Shawnnoreply@blogger.com