Racism And Prejudice - Defined?

[Bash 0]

I know that nowadays the word gets thrown around quite a lot - and to my mind far too much - but the question that I think is of some interest before people get into a debate about race is, WHAT EXACTLY do we take racism to mean? Of course we can give dictionary definitions - but how well do these apply to the common conceptions that we have - do they correlate to the connotations that people attach to it? Is it possibly just a fact that we use the word in far too many different ways for it to have much meaning? Is the technical definition far wider than we seem to realise? Is all "racism" wrong? Is all prejudice bad? Is anyone who notes a difference between races a racist? If I were to say that on the whole, black people are faster than whites - would I be a racist myself?I would be very interested to hear what people take the word to mean, and whether they think they use it in the proper way all the time.

[Cammy 0]

A racist is someone who doesnt like someone because of their race if you want the general definition and prejudice is judging someone before knowing who they are based on past experiences. People can and do hate their own race as well as others. When you meet someone from another country or whos different then you and ask them where they are from its easy to prejudge them, associate them with people you know from that country. Can be a good or bad thing. The black people being faster than whites is just a generalization, again can be good or bad. Some generalizations are based on fact, problem is people get painted with the same brush and it proves to be dammaging. I cant like rock music cause Im black? I dont know how to swim casue it will dammage my hair. All those are wrong about me and others. Its absurd. Ive heard worse but Ill leave it at that...I am black and was born in Canada. People always ask me where Im from even though Im from Canada, I get offended sometimes, other times I let it slide. I dont use derogatory terms. if I find out one is offensive to a group of people I stop using it. I dont care if its in songs or movies. I dont like it I dont teach it I wont lower myself.

[choetry 0]

Prejudice is discrimination in general and racism is racial discrimination. They have almost the same meaning, that's what I think.Both of them are wrong because they are based on false beliefs, and can incur hurt feelings. So regarding the statement 'black people are faster than whites', you are not a racist, because it's statistically proven so. It's not a false belief, and I believe no white people will get hurt by the statement. A racist statement would be something like a race is smarter than the other.

[Se?or Maniac 0]

I feel that racism is using the nationallity or color of skin to discriminate people. This I think is wrong. But saying something like alot of black people are faster than white people is not racist is true because of the fact that the statement is coming from alot of truth.I believe that prejudice is more of a jealousy thing between races. Like discriminate against someone because of the fact that they have something or someone that you do not have or discriminating because of the fact that someone has something better than what you have and you want it.

[Cammy 0]

I guess it all depends on where its coming from. When people assume my son plays basketball because hes black and he's tall he gets offended and he should. Not all blacks are fast, not all blacks can dance(my brother has no rhythm . We are not supposed to be smart, just be good at sports and dancing. When we get ahead sometimes people assume its not by our own merit, someone gave us a break, felt sorry or wanted to fill the quota. That irks me.

Many times people assume my son is going to steal because hes black and follow him around and his friends, they dont follow the asian and white kids around while they fill their pockets , its something that some take for granted and makes me wish they could walk a single day in my shoes and see the ignorance in the world.

[Neutrality 0]

I think that Racism has been stretched too far in some cases. What I mean by this is that people start to think certain things are racist when they actually aren't. I think that's what the media is trying to drill into us - that pointing out any distinguishing qualities from one race is considered racist. There's a fine line between distinguishing two races and putting down one race to boost the other one up. I'm not saying that Racism doesn't exist or anything like that, I'm just saying that some people are trying make even the most innocent comments seemracist.

[no9t9 0]

i don't understand why people would get mad at someone who has assumed a black person can play basketball. Why would this be considered racism or discrimination? Stereotyping WORKS. People fit into profiles and it is obvious that not 100% of people will fit the profile but MOST will. The example of blacks can run faster than other races, mentioned earlier, is clearly TRUE. How many non-blacks have won the 100m in the olympics? Better yet, how many ASIANS have won the 100m? Am I being racict when I say asians can't run fast? Sure, there are cases where an asian can run faster than a black guy, but ON AVERAGE and in MOST CASES, the black guy will be faster. This isn't racism, it is called generalizations based on statistical observations.If you STILL think that is racist, how about this statement. Black people have the darkest skin color of all the races. But wait, not all black people are that dark. Some people from india, sri lanka, or even thailand are darker than some black people. It isn't racism to generalize or stereotype. And I don't think it is wrong to generalize either. That's human nature.If you walked into a bad neighborhood, wouldn't you ASSUME that a group of mean looking black guys are carrying guns, in a gang, etc.? You would assume this in order to protect yourself. If you DIDN'T assume this, you might do something stupid and get hurt. Obviously those guys may not be bad but you don't know so you play it safe.

[outlawspirit 0]

Racism:A member from another race putting down another race below there race for instance...Blacks thinking there race is superiour to whitesWhites thinking there race is superiour to blacksand the same for asians...If you have a disagreement with another person and they happen to be a different race, this is not seen as racism, however if a racist word is thrown out then this would be a racist remark...Its basically thinking your race is far superiour than the other races, you look down on them... I for one am not racist, and i can get along with black, whites, asians any race at all, but when i hear racist remarks and if they are not in anyway directed at me but another race, i still feel offendedI think to be a racist, you need 2 be ignorant... seeing a racist being racist is the bliss of ignorance, its personality not race...as for the comment, "if i said all blacks were faster than whites" would that be a racist remark?nope, its a general statement of course... it may not be a 100% true statement, but i dont see how it is a racist statement... i think people are far to touchy upon this subject... people need to realise, i mean the racists... the only ones who are different are the racists themselves...

[Cammy 0]

...would you assume differently if it were a groups of mean looking white guys carrying guns ? Of all the places Ive been too Ive never seen men of any race waving guns around in plain sight and Ive been through some bad hoods. If I see a group of mean looking people. I proceed with caution, period. Im a mom with kids, its second nature.

 

A stereotype is just that a stereotype, it may not even be true. They also put limitations on people. Some hold on to these ideals like the gospel and spread it around, start to accept it without question. Generalizations can be just as bad as racism. Its the assumption, someone thinking they know me without knowing a thing about me. At times it annoys me to no end. For example, someone was shocked that I was valedictorian of my high school, and said its always the Asian kids who do that, cause they are so smart. So does that mean Im dumb cause Im black. Ive read the lit, the statistics, but who wrote that, who did the tests, who made the standards?

There are black scientists, doctors, lawyers and would be more of them if the racist professors and teachers didnt fudge the grades. I took my boys out of their school cause and transferred them to another cause I had enough of the nonesense. Its nice to be treated as an individual first. That would be refreshing for a change. My partner is white and he experiences what I go through every day cause he is with me. Its something he never had to think about and his eyes are wide open now. I hope our son wont have to worry about ignorance as much as we do now.

[no9t9 0]

...would you assume differently if it were a groups of mean looking white guys carrying guns? Of all the places Ive been too Ive never seen men of any race waving guns around in plain sight and Ive been through some bad hoods.

If you read what I wrote a bit more carefully, I didn't say "a group of black guys waving guns around in plain sight". I said, if you saw a group of mean looking black guys in a bad neighborhood, you ASSUME they are carrying guns. Even if that group of mean looking black guys are in a GOOD neighborhood most people will probably assume they are packing.

There are black scientists, doctors, lawyers and would be more of them if the racist professors and teachers didnt fudge the grades.

I don't think you understand how stereotypes and generalizations work. There are always EXCEPTIONS but STATISTICALLY you will see a higher proportion of non-blacks in those professions you listed. The REASONS are not being argued. Whether the "generalization" is correct or not is the main point. But, let me give you an example. I did my engineering degree and there were TWO black people in my class out of 130. I also did my masters in business. There were THREE black people in my class of 100.
In terms of statistics, those black people are outside 3 standard deviations which means they are anomolies.

Finally, that last part "more of them [would be docters, etc.] if the racist professors and teachers didn't fudge the grades" is a very racists or stereotypical comment. How can you say you hate generalizations/stereotypes/racism and say something like that?

[iGuest 3]

White southerners are mistaken for racist rednecks. They say that we treat black people unfairly, and we need to give them sympathy. Well let me tell you something that me and almost every other southerner thinks of all you liberal democrats. We are not racist at all. Yea they have the KKK but that doesn't mean every southerner is in it. We feel so sorry for all these black people and we give them special treatment. Everything you see on the news is always about white people being racist to black people. Black people are never considered racist. Black people get more special treatment than white people. You can't talk about black people on TV. But black people can talk about white people. White people that say "*BLEEP*", get jumped at school. And black people that say cracker? Nothing happens to them. We offended a black person in gena 6. They about killed that white guy that did that and now everyone is on the criminals side? Thats ridiculous. No they shouldn't of hung that noose. But now it's a felony? What if a black guy offends a white guy? are they gonna make them stop offending us? I don't think so. Black people are always complaining that everything is there fault because they are black. Yea black people do get treated differently. They get away with stuff and they take advantages over white people. Slavery was in the 1700's and 1800's so stop trying to say you care because I bet only 18 of black people actually care. They just use that as an excuse. A scientist at Harvard University discovered that black people and white people think differently, and this is why they have different opinions. They fired him for being racist.-Alex

[iGuest 3]

Great Question I never thought about it like that

Racism And Prejudice - Defined?

 

Replying to Bash

That is a great question and I don't think I use the word in the proper way all the time. Don't get me wrong I don't use it much but I am not going to say I used it right all the time, and then only say it like 2 to 3 times.

[iGuest 3]

what i really think!!

Racism And Prejudice - Defined?

 

I think it really matters bout the person you are talking bout are the group.An we juge so many peopl just because of where they come from or what color they are. People tink befor they even get to know the person an it is not the best thing to do .Like if they are black then white people think of trash or that they are difeferent that us an we are better.An really every one is prejedist.Being prejedist can mean so many different things like you could hate people with brown eyes or tall people or people that are skinny.An being racist is just hating some ones color or race.An so many people act being prejetist an racict as being the same thing an really there not.An I wish people would get that though there heads it is like we are scared to really say it because of what people will say or think an most people will not agree with me on this but the people that will email me back an we will deskuss it more one on one ! bye

 

-reply by alexis

[iGuest 3]

Reply to no9t9

Racism And Prejudice - Defined?

 

I agree with most of what you said, just because black people are generally taller and more athletic saying this does not make you racist and is not a racist comment. Even if you are white if you are taller than the average person people assume that you play basketball. Its just the facts. However your last paragraph about black people carrying guns makes you sound racist. I think I would be afraid if I was in a bad neighborhood and saw any group of guys, white, black, asian, ect. Hanging out together and might assume that they have guns just because of the neighborhood, NOT because of the color of their skin. [Replying to no9t9,7977,1326

 

-reply by Becs

[iGuest 3]

In response to iguest, saying that African Americans are taller and more athletic is not racist, it is stereotyping. 

- reply by Mandy