From a discussion group I participate in:
Race will always be a descriptive term in my opinion. I see no problem with recognizing that you are white and you recognizing that I am black. And if the need arose, you using my race to describe my physical features. What I would object to is if I recognized that you were white and then assumed that you were a racist/white supremacist, smart or wealth. Although clearly there are no races (I am not disputing that at all), we do tend to group people by race. The major problem is not the grouping (we group by other categories, ie sex, age, income – do you suggest we get rid of these because of discrimination), but the assumptions we make about the groups. Remove the assumptions and race becomes a descriptive category as it had been before colonization and not a measure of potential/criminality.
“sex, age, income” are definite and proveable, “race” is not. Apples and oranges. When you say “race will always be a descriptive term”, I get chills. Always is a long, long time. Do you mean “always” as in for the rest of your lifetime or do you truly mean “always” as in forever and ever? You may not see a problem with calling me “white”, but I do. It is an inaccurate label, created for the purpose of keeping people separated. You can play along in that “racialist” game if you like, I will not. If you expect people to view each other as “racially” different, but also expect them to view each other as equal you are fooling yourself. The myth of “race” must be destroyed and continuing to use government force to keep people in “racial” boxes is supporting the “race” myth, not helping to end it. You cannot fight “racism” and promote “race” at the same time. The categories must fall and they will.
It is ineffective to deal with discrimination on a case-by-case basis. As a matter of fact, it is almost impossible. One must show a tendency to treat a group in a certain manner different than another group to prove said discrimination on the factors where the groups differ. On an individual basis, discrimination is almost impossible to prove. This is why most discrimination cases are class action suits.
That translates to “guilty until you prove yourself innocent.” There is a difference between a class action suit that actually details real, overt actions and one that alleges discrimation based on numbers. Discrimination is an overt act, not a numbers game.
Statistice proves a prima facie case where the employer or entity must prove otherwise.
No, it is “guilty until you prove yourself innocent.” Statistics prove nothing.
And yeah, the Civil War wasn’t about Slavery!!!
So your point is that if you are “white” (whatever that is) and don’t live in an urban area, then you are a racist? That’s disturbing.
Would you mind posting the question? Opinion polls are notorious for question creation.
I’ll have to dig around again for the wording and get it get back to you. You said “opinion polls are notorious for question creation”. I agree, and I say “statistics” when used to prove “fact” are notoriously subject to manipulation by whoever is attempting to use them to “prove” a point.
This entry also posted at Yahoo! Groups – Race Debate.