Is this considered backwards racism

[Richard B the EMT]

I will answer a question about if I am racist or not:

I don't really know.

I know I have had moments when comments I have made (not on this venue) due to my lack of knowledge might make me seem racist, but if someone takes me aside, and tells me (not beat me for that lack of knowledge) that I inadvertently said something that hurt them, I apologise, and try not to repeat the error.

Crotchety, by admitting any errors I may have made, and a willingness to try and correct them, does that at least lessen my being a racist, as opposed to one who refuses to change their ways at all?

I am also somewhat aware of history. The "Tuskegee Airmen" were an attempt by the US Army Air Corps to prove that Blacks couldn't learn to operate the hi-tech fighter aircraft of the era. While the fliers proved them wrong, it is my understanding that the White officers in charge of them did something akin to "cooking the books" to attempt to prove their erroneous point.

It is also my understanding that 2 things happened when they flew against the German Stukas and Messerschmidts, one, that they flew so well, they succeeded in aerial dogfights, and the second is, the German pilots, in order to hold to their racial purity beliefs, refused to fly against "an inferior race".

Edited March 17, 2011 by Richard B the EMT

[crotchitymedic1986]

Yes richard, the fact that you show empathy and are willing to see things in a different light means you are one of the good guys. We all have some level of predjudice or racism, if for no other reason because most of us were raised and hung around our type, thus we do not have a true understanding of what others have been through. I have been quite open about my disdain for homosexuals, I do not consider them a race, but I obviously have issues there as I blanketly judge all of them by their actions instead of the content of their heart. If I were a better person I would not let my disdain for what they do cause me to avoid the people. But I am not there yet, we are all works in process.

[Richard B the EMT]

Crotchety, by admitting any errors I may have made, and a willingness to try and correct them, does that at least lessen my being a racist, as opposed to one who refuses to change their ways at all?

I am not there yet, we are all works in process.

Perhaps, then, there is hope for the world.

[Lone Star]

Yes richard, the fact that you show empathy and are willing to see things in a different light means you are one of the good guys. We all have some level of predjudice or racism, if for no other reason because most of us were raised and hung around our type, thus we do not have a true understanding of what others have been through. I have been quite open about my disdain for homosexuals, I do not consider them a race, but I obviously have issues there as I blanketly judge all of them by their actions instead of the content of their heart. If I were a better person I would not let my disdain for what they do cause me to avoid the people. But I am not there yet, we are all works in process.

You're quick to throw around terms like 'bigot' and 'racist', and yet you admit to suffering from the same mentality you accuse others of having. Could this be why you're branded with such terms as 'troll'?

You've been able to insinuate race into most of the topics you reply to. How are you doing anything to help put an end to it?

How long should we make 'allowances' for blacks not attaining the same educational levels as other minorities and whites? How long should we allow you to scream 'disadvantaged' when you are given the same educational and social opportunities as whites and other races? How is it that immigrants that come to America for an education acutally make something of themselves in far less than the 40 or so years that segregation has been abolished? How many generations must pass before blacks can be judged by the same criteria that whites are? If you don't take advantage of the educational opportunities and actually put forth an honest effort to succeed, you are condemning yourself to failure.

Unfortunately, there are far too many that are willing to take the 'easy way out' and then sit back and cry because they aren't doing as well as those who have worked their asses off to get ahead. To me, there is no sympathy for them.

Just because I'm white doesn't mean that everything has come easy for me. I've had to work my tail off to get where I am. The biggest difference between me and 'them' is the fact that I realize that I'm only going to get out of my education what I put into it, and that I realize no one is going to do it for me, nor are they going to just hand it to me. If things were so great for whites, we'd all have an Ivy league education. This is obviously not the case.

Why are only some races 'entitled' while all others must do things the 'old fashsioned way'; achieving success because of honest hard work?

This is where an expression that has been handed down from generation to generation comes into full play: "If you don't like where you're at ...DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE IT!"

It's very apparent that if you're not going to put forth an honest effort to change your situation, then you've got no right to sit back and complain about it; you're nothing more than a contributor to the 'problem', as opposed to being a part of the solution.

[crotchitymedic1986]

It may seem that I am beating the dead horse, but its only because you guys keep bringing it up. Search the records and see how many topics I have posted about race ? I am only responding as the sole african-american in the room; if you do not want to hear my views on race then tell the rest of the room to stop posting racial topics. As far as being a bigot or racist because I am not a fan of homosexual activity, that is not the case. I disdain the activity they engage in, not the color of their skin; I disdain black homosexuals as equally as white or asian homosexuals. I do not hang out with pedophiles, drug addicts, drunks, or wife beaters; not because of the color of their skin, but because of what they do.

[Happiness]

It may seem that I am beating the dead horse, but its only because you guys keep bringing it up. Search the records and see how many topics I have posted about race ? I am only responding as the sole african-american in the room; if you do not want to hear my views on race then tell the rest of the room to stop posting racial topics. As far as being a bigot or racist because I am not a fan of homosexual activity, that is not the case. I disdain the activity they engage in, not the color of their skin; I disdain black homosexuals as equally as white or asian homosexuals. I do not hang out with pedophiles, drug addicts, drunks, or wife beaters; not because of the color of their skin, but because of what they do.

So are you the only African American in the City? I hope your only speaking for yourself. And I thought this discussion was about racism as a whole because you are making it just against blacks with that comment as I think there are other ethnic backgrounds responding here, please correct me if I am wrong.

Edited March 18, 2011 by Happiness

[HERBIE1]

It may seem that I am beating the dead horse, but its only because you guys keep bringing it up. Search the records and see how many topics I have posted about race ? I am only responding as the sole african-american in the room; if you do not want to hear my views on race then tell the rest of the room to stop posting racial topics. As far as being a bigot or racist because I am not a fan of homosexual activity, that is not the case. I disdain the activity they engage in, not the color of their skin; I disdain black homosexuals as equally as white or asian homosexuals. I do not hang out with pedophiles, drug addicts, drunks, or wife beaters; not because of the color of their skin, but because of what they do.

You aren't beating a dead horse, you are beating a Buick. This topic was about lowering the standards so that more blacks can pass an exam. You are comparing accomplishments and test scores with being gay-we'll forget for a moment WHY that behavior exists. Completely different notions. One is about intellectual ability, and the other is about a lifestyle.

BTW- You ARE a racist- albeit backwards- since you believe that blacks deserve special treatment simply because of the color of their skin. The beauty of your argument is that even though slavery has not directly affected a single living person here for generations, that skin color still somehow entitles you to "compensation" for past wrongs. Enter institutional racism, cultural racism, and every other similar idea that will never have an expiration date.

Now if you are suggesting blacks NEED that extra help and consideration because they are incapable of competing head to head with everyone else, now that's an entirely different argument.

Do you also advocate affirmative action for Japanese americans, since thousands of them- US citizens at the time- were interred in prisons? How about Native Americans? What about every immigrant group who came here and was treated like crap? What about the Chinese who were essentially forced to work on our railroads in the 1800's? Why do you think think those groups don't have similar mechanisms in place to address their past injustices?

[Just Plain Ruff]

I've seen additional posts by crotch on this thread but he still does not answer questions posted directly to him. He can stir the soup but his responses are simply ingredientless. Come on crotchity, step up to the plate and give some direct answers to at least Annies questions or are you too scared to be proven as someone who has nothing but complaining to do.

Unfortunately, we will never be able to convince Crotchity that his view is racist, uneducated and completely flawed, due to the following reasons:

1. Crotchity refuses to acknowledge that any other race or culture was harmed in slavery other than blacks

2. Crotchity fails to see that his stance is every bit as racist as that which he is attempting to argue; his belief that other races have every advantage while blacks do not is the core of this racism

3. Crotchity has made it very clear that he feels the current woes of the black population are not their own fault, but still uses slavery as an excuse for lack of achievement

4. Crotchity refuses to acknowledge that life is just not fair, and it is impossible to make it 100% fair for every individual

Based on these reasons, further discussion with Crotchity is not going to yield any new results. We can continue to provide historical evidence, current statistics, and personal experience to show the flaws his beliefs, but until he is willing to let go of the victim mentality, where he is letting emotion rule over fact, we cannot change him.

So, Crotchity, as you feel that white people are currently at fault for the woes of the black population, what is your solution? I don’t want to see “make the playing field fair.” I want to see specific ideas, specific plans, and concrete guidelines. I don’t want to see “it can’t be fair because we don’t have bootstraps.” From this point forward, what would you do? Don’t focus on the past – solve the problem that is right here, right now. I don’t want to hear that you can’t solve the problem because white people won’t let you – this is your chance to explain how you would improve the world.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[Lone Star]

Of course he's not going to directly address those issues and questions, because it's far easier to sit back and cry "UNFAIR!"; rather than roll up his sleeves and actually produce any type of solution to the problem!

The point remains that you're engaging in the very same behaviors that you're rallying against (even if it's directed at a particular lifestyle as opposed as a race). Either way, it's the same behavior that you're accusing us all of.

You claim how much whites OWE you. YOU were never a slave, YOU weren't part of the segregated schools, therefore the ONLY one that OWES you anything is YOU!

You're not entitled to anything more than anyone else is.... you got a free education up to the age of 16, or graduation. How you took advantage of that opportunity (or didn't) is all on YOU. Whether you actually do the work to make something of your life is all on YOUR shoulders, not the whites, not the other minorities, women or whomever you wish to blame for not being as successful as you'd like to be.

Want something more than what you've got? Do it like the rest of us and actually get your hands dirty doing the work it takes to improve your lot in life!

Lao Tzu is credited with the Chinese proverb: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." You have been given the tools and taught to fish. If you're still hungry for more, then its up to YOU to cut bait and fish, or shut up!

[mobey]

He can't reply directly to those complicated questions that may require some intellect to answer.

By his own theory, he is too unevolved.