General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIs "racist' an appropriate term for someone who prefers racial uniformity?
I just watched a segment on CNN about the Steve King town hall. And clearly most all the people supporting him prefer the single race, white community culture that they have always lived in for their entire lives.
Does that preference for living in a community of your familiar culture, make you racist? Does it also apply to people who live in Mexican communities or black communities? Or Jewish or Arab? Gay? Catholic?
What's the line between acceptable preferences and racist / bigotted feelings?
Seems like we need to have some thoughtful discussions on these topics because the increase in ethnic and religious and other cultural diversity will rachet up pressure on the balance between inclusion of diversity and inclusion of uniformity?
SidDithers
(44,228 posts)Sid
mitch96
(13,869 posts)KitSileya
(4,035 posts)There have been some 'English' who've joined the Amish community through the years, however, correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not think any persons of color have been allowed to join. The Amish vote Republican quite consistently, though, and it wouldn't surprise me if most Amish voters voted for Trump, which does make them racists without a doubt.
JI7
(89,239 posts)the minority communities are often a result of discrimination. this is especially true with the black americans in the us with housing discrmination.
gay areas usually have to do with laws that support gay rights . not because they can others.
When you deprive others of equal opportunity then it's racism. If you try to keep me out of the neighborhood for no other reason than my race, it is racism. If you deprive me of anything because of race, you are racist.
On the other hand, if you prefer hanging out with your own peeps and you want to marry your own race, that's prejudice.
zaj
(3,433 posts)If we accept that many people seem to honorably both:
1) actiively choose uniform cultural surroundings (marrying in your race, religion... choosing neighborhoods, etc.), And...
2) have no objection to diversity preferences of others,
3) but aren't champions of diversity
How do we steer policy and discussions with these people taway from the white supremacists types like King.
It seems to me, that if this broader community feels town between the demands of diversity champions like me... and white supremacists like King, that we will see a steep rise in white supremacists.
If we find a middle path, then they will have a better relationship with the rising diversity and changing culture.
yardwork
(61,533 posts)zaj
(3,433 posts)I am brainstorming here, so this might not make sense or be clear, but...
This seems to be the spectrum I'm seeing:
Pro-Diversity ...... Tollerate Diversity for others...... Pro-White
Policies................ But choose Uniformity................ Supremacy
My sense is that too many people who fear the wave of increasing diversity could be presuaded to join the suit and tie white supremacists like Bannon / King / Trump...
... especially if they can be convinced they are losing their culture. And Diversity Champions like me easily become a threat to them.
So can we carve our a rhetorical and policy path that recognizes the fears about forced diversity. And steers things toward neutrality toward diversity.
Using a sports metaphor, it seems like we are likely to lose by fighting for a Pro-Diversity agenda in small homogenous towns... When we should instead, play for the "tie" in that situation.
zaj
(3,433 posts)EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)There is a difference between oppressed minorities desiring to associate with similarly situated people in a world that is largely hostile to and/or dismissive of them and their cultures and concerns.
And there is a difference between people of similar racial backgrounds drawing together to share things they have in common and people of similar racial backgrounds excluding others from their circles.
Kind of like the age old "why do all the black people sit together in the cafeteria" question. In reality, the entire cafeteria is filled with white people sitting together while black people sit together at one table because we've been excluded from or have been made to feel unwelcome at the numerous other tables populated by white people, we haven't excluded white people from our table and, in fact, welcome anyone to join them.
In other words, it's very complicated.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,304 posts)Yes.
That's because racist people tend to support racists in power.
Does that preference for living in a community of your familiar culture, make you racist?
Culture and race are different things.
Bigotry, prejudice and racism are also all different things.
Where do you think it is?
Especially when we all know one race wiped out the Native race and forcibly kidnapped and enslaved another race. Insisting on separation will never be innocuous.
liberalmuse
(18,671 posts)Because the reality is there will never be racial uniformity. Ever. The way these people who "prefer" uniformity treat those people who are different is appalling. They let them know they are not welcome in their communities.
I would not call it "racism" when some groups who have faced bigotry and persecution prefer to stick together to protect themselves or feel a sense of safety and belonging. Much of the persecution has been aimed at them from Caucasians/Protestants for centuries.
Iggo
(47,534 posts)...and "bigot" is an appropriate term for his supporters and supporters of what he supports.
Every single one of them.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)My childhood is an example. The large majority of whites who went to evangelical churches. Where alcohol was admonished. Now, make no mistake, lots of people drank, but quietly, if you get my drift.
A large percentage of the black community shared those values and it was handled in the same way. But they were never accepted in acceptable society.
But because the south was becoming more diverse if a family of say, Italian heritage Catholic folks moved in they may get some comments about their culture differences like open drinking but were not discriminated against.
So when I hear right wing whites say it is not race, but culture, I know it is bullshit.
If they were honest thay would be welcoming Mexican immigrants. Religious, family oriented, hard working and honest. But brown.
Iggo
(47,534 posts)It's right there in the name.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)But Steve King? Total racist. As are a majority of the people who keep voting him in.
On edit... we must admit there are congressional districts where the representative is racist because the majority of their voters are.
Too often we like to believe they are outliers who occasionally get caught. I wish it were so.
treestar
(82,383 posts)Why would one prefer uniformity? As if strangers who are the same race are somehow better to have nearby than good people of other races. There's no way out of the fact that "preferring uniformity" means you don't want other races near you.
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)Race is a made-up construct, based on superficial stuff like skin color, or maybe bits of facial structure.
The science says there's no real biological thing as race, all the other genetic differences that we have between each other completely blow away differences due to "race".
And it's fucking bullshit to ostracize or treat someone like shit because of skin color.
Let's call these people who want to exclude people for being black or Latino what they are: racist pieces of shit.
RobinA
(9,884 posts)and sought out like people since forever. Hell, my chickens beat up the few who are "different" in ways they can see and congregate with the similarly-feathered. Apparently there's a hardwire that makes animals (including people) want to hang with like members of the species. Which is not to say it isn't overcomable in people, but name-calling and force are not the way to go about it.
zaj
(3,433 posts)If a human is out in the woods with your family, and a bear charges... Your brain has to visually quickly determine the threat.
Do I grab my baby and run from the bear, or do I grab the bear and run from the baby.
The species with powerful visual instincts about which pattern to trust, and which to fear... keeps me and thus my species alive.