What's your definition of Racism?

Off the top of your head, not a c & p from the APA.

superior

what's your definition Jan Micheal?

:think:

but to have the power to suppress a group of people, preventing them from exercising their God give rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Racism rears its ugly head in the Indian caste system, in Latin America, Northern Ireland and the USA. The underdogs may hate the overlords but that doesn't consitute racism because they have no power. All they can do is hate or not, and it doesn't change a thing in their lives except if the continue to hate they lose what little humanity they have. Well you asked!

that oppresses a race by economic means. I don't consider hatred by itself racism; that's prejudice.

Then because of that ignorance, constantly try and hold that race down.

the belief that a race is inferior.

However, that doesn't reflect what the effects and reality of racism are, which requires a sociological analysis. I say that because there are people like Neal Boortz who will say the most racist things (usually stereotypical jabs), and then when called on it haul out the dictionary definition and protest, "Did you see anything in my statement that showed I believe black people are inferior? No. You didn't. It's not in there."

Racism has to be understood as a system of institutionalized oppression against certain classes of people. As a "system," there are many facets and tentacles to it, many very subtle and difficult to even identify as such. Because it is against certain classes of people BY the dominant group or culture, it's not possible for members of the negatively affected classes to have racist attitudes against the dominant culture -- bigoted, yes; racist, no. There IS no such thing as "reverse racism" (or sexism) there's only the bigotry that members of the oppressed classes may feel towards their oppressors, justifiably or not.

There IS no such thing as "reverse racism" (or sexism) there's only the bigotry that members of the oppressed classes may feel towards their oppressors, justifiably or not.

Any time you're stigmatizing another person because of their race, that's racism. Any time you're stigmatizing another person because of their sex, that's sexism. It's just that simple.

Following your logic, you would have us believe that there's no way for a woman to rape a man, because women are an oppressed class.

Here's a thought: let's condemn bigotry universally, rather than picking and choosing between which varieties are acceptable and which aren't.

there's no equivalency there, no flawed logic. Sorry, bud.

Here's a thought: let's condemn bigotry universally, rather than picking and choosing between which varieties are acceptable and which aren't.

Uh, just so you know, I didn't say ANY forms are acceptable. But did it ever occur to you that there's a reason we have the terms "racism" and "sexism" and "homophobia" instead of merely chalking it all up to "bigotry"?

Assume that it could be demonstrated that the attack were purely based on the race of the victim. I think that can, and should, accurately be described as racism.

Uh, just so you know, I didn't say ANY forms are acceptable. But did it ever occur to you that there's a reason we have the terms "racism" and "sexism" and "homophobia" instead of merely chalking it all up to "bigotry"?

Yes, there is a reason; to identify what prejudice lead to the bigotry in question. Each of those terms give extra information, and are not diluted in meaning by including all examples of that prejudice, not merely the examples in which a "oppressor" group is bigoted towards a "oppressed" group.

Not me.

I used to think racism was about elitism, but I really found out it was about fear of intermarriage. As a Hispanic I ran across racism about skin color and language, but when I was in school after WWII, we started getting a lot of immigrant families from Eastern Europe in my little California town.

Up until then the racial divide was Anglos against Mexicans. Then we got Poles, Yugoslavians, Czechoslovakians and Hungarians enrolling in our school (parochial school). They all hated each other. Within the Yugos and Czechs they hated each other within their countries. The rest of us sat back in amazement. Here was a bunch of white people, who in our eyes, all looked and sounded alike, who couldn't stand each other.

A few years passed and we all went to High School. By that time we had pretty much all become friends, as long as you were friends of the same sex, because the parents had never become friends and no intermarriages would be tolerated.

Well, mother nature will have her way, and pretty much everyone eventually intermarried, got disowned, and when the grandchildren arrived reconciled. Silly, isn't it?

don't you love it:-)?

except that I don't believe there is any signicance to one's "race" and anyone who thinks "race" means anything at all is quite likely a racist.

That's not to say that the many people who have suffered or been persecuted over this ridiculous notion of "race" don't have a hell of a lot to bitch about.

of, or, feel uncomfortable with because of their appearance or belief.


edited to add a word I left out

Here is racism -- when anything that any individual does is interpreted as a "reflection" of their race.

Does anybody fret about the image Timothy McVeigh gave people of the white race?

It is also a calculated strategy by the ruling classes.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

I'd call it one manifestation of racism (rather than the whole definition of). Here's a good quote that illustrates your point:

A minority group has "arrived" only when it has rthe right to produce some fools and scoundrels without the entire group paying for it -- Carl Rowan

minorities can hate white people all they want, but have no power to hold them down. There is no such thing as reverse racism or reverse sexism. You have been been listening to the revisionist anti-PC crowd for too long.

...any feeling that you are "superior" to someone based upon the color of their skin, their ethnic heritage, or religion. Just off the top of my head - please don't flame me for not coming up with the perfect definition... :hi:

In other words, fucking stupid.

is someone who secretly uses thier power to undermine and screw over those of a race that they dont like.

I dont really care about people who spout crap off because its irrevelent when they dont have any actual power over any situation.

based on one's race and thinking that this perceived superiority brings entitlements.

"power" is usually defined (in this context): job type availability, access to police/security, educational opportunities, etcetera.

Thanks for the many great answers. It's funny though how such a divisive issue is so poorly defined...Probably because that serves a purpose and the fact is that "Race" is a load of horse crap anyway.