Teacher's 'terrorist' joke no laughing matter for student

If we're being purely semantic, the term racism covers both definitions. It may refer to someone who adheres to the doctrine that inherent differences between the races exist rendering one race superior to the others. It can also mean simple bigotry. Neither definition is wrong, and colloquially the latter is far more common.

And anyone who thinks racism is dead is blind. I have been spit and slurred at from a truck on a university campus. I have been denied service at a local restaurant, with incontrovertible evidence that it was due to the color of my skin. These are not isolated instances, though these are the two most conspicuous experiences that I can recall at my university. Subtler forms of racism are so frequent that they are simply prosaic. Though racism may not be a novel concept, it is an unnecessary affliction on humanity. The passive approach advocated by Sheerx neglects and exacerbates a serious problem. Vituperation is the only appropriate response to racism.

The passive approach advocated by Sheerx neglects and exacerbates a serious problem. Vituperation is the only appropriate response to racism.

I agree with this. I make it known when someone tries to slip in a stereotypical joke behind someone's back that I don't approve. It made tensions between myself and an ex-roommate a little rough, because he assumed because we were both white I would support his views..

I was at a diversity workshop (long story) and one particular student was arguing long and hard that he has to "use that language" to "communicate properly" with his constituents and the like. His argument was that because the rednecks he knows speak that way, he would be alienating them by not doing it. When it was suggested he disapprove of their behavior, he blatantly refused. And this was a supposed student leader on a college campus.

Racism is dead. I have never met a racist person. I agree with you but people need to understand the difference between bigotry and racism.

You’re right it is more bigotry than it is racism.

Vituperation is the only appropriate response to racism.

I’d have to agree with you on that but vituperation would not provide any long term solutions either.

Although we’re approaching a point where it’s embarrassing to exhibit any obvious outward showings of racism, at least hopefully, it’s like you said, a more subtle almost unconscious form of racism is inherent in a large part of the country’s population.

Education would probably be the only way to fix that.

And anyone who thinks racism is dead is blind. I have been spit and slurred at from a truck on a university campus. I have been denied service at a local restaurant, with incontrovertible evidence that it was due to the color of my skin.

Are you shitting me? Is Texas really that bad? Here in Indiana, I rarely ever see any forms of racism. I'm sure it's out there, but I barely notice it anymore. This may have to do with the fact that I work in one of the most diverse law firms in the country. We have a Diversity Committee just for this sort of thing. I was forced to go to a meeting about diversity a couple of weeks ago. This law firm is so fuckin uptight.

For example, an employee that regularly visits the copy center commented that sheperd's pie was 'ghetto'. My boss (who is black) totally took it out of context and yelled at the guy to get the hell out of the copy center. The guy apologized, said he didn't mean anything derogatory by it, and promptly left. The next day I was called into the head of HR's office to give my views on what occurred the previous day. They made it into such a big deal and the dude almost got fired for it. Fuckin ridiculous. Being overly PC is just as bad as racism itself, I think.

Where I'm at in Texas, I don't really see much racism. I've heard lots of complaints and jokes about Mexicans, but many of them were coming from Mexicans...

Here is an example from one of my favorite bloggers:

Ugh. I'm still fuming about this. I host a poker game on Thursday nights and last night one of the regular players invited a new guy to the game that no one else knew. In the middle of the game, someone brought up politics (not me; I don't talk politics with most of that crew, I just play poker with them). And this new guy blurts out, "I can't believe no one has taken a shot at Obama. Can you imagine if they elect a fucking nigger as president?" I was absolutely stunned. I told him to get the hell out of my house, he wasn't welcome here. And then I got the typical answer: "Oh, I didn't mean...." Bullshit. Yes you did. You just didn't know it wasn't safe to be a racist around me. Now get the hell out of my house. This is not the first time this has happened in my life. It happened when I was in college when a co-worker said something similar. As soon as you tell them that you've got members of your own family that you love who are black, they always start to backpeddle. 'Oh, I didn't mean..." The hell you didn't. You meant exactly that, you just thought since we were both white it was okay to let your true feelings show. I've had the same thing happen with anti-gay slurs as well. Unlike most people, I don't just nod and smile when someone calls people faggot or other such slurs. While I will gladly fight for their legal right to say such things, I won't let it go unanswered and I certainly won't allow it in my house. And the reaction is the same every time.

[1]

Adrenachrome, is this not racism? Even in your definition of the word, does this scenario not epitomize racism? This is a feeling I'm sure many share. And this is a feeling they may shape the future of our country. Considering this, I can't see how anyone can claim racism is dead.

Ed responded exactly as I would have hoped, though!

[1] http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2...omfortable.php

If we're being purely semantic, the term racism covers both definitions. It may refer to someone who adheres to the doctrine that inherent differences between the races exist rendering one race superior to the others. It can also mean simple bigotry. Neither definition is wrong, and colloquially the latter is far more common. And anyone who thinks racism is dead is blind. I have been spit and slurred at from a truck on a university campus. I have been denied service at a local restaurant, with incontrovertible evidence that it was due to the color of my skin. These are not isolated instances, though these are the two most conspicuous experiences that I can recall at my university. Subtler forms of racism are so frequent that they are simply prosaic. Though racism may not be a novel concept, it is an unnecessary affliction on humanity. The passive approach advocated by Sheerx neglects and exacerbates a serious problem. Vituperation is the only appropriate response to racism.

Well yea, I have experienced similar situations aswell, I just thought that burger king full of black people took 15 minutes to make 2 whopper juniors and just completely squished them and absolutely buried them in mayonaise were just assholes, I didn't assume they thought they were better than me like you seem to do when someone is a dick to you.

Well yea, I have experienced similar situations aswell, I just thought that burger king full of black people took 15 minutes to make 2 whopper juniors and just completely squished them and absolutely buried them in mayonaise were just assholes, I didn't assume they thought they were better than me like you seem to do when someone is a dick to you.

I think you missed the part where I said I had incontrovertible evidence that this was because of my skin color. I realize that there are inept people working at such places. This was not a case of ineptitude. This was a case of blatant discrimination.

Well when I throw my drink back in the window and call them niggers it is not because I think my race is in any way better than them it is because they are the epitome of their racial stereotypes.

My whole point in this is that the word racism, just as is fascism is used much too often and by far too many that do not understand what it means.

No you cannot simply redefine it to include bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, why do'n we just let those words do their jobs.

No you cannot simply redefine it to include bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, why do'n we just let those words do their jobs.

It is not I that is redefining it. I can not redefine it. Society certainly can. However, there is no need to redefine it.

Racism:

hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

Bigotry:

stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.

In fact, according to the dictionary.com's definition, it is more appropriate to use the term racist than bigot when dealing with racial intolerance. It is you who is redefining the word.

Well when I throw my drink back in the window and call them niggers it is not because I think my race is in any way better than them it is because they are the epitome of their racial stereotypes.

Idiots? Probably. Assholes? Yes. But niggers? Did you really do that? Because there is no situation in which calling anyone by a racial slur is appropriate or justified. All that does is plant a new seed of intolerance and hatred, perpetuating the cycle.

People are just people, you should never define them or their behavior by their national origin or skin color. As a grown man, you should know better.

Idiots? Probably. Assholes? Yes. But niggers? Did you really do that? Because there is no situation in which calling anyone by a racial slur is appropriate or justified. All that does is plant a new seed of intolerance and hatred, perpetuating the cycle. People are just people, you should never define them or their behavior by their national origin or skin color. As a grown man, you should know better.

/signed

ouch@mjordan. that would totally suck. alot of people around where i live hate black people, but only due to the fact that the local aboriginal people do nothing for a living and get paid over $50,000 a year from the government, + get anything they want paid for by tax payers dollars. + for the last 6 or so months there have been over 5 cars reported stolen every week. every one knows it's them, but the authorities dont do anything about it because theyre black, and thats no joke. people are so sick of it around here that they take matters into their own hands.