(September 1, 2017 at 1:54 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: ... even as someone educated as you seem to be surely would know the history of these particular racist tropes -- and yet you would argue that sometimes a banana is just a banana in this instance?

(September 1, 2017 at 3:14 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: And then you accuse us of bigotry because we haven't got a clue what you are talking about.

You levelled this at me yesterday, and I'm still wondering where I called you a bigot.

(September 1, 2017 at 3:14 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: You are no different people who say that certain biological features are obvious signs of intelligent design. Well gee whiz, they looked for subtle signs of design and glory be they found it! Maybe it was never there, dipshits, it just looks to you like design...I mean racism.

Of course when you shear context off of any event you can make any number of irrelevant comparisons in an attempt to smear what you cannot rebut.

Color me unimpressed. You're still refusing to think that any opinion other than your own has any validity.

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(September 1, 2017 at 4:50 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote:

(September 1, 2017 at 1:54 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: ... even as someone educated as you seem to be surely would know the history of these particular racist tropes -- and yet you would argue that sometimes a banana is just a banana in this instance?

Of course when you strip the event of context as you did in your OP, it's just a banana. But the willful refusal to understand why others see it differently marks you as someone who has a lot of book-smarts but precious little in the way of people smarts.

(September 1, 2017 at 5:14 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: Color me unimpressed. You're still refusing to think that any opinion other than your own has any validity.

Untrue. I think there can be a variety of opinions about the meaning of any given symbol. The racist message could be a valid interpretation, and might even be the correct one, but the means of expression was so vague and ambiguous that we cannot even say with certainty that it was a message at all, much less have any definitive interpretation. You are the one insisting that there is only one possible interpretation whereas I am saying that out of a field of many possible highly speculative interpretations they chose the most threatening one. Then based on their threatening interpretation of an obscure symbol that might not even have been a symbol they radically changed their plans. The way I see it, the students really aren't to blame for their overreaction to the real-life equivalent of Bevis and Butthead. That's what we've come to expect from college-age adults because leftists have spent years telling children ghost stories about racism and now they lie awake all night in fear of KKK boogeymen. That's the real context.

I'm not denying that there are racially motivated violent criminals. There are. Are their neo-Nazi's? Of course. Are they an existential threat to the USA? Hardly. They are marginalized fringe groups with zero influence. The only power they will ever have will be from paying them any attention and letting them distract us from real threats.

(September 1, 2017 at 6:02 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: Untrue. I think there can be a variety of opinions about the meaning of any given symbol. The racist message could be a valid interpretation, and might even be the correct one, but the means of expression was so vague and ambiguous that we cannot even say with certainty that it was a message at all, much less have any definitive interpretation. You are the one insisting that there is only one possible interpretation whereas I am saying that out of a field of many possible highly speculative interpretations they chose the most threatening one.

No, what I'm saying is that their reaction is understandable based on what their experiences are as black people in America subject to a fresh wave of bigotry; and I'm saying that your own ideas such as "it might have been a racoon" or what-have-you are just as vapid as the guy's explanation that there wasn't a trashcan nearby when it is obvious there was a building that damned close.

I'm not insisting there's only one possible interpretation, but I am saying that one explanation is a hell of a lot more likely than the explanations that have been bruited. And yours, especially, ring hollow when they follow your own OP wherein you strip the context off of their reactions for the purpose of ridiculing those reactions. To my mind that does call into question your motive. I'm also saying that your interpretation carries less weight than theirs, given that you don't suffer this sort of harassment.

(September 1, 2017 at 6:02 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: Then based on their threatening interpretation of an obscure symbol that might not even have been a symbol they radically changed their plans. The way I see it, the students really aren't to blame for their overreaction to the real-life equivalent of Bevis and Butthead. That's what we've come to expect from college-age adults because leftists have spent years telling children ghost stories about racism and now they lie awake all night in fear of KKK boogeymen.  That's the real context.

I don't disagree that they may have overreacted. As I said earlier, I don't think I would have made the decision to cancel. Then again, I'm a pugnacious little cunt and don't mind duking it out with people who get in my grill.

Speaking as a man who has had to have The Conversation with his son about dealing with racism in America, I can tell you I didn't need to appeal to "ghost stories" to make my points. All I had to do is point to headlines. The fact that you regard them as "ghost stories" is interesting, though; it makes me wonder how much you really understand about racism in America.

(September 1, 2017 at 6:02 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: I'm not denying that there are racially motivated violent criminals. There are. Are their neo-Nazi's? Of course. Are they an existential threat to the USA? Hardly. They are marginalized fringe groups with zero influence. The only power they will ever have will be from paying them any attention and letting them distract us from real threats.

I dunno, how much did "ignore it and it'll go away" work with Jim Crow? How much did it work in Wiemar Germany? While they may be marginalized, saying they have "zero influence" is politically naive at best in this age of Trumpism ... or actively counterproductive at worst.

Ignoring racists never works . It only proves they can away with shit without consequence . Look at how they responded to trumps limp wristed "many sides "  nonsense .  The only solution is to drag these losers into the public eye cut through the ambiguity bullshit and shame them .

That what reduced the KKK for this



to this

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And once again Wooters tries Ambiguity . Mudding the waters bullshit.

(September 1, 2017 at 6:02 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote:

(September 1, 2017 at 5:14 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: Color me unimpressed. You're still refusing to think that any opinion other than your own has any validity.

Untrue. I think there can be a variety of opinions about the meaning of any given symbol. The racist message could be a valid interpretation, and might even be the correct one, but the means of expression was so vague and ambiguous that we cannot even say with certainty that it was a message at all, much less have any definitive interpretation. You are the one insisting that there is only one possible interpretation whereas I am saying that out of a field of many possible highly speculative interpretations they chose the most threatening one. Then based on their threatening interpretation of an obscure symbol that might not even have been a symbol they radically changed their plans. The way I see it, the students really aren't to blame for their overreaction to the real-life equivalent of Bevis and Butthead. That's what we've come to expect from college-age adults because leftists have spent years telling children ghost stories about racism and now they lie awake all night in fear of KKK boogeymen.  That's the real context.

I'm not denying that there are racially motivated violent criminals. There are. Are their neo-Nazi's? Of course. Are they an existential threat to the USA? Hardly. They are marginalized fringe groups with zero influence. The only power they will ever have will be from paying them any attention and letting them distract us from real threats.

Perhaps the real threat is "good" folks such as yourself who are all too happy to turn a blind eye, or go out of their way to create elaborate excuses in the face of any wrongdoing/injustice that doesn't stand to fuck with their own personal bottom line. You chronically dismissive types make it that much easier for the violent fuckwads of the world to do their dirt.

My guess, Wooters, is that you secretly feel as though these fellows are actually "livin' the dream"; Doing what you'd do if you had a few less years under your belt....and more balls.

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Charitably to bigots . Only benefits the bigots . And always at civilizations expense .

Quote:That's what we've come to expect from college-age adults because leftists have spent years telling children ghost stories about racism and now they lie awake all night in fear of KKK boogeymen.  That's the real context.

Nope it's just that people have woken up to the reality we face . While people like you sleep blissfully . Snoring and mumbling "the racists are not threat " "it might have been a raccoon "

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Quote:You are no different people who say that certain biological features are obvious signs of intelligent design. Well gee whiz, they looked for subtle signs of design and glory be they found it! Maybe it was never there, dipshits, it just looks to you like design...I mean racism.

Such a retarded comparison I don't know where to start. Get off the Scott Walker.

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Yup sometimes a an attempt at racist intimidation is just that . No matter the ridiculous excuses apathetic and cowardly make up.

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Every evil regime started out as powerless group . The job of any good citizen is to keep it that way . Not say there no threat let's just ignore them . These people do have power . And they seek more power.

(September 1, 2017 at 6:02 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote:

(September 1, 2017 at 5:14 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: Color me unimpressed. You're still refusing to think that any opinion other than your own has any validity.

Untrue. I think there can be a variety of opinions about the meaning of any given symbol. The racist message could be a valid interpretation, and might even be the correct one, but the means of expression was so vague and ambiguous that we cannot even say with certainty that it was a message at all, much less have any definitive interpretation. You are the one insisting that there is only one possible interpretation whereas I am saying that out of a field of many possible highly speculative interpretations they chose the most threatening one. Then based on their threatening interpretation of an obscure symbol that might not even have been a symbol they radically changed their plans. The way I see it, the students really aren't to blame for their overreaction to the real-life equivalent of Bevis and Butthead. That's what we've come to expect from college-age adults because leftists have spent years telling children ghost stories about racism and now they lie awake all night in fear of KKK boogeymen. That's the real context.

I'm not denying that there are racially motivated violent criminals. There are. Are their neo-Nazi's? Of course. Are they an existential threat to the USA? Hardly. They are marginalized fringe groups with zero influence. The only power they will ever have will be from paying them any attention and letting them distract us from real threats.

That is not even close to what the article said happened.
Due to what might have been a threatening message, doesnt even matter in the end if it was or not, there was a discussion.
The discussion was abou race, tension, how images are percieved, etc. It was not all about the frigging banana peel, but about how they feel, in general, as black students.
The discussion got emotional, and they eventually decided to leave.

The banana perl triggered a discussion about racial threats and tension and feelings. The discussion, which became very emotional for many students, not just the black ones the article states, was the impetus of the leaving, not the banana peel alone, or even the prior incident involving banana lynching effigies.

It's not even a small difference. It's like you keep intentionally misrepresenting the whole story to make it look more absurd than it really is.

As to your last comment, get your head out of the freaking sand. That is, 100%, a white privilaged thing to say. You who want muslims out for the small percent who are violent, think neo nazis arent a threat when they literally killed an innocent protester one week ago. Do you eat irony for breakfast, to be so full of it?

(September 2, 2017 at 3:43 pm)Aroura Wrote: You who want muslims out for the small percent who are violent, think neo nazis arent a threat when they literally killed an innocent protester one week ago. Do you eat irony for breakfast, to be so full of it?

Perhaps the most cogent post in this thread. Brevity is indeed the hallmark of wit.