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Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 12:39 pm
I am using race as a social construct. I'm aware that biologically there's no evidence for "races", but I'm warning people beforehand to avoid comments like "race doesn't exist". When I talk about race, I mean physical and cultural features we link to specific groups of people
I am curious, what drives some people to be racist against their own race? This isn't as rare as I thought. My girlfriend has gipsy ancestry, which basically means she looks white with slight Indian-like traits. She hates her ancestry, she really does, she is racist against gipsy people and denies that she has such ancestry. It's not rare for her to suggest a stereotype such as "Gypsies live on welfare and are criminals" is true. I don't really make a big deal about this, as people have the right to be racist against anyone and it doesn't impact me that she thinks half of her biological family (she's adopted) are a bunch of low class morons.
But it bothers me somehow - If I found out I had ancestry from 'x' ethnic group, I wouldn't care much, but I wouldn't simply say that group sucks because I would automatically self-label myself due to me being a part of that group.
Another example - A colleague in university is black, and he once said "Whenever I see a black man at night, I cross the street right away".
Why do people do this?
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you
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RE: Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 2:19 pm
Is it like that thing...
I wouldn't want to be a part of any group that would have me as a member.
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RE: Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 2:23 pm
(February 8, 2015 at 12:39 pm)Dystopia Wrote: I am using race as a social construct. I'm aware that biologically there's no evidence for "races", but I'm warning people beforehand to avoid comments like "race doesn't exist". When I talk about race, I mean physical and cultural features we link to specific groups of people
I am curious, what drives some people to be racist against their own race? This isn't as rare as I thought. My girlfriend has gipsy ancestry, which basically means she looks white with slight Indian-like traits. She hates her ancestry, she really does, she is racist against gipsy people and denies that she has such ancestry. It's not rare for her to suggest a stereotype such as "Gypsies live on welfare and are criminals" is true. I don't really make a big deal about this, as people have the right to be racist against anyone and it doesn't impact me that she thinks half of her biological family (she's adopted) are a bunch of low class morons.
But it bothers me somehow - If I found out I had ancestry from 'x' ethnic group, I wouldn't care much, but I wouldn't simply say that group sucks because I would automatically self-label myself due to me being a part of that group.
Another example - A colleague in university is black, and he once said "Whenever I see a black man at night, I cross the street right away".
Why do people do this?
Reverend Jackson made the cross the street remark too. I figure a stint in a re-education center and he will be fine.
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.
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RE: Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 3:08 pm
I think that it is because they have absorbed the negative messages that society has taught them. It is probably feels safer to belong to the group with the most power than to be part of a population that experiences prejudice.
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RE: Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 4:17 pm
(This post was last modified: February 8, 2015 at 4:18 pm by Pizza.)
I know I have mixed feelings about being half-Mexican since I've grown up around racists in my family (my mother's side(white) since my dad(Mexican) left when I was young and don't know my dad's side) and peers. Now racism doesn't have to be rednecks lynching people. Racism is often passive-aggressive in polite society like making comments about Mexicans that have a negative emotive connotation.
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RE: Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 4:24 pm
Supposedly, Michael Jackson (for instance) had the nose surgery because his siblings teased him about his as a child. Is the basis for his decision simply childhood taunts, or do those taunts reflect perceived ethnic stereotypes his siblings were buying in to , and by default, Michael too ?
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.
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RE: Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 4:29 pm
I am not my ancestors. Call me a wasp, a whitey, a cracker, a dego, a wop, a ukrop, a commie or anything you like. So what! sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never harm me. The first step in eliminating racism would be on the part of the receiver to just blow it off.
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RE: Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 5:02 pm
(This post was last modified: February 8, 2015 at 5:03 pm by Alex K.)
I've met fellow Germans who claimed that we in particular have those Nazi like tendencies in our genes or something.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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RE: Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 5:06 pm
Btw, Alex, I heard that many people in Germany are ashamed to sing their national anthem because of its connotations with fascism. Is it true or was it a bunch of boloney?
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RE: Self-racism?
February 8, 2015 at 5:11 pm
I don't think Germans can't be patriotic because of Nazism. It's perfectly valid - It's your anthem, just sing it.
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you
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