Don't Hate on the Racists

[GuidoHunter]

[Author's note: This post had a major topic shift in the middle of writing it. It was originally called "Stereotypes are Awesome", but then I kind of digressed. Haha.]

Okay, do you all remember when people would say that stereotyping groups of people was bad because (so they led all of us gullible kids to believe) it was tantamount to racism? Well, they're full of shit.

I stereotype and I'm proud of it, and, chances are, you do, too. It keeps me out of awkward situations when it comes to people I don't know. If I walk by a dark alley in the ghetto part of town and see a bunch of thuggy-dressed black guys hanging out and listening to rap music, am I going to go up to them and invite them to hang out with me because they could be as cool as any of my other friends and they deserve every chance for me to get to know them? Hell no.

What am I gonna do? I'm going to assume that they're more interested in gettin' high and doing white chicks than playing video games or something.

Now, I welcome anyone to get to know me so that I can establish a real image of them from experience, but until then, I'm going to stereotype everyone that I don't know. I don't even care if my stereotype is way off.

Stereotypes can also be confirmed by experience. I've hung out with some black people before, and found out that I much prefer not hanging out with them. It's only animal nature that like associates with like, so why should we encourage diversity so much? De facto segregation exists today because that's what people want. My school requires all students to take a "Cultural Formations" class to satisfy the "Diversity requirement". If I want to learn about another culture's history, I'd take the class myself; forced diversity is like forced desegregation. Do people really expect me to become more understanding about some culture's plight and suddenly respect them more for what hardships their ancestors went through? Hah, the people that do also support reparations for black people. They make me sick, but for other reasons.

I honestly think stereotypes get confused with racism a lot today. If someone says black people are major contributors to the decline of America, they're dubbed racists, despite the fact that their claim can be supported (Obviously, something of such a grand nature is opinion, what I'm saying is that it's not completely out of the blue). "Mexicans are ruining Texas!", "You hate immigrants.", "No, because the problem of illegal immigration is taxing on the Texas government and hinders progress." What about the asians? Nobody complains about them because they have the highest standard of living among foreigners and generally don't cause trouble. All these are stereotypes, generalizations of a large group founded on observations of a large portion of the group. Does that make anyone who believes these things a racist? No.

Racism is the prejudicial hate of anyone and everyone who belongs to a certain group because they belong to that group. I personally have no problem with racists. I hate peas. You gonna shun me for being a pea-hater? You might say "Well, you have personal experience with peas being bad, and since [effectively] all peas taste the same, you can make the generalization, but not all black people are the same." Well, I've never had asparagus, and I hate it, too. Won't touch the stuff. My ridiculous example comparing black people to asparagus is to demonstrate that I feel that if you don't like something or somebody, that's your thing, and it's not my place to tell you what you should or shouldn't opine.

Basically, racism is just stubbornness to a slight extreme. However, there are stupid people who go out and act on their beliefs. Of course, that's why bad actions are punished. This is not simply racism, this is racism + stupidity. Hate crimes are bullshit. A crime is a crime, and the motive doesn't make it any more heinous. Racism is harmless in its pure form; the actions of people is what makes it appear so bad, but it's not racism that's the problem, it's the stupidity.

I honestly don't see why people hold racism in such contempt. It's an opinion, bottom line. If you don't like it, get over it. Now, I just realized that I created a thread on a very touchy topic with some bold opinions, so I'm quite eager to hear what y'all have to say. Oh, and for the sake of my own ass, Please don't ban me, Synthlight.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[virus-maker]

You are an idiot, you cant just judge a whole race just because there are some idiots in it, really, even if its a majority of the race that acts like idiots. For example, you said that if someone says blacks are contributing to the decline of America, they are racists. Well, they are, because not every single black person in America is contributing to the decline. Yea, it may be a majority of blacks that are contributing, but the majority is not every single black person. And about the peas and asparagus, how can you hate asparagus if you never even tried it? Yea, doesnt make sense, does it. And the reason people hold racism in such contempt is because that most believe someone shouldnt be judged just because of there race or what they look like. Every person in every race has the equal ability to perform and act like
everyone else. You are really stupid, you shouldnt judge every single black person just because some of them dress like "thugs" and listen to rap. So take that into consideration if your gonna post about stereotyping and racism.

[emccky]

that was the biggest waste of my time ever.

[Chromer]

Wow. Not only had I just wasted 5 mins of my time to actually read this excuse of a post, you've also have offended me very greatly. Black people contributing to the decline of America? Give me a break. If Blacks are contrbuting to the decline of America then why is the majority,White people, so quick to try to act like us and steal our culture? And another thing, just because a few Black people choose to be ignorant and act "thuggish" doesnt mean the whole entire race of Blacks act the same way. Have you ever read JET Magazine? It covers Black News in Politics, Entertainment, Medical and Scientific matters, etc. Were not a bunch of loud music blasting, fried chicken eating ******s as many people declare us to be. Stereotypes are what is preventing us from becoming a nation of peace. And just food for thought, If I go down to the south and see a bunch of white guys wearing Confederate flags on thier shirts and giving me the evil eye, would I go over there and say hi? Hell no. That's not being racist or stereotype thats just f##cking common sense.

[GuidoHunter]

virus, you seem to have misunderstood me.

First, I didn't say that if someone says blacks are contributing to the decline of America they are racists. I said that they are dubbed as racists by the McCarthys of racism. I said that that was a completely valid opinion that can be backed up by fact, and that people who hold such opinions are labelled as racists.

People who say that aren't necessarily racist because they don't necessarily hate that group. They're stereotyping, which is what the first part of my post was about. Why do people stereotype? Because it's often a good measure of what the group as a whole (or even just a large portion of the group) will do, think, or whatever. It's like what a fellow in the Responsibility vs. Independence thread said. He was upset because society uses age as a stereotype in the form of legal ages to do things. Why do we use age as a stereotype? Because it's a good measure of responsibility in youth. Twenty-one year olds are going to be more responsible than eleven year olds when it comes to alcohol, etc. It's ridiculous to not be able to make generalizations about the majority of a group because not every single member of the group is like that.

So I have absolutely no right to hate asparagus because I haven't ever had it? Watch me. As I said before, such actions are just being "[stubborn] to a slight extreme". That's exactly my point about racism: it's a blind hatred of someone because of their race, not necessarily based on any previous experience with everyone representing that race.

Okay, so everyone spits at the idea of racism because they don't agree with the opinion. Why should racism get special treatment in the way that people can flip out and go on an anti-racism bitching spree while rational (in the way that they're neutral; I'm not saying that anti-racists are irrational) people sit by and don't bat an eye. If someone jumped up and exclaimed "I can't believe you are against feeding your child drugs! What's wrong with you?!" or something like that, that person wouldn't be met with the same apathy, when the reasons behind both comments are the same: a difference in opinion or belief.

I'm not denying that everyone in every race has the same ability to perform and act like everyone else, but until they show that to me, I'm going to stereotype before I don't form any opinion, and I don't see any harm in that.

And where did you get the idea that I judge every single black person just because some dress like thugs? I said absolutely nothing of the sort. I will assume that thuggy-looking black people act like other thuggy-looking black people that I've seen, just as I will think that high-class, well-educated black people are going to act differently than the thugs are going to act differently from the nerdy ones are going to act differently than the ones I actually know that don't act like any others, etc.

Oh, and thanks for the post, emccky.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[GuidoHunter]

Ugh, took too long with my original reply.

Regarding the "decline of America" comment: Demographically, black people lead in several negative areas such as out of wedlock birth rate, violent crime rate, welfare collections, etc. What I was saying is that if someone thinks that those things are major contributors to America's decline, then they have some basis behind holding the opinion that black people are heavily contributing to the decline.

Anyway, I'm not suggesting that every black person fits into some negative stereotype. I know there are many great black people in the world; I know some of them. That really wasn't any point of mine.

If you came down to the South and met some fellows that you described, it would be common sense to avoid them, and you would be stereotyping them by assuming that Confederate-flag-wearing, evil-eye-giving Southerners are not going to be too friendly to black people.

Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention in my previous post:
virus, your comments have made me raise the sixty-four thousand dollar question: WHY shouldn't you judge others like you judge the group to which they belong? WHY can't you judge a whole race just because there are some idiots in it? What's wrong with it? I realize it's being closed-minded (especially if you don't welcome anyone to try to set themselves apart from the stereotype), but I still don't see what harm it causes. That, of course, bars illegal actions based on racist principles because that IS a different matter.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[DracIV]

I know it is stupid to reply like this, but I will.

The reason racism is considered so negative is that the emotions are extreme and the stereotype group is too big! People are totally fine if you assume thuggy-looking black people are dangerous, as well as assuming confederate-flag-wearing Southerners are dangerous. I think, that the TRUE reason people believe racism is wrong is because you are sticking the high-class-well-educated blacks with the thuggy-looking blacks, and the rich/not-bad hate being stuck with the poor/bad. There are an insane amount of stereotypes in society, but people act on racism, which is BAD, and the fact that hate is generally considered a negative doesn't help.

Now, it's not like I believe racism is okay, but that's how it is. The reason people say racism is so wrong is because you stick the people they hate alongside them (except in the rare case where they are a totally clear-minded person with no bias in any direction who can make fair assesments of all people on sight and knows the fallacy and truth behind those beliefs).

[Omeganitros]

I think the word I'm looking for is Anti-Racism or something like that. I think that's what I hate.

When Halle Berry won an Oscar(or was at an Academy Award?), the announcer guys were all like "OMG THIS IS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO WIN AN OSCAR SINCE 1971(or something like that)" And quite frankly, that pissed the HELL out of me. I couldn't stand that they actually pointed that out. I became extremely offended.

But anyways, GG Guido. You make some great points there, I have nothing against them.

[The_Q]

There's a difference between toleration and support. You crossed the line. Although most of the arguement is based on good economics, I have to point of several things. Many of which are your examples, which don't follow cost benefit analysis properly. ("Texans are being taxed due to Mexican immigrants" The taxes DO go back to them. It evens out. It's a fact.)

The main problem with racism is the loss of opprotunity. Not necessarily to the victim, but the racist himself suffers just as much. No trade or sharing of ideas can go on if there is prejudice. If you judge a whole race like this, you lose an entire race of sharing and trading. How much money is that? I don't know.

This is also why reparation doesn't work. 1, you're taxing someone ELSE for your ANCESTOR'S problem. 2. The "victims" would have to pay it right on back for the loss of opprotunity on both sides. It's also why I tolerate racists, because if I didn't I'd miss out on many many people.

Also, Asians DON'T have the best standard of living. We do. We live in huge homes with a generational growth rate of 1.5% (corrected for inflation) and eat decent food, drink clean water, and say we hate racism and stereotypes. What moral high ground! (I'll save that stuff for later. "Why I'm not an Environmentalist.") Asians also don't come in mass to the country illegally. It'd be hard and expensive. Most a upper class and contribute quite a bit to society.

Why not complain about the illegal aliens? We lose jobs to them, that's why! Robots put thousands of workers out of jobs...THANK GOD. The poor jobs weren't worth it. Now someone else is doing it (for better pay than before) and also making the prices in their homeland better by making workers at a smaller supply. Our workers move up to better jobs.

I rambled again. Want more questions answered? I know I forgot some, I just want specific questions.

Q

[CypherToorima]

Our workers move up to better jobs.



Q

eh...well...as far as I know, the reason people are angry is that our workers don't move up to better jobs. They losetheir jobs.

[DracIV]

Actually, asians do immigrate illegal and in mass from Canada- they come across on extremely overloaded boats.

[GuidoHunter]

There's a difference between toleration and support. You crossed the line. Although most of the arguement is based on good economics, I have to point of several things. Many of which are your examples, which don't follow cost benefit analysis properly. ("Texans are being taxed due to Mexican immigrants" The taxes DO go back to them. It evens out. It's a fact.)

I said "TEXAS IS taxed", not "Texans are taxed", meaning that some of the government's resources need to be devoted to other things (they are being taxed) because of the problem of illegal immigration.

I presume you're white due to your post. Regarding the asians, I was saying that they have the highest standard of living among other races, which would not include us crackers.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[Tank101]

To be honest, I agree with guido.
I've only seen one african-american in my school that doesn't make trouble all the time. That's all. Everyone else gets detention basically every day. I'm not sure about other people's schools, but I grew up around african american trouble makers. And getting banned for an open opinion is not cool at all no matter how wrong anyone thinks the opinion is.

[CalibreneGuru]

White people can be African-American, yes it's true. Why do you call them African-American, when everyone calls caucasions "White"? That's what I am wondering.

[CalibreneGuru]

Edit: Double Post