Let us discuss Race and Racism in our world

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Very rarely do I discuss or debate racism. Not because its some taboo topic but I am often discussing medicine than anything. However after looking at one particular thread I did notice several individuals were discussig race. It interests me to want to discuss this subject to and see the variety of people and their opinions.

As far as the subject is concerned, do I believe it exist? Sure. I was very disturbed about the recent jump rope president Obama had to endure regardin his status as a citizen. Now I personally believe that because he is black, I believe certain groups want to intentionally alienate him however this is perhaps an over exaggeration on my part.

I do know in hospitals (not medicine) race does play a part. In medicine we are taught to remain objective and to just treat the problem but I have noticed how certain races are treated differently.

But I am curious on what others think about this issue. Not too many people talk about it but I would like to.

 

[Oneatatime]

It goes both ways. A person can be favoured or disciminated against soley on the basis of characteristics which are arguably irrelevent to the position they are being chosen for. It is also true in my experience that people can percieve discimination where it doesn't really exist. I've often had to listen to someone say that the reason they can't get their way is because they are old, or even because they aren't a member of a group which they believe get special attention such a homosexuals or ethnic minorities. This isn't the case but they aren't interested in hearing this and instead prefer to see themselves as the victim.

On the topic of race don't different racial groups respond differently to some treatments or have a predisposition towards certain diseases? There is sometimes good reasons to treat peoples disease differently on the basis of race but its important not to treat them differently as a person on the basis of race. I imagine it can be difficult at times making this distinction clear, especially when the patient is predisped through prior experience to expect discimination because of race.

 

[*Anne*]

But I am curious on what others think about this issue.

Do I think it exists? Yes, sadly. I see it within my own social circle, and it distresses me.

I also think it can be a knee-jerk reaction, where there are cries of racism when race has absolutely nothing to do with the issue. That distresses me as well.

My hope is that this will get better with each successive generation.

 

[Skwim]

As far as the subject is concerned, do I believe it exist? Sure. I was very disturbed about the recent jump rope president Obama had to endure regardin his status as a citizen. Now I personally believe that because he is black,

Why not "mulatto," or is it a matter of any black ancestry = Black! Or perhaps you've simply never heard of the term!

 

[Hijabihippie]

Well, there is the historic "one drop" rule, i. e. one drop of black blood made you black.
Obama is what he says he is. That's his call to make. He doesn't call himself "mulatto" which has fallen out of use because it is a blend of offensive & impossible to define.

 

[Skwim]

Well, there is the historic "one drop" rule, i. e. one drop of black blood made you black.
Obama is what he says he is. That's his call to make. He doesn't call himself "mulatto" which has fallen out of use because it is a blend of offensive & impossible to define.

Gee, I don't know. Others don't seem to have any difficulty defining it, and none of them list it as an offensive word. Moreover, when it comes to Obama the definitions in red (my emphasis) seems particularly apt.

mu·lat·to (m

-l

t

, -lä

t

, my

-)n. pl. mu·lat·tos or mu·lat·toes

1. A person having one white and one Black parent. See Usage Note at octoroon.

2. A person of mixed white and Black ancestry.
(source: thefreedictionary.com)

________________________________________________________________


Definition of MULATTO

1
: the first-generation offspring of a black person and a white person

2
: a person of mixed white and black ancestry
(Source: Merriam-Webster)

________________________________________________________________

mu·lat·to   

[muh-lat-oh, -lah-toh, myoo-]

–noun, plural mu·lat·toes, mu·lat·tos.

1. the offspring of one white parent and one black parent: not in technical use.

2. a person whose ancestry is a mixture of Negro and Caucasian.
(source: dictionary.com)




​

 

[painted wolf]

Very rarely do I discuss or debate racism. Not because its some taboo topic but I am often discussing medicine than anything. However after looking at one particular thread I did notice several individuals were discussig race. It interests me to want to discuss this subject to and see the variety of people and their opinions.

As far as the subject is concerned, do I believe it exist? Sure. I was very disturbed about the recent jump rope president Obama had to endure regardin his status as a citizen. Now I personally believe that because he is black, I believe certain groups want to intentionally alienate him however this is perhaps an over exaggeration on my part.

I do know in hospitals (not medicine) race does play a part. In medicine we are taught to remain objective and to just treat the problem but I have noticed how certain races are treated differently.

But I am curious on what others think about this issue. Not too many people talk about it but I would like to.

As a biologist I know that race is an unsupportable concept. Human are simply not that genetically diverse.

However, I also know that race is a cultural issue and one that still holds power, indeed I'm not "color blind", I live in a culture where race is an issue that needs to be dealt with. I work toward dealing with my biases (subconscious or otherwise) and hopefully understanding and overcoming them.

Btw... medically it isn't "race" that is important but "haplogroup" and ethnicity. But it is easier, due to cultural norms, to use the term race, even if it is imprecise and confusing.

wa:do

 

[Skwim]

Skwim, Mulatto is starting to be considered an offensive term because the word root comes from "mule." Multi-racial is now the accepted term.

From what I've read, it probably does derive from "mule"; however, I doubt that those who find it offensive do so because of its likely origin. As the piece in Wikipedia points out, "Some reject the term because of its association with slavery and colonial and racial oppression."

 

[Flankerl]

So if some people are "black" and some are "white" are the chinese "yellow"?


Its so stupid to order people by colour or non-colour as with "black".

 

[Vendetta]

I agree entirely with what painted wolf said. The concept of race is illogical. All humans share the same ancestor are the same genetically and all have the same biological makeup "heart, brain etc" but as painted wolf say the term exists. No offense to my Caucasian friends but the term race was developed by the Anglo culture, and perpetrated by Anglo culture. Unfortunately for those cultures who have become victimized in it, has thus become the antagonist when it comes to race, which is symptomatic to what they endured.

However in the professional and private world what you are ethnically still matters. Look at Obama, highest office in the world and they want to look at his placenta. Ridiculous

 

[Revoltingest]

As a biologist I know that race is an unsupportable concept. Human are simply not that genetically diverse.
However, I also know that race is a cultural issue and one that still holds power, indeed I'm not "color blind", I live in a culture where race is an issue that needs to be dealt with. I work toward dealing with my biases (subconscious or otherwise) and hopefully understanding and overcoming them.
Btw... medically it isn't "race" that is important but "haplogroup" and ethnicity. But it is easier, due to cultural norms, to use the term race, even if it is imprecise and confusing.

Yer problem is that you know too much stuff.....even simple things become overly complicated.
We all know what race is.....all them white folk, black folk, Chinamen & in-betweens.
(Hispanics might think they're a race, but they're wrong. They gots to fit into one of the other groups.)
It ain't much about biology, just people looking a certain way, & to some extent, acting in a way.
Get rid of some of that book lern'n....you'll be happier.

 

[painted wolf]

Yer problem is that you know too much stuff.....even simple things become overly complicated.
We all know what race is.....all them white folk, black folk, Chinamen & in-betweens.
(Hispanics might think they're a race, but they're wrong. They gots to fit into one of the other groups.)
It ain't much about biology, just people looking a certain way, & to some extent, acting in a way.
Get rid of some of that book lern'n....you'll be happier.

Awe man... my learn'ns. :sad:

wa:do

 

[darkendless]

Very rarely do I discuss or debate racism. Not because its some taboo topic but I am often discussing medicine than anything. However after looking at one particular thread I did notice several individuals were discussig race. It interests me to want to discuss this subject to and see the variety of people and their opinions.

As far as the subject is concerned, do I believe it exist? Sure. I was very disturbed about the recent jump rope president Obama had to endure regardin his status as a citizen. Now I personally believe that because he is black, I believe certain groups want to intentionally alienate him however this is perhaps an over exaggeration on my part.

I do know in hospitals (not medicine) race does play a part. In medicine we are taught to remain objective and to just treat the problem but I have noticed how certain races are treated differently.

But I am curious on what others think about this issue. Not too many people talk about it but I would like to.

My definition of racism = when a person of european background criticises someone who is not european.

 

[darkendless]

That's an awful definition. Anyone can be racist.

Oh I know but from experience its only when white people say something controversial that they're racist.

To provide an example:

A maori politician in New Zealand called white New Zealanders "White motherf- you know the rest" and wasn't even asked to apologise. If A white politician replaced white with black.... well you know what would happen.
In the USA black people often call white guys crackers etc. but if a white guy called them a N word..... well you know what would happen.

Racism is not balanced in this world. Hence why I feel racism is only an issue when the white man is considered racist.

 

[darkendless]

Both people would be racist. What you're talking about is double standards.

Yes thats the point. In Australia and New Zealand, perhaps the USA (not really in a position to make a point since I do not live there) there are double standards.

In general I find it to be true as well. On this forum non-white people (specifically talking about midle east politics and conflict) call the west and westerners all sorts. When we even slightly refer to the middle east negatively we're racist. Do you see the point i'm trying to make? Double standards are everywhere.

 

[painted wolf]

Just so you know, "cracker" isn't really used outside of 70's TV/movies.

wa:do

 

[darkendless]

Just so you know, "cracker" isn't really used outside of 70's TV/movies.

wa:do

Like I said, as a non-American i'm not really in a position make a point about America

 

[Rakhel]

Just so you know, "cracker" isn't really used outside of 70's TV/movies.

wa:do

You should come to New York.

 

[Rakhel]

Something my mother taught me a loooong time ago, that I have tried to instill in my own children.

"If I don't like you, it is not because of what color you are. It is because I just don't like you."

Our most recent school chancellor, who just lost her job, ran into a few problems when she said and did a few things(she only held the job for three months).
At one point she was quoted as saying about lower Manhattan, "Could we just have some birth control for a while? It would really help us."
Now who took offense to this? Black parents.
Ms. Black tried closing schools due poor performs. Again, who took offense? Black parents.
She never once singled out black families or school children. But those were the ones that took offense.

When I was in High school. A prominent black basketball player went on the defensive when, after destroying the locker room of a school they were playing against, he was accused of destruction of property. He claimed the only reason he was being accused was because he was black. There was a massive teachers meeting about this whole incident. They knew he did it, the players knew he did it, we all knew he did it, he even bragged about doing it(behind teachers backs, of course). But because he claimed racism, they only thing they could do to him was suspend him from the team for all of 2 games.

I have been told I was not black enough to live in a certain neighborhood, and I have a friend that was told her teenage sons were too black to live in another.
I have sat and listened to white people exude racist remarks about as often as I have sat and listened to black people exude racist remarks.
I have to agree with darkendless. It is only racist when the white European says something about the non-white European

 

[Kathryn]

Very rarely do I discuss or debate racism. Not because its some taboo topic but I am often discussing medicine than anything. However after looking at one particular thread I did notice several individuals were discussig race. It interests me to want to discuss this subject to and see the variety of people and their opinions.

As far as the subject is concerned, do I believe it exist? Sure. I was very disturbed about the recent jump rope president Obama had to endure regardin his status as a citizen. Now I personally believe that because he is black, I believe certain groups want to intentionally alienate him however this is perhaps an over exaggeration on my part.

I do know in hospitals (not medicine) race does play a part. In medicine we are taught to remain objective and to just treat the problem but I have noticed how certain races are treated differently.

But I am curious on what others think about this issue. Not too many people talk about it but I would like to.

Well, for starters, I think it hawks back to Jim Crow to call Obama "black." He is of mixed racial heritage - half "black" and half "white." One would be just as accurate to call him "white" as one is to call him "black."

My children are biracial and their children, I guess back in the day would be called "quadroons." (Which is, of course, a ridiculous designation.)

However, my kids do not identify with what many would consider African American culture. They don't date or marry African Americans, though it's not for lack of trying - as they get deeper into those relationships, they realize that simply don't relate well. It's not due to lack of attraction, but rather lack of sustainability.

I know that they do not prefer to be classified as "black," even though they share the same basic racial background as Obama.

But maybe it's just not as politically advantageous to them to label themselves as "black."

Just an aside note - rarely do others classify them as "black" either. They identify themselves as biracial, as do most other people. They are proud of their heritage.