When blacks and other minorities say that they cannot be racist, it is wrong; by definition. I know that what they really mean to say is that they do not have the power to oppress whites they way they (their people) have been oppressed by whites. Racism is one topic that, despite what most think, is not understood by the majority of Americans, even blacks, surprisingly enough. Racism is a doctrine or dogma where one believes that one's race is superior to the others, due to perceived supremacy explicitly outlined by things such as cultural or individual achievement. It says nothing about power and position in society. So, if we were to go by that definition, anyone who understands basic 3rd grade English would agree with me that members of all races can indeed be racists. Racism is not the same thing as racial discrimination, despite what most people think. Racism is the belief. Racial discrimination is when you treat people based on stereotypes that are unfolded from those beliefs. Social discrimination, Jim Crow and slavery are racial discriminatory practices that have been defended by invoking racism. Even some people who make use of the word "racialism" (one which i highly disagree with) say it is entirely different to racism and morons like David Duke, Jared Taylor, Pat Buchanan, Don Black and many more have declared that they are "racialists" and not racists because they believe that differences between the "races" exist. That is, indeed, the so-called "meaning" of racialism. Cut the fucking shit, okay. Racism has many definitions and one of them is the belief that there are characteristics, abilities and qualities specific to each race. If you open up a dictionary and look up the word "racialist/m" it says there "racism". It does not give you the "definition" of racialism so please, get that fucking bullcrap outta her. All of that is racism and it can be perpetuated by everyone, including black people. So all of those who claim that blacks cannot be racists, i beg to differ. Louis Farrakhan, whilst being a man that i deeply respect and honor so much, would be a racist if we were to go by the literal definitions. I feel that most people need to analyze the theory of racism before using it so as not to sound foolish whilst doing so.
But not to be naive, 99.9% of the time, when minorities say that we cannot be racists to whites, i happen to know what they intend to say, even though i do not agree with what they have actually said. What they really mean to say is that minorities cannot do the things that white people have done to non-whites whilst invoking racism. Before i go into that, let's look at the different types of racism. There is scientific racism, which is the use of science to justify and support racist beliefs, one often invoked by the right. I'm sure you have a broad knowledge of it all so i'm not even going to dissect it now. Whilst 99.9% of those who have done it have been white, blacks and minorities are fully capable of doing it. Then there is individual racial discrimination which is acting on pre-formed personal opinions about individuals based on the person's race. That, also, is done by everyone. There also is crypto racism, which is basically hidden racism, but is unintentional. Many white liberals have been accused of this one but again, anyone can do that but the majority of people who do it, since they are in the position to do so, are whites. Then there is institutional racism, one which 98% of African-Americans would agree exists. This is one where government policies, corporations and organizations make discriminatory practices that are virtually certain to have at least some effect on the life of the subordinates. Now that is the only realistic type of racism which only whites are capable of committing but sadly enough, it's the one that affects us the most. Black people cannot deny whites loans, refuse them into our schools, experiment them for research on disease, racially profiled; the list goes on. Only whites are capable of doing it since they are the only ones in position to do so. We cannot because we don't even have any real political power to oppress anyone.
There are other not-so-known forms, or at least discussed, forms of racism such as same-race racism which is prevalent in the African-American, Asian and Latino community. This is when individuals from one racial group associate behaviors and/or appearance of one racial group and compare negatively or positively with theirs. I really do not need to explain this to you guys as you know this but in the aforementioned communities, it is an unwritten rule that the lighter you are, the higher in social status you are. Lastly, there is one which is not as talked about as the others which is economic racism and that is social disparity and discrimination caused by acts of the past but still adversely affects the present generation. Again, another type of racism that only foolish people persistently deny. Based on anthropology, it has been a foregone conclusion that slavery has and continues to affect African-Americans. Whites, as well as Jews, benefitted hugely from slavery and whenever i hear a bunch of white people talk about hard work and say we ought to "work hard more", i just want to beat them so hard they'll think 5 people attacked them. What the fuck do you know about hard work? Did any of your ancestors pick cotton for years, get dragged in chains to work for basic food and no pay? Did any of your ancestors build things that they were never credited for? And you tell me hard work. Get the fuck out of her with that horse shit. Similarly, the huge genocide of Native Americans, staunchly defended by racist past presidents such as Andrew Jackson, continues to affect them today seeing as they don't even make up 5% of the population. Racism can indeed be done by everyone but the most severe forms, unfortunately, can be done only by whites and so when white people talk about how violent we are, just tell them everything i have mentioned here and see the lame ass comebacks they'd give you. That is, of course, if they have any to begin with. Tell them about the more than 4,743 lynchings that happened within 1882 and 1968. Tell them about what the Nazis did to the Jews. Tell them what the Europeans did to the Native Americans. Tell them about the police brutality that shook African-Americans with fear and still does today (Sean Bell, anyone?) And i bet they wouldn't come up with another point to make.
Now that, Injera70 and everyone else, is how racism should be looked at, as opposed to the bullshit stance 95% of Americans adopt.
artyman: