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Also, Mr Payne, I would prefer if you'd abandon your method of passive approval of many things discriminatory and just be forthright.
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I am being forthright.</p>
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For example, you said that certain things happen more in Hispanic communities than White American communities, and that's how stereotypes are born. Are you saying that since various tendencies exist, it's okay for a privileged group to demean and humiliate a weaker minority?
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No, I'm saying it's possible to make fun of things that are funny. I don't care if Asians make fun of Whites because Whites have a higher crime rate. I don't have a problem with making fun of observable facts. I mean, why the hell not.......if it's true.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If so, then just come out and say it. But please, enough with this "hey, that's the way it is" crap.
<p>"The U.S. doesn't have serious race problems? Since when? Of all the industrialized countries, the U.S. is the one with the most serious racial baggage. Name one country with such a painful and ugly past. And Europe doesn't have a racial problem as much as a religious problem. And Asian countries are generally very racist, but they're so homogeneous that it doesn't matter that much... yet."</p>
<p>If you talk to most people from other countries, they are suprised at how ethnically diffferent American society is in relation their rather homogeneous populations. While racism is going to exist almost everywhere, we can only do so much as a society to prevent it. Our constitution makes absolutely sure that no one is ever discriminated against due to race or religion, we allow affirmative action to help less advantaged minorities, and we have many minority politicians and Governmental organizations that go out of their way to represent the rights of minorities. You asked for other countries with worse racial problems than the U.S., so I'll give you a few extreme examples: Iraq, Iran, South Africa, most Asian countries, Russia, Turkey, France, and several others.</p>
<p>Well I come from a country with great diversity and I've always been surprised about the degree of segregation in the US, as late as the '50s. Discrimination exists here too but it has never been violent or accepted. </p>
<p>"Our constitution makes absolutely sure that no one is ever discriminated against due to race or religion"</p>
<p>Does it? It's just paper; it’s people who make the constitution work. The Constitution has no power to enforce itself; no force to make people act according to it.</p>
<p>"The Constitution has no power to enforce itself; no force to make people act according to it."</p>
<p>Excuse me? You get sued like crazy in the U.S. for discriminating based on race, sex, or religion. There is most definitely a way to enforce the constitution. </p>
<p>As far as segregation is concerned, what are you talking about? There is no enforced segregation as far as I am aware. </p>
<p>Kyo7, which country are you from? I'm guessing a fairly homogeneous country.</p>
<p>Now you are saying that the Constitution is being enforced by the people and that's correct. But just because there is a constitution, there won't be an enforcement of it; so it's not the Constitution what prevents discrimination. Wasn't there a constitution already, claiming that "all men are born equal" in the times of slavery? Paper can't do anything by itself.</p>
<p>I commented about segregation as late as the '50s, not now. If one day you can't use the same bathrooms or attend the same school that the majority does, your social rights won't be solved by the next day.</p>
<p>I'm from Argentina. Check Argentina in Wikipedia and go to Demographics section.</p>
<p>No you're not. What's your position then? That it's okay for Goliath to whale on David because you're in a position of privilege that makes you relatively immune? Let me guess, you're a die-hard Yankees fan.</p>
<p>
[quote]
No, I'm saying it's possible to make fun of things that are funny. I don't care if Asians make fun of Whites because Whites have a higher crime rate. I don't have a problem with making fun of observable facts. I mean, why the hell not.......if it's true.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If your sense of humour is finely tuned to the low conditions of poor people, then you're beyond help.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you talk to most people from other countries, they are suprised at how ethnically diffferent American society is in relation their rather homogeneous populations.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>While that's true, the country is still very much racist. Look at the political divides: it's not so much North vs. South as it is Urban vs. Rural, which has big racial implications. There are very few fully integrated areas of the U.S., and when there's about to be one, one racial group usually flees (I think it tends to be Whites as they have the means to pick up and leave). I think it's very hypocritical for Whites to preach a message of cultural assimilation to minorities, whom they usually treat unequally, but then tuck tail and run once too many Asians or Hispanics (like in California) move in.</p>
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[quote]
Iraq, Iran, South Africa, most Asian countries, Russia, Turkey, France, and several others.
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</p>
<p>Many of those countries have religious, not racial, problems.</p>
<p>My daughter's sorority recently had an exchange where their costume theme was "frumpy mom." Hmmmmn should I be outraged and offended, or should I see the pictures of what they wore and recognize a little of myself and my friends in them? Should I have a sense of humor, or be an intolerent b----? Virtually any race, and any culture can be lampooned. Everyone needs to lighten up and learn to laugh at their own expense sometimes.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Our constitution makes absolutely sure that no one is ever discriminated against due to race or religion, we allow affirmative action to help less advantaged minorities, and we have many minority politicians and Governmental organizations that go out of their way to represent the rights of minorities.
<p>"Some people get tired of being laughed at ALL the time."</p>
<p>Being tolerant has to work for everyone, or it works for no one. The same thing goes for equality. The only form of equality that works IS equality. As for being tired of being laughed at ALL the time, no one gets laughed at and ridiculed more than the parents of teenagers. Grin and bear it.</p>
<p>I really don't understand why people don't think that our laws are enforced. The U.S. is not in anarchy, and I assure you that it is easier to get into college or get a job if you are of an under-represented minority.</p>
<p>Rant away, I certainly would never deny you your freedom of speech. As for me I don't discriminate against anyone, and do my level best to treat every person I come into contact with an equal level of courtesy and consideration. As I said we must all tolerate each other equally. We must also have a sense of humor.</p>
<p>How typical. You want minorities to share an "equal" burden of negativity, but are much less concerned about an equal representation of positivity. </p>
<p>Think of each racial group as a wall. The White wall is occasionally smeared a little with graffiti, but as soon as it happens, people from the H&G Network are called into to restore it to pristine shape, and make it even better. The walls of minorities, however, are bombarded daily with garbage, ****, spit, and industrial chemicals, yet the only clean-up job is a half-assed whitewasher who doesn't even complete 1/4 of the work. That's your equality?</p>
<p>I don't know about them other coloured folk but I praise the infinite mercy of the white man every for every piece of freedom they give me.</p>
<p>Yep, the white man's infinite wisdom has allowed me to attend their high quality educational institutes and for that, they can denigrate my culture all they want.</p>
<p>The polarizing and negative rhetoric is what is harmful. Instead of ranting on here what are you doing inside your community? How do you treat others? Do you possess a sense of humor? Change starts with each individual. You can choose to divide with anger and negativity or unite by being a kind and decent individual every day. As I stated before, my equality is treating every person I come into contact with an equal level of courtesy and consideration. Equality IS equality, nothing more and nothing less.</p>
<p>I treat others as the white man tells me they should be treated. </p>
<p>I shouldn't have to be doing anything inside "my" community. I live, work and go to school and in between I enjoy the occasional beer with my buddies. All I ask is that groups of white folks don't congregate and together and denigrate my culture under the guise "We're rebelling against the PC mainstream, we ain't racist, we have coloured friends!" And if they do do that AT LEAST have the common courtesy to say, "COLOUREDS WELCOME AS LONG AS YOU KEEP QUIET!"</p>
<p>"I really don't understand why people don't think that our laws are enforced. The U.S. is not in anarchy, and I assure you that it is easier to get into college or get a job if you are of an under-represented minority."</p>
<p>Yeah, it's also easier to date a supermodel if you look like a dog walking backwards.</p>
<p>
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How typical. You want minorities to share an "equal" burden of negativity, but are much less concerned about an equal representation of positivity.
[/quote]
What if someone doesn't think that? What if someone thinks that the negativity and positivity are unequal sorts of qualities.</p>
<p>I think many are misunderstanding the context of this party. This is a comment from the Santa Clara (school newspaper) Pay attention to the context of the party.</p>
<p>Compassionate Alum
posted 2/22/07 @ 9:01 PM EST
If these young people truly were racist and chose these costumes because they felt superior to those of Latino race, then every one of these comments, directed in anger, is right on. However, what the students did, was celebrate with a Latino friend, best friend, whom they love, by roasting him. I think this dialogue back and forth is extremely healthy. Believe me, they never dreamed they would hurt someone and that the news would be carried as far as it has gone, they have learned something great from this experience. I hope, as a Catholic Youth Worker, that we don't continue to alienate one from another, but embrace this as a learning experience for all. They, each one of them, have sent their apologies, from the first second that someone was told it was offensive. They removed the photos immediately, and attended a meeting to try and communicate that this was a mistake. The internet is something we will all learn to use with much more discretion, compassion, and responsibility to a global community. These are not racist students, but young people of all nationalities, including Latino, that love each other, perhaps too much, and I hope that one thing that comes from this is that each of them will branch out and meet more students from various backgrounds. In order to do this, the rhetoric needs to be forgiving and understanding. As Fr. Locatelli mentioned in his state of the school address, if we do celebrate, theme party or no theme party, drinking or not, we need to first be respectful and think things out, think of the ramifications, this process is part of maturing. Enoy life, it is short, forgive, learn, and dialogue in a constructive manner. What can Santa Clara do that is positive to bring us all together with respect for our ancestors, their sufferings as immigrants, and their great contributions to the United States of America. </p>