<p>I'm not sure why you used Oprah and Colin Powell as your examples of people comparable to George Bush. While Colin Powell may have had a mediocre record in college, he shined in military service. And Oprah has always been successful since the start of her career. So, Powell and Oprah weren't really relevant examples. The authors point was that if any minority (female, black, poor, whatever) had made nearly as many mistakes or had as many failures, then they definitely wouldn't have become as successful as George Bush did in spite of all his errors. Considering that Oprah and Colin Powell did not have nearly as many mishaps and failures during their careers as George Bush, they are not applicable examples at all...</p>
<p>Secondly, numerous studies have been done that show that many people (not just whites) are inherently and unconsciously biased against black people. There is some test (I forget the name) that has been done on numerous people across different racial and socio-economic lines, and the conclusions were the same: the majority of the time, participants associated black people with "bad" words (such as "bad," "evil," etc.) If I find the test and the results and stuff I'll post it.</p>
<p>"This is ridiculous. Some Caucasians come from places where people have pretty similiar hair, skin, and eye color (medium to dark brown). Do they have a hard time recognizing each other??? Do they lose their own children in crowds?"</p>
<p>-Its not ridiculous, its true! Nobodies attacking white people for it, it's just a fact of life. Just like black people might have a hard time telling asian people apart. Spideygirl you are so bent on being politically correct that you fail to acknowledge truths that even the most ignorant people know exist. </p>
<p>Even if those harvard students were wearing white hoods and burning crosses, you'd say "maybe they were just cold.....".</p>
<p>Tyler: "Even if those harvard students were wearing white hoods and burning crosses, you'd say "maybe they were just cold.....".</p>
<p>You've got to be kidding (thinking this is funny). Debating a teenager...SO much fun.</p>
<p>You think that it is fair to compare the Harvard incident with a Klan cross burning? What that shows is that you don't understand either one (even as you jest). At all. It is pretty insensitive to EVER joke about cross burnings. Maybe if you knew someone personally who had it happen to them you would feel differently. Maybe you are young and feel that such things can be the subject of humor (perhaps increased seriousness and sensitivity comes with age?). Don't make Klan activities seem like less of a big deal by joking about them, and comparing them to a relatively benign event.</p>
<p>Also Tyler and Naj7488, your lack of a respectful tone puts your intentions here in question. It makes me wonder where you are coming from, for real. I love a good joke, BTW, but I don't find this to be a very funny topic.</p>
<p>Tyler: "Just like black people might have a hard time telling asian people apart"</p>
<p>Maybe you have a hard time telling Asian people apart? I think that is more than strange, but whatever. Other than that, please don't speak for an entire race of people.</p>
<p>Tyler: "Spideygirl you are so bent on being politically correct that you fail to acknowledge truths that even the most ignorant people know exist."</p>
<p>The last words which should come to mind to describe my participation in this thread are "politically correct". </p>
<p>As for the rest of your remark, I am sorry that I am failing to "acknowledge truths that even the most ignorant people know exist". Huh?</p>
I actually have quite a few relatives that live in Gary, Indiana, the KKK capital of the world. So yes, I know people who've had this happen. Secondly, Tyler wasn't trivializing it, he was making a point about your attitude. Throughout this thread you have absolutely refused to see things in any other light but your own (which is fine, everyone is entitled to their own opinion). And Tyler's comment was in response to this.</p>
<p>And I agree with him, I think that you have been overwhelmingly politically correct in this entire thread.</p>
<p>Um, yes, I would be 'okay' with saying that black people have a harder time distinguishing between white people than between other blacks. It applies to all races equally ... I assumed that was obvious, but perhaps I should have clarified in my post.</p>
<p>Naj7488: "you have absolutely refused to see things in any other light but your own"..."you have been overwhelmingly politically correct in this entire thread"</p>
<p>Which is it? Am I seeing things only through my own perspective, or a designed-for-public-consumption politically correct view? </p>
<p>When you answer, don't contradict yourself this time.</p>
<p>I am being "politically correct", yet feel others here are posting racist statements?</p>
<p>Most on this thread are shocked at the Harvard incident, and are convinced that it was racially motivated. Yet no one but me has said a word about overt racism on this thread. Where is the outrage?</p>
<p>naj7488: "Tyler wasn't trivializing it, he was making a point about your attitude."</p>
<p>It seems, spideygirl, that being politically correct is your perspective. Throughout the whole thread, you have used language and ideas intended to provide a minimum of offense to racial, cultural, or other identity groups (i.e. being politically correct). Whenever anyone makes any type of statement regarding any racial group, you cast it off as a "generalization." Whenever anyone says that the Harvard incident was racist, you say "no it wasn't." You have been incredibly PC this whole thread.</p>
<p>Secondly, the point Tyler was trying to make is that your PC-ness has made you sound almost ridiculous on this thread. To everyone point someone makes about the racist undertones, you come up with a slew of "what ifs" to prove that it wasn't racist. So, he was saying that if an obviously racist activity was occurring, you (in similar fashion to what you've been doing throughout this thread) would come up with reasons as to why it's not racist because you seem to live in some myopic world of PC-ness.</p>
<p>For some of us, NAJ7488, not being offensive towards other races in words or deeds comes from the heart (not from political correctness). Political correctness implies intention, and even deception or hypocracy. What is it that you want, really? Maybe if the Cabot students were being racist that would on some level be OK with you (because it is certainly not politically correct)? You seem to think negatively about political correctness when it suits you, yet you are outraged when you want it and it isn't displayed. You are disgusted with potential racism at Harvard, yet silent about clearly racist posts on this thread. I am getting weary from responding to you again. You are typing from both sides of your keyboard.</p>
What are you talking about? When did I ever call for political correctness? And show me the racist posts on this thread, because I just don't see them.</p>
<p>NAJ7488: "So, he was saying that if an obviously racist activity was occurring, you (in similar fashion to what you've been doing throughout this thread) would come up with reasons as to why it's not racist because you seem to live in some myopic world of PC-ness."</p>
<p>Garbage. What I have been doing throughout this thread is trying to inject some restraint and caution in a way which is in no way related to Tyler's ridiculous example.</p>
Garbage. What I have been doing throughout this thread is trying to inject some restraint and caution in a way which is in no way related to Tyler's ridiculous example.
You may have been trying to do that, but that's not how it's coming off to me... It just seems like you are hell-bent on denying that the incident was racist, that kids can already form opinions about different racial groups, that people of different racial groups have trouble telling other races apart. And anyone who comments on any of these things is making a "generalization."</p>
<p>And where have you posted the racist statements? I haven't seen them. Maybe you could just post a few quotes and then I can respond, because I honestly haven't witnessed racism on this thread (besides for the obvious Cabot incident).</p>
<p>naj7488: "When did I ever call for political correctness?"</p>
<p>This whole thread took off on a tangent about the Harvard incident, which was all about political correctness. Or maybe I need to dig deeper into what you mean specifically when you define the term. Perhaps you could give me examples of things which would not be politically correct (to adjust my understanding of what you mean by the term).</p>
<p>As for post #216 - I'll get to it if I can. Why don't you just scroll back to all my posts? The last time you had me doing that I swore I wouldn't do it again. If I get to it I will. If I don't, go look at my posts.</p>
<p>naj7488: "You may have been trying to do that, but that's not how it's coming off to me... It just seems like you are hell-bent on denying that the incident was racist, that kids can already form opinions about different racial groups, that people of different racial groups have trouble telling other races apart. And anyone who comments on any of these things is making a "generalization."</p>
<p>I never say that negative things don't exist, just that you can't apply theories and studies with total abandon and faith to individuals. It doesn't work, and it is wrong. Theories and studies can be useful and helpful tools, but they become dangerous when misused.</p>
<p>As far as me accusing others on this thread of over generalization, I stand by every incidence. Yes, it is true. The amount of over generalization on this thread shocked me many times.</p>
<p>The Harvard incident was about racism, not PC-ness...(or maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean here).</p>
<p>The politically correct thing to do in response to the Cabot incident, would be to do exactly what you have done, deny that it was racism in order to not offend those poor Cabot kids and not tarnish Harvard's pristine reputation.</p>
<p>The un-pc thing to do would be to admit that everyone is at least a little racist, and whether it was subconscious or not, there were racial undertones in the email conversation and the calling of the police.</p>
<p>naj7488:And how have these studies been misused?"</p>
<p>When they are used as a crystal ball to imagine that we are peering into an individual's mind. When we think that the theory or study trumps the individual by believing that every person, everywhere, every time must fit it.</p>