A Forum For Race, Ethnicity and Culture

Great idea!

Alas, Grady already thought of it.
Social issues, as others have said.
Race, Ethnicity, and culture, most definietly fit under social issues.
As a matter of fact, I believe those are what define/bring about most social issues.

I do however, think there should be a Spacedoubt Forum. What say everyone?

[edit on 16-9-2006 by spacedoubt]

oh man that forum would make my life complete!

Originally posted by Lysergic
way more trouble than its worth.

Why? I thought, interested members should taking part, if interested. More thumbs up, better chance that a new playground for members will created by the amigos.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
It's a strange request considering that Ceci just said on the 'race relations' thread that it would be best for her to be banned.
politics.abovetopsecret.com...
[edit on 9/16/2006 by FlyersFan]

Why this hate? I read the linked thread and its you, who starts to write in a inadequate way.
Can you try to contribute in this thread here a little bit more productive?

Originally posted by dacruz
Why this hate?

It isn't 'hate' to question why a person would say 'ban me' on one thread and then want a new forum started on another. It's a valid question. WHY would someone say things at two polar opposites in two different places on this site? What purpose is there?

This is a conspiracy site. We ask questions. Get used to it.

politics.abovetopsecret.com...
I read the linked thread and its you, who starts to write in a inadequate way.

Then you didn't read the whole thread. Did you? Nope. Didn't think so.

Can you try to contribute in this thread here a little bit more productive?

My one post was productive. I'll restate my position so you can understand it - A big to a single issue forum when the Social Issues section can easily hold the few threads Ceci starts. Race is a social issue. It already has a forum.

BTW .. I wasn't going to say anymore on this subject but since you decided to make a personal jab AFTER wecomeinpeace said something about not saying personal things ... you get this post to read.

Stay on topic dacruz.



[edit on 9/16/2006 by FlyersFan]

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Stay on topic dacruz.

I hear you, FlyersFan

Originally posted by FlyersFan
A big to a single issue forum when the Social Issues section can easily hold the few threads Ceci starts.

I'll give a big to a single issue forum.
And now myself will stfu.

Imo, it would not be worth the time and effort, because it is has far too narrow a focus. The Social Issues forum is a great starting place to search for topics on Race, Ethnicity and Culture. And the qualifications for the FSME for this new forum are laudable, but, then again, I'd like Joe Montana to be the FSME for the Sports forum, or Carlos Mencia and Dave Chapelle to co-host the Jokes forum.

There are actually very few posts dedicated to Race, Ethnicity and Culture, if you cull all the entries. And they are authored by the same very few people, time after time. Maybe someone should offer their blogsplace as a forum.

The other thing is, the size of those threads belies what actually goes on inside them. For example, there is one thread currently running with over 40 pages. But if the thread is analyzed, I bet that at least half of that thread is composed of petty insults and bickering. And it is not because of the volatility of the topic; it is because of tit-for-tat personal insults which have absolutely nothing to do with the topic. So, the number of pages in an entry are not by themself an accurate indicator of the interest in the topic.

Which makes one wonder: maybe disk space would be more efficiently utilized for a forum on Manners and Behavior.

Is this the place to post ones views regarding the topic? Or just to discuss the validity of the topic? I want to express a couple of my beliefs.
First, race is a myth. There is only one race, the human race. That is beyond doubt. If you wish to question it, I challenge anyone to draw the lines that would divide us. You can't because its a curve and there is nowhere that you can cut it up and say this trait is one race, and this slightly different one is the other. What skin tones would be the dividing lines, and wouldn't you be bound to find someone right on the line?
In my world, we are family. Dysfunctional, but family all the same.
If I could offer one thing that would help, it is for people to learn about each other. Get to know them. And I mean really get to know them, understand them. I guarantee that once the ignorance is gone, the fear will go, the hate, the violence, and love will be what remains. We fear what we don't understand, and often we kill what we fear. Learn.

Originally posted by ceci2006
Sorry, you both feel this way. And I don't like it, Grady, by all due respect. Not everything should be lumped together in "Social Issues". Some issues need to have special attention apart from that forum.

So do I also get a homo forum? Do any transexuals that come on here get their own forum, because by right, they are not gay, they are a different gender. Unless of course, they date the same sex after their change.

I think that race, ethnicity and culture needs to stand alone on its own two feet far apart from Social Issues. Social Issues already has too many topics that it has to deal with.

So should we close the War on Terror, Other Current Events, and the numerous other forums that havce "too many topics" already, and start new ones? Sounds like it would destroy the viewing integrity of this entire site.

Inside the Social Issues forum, the issues of race, ethnicity and culture would be swallowed up. I can think of a great number of threads posted in different areas there and across the board that could get way more attention in such a forum as Race, Ethnicity and Culture.

It is not like a thread in any forum, that deals with race does not get equal bumping on the "today's posts" page. They bounce up when they're responded to, just like everything else.

Secondly, as I said before, we need people who can head this forum who have a distinct and scholarly background who can be more sensitive and astute to these issues, especially in Cultural and Ethnic Studies, not to mention Anthropology. And since there are members who come from many places on the board, we do need a place to discuss these issues where they can be put together and everyone has a chance to learn about different aspects of these issues without it disappearing because of someone else's article about other events in "social issues".

But it is a social issue Ceci. It just is.

We need a place that deserves to devote time to being an educative, innovative, scholarly place where people can find out different aspects of each other without having to compete with other topics in Social Issues.

In my opinion, this entire site is a area of devotion of time that is educational, innovative, and scholarly.

It will be devoted to all races, cultures and ethnicities. And hopefully it will be a place that is caring and not condescending to others for expressing their opinions, observances and beliefs without it being bogged down by other topics trying to compete with it.

Who is competing against them? Other sites? Or other members? Is it the lack of response on the threads that disheartens you? If that is what it is, maybe you should step back and question why that is.

Btw, I would prefer not to have a homo forum, I'm perfectly fine with being "lumped in" with the other various social issues. It doesn't bother me, why does it bother you?

*Edit - Bad emoticon! Bad!*

[edit on 9/16/06 by niteboy82]

Sure, there should be a forum on Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender issues. But are you willing to stick your neck out to propose it?

But I accept you wanting to be lumped in with the Social Issues Forum. That's your perrogative.

And no, I think that this forum can stand on its own apart from social issues. I think with the right people and a little bit of work, we could pull such a forum off the ground. It's about time we had a forum in which people can go to learn about each other. And perhaps from what it is posted there, and with the type of people who are caring and concerned about these issues, the climate of treatment will change finally.

And, for international people who want to educate other ATS-ers about their country and culture, they need a place to go to do that. For I would love to have one single place that I can go to read about the different cultures and countries people come from.

Furthermore, it is about time that there is a place people can go to discuss these issues without the fear of having their heritage and personality shredded and mangled by uncaring people. We need a place in which people can inform each other. We need leadership sensitive to all insights and who know about the intricacies of race, ethnicity and culture. Their leadership, in turn, can help build such a forum into a place where people can feel comfortable talking about the issues related to this area without being attacked for it. And with the leadership's help, people can learn to be more sensitive and understanding about these issues.

And people who don't know about another's heritage, race, ethnicity or culture will have a place to go to and immediately read the information without sifting through a plethora of other threads on previous pages to find it.

And most definitely, we need a place where a thread won't be threatened with the stigma of "having an axe to grind" or having the potential for hostility or aggression.

There are people here who quite more attuned and sensitive to the matters of race, ethnicity and culture and won't be scared off with the notion of bringing up topics such as these. We need those members to step forward and help make this forum, if they want it, a reality.




[edit on 16-9-2006 by ceci2006]

Well, Ceci, I hope you know I'm not working against you on this. I don't agree that there should be a forum, but if you could pool together the people to go for it, then why not? I'm not against the open discussion of race at all. It just seems that this is all covered elsewhere. I just can't see the logical reason yet to create a whole new forum.

I however do wish you the best of luck, and want you to know that if this forum comes into existence, I would gladly visit.

Thank you very much, niteboy. I respect your position on this. But I hope that this isn't just my wish. I would most certainly want other people who think this forum might be viable to speak out and not be afraid of the dissenters. The question is whether they are not intimidated enough to give their two cents on the matter.

I would especially like the posters of color to speak out about this issue. I thank dacruz for putting his two cents in. And I would like to tell him not to be silenced by dissent. Continue to speak out and explore how this forum might help instead of hurt the board.

[edit on 16-9-2006 by ceci2006]

Originally posted by ceci2006
For I would love to have one single place that I can go to read about the different cultures and countries people come from.

Google "culture forum". You're much more likely to get what you're looking for than to try to establish it on a conspiracy website. Besides, if people are interested, they'd be posting in the race and culture threads you have already started. I'm not sure why you think race needs a "special" forum...

Furthermore, it is about time that there is a place people can go to discuss these issues without the fear of having their heritage and personality shredded and mangled by uncaring people.

Why do you think this forum of yours would be any different (more safe and secure) than the Social Issues Forum? Are people who act 'out of line' by your judgment going to be thrown out on the street?

And people who don't know about another's heritage, race, ethnicity or culture will have a place to go to and immediately read the information without sifting through a plethora of other threads on previous pages to find it.

Two Words... Search Function

And most definitely, we need a place where a thread won't be threatened with the stigma of "having an axe to grind" or having the potential for hostility or aggression.

Again, what special protection would this special new forum have? A lock on the door to keep the riff-raff out? Or are you proposing that this special forum have special rules? A new T&C, perhaps?

There are people here who quite more attuned and sensitive to the matters of race, ethnicity and culture and won't be scared off with the notion of bringing up topics such as these.

I don't see any indication that people are scared to bring up and discuss these topics. Maybe they're just not that interested... If they were, they could do it in Social Issues!

LOL.
Vote for the Automotive Forum, and I might support this idea
But...
If it doesn't pan out here.
There is always the option of building your own personal website/bulletin board.
Make your own rules and stuff, you already have a good start on that.

Once in a Blue moon, you could even allow one of your members to be right.
Now THAT would be pretty cool.

All kidding aside, you're great a keeping a thread alive, and passionate about your own beliefs. But really. There seems to already be a place for this idea..Social issues.

I as a White anglo-saxon pagan Male, I just don' feel comfortable with the "social issues" forum. "Social Issues" sounds like a 101 to me.

I think a Race, Ethnicity and Culture forum makes perfect sense. Were talking upper division here.

whaaa, thank you, my friend, very much for your support for this forum. I appreciate very much your insight and candor.


SpaceDoubt, now is not the time for poetic niceties, no matter how many verses you write.

What is at stake here is this:

1)Just like any other topic, scholarly attention should be devoted to race, ethnicity and culture. People do not demand any less in PTS and ATS, why should this forum not have a scholarly aspect to it?

2)People who are not intimidated by dissent and are willing to envision a forum like this standing alone without it being swallowed up in Social Issues.

3)Members to step forth who are sensitive and are willing to discuss issues of this subject matter without fear of intimidation. They would be committed to seeing the climate change from a topic of "emotionality" and "hostility" to one that is educative, informational and relevant.

4)To have a forum that houses people well versed in discussing these issues that are willing to think outside the box and are willing to research and discuss the areas of Race, ethnicity and culture. Here too, they can bring up conspiracies related to race. Even there would be a place for those who say that "race is a myth" or that "racism doesn't exist". Done in a forthright manner, it might be interesting to explore these issues in a caring format with people understanding what is at stake.

5)Right now, we need insightful people who would not write this off in a second. We need people with ideas who are willing to add to the possibility of having a forum instead of having the feeling that these issues can be swallowed up and ignored in Social Issues. Now is the time for the more pro-active and inventive members on this board.



[edit on 16-9-2006 by ceci2006]

What are poetic niceties?
I think you are making fun of the way I talk. (type).
I should probably contact a mod about this.

I would also like more info about the correct time for poetic niceties.
Because, just in case I figure out what they are, I want them to be timely.

I'm sorry if you felt I was insensitive to the way you typed. If you need to, call a mod.

Everyone has their different typing style. But, I truly mean what I say. This is not a time for people to make fun of this topic by using "poetic niceties". We need people to think outside the box now. And we need people who will not simply write it off as not a possibility.

We need as many opinions from members as possible who are willing to explore these ideas. And I request especially those who can envision the possibilites of a forum like this and will take the time to hash out these ideas in the perception of viability.


And to make it very clear: This is not a forum of mine. This is a forum for everyone


[edit on 16-9-2006 by ceci2006]

Just a quick note because I can see where this is going. If this thread turns into pointless bickering, I will lock it, or move it to Slug Fest where you can have your way with it. This thread is in Board Business and Questions, and if the discussion is not to do with Board Business, I see no reason why the thread is needed.

I agree that Social Issues forum is the place for this, a second forum for only this would be redundant and unnecessary.

What concerns me about this proposal are the pre-definitions that have been given to the membership. It goes so far as to describe the qualifications and characteristics of the potential FSME.

It appears that this forum is designed to be a clique for like-minded people. That smacks of exclusivity, which goes against the very grain of what makes ATS what it is.

Who proposed the Automobile forum? Grady? If I remember, he was required to get 1,000 posts in favor of it in order to be considered, correct? And I wonder how much input he had to the FSME qualifications, or if he cared about who participated?