Racism is for Ignorant Fools, not ATS.

reply to post by mikerussellus


I posted that.

Glad someone remembered because I still use that joke.

I am not a racist,as a matter of fact I don't even drive.

[edit on 18-9-2009 by DrumsRfun]

Originally posted by Frankidealist35
I haven't seen the racism or bigotry that much here on ATS. I've seen a bit of anti-semitism but all I've seen is a bunch of people who disagree with Obama, myself included. It's foolish to corner everyone who disagrees with Obama as a racist. I don't understand this thread.

I agree with Frank here. Not a lot of outright racism in regards to ethnicity in the US or the UK. I do see a lot of Anti-Jew and Anti-Muslim, which is just as bad.

So the question is, when someone comes on and calls someone an Anti-Semite because they disagree with their viewpoint (or visa versa, calling someone an Anti-Arab) is that considered racism? Is this something that deserves a MOD alert or just a click on the ignore button?

My father was a great teacher. He once said to me, a man becomes a man when he can see his own faults and attempt to correct them.

I know no saints. If you are a saint you may not be racist, therefore I believe everyone has a racist drop in their hearts. Let us remove it together.

S&F

And a little quote from a great man-

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last!
Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!


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[edit on 9/18/2009 by endisnighe]

[edit on 9/18/2009 by endisnighe]

Originally posted by Big Oil
Racism is a divide and conquer strategy that is used by those in power to separate us from each other.

Hence the effort to rise above this strategy on ATS...

That tool is used to stifle and disrupt productive debate on a wide variety of subjects.

Don't fall for this old divisive tactic...

I welcome any attempt to prevent that strategy from being used here.

Ive always thought that people who can sit and spot racism in a rather non racists statement are usually pretty racist for being able to spot "racism" in the first place.

Being from the south I hear racism quite alot from people I know who seem to only say those things for shock value. they are pretty dumb, and i have done all that I can to keep them away from places like ATS because some people REFUSE to ever change their minds about anything.

anyone who just sees color is blind to the things that ACTUALLY MATTER

reply to post by DrumsRfun


You rock!

Was funny as heck.

Originally posted by JacKatMtn

Originally posted by Big Oil
Racism is a divide and conquer strategy that is used by those in power to separate us from each other.

Hence the effort to rise above this strategy on ATS...

That tool is used to stifle and disrupt productive debate on a wide variety of subjects.

Don't fall for this old divisive tactic...

I welcome any attempt to prevent that strategy from being used here.

For a little while there it was getting pretty bad on the forum topics to the point were I wasn't even reading certain threads all the way to the end.

[edit on 9/18/2009 by Big Oil]

Well that was meant to illustrate my opposition to racism. I suppose the mod didn't agree. Perhaps the idiomatic use of "skins" was ambitious.

Suffice to say that I totally agree with the title of this thread.m Anone who thinks that melanin pigmentation has any significance whatsoever is truly ignorant.



[edit on 18-9-2009 by Karilla]

Originally posted by SLAYER69

Im waiting for the human RACE to get its act together!

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/bf89cd473a45.jpg[/atsimg]

Great post.

We're all human beings, we're all here sharing this planet together.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


are you agreeing with jimmy carter and bill cosby that criticism of obama's attitude and policies is racist?

does that mean criticism of bush's attitude and policies was/is racist?

I'm not trying to be sarcastic or funny. i want to know if the discussion about our president and his policies is over on ATS.

Originally posted by infinite




In my opinion, extreme as it may seem, ATS is dead. As I've said before, this site will be listed as a hate site soon, her soul has been corrupted and killed by an ugly force.

I see exactly the same thing. Sad but true!

I'm reading these posts and I'm wondering what America people are living in.

I'm around white people all day and things are fine.

Does racism exist? Of course but people are blowing these things way out of proportion because Obama is black.

My next door neighbor for 20 years before I decided to downsize to an apartment was a mixed couple.

Racism is being elevated by those who see it as a political advantage for liberal policies.

Racism exists but the talk of racism like it's 1950 is silly.

I can understand limiting personal remarks, baiting and
overt ridicule. BUT, to me the thing about freedom of
speech (and correct me if I'm wrong in this) is that we
live in a world of conflicting ideas - put them all out in
the open, debate their merits and let the best ideas
win.

To say that racism is "ignorant" may not be a legitimate
label. It can be hateful, it is definitely harmful but is it
stupidity or an emotional expression?

In this day and age of politcal correctness I often wonder
exactly which words or phrases some would consider to be
racist. It might be worth your while to post a list so that
none of us should unintentionally cross that line.

Is limiting speech a form of racism in itself?

Name one word that ONLY white people would find offensive
when said about them and other races would not.
There aren't any to my knowldege. Honkey, cracker - I have
to laugh when I hear those. But if we turn it around we all
know how that goes don't we?

I think that much of the supposed racism is more often in the reader's
mind that in the writer's hand.

I have enjoyed my participation in ATS so very, very much.
This is the first website where I have truly felt free to express
my thoughts and feelings without reservation. I try to express
myself in ways that others would not find offensive yet it does
happen despite the best of intent or effort.

My gut reaction to the u2u and thread was "Oh, no. What did
I say to offend someone, am I in trouble here? There was
an instant chill factor set in motion and I'm sure I'm not alone
in that notion. I would hate to think that we now have to enter
into self-censorship to be allowed to participate here.

Racism is fear, fear is an emotion. Shall we monitor all emotional
content on ATS?

I once confronted a man in Washington D.C. who was handing
out flyers about protesting against the Ku Klux Klan marching.
I have protested against the klan many times, one time being
the only protester against about 200 klansmen (I'm glad the
state troopers were between us). Anyways, the guy
was very aggressive about it and told me how badly he'd like
to "pelt the bastards with dog excrement". I challenged him to
tell me how doing that or even protesting would accomplish
anything. His only defense was that it would make him feel
better. I suggested that instead of protesting and being angry
how about lining up on the street and turning your backs on
them instead? What was his goal in protesting? What would
actually cause change to occur in people who you would hope
to alter their views and behavior? Antagonism breeds an atmosphere
of grouping that is self-reinforcing of the very views you would
like to see changed. TO PROTEST THEM VALIDATES THEM.

In a way that may be true here as well. If we would like to see
racism go away on ATS it needs to be brought out in the open
and exposed for what it is, fear - something all of us have.

ATS is a community , perhaps even a family. Do we isolate
our sons and daughters for thinking in ways that are harmful
or do we listen and try to find the root of the problem and
address that? Shall we chastise so that racism becomes something
people hide in the closet like some kind of sexual deviancy or do
we embrace them and let them know they are understood and
gently show them the dangers of their ways and how it is not only
harmful to others but themselves as well?

The ATS terms and conditions pretty much state "dont be a jerk"
well, unfortunately ALL of us are at times but that's the way it
is with us humans.

To sum it up- even if people are being racist in their views there
is still something to learn from them. If we would hope to see
racism go away we can simply ban members and essentially
sweep it under the rug and feel satisfied that at least it isn't here.

OR,
we can listen. Then perhaps those making racist comments
will listen to others who are not. Maybe they will actually change
because someone took the time to address their thoughts
and feelings.
It's your website but I challenge you to think about what it is
that you would like to accomplish here and exactly what kind
of internet community this actually is and can grow to be.

Very long winded and I thank you for taking the time to read
my post in it's entirety. Respectfully, ATA

reply to post by JacKatMtn


I can't see the PTB using racism as a way to divide and conquer when we all know that the plan is for a global government. Rather, I see it as a small surgical tool in certain areas of interest for them.

With this being said, I do not believe we are buying into their plan by denying racism a chance to rear it's ugly head. I believe we are subverting their plans by realizing that hate has no place where we are trying to discover the way to our own enlightenment. Unfortunately I see no way of keeping someone from posting a racist comment.

The only way around it is to be diligent. Report it as soon as we see it so it can be dealt with, and never respond back to it or give it credibility. We need to be able to see it for what it is.

Originally posted by earlywatcher
...i want to know if the discussion about our president and his policies is over on ATS.

Don't hold your breath for a (further) response to such an obtuse question.


.

There are those who believe there are seperate distinct races and those who do not. That's the fundamental problem underlying everything else which grows out of the ideology of racism. If race division were to be taken out of the equation, all racist statements could be eliminated

In my opinion, there are no seperate races at all and, because of that, I see the perpetuation of the ideology as counter to everything denying ignorance maintains.

The question should be this: can anyone establish 'seperate races' as a proven fact?

Here's some pertinent American history

The roots go back to colonial times, when it was expedient to divide and conquer. What we are left with today, is the fruits from those seeds.

Racism is an ideology which claims the human species can be divided into a number of discrete biological groupings that determine the behaviour and success of individuals within that group. This belief views "races" as natural and fixed subdivisions of humans, each with its distinct and variable cultural characteristics and capacity for developing civilizations. Thus, the biological factors can be used to explain the social and cultural variations of humans. This ideology also includes the belief that there is a natural hierarchical ordering of groups of people so that superior "races" can dominate inferior ones. It is not a study of race or of the present inequality of certain groups in society, but it is an assertion that inequality is absolute and unconditional.

www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com...

It isn't just America, it's a global ideology born out of the growth of nation building and the expansion of those nations through interaction with other nations. It's a false ideology which now permeates every corner of the world, whether we are talking about Saudi Arabia or England, America or South Africa.

sp edit





[edit on 18/9/09 by masqua]

reply to post by memarf1


Wow, what intelligent responses. What other parts of the Bill of Rights would you like to trample on today? People should be able to say anything they want, and guess what, that right is guaranteed by our most important document, THE CONSTITUTION! What needs to happen is that we need to slap people who get offended by every little thing someone else says to them.



my answer to your statement above:

you have the freedom of speech to yell fire in a crowded theatre, even if there isn't a fire. but you will be held accountable for the charge of murder, if any of those people in the theatre are trampled to death by others, that trusted you in what you said.

i think the same can be said for making racist statements.

[edit on 18-9-2009 by jimmyx]

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


I agree but then you have to be careful what you term as 'racist' and what you term as just 'honest opinion'

Sometimes what we write can come across as being 'racist' but what we are actually doing is stating a 'fact' or 'opinion'

It's like if i said 'this city is getting too crowded with too many immigrants' would you class that as being 'racist' or class it as 'fact'?

If i said 'i feel uncomfortable when on public transport because i can't understand what anyone is saying' does this mean i'm 'racist' or stating a 'fact'


People will have to learn not to take opinions out of context!!

[edit on 18-9-2009 by TruthxIsxInxThexMist]

It's like we are going backwards.

Today we couldn't have shows like All in the Family, Good Times, Sanford and Son or the Jeffersons.

This is because you would have the thought police screaming racism every time Archie Bunker said something.

Obama being black is a good thin from a historical perspective but let's not reduce his Presidency to race in order to try and inoculate liberal policies.