Do people here seriously not understand the concepts of bigotry & collective punishment?

Collective Punishment (which is against the Geneva Conventions, I might add):

“Collective punishment is a form of retaliation whereby a suspected perpetrator's family members, friends, acquaintances, sect, neighbours or entire ethnic group is targeted. The punished group may often have no direct association with the other individuals or groups, or direct control over their actions.”

Bigot:

“a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance ”

Bigotry:

“a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc. : a bigoted person; especially : a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group)”

Racism:

“the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.”

You don't blame an entire group of people because of the crimes or sins of a few of them. It's so [-----] basic yet I keep having to explain this to people here.

Do Christians have to apologize every time a self-identified Christian commits a crime? No. Do Jews have to apologize every time an Israeli commits a "price tag attack" on Christian churches or buildings? No. Do Buddhists have to apologize for the bigoted violence of the Buddhist extremists in Burma/Myanmar against the Rohingya? No. Do Atheists have to apologize for China's oppression of their religious groups, like the Falun Gong? No. And do “white” people have to apologize every time a white person commits a crime or infraction? No.

And why not? Because it's common sense that people are only accountable for their own actions. Blaming an entire group for the actions of a few is a sign of bigotry & ignorance. It's just plain stupid! Yet there are people on ATS who keep openly blaming all Muslims and all “black” people for the crimes of individuals.

Our entire system of laws is built on the concept of personal responsibility. You know, the person who commits a crime or infraction is responsible for their actions. Not “the person's mom, dad, cousins, siblings, neighbors, neighborhood, and entire ethnic group or religion is responsible for the person in question's actions”. This isn't rocket science! It's such a simple concept that even a child can understand it. No really, a child will notice it's not fair if you blame all of the kids in a room because one kid did something wrong. It's that [-----] obvious.

I can't believe I have to lecture grown men & women on this. I feel like I'm arguing with [--insert insult of your choice--]. Man, y'all have almost made me start cussing again...

This is why there will always be racism & hatred in this world. Because there will always be some knuckleheads ready to blame & attack entire ethnic groups & religions because of the supposed transgressions of a few.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

a reply to: enlightenedservant




Had many of those arguments myself...

It's why I'm lurking.


You earned a s&f but I'm gonna log out again before this thread is derailed or attacked by those who you are aiming this at.

You're not lecturing just grown men and women, you are lecturing bigots and racests... who happen to be grown men and women... and any time you see them,you need to call them out.

Dude, I live in indiana. Apparently we hate gays, I missed the memo.

Very well said.

If i had a clapping gif, it would be posted here, as well.

When I was young my mom used to say common sense isn't so common. The older I get the more I agree. Nice thread OP!

a reply to: enlightenedservant

well said.

If a human can learn, a human can change.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

There's a saying, you can't fix stupid. It's the truth you can't. I personally don't care what color you are, but lord I hate stupid people.....

Camain

originally posted by: enlightenedservant
And why not? Because it's common sense that people are only accountable for their own actions. Blaming an entire group for the actions of a few is a sign of bigotry & ignorance. It's just plain stupid! Yet there are people on ATS who keep openly blaming all Muslims and all “black” people for the crimes of individuals.

Our entire system of laws is built on the concept of personal responsibility.

I agree with everything you've said here, but I have to add that this is a two way street. There is a form of racism, especially seen in America, which attempts to excuse bad behavior by drawing race and social status into the argument. Blaming others for your own actions is a sign of ignorance and a sign of helpless immaturity.

And, just to stir the pot, I'll add that the American welfare system is one of the major contributors to the destruction of personal responsibility in America. In a perfect world, every individual would be exactly that, an individual, fully responsible for their own actions and fully in control of whether they live, die, eat, starve, succeed, or fail. It seems just wrong to only use personal responsibility when it is convenient to a cause and abdicate it the moment it becomes uncomfortable.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

That post gives me ALL sorts of warm fuzzies. I know it's a rant, but it's beautiful in its truth! Thank you!

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
I agree with everything you've said here, but I have to add that this is a two way street. There is a form of racism, especially seen in America, which attempts to excuse bad behavior by drawing race and social status into the argument. Blaming others for your own actions is a sign of ignorance and a sign of helpless immaturity.

Then someone is going to come in and point out that social status is a major predictor of success etc ... within most societies etc etc etc ... Then someone else will come in and say 'yes but' then there will be a few 'yes ands' and it will all go down hill haha

I guess to cut a long story short its probably a case by case thing?

And I doubt the people who this thread is aimed at would even recognize it is aimed at them. People that discuss these types of things are mostly unaware of what they're doing even when it's pointed out.

It is much easier to hate everyone. That way everyone knows where they stand.

Meh. This is old news. Idealistic lectures are pointless where the human animal is concerned. We are barely civilized. Now you want logic, too. Ain't gonna happen. Man is ruled by his hormones and his emotions. Period.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

All racist bigots should be rounded up and punished!

No really, a child will notice it's not fair if you blame all of the kids in a room because one kid did something wrong. It's that [-----] obvious.

Fairness...a concept recognised by monkeys:

a reply to: Kandinsky

Punishing all the kids in the room for the actions of one seems unfair, but it is definitely effective.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

It's human nature to have an underlying hatred for other races or ethnicities.

I'm not condoning it, but it's wired within our genetic makeup. We have been separated and segregated from one another and have adapted and evolved into our separate races.

It's only with the ease of travel now, that we can mingle and mix. Before this time we would see other races and be wired to see the differences and to act on our impulses, which would lead each race to fight the other, until one scurried away.

It was about survival, to keep the genes of your race in continuation.

So I believe many people are still naturally wired in this manner, of course they are just people with different colour skin and appearance, and when we get to know one another we can overcome these differences, as we learn that the difference is only superficial.

When people never leave a country or live in a place with minimal immigration, then it is natural for them to be sceptical of other races and ethnicities.

It all comes down to actually spending time with people from a different background, to get over this natural inclination.

Of course, if sudden immigration is forced through really fast and people of other ethnicities never fully integrate, creating ghettos, this can also fuel racism and bigotry, because the two ethnicities in question are not mingling and mixing returning each to the human nature of genetic inclination.

Fear is the root of racism. Bigotry exists only in the mind of a frightened man.

Who benefits, by promoting racism in America today?

"Divide et Impera." -- Julius Caesar

Blaming an entire group for the actions of a few is a sign of bigotry & ignorance. It's just plain stupid! Yet there are people on ATS who keep openly blaming all Muslims and all “black” people for the crimes of individuals.

Agreed. But let me fix something there...

Blaming an entire group for the actions of a few is a sign of bigotry & ignorance. It's just plain stupid! Yet there are people on ATS who keep openly blaming all COPS and all "POLICE OFFICERS" for the crimes of individuals.

To be fair...nobody MADE you lecture anybody.

So, in a sense, you're inflicting your lecture on the group because of the actions of a few.

*backs away slowly*