Racism vs. Prejudice vs. Discrimination

[erps]

Race is very much in the news again. Even someone as sensitive and eloquent as Barak Obama lets one slip out about his grandmother being "a typical white person". I was wondering how others see how prejudice and discrimination.

I for one believe that discrimination based on race/sex/religion/sexual orientation is wrong. But what about prejudice? Isn't that a natural human condition? Two examples recently given are:

Obama's grandmother being apprehensive about black males
Jesse Jackson's relief that the two people walking up behind him one evening were white (and not black)? Are those racist views?

Under political correctness, the Department of Justice no longer includes Race in their annual crime statistics. From the book "Color of Crime", both Jesse Jackson and Obama's grandmother had a statistical right to be fearful of encountering a young black male on a street at night, because statistically, they're the folks doing most the robbing. As I mentioned in another thread, some flies are colored to resemble bees. It's been said that it gives them an evolutionary advantage because other animals will treat them accordingly. I don't think animals have good or evil thoughts and that kind of makes me think that making some judgements based on appearance is natural.

Let me give an example and then think what you would do, and whether that choice was reasonable or not.

You're a woman walking from point A to point B. Between those two points are two groups of young men. On one side walk is a group wearing suits/ties and carrying books. On the other side walk is a group wearing bandanas on their heads, hoods up, baggy jeans and their hands in the pockets of big over sized jackets. Which group do you decide to pass? There's no mention of race here, just appearance based on dress. Did you make a choice? Was it prejudging the two groups and if so, is that wrong?

[chucklesR]

A three way tie. All are equally disgusting, and equally a part of everyone's life and character whether they admit it or not.

[cardiacpaul]

this might fit all three...
In the grand state of texas, there is the "hub" historically underutilized businesses" program.
those in the know in other parts of the country know it as MBE/WBE's.

In the city of Dallas, you bid on a project, good, or service.
If you are not a HUB, you put in your best price.
If you are a HUB, you wait until the bids are opened, splayed on the table for all to see.
Then you wander up to the table, gander at the lowet bidders price, then, take out your trusty calculator, multiply that figure by 5%, fill that in on your bid form and give it to the contract administrator. Bingo, you now, because of your status as a HUB, get to sell you goods and services to the city at 5% higher than the lowest bidder.

hey, whats 5% you say, no big deal right?

Consider that the Dallas School district purchased over
6 MILLION dollars of computers in FY2007.

that's 300,000.00 that didn't stay in the taxpayers pocketbooks.

The upshot is now none of the larger more well known companies bid on products going to Dallas. They let the HUB's fight amongst themselves.

[2Gringos]

Why is racism wrong?

[sailaway21]

Racism might say that only certain people are more capable of crime. Prejudice might dictate that you walk to your destination taking a certain route based upon either past experience or other knowledge. Discrimiantion might dictate that while walking down a street the choice to walk on one side or the other might have significant meaning.

[erps]

I've heard it argued by at least one minority leader on some past radio talk show that minorities can't discriminate. Only the white majority can discriminate because they're in the position of power. That was BS from my perspective.

I frankly find the issue uncomfortable to talk about and I think it's because it's such a emotional subject seen from different perspectives that it could quickly get out of hand and result in accusations of racism.

[sailaway21]

Ray,
Sunday night late on NPR seems to be the hotbed of such discussions.

It doesn't seem to be an issue at all in the work environments and social circles I've been in. I guess that when people are your friends and co-workers you quickly get past the topic of skin color for conversation. There are cultural differences that we do talk about and usually laugh our you know what's off over. (g)

[sailaway21]

Here's some straight talk on the dialogue on race that everyone seems to feel we need but no one is willing to be honest about.

The American Spectator

[artbyjody]

Discrimination - there are laws that effect it so its a political / judiciary term...use of the term is legal and usually reaps those side effects...A single male is discriminated against..but because there is no real branding behind it... falls to the wayside.. Discrimination is only a useful ploy when there is something to invoke a public outcry...

Prejudice - it is nothing worse than one that shivers or has nightmares at the thought a MacGregor is considered a sailboat... It merely means that that you have originated an opinion via experiences or what is learned when you have educated yourself from whatever sources... In other words - prejudice is merely limited by the efforts upon which you expose yourself to an environment or from what you have educated yourself to be environments that you have no excitement in delving into...doesn't dictate necessarily how you interact however... just the mind has wheels racing ...in other words on experience - a strongly ladled opinion...

Racism - a marketing brand to ensure that the above enforced. Lets face it, RAP was a huge success.. using the above terms - they single handily made race a marketing machine... and like all things - eventually becomes a culture... no one talks about a white person in a otherwise different society as them being racist... it is something that we invented for ourselves because we choose to believe that whatever our skin color that when our viewpoints, history, or culture is dismissed - it must be that term...

Its 2008. The only actual issues we are facing is age preference.. The laws dictate X # of women, X # of skin color or nationality other than Caucasian , fill in the rest... so as per political and legal definitions... we defined and accept the legal terms of hiring which means that we proliferated the one thing that was the issue - the ability to make a living and compete on a fair basis...

When it is all said and done - in 2008 - actually prove where in the US that there is a proliferance of the said three terms... I call nill on all three unless you want to relive Obamas MLK redux speech and state that where it matters as a society that we have this problem still - I think not....

[byrondv]

Originally Posted by erps

I've heard it argued by at least one minority leader on some past radio talk show that minorities can't discriminate. Only the white majority can discriminate because they're in the position of power. That was BS from my perspective.

I have heard that definition more than a few times. And not just from minority leaders. I think you are right - it is total BS. Power only allows you to discriminate more effectively than without power - and it certainly attempts to negate the effects of minority racism. I was even told there were "no derogatory terms for white people, yet many derogatory terms for black people."

In college I spend some time living in the ghetto. Type of place where we would be out on the porch drinking a few beers and run inside when someone across the street pulled out a gun and fired a few rounds at whoever was pissing them off. Was a weekly bit of entertainment. When the cops would come talk to us about it the next day - they were always smart enough to come to the backdoor though the alley so we wouldn't become a target if we told them anything.

You learned pretty quickly what type of people were trying to make the neighborhood better, those who would ask you for smokes/money/beer, those who wanted to know who called the cops and if you wanted to buy some weed/crack/whatever, and those who just didn't want to get involved with anyone. I will never have a problem with myself when I pick out a few people in a crowd as those to stay away from.

Though that isn't a race issue - everyone in the neighborhood was black (except for my housemates and I). It isn't a socio-economic issue - everyone was dirt poor and had the same crappy opportunities in life. It was a matter of how people presented themselves and how that correlated to how they acted. If I treat someone different for looking like they are going to shoot someone based on how they present themselves - it is their own zzz fault. Much like the teen at the local supermarket in a huge winter jacket in 90 degree weather - pretty good chance he was shoplifting.


(Wow - sorry about the length. Me thinks the rum may have something to do with it.)