Can we stop with "racism" already?

[phoenixbow]

https://www.xkcd.com/1357/

Please read this comic before yelling "First Amendment!" or "Free speech!" ever again.

[JohnBrown1917]

Its possible to focus on more than 1 issue.

[Kurioxan]

*snip*

Mhm, you are right.
But sadly its not realistic that people suddenly stop being dumb, and as such we need to work with the realities we have, people will take criticism to their arguments as criticism of their character, ego kicks in and defenses go up, thus the importance of being able to explain and having patience.
Sadly this is something that neither side seems able to do, and i think that many times good intentions backfire and do more harm than good.

[Malta]

You have the right to be as racist and bigoted as you want to be, but your right to swing your racist arms ends where the other man’s nose begins.

[Deleted]

That's true. As far as I'm aware, it's not illegal for people to openly call racists whatever the hell they like. Know what I hate? Racists. Know what I hate more? Those fuckers who call racism over every god damn thing. "You said black bin liner, that's racist", or "What the fuck? You don't like MOCHA COFFEE? YOU RACIST BASTARD!", you know the shit. It's one thing to call someone... something extremely over the top, but it's more fucking irritating to call out racism where there is none (I'd even argue it's worse because you piss on everybody's chance at equality when you pull that shit, usually with a retaliation cycle).

The biggest issue is the people who empower racists. things like http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27194672 are the perfect reaction to these morons. Do not empower racist morons. He should never have to suffer such abuse but i think the way he dealt with it was amazing
The first amendment argument is also bullshit from the OP. You may be allowed to sprout your racist shit but it doesn't mean we have to tolerate it.

[Sky High]

over exaggerating OP. what the actual fuck are you going to gain from covering that guys ass for what he said? and that has NO connection to his legal predicaments, warranted or not. It would be amazing to you if that is how it should be? when the direction the country is going more and more center-left when it comes to demographics that is kinda the only reason to drop the racists.

FFS look up the case that allowed for racial integration of schools, seriously. the victim mentality is so droll, but really that is what you base your opinion, can't really change that.

does the media play into the wrong issues? of course, and it has called it out in VERY appropriate situations as well (Cliven Bundy).

and the call to action. dude, I've imagined what you are imagining about as well, and race relations isn't going to be the hot button issue. really what you are getting at is stop the criticism for retarded reasons based around WWIII? okay, walking away now.

[Masark]

Its possible to focus on more than 1 issue.

Hypothetically, yes, but much of the electorate seems to be configured with an exceedingly low f-stop.

[Ebildays]

Why can't racist people keep their racism to themselves. This would not be an issue if Mr. Bundy kept to the topic that he was in the spotlight.

[Endus]

You may be allowed to sprout your racist shit but it doesn't mean we have to tolerate it.

Because you said the T-word, I'm going to pre-emptively make this point.

When we speak about "tolerance" when it comes to things like homophobia or racism, it's a very specific meaning of the word. It's means tolerating those superficial differences which have no effect on you whatsoever. It does not, and has never, meant "tolerance of all things".

The "if you were really tolerant, you'd have to tolerate my intolerance" thing is a complete misunderstanding of basic principles, and one so egregious that I can't accept that anyone actually believes it. They know they're playing word games. They do so to try and weaken the antagonism towards their bigotry.

So don't bring it up. We are under no moral obligation to "tolerate your intolerance", and more than we would tolerate murder, or theft, or keying our car, or the like.

[Sunaka]

This would not be an issue if Mr. Bundy kept to the topic that he was in the spotlight.

He thought it was a fair comparison, it seemed like. "I'm a slave to a government I don't think should be fining me, but I'm just trying to make my own way. I'm kinda like them cotton-pickin' slaves!" What he said was stupid and rather racist, but the whole thing from top to bottom is entirely moronic.

[Themius]

This reminds me... LA clippers owner recent racist comments "don't bring black people to my games"doesn't want his wife taking pictures with "minorities".

[mvaliz]

No. We can't stop it with calling out people for their racism. Not until the racism is gone.

Do you have the right to be racist? Does your right to free speech apply? Absolutely. However, nowhere in that right is included the right to not be called out and labelled for the content of your speech. That is not anyone's right. If you do not wish to be labelled a racist, you should keep your mouth shut and not express any racist opinions. The moment you do, you have not only allowed for but invited such criticism.

Nor has the word been in any way expanded, or lost it's meaning. It's the same meaning it's always had.

In the end, if you don't want to be called a racist, you have two options;

1> Don't be a racist to begin with, or
2> Keep your mouth shut about your racist beliefs.

The moment you open your mouth and express those beliefs, everyone else's freedom of speech protects their right to call you out and point out the content of your speech and how it speaks to your character.

THANK you Endus once again.

People seem to think that Freedom of Speech means "Freedom of all responsibility for said vocalized opinion"

No... Freedom of Speech means the Government or State cannot forcibly stop or imprison you for what you want to say. THAT'S ALL IT MEANS.

They can only use force if your demonstration becomes violent/risks others health.

[KrazyK923]

Honestly, it's a modern day witch hunt. That's really the best way I could describe it. Take Cliven Bundy as an example. Sure, what he said may have come off racist, but honestly, at the end of the day, it was about land rights and a Federal power grab.

But that's not what its about at all. The dude was doing blatantly illegal things, and when it became a public thing, tried to turn it into a State's Rights issues. How the hell can you say what he later said about "Negroes" being better under slavery not racist?

[Rodd]

After passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Act, many southern Democrats who were for segregation and inequality left the party for the Republican party. That you say Martin Luther King, Jr.'s family was Republican MAY (if true) before the white flight from the Democrats to the Republican party. Now the children and grandchildren of those opposed to civil rights people the Republican party.
The so-called Militia movement was born of the Posse Commitatus. The Posse Commitatus was used in the south to oppress blacks after the Civil War. Oppression included killing them.
Cliven Bundy is simply a racist thief stealing from the American people when he uses their land to fatten his cattle, refuses to pay the fees other ranchers pay, then sells those cattle.
He voted in the federal election as is his right under the Constitution, a pocket-sized copy which he waves around to deny the federal government's existence. Yes, he voted in an election for a government that doesn't exist (in his mind).

[Sky High]

But that's not what its about at all. The dude was doing blatantly illegal things, and when it became a public thing, tried to turn it into a State's Rights issues. How the hell can you say what he later said about "Negroes" being better under slavery not racist?

ignorants. people who simply are not aware enough to understand it as being wrong.

[twelvethirty]

Racism is okay as long as you arent white.

[araine]

Honestly, it's a modern day witch hunt. That's really the best way I could describe it. Take Cliven Bundy as an example. Sure, what he said may have come off racist, but honestly, at the end of the day, it was about land rights and a Federal power grab. Why is everything completely discredited because he may or may not have said something that may or may not have offended someone? I mean, why does the original issue go out the window?

I know most people are European on this forum, and that's fine, but we do have a first amendment right in this country. It's not illegal to be openly racist in America as long as you're not harming people. You and I may not agree with what is said, but people have every right to hold their own opinion. And as I said, these modern day witch hunts need to stop.

The real racist people are those sitting in front of a camera on the news dwelling on these issues when all they're doing is dividing us as a nation. It's not a party issue either, Martin Luther King Jr.'s entire family was Republican. Abraham Lincoln was Republican. You can't just say all Republicans are old white racist men. It's simply not true. Meanwhile you have literal race baiting on MSNBC, daily, that throw conniptions the second a white guy looks at a "minority" the wrong way.

People, there is a possibility that we could go into a third world war here with everything going on in Russia... and people think the NBA or equal marriage laws are the most pressing issues of the time? America needs a sense or priority here, badly.

Lincolns GOP is further to the left than todays democratic party just sayin. And to be honest your posts sounds like a lot of I am not racist but ..........

And cliven bundy is a welfare queen and a freeloader using federal land without paying for it. So explain why you think it is ok for a white person to freeload like this i am sure you would have found objections to black or other people of color failing to pay what they have in debt to the federal government and called them freeloaders and welfare queens.

Remember we always hear those comments from the far right how much we could lower taxes etc if we didnt have the freeloaders well here you have a freeloader that have been freeloading MILLIONS yet they whoreship the deadbeat just because he is white i guess

[Alvito]

So if there is a larger story or something else being focused on then wildly ignorant and racist comments are a non issue? Comparing the Republican party from 2014 the 1960's and 1860's is absurd also.

[simsumre]

Why can't racist people keep their racism to themselves. This would not be an issue if Mr. Bundy kept to the topic that he was in the spotlight.

I both agree and disagree, but I honestly don't believe that Mr. Bundy is a racist. If you look at the entire video, not just what was taken out of context, you can see where the man is coming from. We also need to remember here that he's an old man, calling a black person "negro" or "colored" is how it used to be. Hell, I remember my grand father referring to black folks as "colored" and he had no issue employing them or welcoming them in his house. It has nothing to do with racism, it was a term used the same as Caucasian. I mean, the term "negro" literally means black in Spanish.

So here's my issue with Bundy. What he said is true, to a point (I will link the entire video of his speech below). His opinion is that black folks have essentially traded one form of slavery for another. And who is to deny that with a large portion of the black population either imprisoned (blacks do make up the largest portion of our prison population) or living in Government housing. Black folks also have the highest abortion rate in the US as well as the highest children out of wedlock. The family unit has essentially been destroyed in the black community, which was a product of true racism, but it's never discussed.

Bundy however had no business discussing these issues as they had absolutely nothing to do with his land or the issues he faced. The media picked up his statements, literally took them out of context, and ran with them. I will now post the entire video of his statement, not the video that was edited by the media to make him look like an old racist nut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agXns-W60MI

Agree with him or not, that's not the issue. The issue here is the initial video released by the media was edited to make him sound a certain way. Understand that point, that's all I ask.

[braeldiil]

Actually, he doesn't want his girlfriend taking pictures with black people, not his wife. His wife is suing this girlfriend to try and get the house and cars he gave her back, and is not a racist, per her statement from yesterday's game. If you see comments about the girlfriend getting sued for embezzlement, that's the wife trying to get the gifts her husband gave out back.

And Bundy wasn't comparing himself to slaves - as offensive as that would have been, you can at least see what he thinks is a connection if you squint hard enough. No, he just decided he had an audience, so why not keep talking. I mean, the statement starts with "I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro", and never mentions his situation.