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roachboy · 05-01-2005, 03:58 PM

so moose:
let me get this straight--what you are in effect saying is that critiques of racism, for example, should not be advanced because the effect of doing so would be to "discriminate against" the racists? as if there is an equivalence between a history of brutal racism in the united states from it outset thorugh the present and the twinge of embarrassment that racists might experience when they are called on their racism?

or: gay folk should shut up about the persistent type of discrimination they encounter because of who they choose to love (nothing else, friend) because to complain or mobilize or to act politically to eradicate this discrimination would in turn discriminate against homophobes?

or is all this really about loss of position--if you benefit from a racist order and the order comes under attack, then you stand to loose, right? so you now imagine that the effects of the critique constitute a second type of dscrimination?

i find it hard to believe that the sophomoric logic of your post is something that you take seriously--in the backwater of right media, i hear this kind of pseudo-argument advanced quite alot--i dont think limbaugh et al believe it either (though they seem to derive some erotic pleasure from repeating it)--rather this type of argument seems to be more about dissolving the whole idea of arguments against discrimination by a strategy of repeated reduction to absurdity.

so i assume is the case here: the problem is the type of argument against discrimination. all of them. presumably what is being defended behind this is the autonomy of individuals to be a racist, as bigoted, as uninformed as they wish without being bothered by being told that they are racist, bigoted, or uninformed. i cant see another function to the type of argument you advance.

but maybe i only see part of this, so
what do you think you are doing by advancing such arguments?

05-01-2005, 03:58 PM	#61 (permalink)
roachboy Super Moderator Location: essex ma	so moose: let me get this straight--what you are in effect saying is that critiques of racism, for example, should not be advanced because the effect of doing so would be to "discriminate against" the racists? as if there is an equivalence between a history of brutal racism in the united states from it outset thorugh the present and the twinge of embarrassment that racists might experience when they are called on their racism? or: gay folk should shut up about the persistent type of discrimination they encounter because of who they choose to love (nothing else, friend) because to complain or mobilize or to act politically to eradicate this discrimination would in turn discriminate against homophobes? or is all this really about loss of position--if you benefit from a racist order and the order comes under attack, then you stand to loose, right? so you now imagine that the effects of the critique constitute a second type of dscrimination? i find it hard to believe that the sophomoric logic of your post is something that you take seriously--in the backwater of right media, i hear this kind of pseudo-argument advanced quite alot--i dont think limbaugh et al believe it either (though they seem to derive some erotic pleasure from repeating it)--rather this type of argument seems to be more about dissolving the whole idea of arguments against discrimination by a strategy of repeated reduction to absurdity. so i assume is the case here: the problem is the type of argument against discrimination. all of them. presumably what is being defended behind this is the autonomy of individuals to be a racist, as bigoted, as uninformed as they wish without being bothered by being told that they are racist, bigoted, or uninformed. i cant see another function to the type of argument you advance. but maybe i only see part of this, so what do you think you are doing by advancing such arguments? __________________ a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear it make you sick. -kamau brathwaite