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Originally Posted by mixedmedia
Well, I seem to have struck a nerve.
You go on, Shakran, in your world believing that you are somehow being altruistic while at the same time being insensitive and dismissive of the past. Where Chris Rock is a "racist" and black people are taking revenge on you for slavery by calling you "whitey."
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It seems I'm the one that struck the nerve. I do think your definition of racist differs from its actual definition. No, I won't quote the dictionary here, but I will say that if you invent your own definition of words they can mean anything you want them to mean.
The undeniable truth is that if you judge someone because of their race, or you hurl insults at someone based on their race, you are being racist.
The other undeniable truth is that, whether you think it's right or not, when black people insult white people, it doesn't move us toward the goal of racial harmony. This should be obvious.
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And I will go on in mine, trying to be respectful of everyone regardless of their skin color, knowing that no one is out to "get me" and being thankful that my parents, and grandparents and their parents, etc., etc. never had to bow their heads and step out of the way of ANYONE.
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I am respectful of people who deserve it. Skin color is not a factor in whether or not they deserve it. I don't respect Imus because he's a racist, bigoted jackass - and not just because of the nappy headed bit either - this isn't exactly his first foray into this realm. I don't respect him because by making jackass comments like that he's chipping away at the colorblind ideal that I and those like me want to build. For the same reasons, I don't respect Chris Rock. He too routinely makes jackass racist comments. He too therefore is chipping away at my goal.
I don't really care what Rock's motive is for being racist. Maybe it's revenge, but I doubt it. I think Hanxter hit on an important point - Rock is getting rich with his particular brand of "comedy." He's not out for societal betterment, he's out looking for dollars. I have no problem with someone getting rich, but when it's to the detriment of society as a whole, I start to lose respect for that person. So no, I don't care WHY Rock is a racist - I care THAT he is a racist.
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And for the record, I don't think Don Imus is a "racist," either. You dilute the term with your blanket use of it. It's as if you don't really know what it means.
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Yeah, I do know what it means. It's you who are trying to redefine it. Imus may or may not be an actual racist. He might not actually believe the crap he spews - he, like Rock, is getting rich off of his off-color remarks - he might be saying them just to get rich, and privately hold a very different view. I don't know. But its his actions that matter - his actions, whether or not they express his true feelings, are to insult people because of uncontrollable characteristics.
I guess I'm confused over why your goal does not seem to be the elimination of all racist thoughts and attitudes from our society.