Re: [NTLK] Racism: Can We Squash This?

From: Vaguely Radio (vradio_at_maine.rr.com)
Date: Tue Mar 23 2004 - 18:19:25 PST


I know this is not Newton-related, and contemplated sticking an "OT" at
the front, then eschewed the idea for fear of breaking the thread. But
I'd like to add to this little discussion.

When Jared first made that comment, all I saw was a joke that, in my
opinion, fell flat (Monty Python, it ain't).

When you responded, I considered your response totally out of
proportion to the original transgression. Before we turn this into an
ad hominem debate - yes, I am a Caucasian American, of Irish descent.
Does this matter? Apparently so, because you seem to feel that it puts
me at a logical disadvantage in this discussion. I feel differently -
I think I and many of the others on this list are gifted with the
ability to use our brains, and are generally open-minded sorts. I've
seen conversations about Christianity and the Templars just recently
teeter close to "flame" territory - and then correct themselves. Most
of us are skilled at the art of saying what we think and in the process
generally not stepping on toes, because in a sense, we are all friends
here (apart from Woo and Ferdi *rimshot*).

As for Jared - yes, he is young, and therefore possibly inexperienced
in the art of being tactful. He's American, and therefore possibly a
product of a sometimes-ethnocentric culture (like many others, I may
add). I could defend him by saying "he's young" like some others on
this list. Then again, I don't feel I have to. It was a dumb joke.
It was not rampant hatred. I don't know Jared, and yet somehow I know
this, because I have seen his posts, and his history for making
sardonic comments - sometimes funny, sometimes not.

Ikem, I realise that there are things that have happened to you
throughout your life because of your race that are probably horrible.
Everyone has his or her cross to bear, be it societal racism, age-ism,
discrimination based on height/weight/gender, or even reverse
discrimination based on being white. The fact is that human beings on
the whole like to discriminate against each other. It doesn't excuse
it, but it's also a battle that has waged since humanity began and that
unfortunately won't end anytime soon. The nice thing is, those of us
on NewtonTalk, as friends, have risen above it, and have crafted a more
utopian community based on the exchange of ideas, the spirit of
helpfulness, vicious debates on predilection for- or aversion to-
poutine (I'm in the "aversion" camp), and our little green traveling
companions. I am happy to have you here, and happier still to hear
your plans to develop for our platform, something at which I am
currently not knowledgeable enough to contribute (but more than happy
to share the fruits of your labour)! Welcome to our list.

If only we as a people would stop taking offense so readily (because as
someone else said, one can take offense at just about every word out of
someone's mouth nowadays), and just take a moment to seek to understand
the reasons why someone would say something (in this case, a random
form of humour), arguments such as these would be averted not just on
this list but in society in general. I don't blame you for taking it
the wrong way - that's based on your perception and the life you have
lead. I don't blame Jared for making the joke, either, apart from its
general unfunniness (the only thing about it that offends me), and even
professional comics have their off days. The world would be a much
nicer place if everyone could just lighten up and stop carrying the
burden of either our need for racial vengeance or our guilt for the
horrible crimes perpetrated by our ancestors- who are now all dead- and
whose legacy of prejudice only lives on in the minds of those that
further it by jumping to conclusions, or that personally apologize for
despicable acts that happened before our births.

I hope I haven't offended,
Dan

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