Re: Is white racism nec. all bad?
Gary Strand (gary@ncar.ucar.edu)
21 Apr 1995 17:36:41 GMT
rh> Robert Hartman
gs> Gary Strand
OK, OK, OK. I'll concede that American blacks have been victimized, oppres-
sed, and have suffered as much as or more than any other group in the his-
tory of humankind, and that the oppression and victimization of today has
barely changed since the 17th century and earlier. Satisifed?
rh> Actually that war [US Civil War] was about how to divvy up the West--after
getting rid of the Native Americans of course.
In part - it was also about whether "All men are created equal" applies to
men without white skin, if humans can be property, whether states can leave
the Union, industrialism vs. feudalistic agrarianism, and so on.
gs> I've never said white racism *wasn't* evil. What I do believe is that white
racism is the copout answer to the problems of blacks in America, particu-
larly the black underclass, when it's used as the sole cause. It's a lot
more complicated than that.
rh> It certainly is. But the climate of racism cannot be dismissed as a factor
either.
Have I done so?
What relative weight, say on a scale of 0 to 100, the 100 being the total of
the oppression black Americans face, would white racism have? That is, what
is the percentage, in your opinion?
gs> Howzabout we work on the problem of making individuals mere appendages of
the group, which is what racism, sexism, homophobia, &c-ism are all about?
rh> Fine by me. Got any suggestions?
Separation of race and state, much as the separation of church and state.
No discrimination of any kind, positive or negative. As it is, AA denies a
great many people equal protection under the law, doesn't it?
--
Gary Strand WWW: http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cscor/gary/gary.html
strandwg@ncar.ucar.edu PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 (303) 497-1336
Opinions stated here are mine alone and are not those of NCAR, UCAR, or the NSF
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