Is the term "racist" an embedded control mechanism designed to stifle serious, rational debate?
It's like they're programmed to say it without thinking. Immigration? "Racist!" Crime trends? "Racist!" Cultural bias? "Racist!" Educational development? "Racist!"
Is this the ultimate in social engineering? How can people be made to understand that discussion and debate is the key to understanding and progress?
Answer:
Good question.
Once you've resorted to calling someone a 'racist' or comparing them to Nazis/Hitler, you've lost the argument.
The term 'racist' should mean extreme cultural imperialism, but the inconvenient truth remains that some ethnic groups commit disproportionate levels of particular crimes; it's impossible to stand back and read the dry statistics without someone crying 'That's racist!' in the background.
Talk of immigration isn't racist until people start lumping illegals, legals, asylum seekers in one category, then declare that the UK is being 'swamped'.
Asking why young black men aren't doing as well in school as thier peers isn't racist, either. Or why young Muslim people feel disaffected. Or, indeed, why the white working class feel disaffected, too. Or why some cultures feel it necessary to perform female circumcision.
These questions need to be asked, but PC/knee-jerk reactions to questions which are framed in an emotional, culturally ignorant way prevents us from making any kind of progress in society - which is what we want, right?
It's all they've got to come back with. When the first term of the classification of aliens we are discussing is "illegal" there aren't very many arguments they can put forward.
Because racism is their trump card. It seems the only people who are racists are white. How strange.
Racism is still racism no matter how hard u want to "stifle it into a serious, rational debate...
sadly yes, it is a most effective way of stifling debate. Ultimately it does nothing to help those who genuinely need protecting from real racism as the term, and use of it, quickly becomes so devalued. But I suspect the people who use this term so freely know exactly what they are doing.
Usually, it is the embedded cause of debate.
Jean-Luc,
It is used much more frequently than I like. Racism does exist, of that there is no question, and we should ALL work on its eradication. But to use that term whenever you discuss outstanding nation-wide problems you can get cut off at the knees if you are labeled 'racist'. The argument/debate is over for you - you have been discarded. The media, especially, will pounce on the most innocent of phrases and turn you into today's pariah. It's a shame.
from past experience all Asian people are accusing us of being racist - there is rules for them and rules for us. If they wish to stay in our country they should follow our rules and laws, eg: Freedom of Speech.
"Racist" and "racism" most certainly have become words for too loosely thrown around and used as a means of stifling debate.
Anyone who does not share the opinions of the ultra left do gooders (many with agendas) are branded racist. It's wrong!
It's done primarily because an honest look at statistics will have one race or another as a primary focus point. For example...It's perfectly OK to say that a serial killer is most likely to be a white male, but it is racist to say that inner city crime is most likely to be committed by a black (in some neighborhoods Hispanic) male.
Sanity should be defined as looking at the facts as they are not as you would like them to be.
Because people without logical reason can only see (say) one thing, they assume that if we are called “racist” we may stop our onslaught to save face. They do it to the politicians; they want to do it to us as well. You probably will get someone saying it on here to! @_@
very good point but the trouble is, society is so complex that we trondle through life unaware of the governments constant brainwashing via TV,cinema ,news papers Internet etc.its the very rich who run this planet people we don't get to meet down the pub mate.i think through social economical,religious and ethnic differences we are all being taken for mugs.they tell the Islamics to hate us kafers through their religious schools then they tell us those nasty little Muslims are trying to harm us.were all being taken for a ride.it matters not who is killed as long as the dollar,pound etc keeps rolling in.society is full of millions of things that are put in place over hundreds of years to keep us pious and subservient.[example and there are millions] invade Iraq under false pretence make billions on selling weapons to the army] wonder who owns the company's that build the military hardware from soldiers knives and forks in the canteen to the tanks and war ships.tin foil hat [gonna buy one].sadly most just dont get it,they got it wrapped up and there is jack we can do about.
They do not want to discuss anything. If you disagree with there point of view, you are a racist. They are completely wrong but it does stop debate. It's there way or the highway. Guess you are correct. You will never have an intelligent conversation we these people. You keep doing the right thing. It is they, not you that are racist. Sad but some people one cannot talk to.:(
Yes, yes, and yes! Anytime the liberals disagree with someone they call that person a racist or a bigot. They do this to stifle dissent from their radical, multicultural agenda. The liberals have been training a generation of young Americans to hate their country, and to not speak out against a minority person who holds radical views because of the fear of being called racist. We have got to expose these lying, liberal losers for the thought police that they are.
Take the immigration debate. Anyone who opposes giving amnesty to almost all of the 12 to 20 million illegal aliens in this country is called a racist or bigot. Senator Lindsey Graham gave a speech at a La Raza award’s ceremony where he received an award from this Hispanic supremacist group - www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sEfrF... He called all those who oppose amnesty for illegal aliens "bigots," and he said that he loves Ted Kennedy’s immigration ideas!
Has this world gone crazy! Giving amnesty to all the illegal aliens who broke many of our laws citizenship is an insane policy. You don't reward criminals by allowing them to keep the fruits of their crimes! Namely, citizenship in our country. This only encourages more law-breaking. Yet, the anti-American proponents of this bill, Senators Graham, Kennedy, and John McCain call those who disagree with them bigots!
I call us patriots for standing up to the politically correct leftists who are moving forward with their radical agenda to re-make America into a third world country made up of sqabbling factions.
It's something they use when they don't have anything else .
An excuse to shut you down , by pulling the race card . Don't they know that it works both ways ?
I say they are unpatriotic , by turning the US over to non-Americans to demand , demand , mind you , their rights and to fly a Mexican over a Government Building .
Now what do you call that !
FACT: most people don't actually understand what the term 'racist' means.
I constantly hear people accuse people of racism for very petty things, like saying derogatory language to different coloured people. This is miss-use of a term and causes needless damage due to the magnitude of the word.
Racism IS: " The belief in the superiority or inferiority of races on a general or specific context"
Racism IS NOT: " reference to anything to do with colour"
Most people whip out the "racist" card when they have no clue what it means.
This term is being used so much that it is losing its impact. Racism does happen and its WRONG on all accounts but its like crying wolf to many times. Eventually people stop believing. Someone who becomes or already is a victim of true racism would have an uphill battle just to see justice. It is such a politically motivated word right now. I think that is why we are seeing this trend that people who debate current immagration issues are being called racist. If people can't discuss their concerns and remain confused for fear of being labled then they can't form a solid opinion based on real facts. The advantage of having people "undecided" on an issues means they can be pressured into a beleif system based on very limited and edited information. A person who is truly informed can't be fooled by gimicks because they can see what is being hidden. By using the term "Racist" to stiffle debate among American citizens political figures can more easily pass legislation through without revealing details that could have a major impact on our country. (Please don't think I am screaming conspiracy here.) This is just an observation because it is obvioulsy easier to pass a proposed bill if there is no demand for debate or discussion. As for your other question about making people understand debate is good...I have no idea. People can't be forced to care. Natural human laziness keeps us from aking questions. If you don't ask questions you don't have to deal with the answers. However, I think we are already making progress. After all, MyTend.com s has provided us (two complete strangers) with the ability to communicate and debate. I never would have known your question if you hadn't posted it here!
An extreme example is dear old George Galloway he said:
"These people have come here to live they are as British as you or I "
He called a caller "racist" for not agreeing .
These bleeding hearts who want to prove how "non racist" they are and are prepared to give away the UK to prove it are far more dangerous to the UK than any German Nazis ever were.
I also do not condone the mal-treatment of ANYONE based on their skin colour, heritage or religion. All people should be treated with respect.But must I really allow 10s of millions to come here to the UK or be called a "racist"? these people who use racist so loosely and so half understood and oversimplified are idiots pure and simple.
Discussion and debate should always be important, regardless of your political persuasions.
Actually it's misused by some people, but less often than you'd think. I'd more typically describe someone who doesn't like immigrants as 'xenophobic' - which is a far more applicable term.
Hi Jean-Luc,
You have hit the nail right on the head!
NO Rational argument is needed!
NO thought is needed!
NO logic is needed!
Just scream the word "Racist" (or "Sexist" or "Homophobe" or "Fascist")
and ALL debate.
ALL reason.
ALL discussion is ended!
I strongly suspect that all these Violations are caused by PCers and "liberals" pressing the "Abuse" button and writing "We can't answer this guy's TRUTH or FACTS .So we'll call him a "Racist"
THAT will frighten Yahoo!
Its taken a lot of work since 1936, and way back before that too, to ensure that nazi little thugs did not use such words as 'debate', as the Nazis debated the Jewish issue, while what they meant was "lets get rid of them".
You do not wish to discuss immigration, and if you did, why not include the worries of the French and Spanish about the huge influx f English people into these countries, who will not assimilate, a wonderful disguised word for nazi, or learn the language.
You see, they are ex pats, even in your mind, not immigrants, thus not a topic needy of debate. Or put it another way. They are white and not black or brown, so not immigrants, as immigrants are always foreigners, and usually black or brown.
Listen to yourself. What debate, you are a racist, and you simply want to turn back many years of hard work and be able to taunt people in the street again, based on colour. Well, son, it's not happening, and you will just have to get used to a multi-cultural England.
yes it is because they actually dont have any valid arguements so its easy to call people racist. and what makes me laugh is that they contradict themselves quiet often too, because a typical phrase is human rights and being equal. well if thats the case then how come they dont question the islam or hindu as man/woman are not equal and if somebody is forced to live in a certain way even though he/she doesnt want to,how can that be right? well funny enough these people dont answer questions like that. unfortunately most of these people cant be made to understand that a debate is useful,they are stuck in their ways in the same way real racists are,very small minded
i think so, it seems every time you mention immigration or anything like that the knee-jerk reaction is 'youre a racist' in fact when I was a traffic warden, almost every time i gave a ticket to somebody who wasnt white it was never because they had parked somewhere they shouldnt have done, it was because i was racist. they even use it as an excuse to try and justify their own shortcomings
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