Is this racist, does my teacher have a right to punish me for this?

[Trippy Turtle]

That's not racist at all... I swear it was that generation once trying to teach me "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me". Whatever happened to that?

Well, we realized that words have a lot of power. Words shape our entire existence and our perceptions, including our world views and the way we conceive race. So, yes, they can hurt you and can, also, do SO much more.

They can only hurt you if you let them. Words can cause actions but it is the actions that hurt.

 

[Legion]

If that's racist, then I am sexist for preferring girls to guys...

 

[OriginalLadders]

People have little control over what they find attractive, it just doesn't work like that. Personally I don't think stating a preference for white skin is racist unless your reasoning was along the lines of "because brown skin is ugly" which it obviously was not.

Your teacher is being massively over-sensitive in the matter, racism requires a specific negative opinion against a race (which your sentiments were lacking). Maybe that should be they key point of your paper?

 

[MCrewdson001]

It was a perfectly acceptable opinion and I cant see anything wrong with it

 

[adorabelle]

That's not racist at all... I swear it was that generation once trying to teach me "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me". Whatever happened to that?

Well, we realized that words have a lot of power. Words shape our entire existence and our perceptions, including our world views and the way we conceive race. So, yes, they can hurt you and can, also, do SO much more.

They can only hurt you if you let them. Words can cause actions but it is the actions that hurt.

If they cause "actions", if they can be used to justify any kind of attrocity under the sun, like years upon years of white domination or/and genocide. How is that NOT hurting?? And even if that saying related only to something "harmless" like name calling, words still can hurt. Take a look at what bullying does to people's lifes....

 

[TheSmokingFox]

Refuse to do the work, when you are threatened with discipline, DEMAND that they give a single justification for it. once they attempt to call you racist you simply say this "if i cannot judge physical attractiveness (what you asked me too do) on arguably the most notable physical feature, skin colouration, why ask me to do it." at that point simply sit and stare them in the eye until they can come up with a explanation of how mentioning skin colour makes you racist.

Good Luck, I have been in practically this exact situation. just remember don't get angry, just hold the in contempt and tell them to their faces that you now have no respect for idiocy like this.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

That's not racist at all... I swear it was that generation once trying to teach me "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me". Whatever happened to that?

Well, we realized that words have a lot of power. Words shape our entire existence and our perceptions, including our world views and the way we conceive race. So, yes, they can hurt you and can, also, do SO much more.

They can only hurt you if you let them. Words can cause actions but it is the actions that hurt.

If they cause "actions", if they can be used to justify any kind of attrocity under the sun, like years upon years of white domination or/and genocide. How is that NOT hurting?? And even if that saying related only to something "harmless" like name calling, words still can hurt. Take a look at what bullying does to people's lifes....

I have been bullied and eventually learned to shrug it off and they go away. Anyway if I told someone to go kill someone else then its the action of killing them that hurts them not the words. Words without action are nothing and can easily be ignored. Bullying is usually not just words and if the bully just sat there insulting someone they could easily be ignored. It is the actions of the bully (Following, pushing and generally making sure he can't be ignored) that makes the words hurt. I take back my original statement and instead say "Words without actions can not hurt people".

 

[Blestsol]

Oh yeah, I never answered. no she doesnt have the right to. You didnt do anything wrong.
*shrug*

 

[2xDouble]

Hanlon's Razor tells us that we should never rationalize something as intentionally evil when it can equally easily be explained by stupidity or incompetence. Tie that into Occam's Razor: when presented with two answers to a question, the answer that requires the fewest departures from the norm is usually the correct one.

Consider the situation at hand: the teacher has singled out one student, accused him of racism, and then assigned him, and only him, a paper in which he must indirectly apologize for being racist.

Now, consider the two conflicting explanations: yours, which calls for the teacher to A) be faking outrage B) be knowingly making a false accusation against a student C) be doing A and B while also assigning a single student additional work without due cause, and D) believes A-C to be worth the valuable lesson that she has orchestrated for the student to learn.

Or, alternatively, mine, which only requires that the teacher is irrational and bad at her job.

Never assume brilliance when stupidity is far, far more likely, mate.

Surprisingly enough, the fact that a psychology teacher is bad at her job is the greater departure from the norm. Every so-called "irrational occurrence" described is commonplace in this arena. Socrates, anyone?

Additionally, one very simple and very obvious fact changes the entire equation. To wit [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism]:

1: a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

2: racial prejudice or discrimination

What the OP has done, intentionally or not, is the definition of racism. Now, apply Hanlon's Razor again. Which one of them is stupid?

 

[sinterklaas]

What the OP has done, intentionally or not, is the definition of racism. Now, apply Hanlon's Razor again. Which one of them is stupid?

How the hell is what the OP did racism?

1. He didn't believe race X is superior to race Y.
2. He didn't have prejudice and he didn't discriminate.

Don't give me crap about 'discriminating' between white girls and black girls: "Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category.". Finding color X more attractive than color Y is no more discrimination than liking girls is discrimination towards boys and liking blondes is discrimination towards people with different hair colors. Attractiveness has nothing to do with prejudice or discrimination.

 

[TheSmokingFox]

Refuse to do the work, when you are threatened with discipline, DEMAND that they give a single justification for it.

I think the OP is in highschool. If that is the case, it is VERY important that his parents be the one to take this up directly with the Principal. The HS model puts the students in a kids roll and the teachers in the adult roll. They will dig their heals in if the kid complains.

His parents phoning the Principal and threatening to go to the school board over an inappropriate curriculum that included a homophobic question and inappropriate grading and punishment on the other hand will make them stop and think.

TBF i was in secondary school (U.K) when i was in this kind of situation, and thats pretty much what i did.

 

[Shoqiyqa]

When it got to which physical characteristics we find most attractive, ...

Granted it was a psychology class, so maybe they were going for non-physical traits that you found attractive, ...

Huh?

no watches porn of fat black chicks, which is sadly the only porn of black chicks. the one time there's a black porn star is where she looks almost like rihanna or beyonce.

I think I must have failed my Knowledge (Pop Culture) roll just now. Hang on.

*google image search*

.....

*google image search*

.....

The way you phrased it made it sound like you consider Rihanna and Beyonce fat.

Seriously?

I'm also fairly sure there are some people, considerably more numerous than "no one," who watch those two for the pleasure of watching them.

*reaches for post button*

Oh, wait. Did you mean ... *checks images again* ... ah, paler than the average Zulu tribesman?

Erm ... *deep breath* *turn off SafeSearch* ... Nope. "Black women nude," "black girl nude" and "black chick nude" all came up with a similar mixture of skin tones from Norse to mahogany, and nobody fat. Some saggy breasts, but nobody flabby. "Fat chick nude" brings up *shudder* FAT ... and they're all white ... apart from that one Japanese woman, who isn't fat. She's on a blog with a whole load of inaccurately labelled pictures. Typical.

Ah. There. Found one! One fat black woman in pages and pages of other results.

Wait, tolerance. As in to tolerate.

tol·er·ate
verb /ˈtäləˌrāt/ 
tolerated, past participle; tolerated, past tense; tolerates, 3rd person singular present; tolerating, present participle

Allow the existence, occurrence, or practice of (something that one does not necessarily like or agree with) without interference
- a regime unwilling to tolerate dissent

Accept or endure (someone or something unpleasant or disliked) with forbearance
- how was it that she could tolerate such noise?

Be capable of continued subjection to (a drug, toxin, or environmental condition) without adverse reaction
- lichens grow in conditions that no other plants tolerate

Nowhere does that say you have to even like people of other races from your own to be classed as tolerant. You just have to accept or "put up with", nowhere does it say like or be attracted to.

That is exactly what I hate about the term.

... something that one does not necessarily like or agree with ... someone or something unpleasant or disliked ... a drug, toxin, or environmental condition

I'm pretty sure I'd find discussion of whether or not people were willing to tolerate me inherently offensive.

Write your paper on that! "Racial tolerance: a term infused with bigotry"

I think This can be considered reverse racism at some point,

NO! Let me rephrase that:

rac·ism (rszm)
n.
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
racist adj. & n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
racism, racialism
n
1. (Sociology) the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others
2. (Sociology) abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of another race on the basis of such a belief
racist , racialist n & adj

Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003
racism
1. a belief that human races have distinctive characteristics that determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one?s race is superior and has the right to control others.
2. a belief in a policy of enforcing the asserted right of control. ? racist, n., adj.

There is no direction implicit in racism.

Magnetotropism can be north or south.
Geotropism can be positive or negative.
Thermotropism can be positive or negative.
Electrical charge can be positive or negative.
A car's selected gear can be forwards or reverse.

Racism is racism. It just is. Against or in favour of any particular "race" it's still racism.

And also feel free to quote everyone here - you have our support obviously. I'd also send a copy to the dean, the school counsellor and probably put copies up on every school notice and bulletin board.

Add a few local newspapers to your Cc: list ... or your Bcc: list so the teacher has time to react badly to being set right and the principal has time to back up the incompetent b____ by default without bothering to listen or think before either of them realises they've got an audience.

Funny way to play it off if you want to: say that you meant white over orange skin, but the teacher wouldn't let you explain. With all the horrific tanning accidents you see walking around these days, that's a pretty relevant preference to specify.

Oh, that's beautiful!

 

[MrPanafonic]

When it got to which physical characteristics we find most attractive, ...

Granted it was a psychology class, so maybe they were going for non-physical traits that you found attractive, ...

Huh?

no watches porn of fat black chicks, which is sadly the only porn of black chicks. the one time there's a black porn star is where she looks almost like rihanna or beyonce.

I think I must have failed my Knowledge (Pop Culture) roll just now. Hang on.

*google image search*

.....

*google image search*

.....

The way you phrased it made it sound like you consider Rihanna and Beyonce fat.

Seriously?

I'm also fairly sure there are some people, considerably more numerous than "no one," who watch those two for the pleasure of watching them.

*reaches for post button*

Oh, wait. Did you mean ... *checks images again* ... ah, paler than the average Zulu tribesman?

Erm ... *deep breath* *turn off SafeSearch* ... Nope. "Black women nude," "black girl nude" and "black chick nude" all came up with a similar mixture of skin tones from Norse to mahogany, and nobody fat. Some saggy breasts, but nobody flabby. "Fat chick nude" brings up *shudder* FAT ... and they're all white ... apart from that one Japanese woman, who isn't fat. She's on a blog with a whole load of inaccurately labelled pictures. Typical.

Ah. There. Found one! One fat black woman in pages and pages of other results.

Wait, tolerance. As in to tolerate.

tol·er·ate
verb /ˈtäləˌrāt/ 
tolerated, past participle; tolerated, past tense; tolerates, 3rd person singular present; tolerating, present participle

Allow the existence, occurrence, or practice of (something that one does not necessarily like or agree with) without interference
- a regime unwilling to tolerate dissent

Accept or endure (someone or something unpleasant or disliked) with forbearance
- how was it that she could tolerate such noise?

Be capable of continued subjection to (a drug, toxin, or environmental condition) without adverse reaction
- lichens grow in conditions that no other plants tolerate

Nowhere does that say you have to even like people of other races from your own to be classed as tolerant. You just have to accept or "put up with", nowhere does it say like or be attracted to.

That is exactly what I hate about the term.

... something that one does not necessarily like or agree with ... someone or something unpleasant or disliked ... a drug, toxin, or environmental condition

I'm pretty sure I'd find discussion of whether or not people were willing to tolerate me inherently offensive.

Write your paper on that! "Racial tolerance: a term infused with bigotry"

I think This can be considered reverse racism at some point,

NO! Let me rephrase that:

rac·ism (rszm)
n.
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
racist adj. & n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
racism, racialism
n
1. (Sociology) the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others
2. (Sociology) abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of another race on the basis of such a belief
racist , racialist n & adj

Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003
racism
1. a belief that human races have distinctive characteristics that determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one?s race is superior and has the right to control others.
2. a belief in a policy of enforcing the asserted right of control. ? racist, n., adj.

There is no direction implicit in racism.

Magnetotropism can be north or south.
Geotropism can be positive or negative.
Thermotropism can be positive or negative.
Electrical charge can be positive or negative.
A car's selected gear can be forwards or reverse.

Racism is racism. It just is. Against or in favour of any particular "race" it's still racism.

And also feel free to quote everyone here - you have our support obviously. I'd also send a copy to the dean, the school counsellor and probably put copies up on every school notice and bulletin board.

Add a few local newspapers to your Cc: list ... or your Bcc: list so the teacher has time to react badly to being set right and the principal has time to back up the incompetent b____ by default without bothering to listen or think before either of them realises they've got an audience.

Funny way to play it off if you want to: say that you meant white over orange skin, but the teacher wouldn't let you explain. With all the horrific tanning accidents you see walking around these days, that's a pretty relevant preference to specify.

Oh, that's beautiful!

I like what you did there

 

[spartandude]

is it sexist to find only one sex atractive?

 

[Swiftkillz]

i assume there is more to the story, this just sounds to fishy

 

[nut777]

If you simply don't find black women attractive, then no. But if a black woman was attractive, and you would not date her simply because she was black then yes. Also for the record the term 'colored' is considered a racist term, because it separates 'whites' from everyone else, as opposed to giving other races an identity, and because racists often use the term. It's an old hate. Also a dictionary does not assign a term its meaning, its use does.

 

[CplDustov]

Some people just find pale skin their thing. mm Like if you like the goth look for a girl well then... black hair and white .. by that I really mean white as a color, not a generic pigmentation term for anything "caucasian".. and black hair...

though I can imagine a persian or latina goth could be an interesting take on the classic goth image.

 

[rda_Highlander]

On a related news: You can't say you like men, because it's sexist!
Oh, yeah. "coloured" is not racist. White is also a colour. Or you can call caucasian people "pink" or "orange" if you want. It's not about words, it's about attitude.