Why do some people consider talking about racism or the implications of racial stereotypes and injustices that have impacted our society as the equivalent of talking about racism?
For example if I say that I wish there were more black super heroines in comics, and someone responds that wanting that is racist. Or if it is suggested that statistically non-white non-hispanics (I think this excludes many Asian ethnic groups) are more likely to receive harsher sentences for crimes comparable to their white counterparts that it has nothing to do with a countries racial history. Or to suggest that race affects how you are immediately received in society is a racist notion.
Not the best examples, but I hope you get where I'm coming from.
It is an argument that I do not understand. While part of this may be due to my being African American, I've tried to look at it from other perspectives and it just doesn't pan out for me. It just seems like it ignores aspects of society. While this discussion is primarily from an American perspective, similar arguments have been made in different cultures with different ethnic groups.
On one hand I understand the idea that some people have that talking about race divides societies. Yet rarely have I heard the arguement really explored. By that I mean I do not recall ever hearing someone make this argument also agree that any sort of identification seperates society. Under this arguement the assumption must be that cultural identifiers are wrong for that reason. Thus my considering myself an African American is just as negative as a person considering themself a 3rd generations Italian American. At least in my mind that is how this works.
I dunno, maybe I cannot understand it because of my place in society and how I was raised.
But maybe everyone here can explain it to me.
For example if I say that I wish there were more black super heroines in comics, and someone responds that wanting that is racist. Or if it is suggested that statistically non-white non-hispanics (I think this excludes many Asian ethnic groups) are more likely to receive harsher sentences for crimes comparable to their white counterparts that it has nothing to do with a countries racial history. Or to suggest that race affects how you are immediately received in society is a racist notion.
Not the best examples, but I hope you get where I'm coming from.
It is an argument that I do not understand. While part of this may be due to my being African American, I've tried to look at it from other perspectives and it just doesn't pan out for me. It just seems like it ignores aspects of society. While this discussion is primarily from an American perspective, similar arguments have been made in different cultures with different ethnic groups.
On one hand I understand the idea that some people have that talking about race divides societies. Yet rarely have I heard the arguement really explored. By that I mean I do not recall ever hearing someone make this argument also agree that any sort of identification seperates society. Under this arguement the assumption must be that cultural identifiers are wrong for that reason. Thus my considering myself an African American is just as negative as a person considering themself a 3rd generations Italian American. At least in my mind that is how this works.
I dunno, maybe I cannot understand it because of my place in society and how I was raised.
But maybe everyone here can explain it to me.
