You definitely have to have an opinion about this

[rah]

I've worked for an education. Worked hard all my life. I never asked for a hand out.
And have stayed around to raise every child that I have fathered, Making sure there was a safe and loving envioronment.
Yeah, quite a monster. But at least I'm an American.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by rah
...Yeah, quite a monster. .

Don't take offense. Lancer was being ironic.
Personal responsiblity, hard work, taking care of the young'uns.

[Lancer]

Originally posted by rah
I've worked for an education. Worked hard all my life. I never asked for a hand out.
And have stayed around to raise every child that I have fathered, Making sure there was a safe and loving envioronment.
Yeah, quite a monster. But at least I'm an American.

You're an American that needs a day off.

[Monk]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Secondly, it was the British who were the first to ban the slave trade in the first place. While it is true that they engaged in the slave trade, so did every other European nation. They were the first ones to say stop.

Slight threadjack here, Ben - the first nation to ban slave trade was actually Denmark. It might not have meant much on the world scale, but we'll take the victories we can properly claim.

[Aeson]

Originally posted by rah
BS, every single white person could stop saying something and I doubt it would make a difference.

You're not listening. I said people don't need to bring their race into it when they address these issues. You're trying to pretend I'm saying that specific groups shouldn't say anything at all, when I've clearly stated otherwise.

[Aeson]

Originally posted by Lancer
Didn't Obama say we need a racial conversation or some such? Was that a racist statement?

Addressing racial concerns is not necessarily racist. Depends on how you address them.

[Aeson]

Originally posted by rah
(and actually I don't normally make that differenciation but think it's unfair that if I do, I would be considered a racist by people that think it's ok for them to say it.)

You need to unplug your ears. I'm saying it's not ok for anyone to pretend that their race makes a difference in this regard.

[Ben Kenobi]

I stand corrected.

1792 indeed. Merci Monk!

[Monk]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
I stand corrected.

1792 indeed. Merci Monk!

De rien! While the decision was made in 1792, it did not come into effect before 1803. Also, it only prohibited slave trade and not slavery as such, and wasn't always followed by everybody. But y'know, Danes are in the business of taking all the credit we can get.

[Felch]

Originally posted by Barnabas
What is the meaning of "Section 8 housing" ?

Section 8 is federally subsidized housing.

[rah]

Originally posted by Aeson


You need to unplug your ears. I'm saying it's not ok for anyone to pretend that their race makes a difference in this regard.

Then go annoy the people that do it almost every day. In the press, whenever there's a platform.

And I have no respect for the far right that does the same but clouds it behind religion.

[Aeson]

Originally posted by rah
Then go annoy the people that do it almost every day.

If they try to disagree with me on poly, sure thing dood.

[Lancer]

Actually I wonder what you guys are talking about.

[Theben]

Originally posted by Aeson
Everyone deserves to have their say. Pretending like race matters in who gets to say what is racist.

You're wrong, race does matter. Minorities often don't get heard, or have their concerns downplayed.

At the same time, you can't just say "you're racist" w/o an explanation why. On top of that, after the "racist" comes out, it is often okay to scorn the individual who said it, and discard anything they say after that. Any real racist isn't going to change their minds under those circumstances, and someone who isn't intentionally doing so will feel hurt and angry. Hence the need for real dialogue.

I have a lot of respect for Bill Cosby for standing up and taking abuse for saying basically the same thing.

Chris Rock said it too, tho after Bill. In fact I hear this from a lot of middle class blacks.

[Aeson]

Originally posted by Theben
You're wrong, race does matter. Minorities often don't get heard, or have their concerns downplayed.

People have what they say unfairly discredited for irrelevant reasons. Race is one of them. You seem to have misread my post and though I was saying otherwise. Go read the post again in it's entirety and pay attention to the context. I was speaking against using race as a qualification for who gets to say what, not denying that it happens.

At the same time, you can't just say "you're racist" w/o an explanation why.

I've explained why I think some statements in this thread are racist. Either deal with the arguments, or let it go. Pretending I haven't made the arguments is silly.

On top of that, after the "racist" comes out, it is often okay to scorn the individual who said it, and discard anything they say after that.

Discarding something said simply because of the source is ignorant. If something is worth considering, it's worth considering regardless of who brings it up.

Any real racist isn't going to change their minds under those circumstances, and someone who isn't intentionally doing so will feel hurt and angry. Hence the need for real dialogue.

I'm not here to fix people.