I can't make racist people stay away from restaurants. Calling them terrorists is a bit of a stretch too.
I know that this story is supposed to be humor. And that person asking for remedies to racism is clearly asking the wrong person.
But a standalone fact is that racism is indeed terrorism. When you call a Black person "nigger", you are referring to a long history of abuse, often lethal (and worse) of Black people. You are saying it to terrorize them. Not just personally, but as part of a whole group of people that you are trying to intimidate. That's an instance of using threats for political effects: suppressing Black people by singling one out as a representative of all Black people, then attacking them as that representative.
It is indeed terrorism. It's not at all the scale of crashing planefuls of people into giant office towers, or beheading someone in a widely distributed video. But it is indeed terrorism. And repeated thousands of times a day, for hundreds of years, that kind of terrorism has a very large scale effect.
Practically any crime involving intimidation can be turned into terrorism if you consider that the criminal is trying to terrorize you. The armed burglar, mugger, etc. are all trying to scare you into giving them what they want. Doesn't make them terrorists though.
They already have hate crimes for things like this, no need to further stretch the 'terrorism' word further than it already has been.
"But a standalone fact is that racism is indeed terrorism. When you call a Black person "nigger", you are referring to a long history of abuse, often lethal (and worse) of Black people." No not at all. No more than someone saying whitey or honky is! What about Redneck or Cracker? It is ugly and ignorant but terrorism? You are granting idiots too much power over you.
"But to the extent it is meant to make black people feel ill at ease being out in public, a political objective of the white power movement, it borders on terrorism." Wacked. First this was at best some idiot. Probably the only movement they where worried about is the next bowel movement. Second since when is being made to fell uncomfortable terrorism? Guess what sparky. I will bet you a dollar that idiots playing Gangster make people uncomfortable all the time. Heck people blasting profanity filled music so lo
Every kid in the nation says "nigga" all the time. (not applicable to nerds)
They repeat everything they see on MTV or BET, it's the way it was and the way it will be.
The rap artists are 100% responsible for this.
Every now and then some old white racist says nigger, but this was in Missouri for christ sakes, of course they are racist down there. That's like being surprised their IQ is really low, or that they voted for Bush.
If mexicans and peurto ricans can make their way up to NYC and NJ, I'm sure the
He got called "nigger" two times in five years and that's Terrorism to you?
By your logic, calling someone "Faggot" twice is terrorism, too. After all, there's a long history of oppression of gay people (longer than black people, in fact.)
When you call a Black person "nigger", you are referring to a long history of abuse, often lethal (and worse) of Black people.
"Black people" can be perceived as derogative as well. And so can "negroid", "coloured", and so on. Take offense to the "I hope he's not a" part. That is the racist element.
If I said "look at Obama, there might be a nigger in charge of the USA soon, that'd be so cool".. how would that be racism, let alone terrorism? Context means a lot in communication.
Language can be a challenge to some people. I heard this the other day from my girlfriend who lives with a girl who takes care of children born with autism. It is considered offensive to be called an "autistic child" versus a "child suffering from autism." Yeah, it can be looked as being a little too sensitive, though if you look real hard, there is a difference between describing who (or what) a person is (he or she is autistic) and what a person (as in the same as everyone else) is suffering from.
And with the reference to terrorism, that is too much. Why? Because these types of phobias and insecurities and hate are actually quite common, and it can be looked on as a special trait of humans. Along with the great complexity of the human brain comes the possibility of a logic-simplistic skill of hate, because the people around you are different. From the single celled amoeba to the intelligent complexities such as dolphins, monkeys, and pigs, none have the flaw that humans continue to socially carry to
What would be more accurate: "a child suffering from autism" or "a child whose family suffers from his/her autism"? "An autistic child" is the most accurate of all, just as "african american" isn't anywhere as accurate as "dark skinned person" or "black person". And I rather don't mention the "special abilities" fad.
It's Newspeak all along, sacrificing clarity and straighforwardness.
Unfortunately, "black-skinned people" don't entirely suffice... it should be "black-skinned people with bigger lips and dicks, a skull structure not entirely identical to that of white-skinned people, better sense of rhythm and the ability to jump".
Seriously though, in this age, nigger is just slang for negroid, negroid is an indication or race, refusing to acknowledge the existence of races is stupid (I can tell whether someone is a nigger, a caucasian or a mongol in less than a second with 99% (+/-1) su
You know, the fact that both of those people got escorted off the premises and that most of the people around him were very receptive to him screams that it's an isolated problem. Keep in mind that he's in Missouri, which sided with the South and had slavery (if I remember correctly).
Racism is isolated and uncommon; bringing attention to it's just going to backfire at this point.
> But a standalone fact > is that racism is indeed > terrorism.
No. Some skinhead pansy prancing around is an idiot. Not enough of a threat to waste the word terrorist on. Some hillbilly who still uses the N word in public is not a terrorist. Bigot? Yes. Terrorist? No.
The Klan burning a cross in somebody's front yard? Terrorist. Burning one at a Klan rally? Stupid but not terrorist.
To qualify for terrorist there needs to be violence or the direct threat of violence.
If racism is terrorism, then we are all terrorists.
Recently a woman with dark skin (white mother, black father) was shot during a drug raid. She had 6 children from 5 fathers, and lived with a new boyfriend who was the focus of the raid for crack dealing. The self-appointed black leaders of the town shouted for months (and are still shouting) about racism in policing and the court system, brought Jesse Jackson to town, and called for murder charges against the officer. He was acquitted in court of lesser
Uh, hate to break it to you there, but if you're referring to the Tarika Wilson shooting in Lima, Ohio, by Officer Joseph Chavalia, you're leaving out some salient points (and, might I add, attempting to smear the victim with irrelevancies).
For starters, she wasn't just "shot during a drug raid". That implies that the target(s) of the raid exchanged fire with the Lima police department. What actually happened is that another Lima police officer shot and killed the two dogs that lived in the house. Ch
I was just trying to give a quick example - all the intricacies brought out in court would have ended up with way too long a post for my point, which was pointed (as you know) at the Black Ministerial Alliance and a certain city councilman.
Sorry, but the dictionary disagrees with you [reference.com]. I would like to quote the Firesign Theater (I think from the "Bozos" record, I got stoned a lot back then and it was thirty or more years ago):
There's micks and wops and niggers and kikes with noses as long as your arm, and honkeys who never left the farm. THAT'S America, buddy!
My ancestors were called "micks" and it was spewed back then like "nigger" is now. Have you seen the movie Blazing Saddles? "Ok, we'll even take the niggers, but NOT the Irish!" We got past it, so should you.
I heard a man once say that when black people would stop using the word "nigger", he would too. Although I personally dislike the word, I think he has a valid point.
The reason the word is so distasteful is that "nigger" means "slave"; back when slavery was legal, a slave was considered just another farm animal, a subhuman. You had "field niggers" and "house niggers", like a house cat or an alley cat.
A "nigger rig" was a mechanical device meant for the slaves to use, usually junk, that was hastily repaired by a white slave owner or his white employees with the least amount of effort and expense. It was not "Afro-American Engineering".
If a word terrorizes you, you are indeed a cowardly wimp. Grow up and grow a spine.
I agree with your post completely - that is my personal policy and belief. I don't go around calling anyone "nigger". But it annoys me when a black person uses that word but insists that white people don't. It's hypocracy. If you don't like a word, don't use it yourself.
The way to combat racism is to act like a decent human being, to everyone.
"I heard a man once say that when black people would stop using the word "nigger", he would too. Although I personally dislike the word, I think he has a valid point.
"Black people" don't use that word. I've often heard this kind of logic used by racists in the interest of dismissing objections to their behavior. Under the same logic, "men" beat "women". I suppose you're okay with that, too.
That is the most disingenuous statement I've ever heard, unless your difinitions are as twisted as your logic, or you have never met any working class black people or seen movies with black people in it.
Under the same logic, "men" beat "women".
First, I didn't say I was ok with that word, as you can see from the statement you quoted. Second, your "logic" is quite twisted. "Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never harm me." Words do not equal physical attacks
I disagree that calling someone "nigger" implies a threat. It's a hateful word, and can certainly be used in a threatening context - but the word itself is not a terrorist threat.
As an extreme and obvious example, Chris Rock can say it and it's comedy. Less extreme is this hick at Applebee's - if he was trying to insult the guy and make him uncomfortable - that's not terrorism. There needs to be a threat of violence.
I'm not trying to defend the hick at Applebee's - he's the worst kind of person. But people
I can find plenty of none hateful uses of the word nigger.
Even when two black guys use it in a warm context, the reason that they use the word is because it represents a shared hardship. The word, all alone and without context, stirs up powerful emotions.
"But a standalone fact is that racism is indeed terrorism. When you call a Black person "nigger", you are referring to a long history of abuse, often lethal (and worse) of Black people. You are saying it to terrorize them. Not just personally, but as part of a whole group of people that you are trying to intimidate. That's an instance of using threats for political effects: suppressing Black people by singling one out as a representative of all Black people, then attacking them as that representative."
Have you heard how some blacks talk with/about each other in private? I only went to one family get-together with my very black SO for that reason.
So they are terrorizing their own relatives and neighbors ? That would give one a lower impression of them than a simple racist would hold wouldn't it? Or is it OK if they call their neighbor a nigger because they
But a standalone fact is that racism is indeed terrorism. When you call a Black person "nigger", you are referring to a long history of abuse, often lethal (and worse) of Black people.
So sticks and stones may break your bones but names should get people sent to Guantanamo?
Those 60:40 negative mods, and the 18 replies that insistently fail to understand either racism or terrorism, are the clear evidence that we're not going to see the end of either racism or terrorism any time soon.
Even in a Slashdot discussion, people will not think about how attacking one person as an arbitrary representative of their entire large group is a political act, and how violence used to
We warn the reader in advance that the proof presented here depends on a
clever but highly unmotivated trick.
-- Howard Anton, "Elementary Linear Algebra"
Racist Attacks are Terrorism (Score:-1)
I know that this story is supposed to be humor. And that person asking for remedies to racism is clearly asking the wrong person.
But a standalone fact is that racism is indeed terrorism. When you call a Black person "nigger", you are referring to a long history of abuse, often lethal (and worse) of Black people. You are saying it to terrorize them. Not just personally, but as part of a whole group of people that you are trying to intimidate. That's an instance of using threats for political effects: suppressing Black people by singling one out as a representative of all Black people, then attacking them as that representative.
It is indeed terrorism. It's not at all the scale of crashing planefuls of people into giant office towers, or beheading someone in a widely distributed video. But it is indeed terrorism. And repeated thousands of times a day, for hundreds of years, that kind of terrorism has a very large scale effect.
That's no joke.
Re:Racist Attacks are Terrorism (Score:5, Insightful)
Practically any crime involving intimidation can be turned into terrorism if you consider that the criminal is trying to terrorize you. The armed burglar, mugger, etc. are all trying to scare you into giving them what they want. Doesn't make them terrorists though.
They already have hate crimes for things like this, no need to further stretch the 'terrorism' word further than it already has been.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
It's essential for our national security to stretch the word terrorism to encompass anything you wish terrorism laws to be used for.
Re:Racist Attacks are Terrorism (Score:5, Insightful)
"But a standalone fact is that racism is indeed terrorism. When you call a Black person "nigger", you are referring to a long history of abuse, often lethal (and worse) of Black people."
No not at all. No more than someone saying whitey or honky is!
What about Redneck or Cracker?
It is ugly and ignorant but terrorism? You are granting idiots too much power over you.
Get over it people.
Re: (Score:2)
"But to the extent it is meant to make black people feel ill at ease being out in public, a political objective of the white power movement, it borders on terrorism."
Wacked.
First this was at best some idiot. Probably the only movement they where worried about is the next bowel movement.
Second since when is being made to fell uncomfortable terrorism? Guess what sparky. I will bet you a dollar that idiots playing Gangster make people uncomfortable all the time.
Heck people blasting profanity filled music so lo
Re: (Score:1)
Every kid in the nation says "nigga" all the time. (not applicable to nerds) They repeat everything they see on MTV or BET, it's the way it was and the way it will be. The rap artists are 100% responsible for this.
Every now and then some old white racist says nigger, but this was in Missouri for christ sakes, of course they are racist down there. That's like being surprised their IQ is really low, or that they voted for Bush.
If mexicans and peurto ricans can make their way up to NYC and NJ, I'm sure the
Racist comments are NOT Terrorism (Score:2, Insightful)
Wow.
He got called "nigger" two times in five years and that's Terrorism to you?
By your logic, calling someone "Faggot" twice is terrorism, too. After all, there's a long history of oppression of gay people (longer than black people, in fact.)
How about being called "witch" or "infidel"?
All terrorism, according to you.
Ridiculous.
Re:Racist Attacks are Terrorism (Score:4, Insightful)
When you call a Black person "nigger", you are referring to a long history of abuse, often lethal (and worse) of Black people.
"Black people" can be perceived as derogative as well. And so can "negroid", "coloured", and so on. Take offense to the "I hope he's not a" part. That is the racist element.
If I said "look at Obama, there might be a nigger in charge of the USA soon, that'd be so cool".. how would that be racism, let alone terrorism? Context means a lot in communication.
Re: (Score:2)
Language can be a challenge to some people. I heard this the other day from my girlfriend who lives with a girl who takes care of children born with autism. It is considered offensive to be called an "autistic child" versus a "child suffering from autism." Yeah, it can be looked as being a little too sensitive, though if you look real hard, there is a difference between describing who (or what) a person is (he or she is autistic) and what a person (as in the same as everyone else) is suffering from.
Myself,
Re: (Score:2)
And with the reference to terrorism, that is too much. Why? Because these types of phobias and insecurities and hate are actually quite common, and it can be looked on as a special trait of humans. Along with the great complexity of the human brain comes the possibility of a logic-simplistic skill of hate, because the people around you are different. From the single celled amoeba to the intelligent complexities such as dolphins, monkeys, and pigs, none have the flaw that humans continue to socially carry to
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
What would be more accurate: "a child suffering from autism" or "a child whose family suffers from his/her autism"? "An autistic child" is the most accurate of all, just as "african american" isn't anywhere as accurate as "dark skinned person" or "black person".
And I rather don't mention the "special abilities" fad.
It's Newspeak all along, sacrificing clarity and straighforwardness.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Racism is isolated and uncommon; bringing attention to it's just going to backfire at this point.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
> But a standalone fact
> is that racism is indeed
> terrorism.
No. Some skinhead pansy prancing around is an idiot. Not enough of a threat to waste the word terrorist on. Some hillbilly who still uses the N word in public is not a terrorist. Bigot? Yes. Terrorist? No.
The Klan burning a cross in somebody's front yard? Terrorist. Burning one at a Klan rally? Stupid but not terrorist.
To qualify for terrorist there needs to be violence or the direct threat of violence.
Of course lesser evil still
Re: (Score:2)
Recently a woman with dark skin (white mother, black father) was shot during a drug raid. She had 6 children from 5 fathers, and lived with a new boyfriend who was the focus of the raid for crack dealing. The self-appointed black leaders of the town shouted for months (and are still shouting) about racism in policing and the court system, brought Jesse Jackson to town, and called for murder charges against the officer. He was acquitted in court of lesser
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
For starters, she wasn't just "shot during a drug raid". That implies that the target(s) of the raid exchanged fire with the Lima police department. What actually happened is that another Lima police officer shot and killed the two dogs that lived in the house. Ch
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Racist Attacks are Terrorism (Score:4, Insightful)
Sorry, but the dictionary disagrees with you [reference.com]. I would like to quote the Firesign Theater (I think from the "Bozos" record, I got stoned a lot back then and it was thirty or more years ago):
My ancestors were called "micks" and it was spewed back then like "nigger" is now. Have you seen the movie Blazing Saddles? "Ok, we'll even take the niggers, but NOT the Irish!" We got past it, so should you.
I heard a man once say that when black people would stop using the word "nigger", he would too. Although I personally dislike the word, I think he has a valid point.
The reason the word is so distasteful is that "nigger" means "slave"; back when slavery was legal, a slave was considered just another farm animal, a subhuman. You had "field niggers" and "house niggers", like a house cat or an alley cat.
A "nigger rig" was a mechanical device meant for the slaves to use, usually junk, that was hastily repaired by a white slave owner or his white employees with the least amount of effort and expense. It was not "Afro-American Engineering".
If a word terrorizes you, you are indeed a cowardly wimp. Grow up and grow a spine.
Re: (Score:2)
I agree with your post completely - that is my personal policy and belief. I don't go around calling anyone "nigger". But it annoys me when a black person uses that word but insists that white people don't. It's hypocracy. If you don't like a word, don't use it yourself.
The way to combat racism is to act like a decent human being, to everyone.
Re: (Score:1)
"Black people" don't use that word. I've often heard this kind of logic used by racists in the interest of dismissing objections to their behavior. Under the same logic, "men" beat "women". I suppose you're okay with that, too.
Re: (Score:2)
"Black people" don't use that word.
That is the most disingenuous statement I've ever heard, unless your difinitions are as twisted as your logic, or you have never met any working class black people or seen movies with black people in it.
Under the same logic, "men" beat "women".
First, I didn't say I was ok with that word, as you can see from the statement you quoted. Second, your "logic" is quite twisted. "Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never harm me." Words do not equal physical attacks
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I disagree that calling someone "nigger" implies a threat. It's a hateful word, and can certainly be used in a threatening context - but the word itself is not a terrorist threat.
As an extreme and obvious example, Chris Rock can say it and it's comedy. Less extreme is this hick at Applebee's - if he was trying to insult the guy and make him uncomfortable - that's not terrorism. There needs to be a threat of violence.
I'm not trying to defend the hick at Applebee's - he's the worst kind of person. But people
Re: (Score:2)
There are no hatefull words, just hateful contexts.
I can find plenty of none hateful uses of the word nigger.
Re: (Score:2)
I can find plenty of none hateful uses of the word nigger.
Even when two black guys use it in a warm context, the reason that they use the word is because it represents a shared hardship. The word, all alone and without context, stirs up powerful emotions.
Re: (Score:1)
"But a standalone fact is that racism is indeed terrorism. When you call a Black person "nigger", you are referring to a long history of abuse, often lethal (and worse) of Black people. You are saying it to terrorize them. Not just personally, but as part of a whole group of people that you are trying to intimidate. That's an instance of using threats for political effects: suppressing Black people by singling one out as a representative of all Black people, then attacking them as that representative."
No, i
Pluh-ease (Score:2)
"When you call a Black person "nigger""
Define 'you' please...
Is that white people?
How about other blacks?
Or did you just assume everyone here is white?
Have you heard how some blacks talk with/about each other in private? I only went to one family get-together with my very black SO for that reason.
So they are terrorizing their own relatives and neighbors ? That would give one a lower impression of them than a simple racist would hold wouldn't it? Or is it OK if they call their neighbor a nigger because they
Re: (Score:2)
So sticks and stones may break your bones but names should get people sent to Guantanamo?
Re: (Score:1, Offtopic)
Moderation -1
60% Overrated
30% Insightful
10% Interesting
Those 60:40 negative mods, and the 18 replies that insistently fail to understand either racism or terrorism, are the clear evidence that we're not going to see the end of either racism or terrorism any time soon.
Even in a Slashdot discussion, people will not think about how attacking one person as an arbitrary representative of their entire large group is a political act, and how violence used to