Discrimination

[Garina]

It is well known that all people should be treated equally, whatever race, gender or religion. This is especially the case with ethnic minorities. In my school, discrimination against minorities is dealt with severely. Or should I say, against obvious minorities.

I am a Christian, and I make no secret of the fact. This doesn't mean I walk around telling people to repent of their sins, but if someone asks me, I will tell them. Christianity is supposedly the main religion in the UK, so why is it that Christians seem to be in a minority and are constantly teased about their beliefs?

If I insulted a black person about the colour of their skin, or a Muslim about their religion, there would be hell to pay. I would be ostracised and severely punished. Yet people seem to feel it is their right to make fun of my beliefs. How is this fair?

In this country, white people have to be so careful what they say to others in case something is taken as offensive. So how come it doesn't work both ways? How come we can be insulted by others and it not be discriminating?

For the record, I am not accusing any members of this board of anything. This is just something I feel very strongly about, and I was wondering if anyone else had views on this subject.

[Spock]

Actually, across the pond, we experience the same. It's in vogue now, politically correct not to discriminate against color or ethnicity so that means it's ok to put down white anglo saxon protestants but not blacks who dance like their in a tarzan movie or anyone of any color other than white.. Now that should really stir up some people but the fact is the fact. You can't even teach about "dead white males" poetry and history being two fields that suffer this current trend. Of course the fact that the US was started by d.w.m. from Europe doesn't seem to enter the mental processes of those who criticize.

[Garina]

Just out of interest, why do Americans call the Atlantic Ocean "the pond"? It's a bit big!

[Starr Polish]

Amen, my friend.

I am Christian as well, and I get the same kind of treatment. My school is (sadly) predominately white, so I usually don't have a problem with that. A girl I know at school writes that she is an atheist, hates Christians, yet accepts all types of lifestyles. Isn't there a contradiction in there somewhere?

[Lizra]

she forgot to include that she's stupid!

[StrawberryIcecream]

Ive always thought that sometimes a lot of people are racist against whites.

I am no way getting at any other ethinic divisions for they get the worse treatment unfortunately. But also I was quite upset by a story read to us in assembly the other day and it eneded with "If you are white, we can cure you."

That made me feel as if i should be ashamed to be white. No one should be ashamed of who they are and I hate the way a lot of people think white people are evil because of the things our ancestors did. I reeaaallly hope i havent offended anyone and I am truly truly sorry if i have.

[Wayfarer]

Of course reverse racism occurs. Most of the far left is built on anti-majority discrimination. If they don't foster distrust of the white, male, christian, middle class, etc, they lose most of thier political influence.

[sun-star]

I experience this too, and what annoys me is that if you discuss it you have to be very careful and say "I'm really not trying to offend anyone", or you'll be accused of racism. That probably wouldn't be the case the other way round. It's like the balance has tipped too far the other way, so you get racism against everyone instead of against no one, which is such a pity, IMO. And as for religion - many people I have met who aren't religious (who don't call themselves atheists) just accept stereotypes, Christians act one way, Muslims act this way etc. It's annoying, but it comes from ignorance, which can hopefully be changed.

[Darth Tater]

Like the reverse sexism created by the feminist movement, reverse racism was an unfortunate side affect of the race struggle. I experiance it every day, being a member of a white minority in an inner city school.

[afro-elf]

here is a link

http://www.misanthropic-bitch.com/neighborhood.html

[Darth Tater]

10. Turning on your car's hazard lights excuses you from blocking a lane of traffic on a residential street so that you can talk to your boo.

The lunatic speaks the truth.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Darth Tater

The lunatic speaks the truth.

You shouldn't put yourself down so, Tater. I'm sure you've got some redeeming qualities.

[Darth Tater]

I think you know I do

[BeardofPants]

Oh? Discrimination? A God-Complex? An Ego the size of Manhattan? Any of those count?

[afro-elf]

Black and unworthy

http://www.misanthropic-bitch.com/we...re_stupid.html

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

I think it is sad that, especially at my school, there is that kind of hypocrisy about being very politiacally correct, while we can't be just as accepting of Christians. I try to be accepting of everyone, including Christians, and any kind of belief system, but I know that sometimes I fail at that.

But on the subject of Dead White Males and education, still in schools we mostly learn just one side of history, just what the D.W.M.'s had to say--because that is history; what bothers to get written down, and we miss a lot it because it wasn't written down. I'm not against teaching that part of history, but I believe we ought to teach more than just one side of the story.

I know we have problems with the reverse-racism and reverse-sexism, but there are still problems with racism and sexism that have to be dealt with.

[Darth Tater]

Affirmative action was innitially a good thing, but it's now unneeded and, dare I say it, racist. Notice how it doesn't help oriental minorities because of their superior performance? The first generation of black millionares is dying and we're still giving this preferential treatment! I know white kids who live in the same neighborhoods as black kids, and have to work twice as hard to make it in school. Don't you dare tell me it's what they deserve, that's just sins of the father visited upon the son. Racism is wrong, and you can't fight racism with racism.

[BeardofPants]

Neither can you ignore past racial slights though. Obviously New Zealand has a more extreme case of racial breakdown than the US does; the atrocities that our European forebears dealt upon the native "primitives" was disgusting. Only NOW are these being amended. Alas, but it is too late. The maori have been displanted, alienated, and discriminated against for well over 150 years. Now that the govt has decided to fix this slur, resentment is rising on both sides. Fairly recently, we just had The ONE tree chopped down from "One Tree Hill" as an act of defiance by dissatisfied maori activists. Not to mention having the america's cup stolen and mangled when we first won it. How do you fix your ancestors wrongs that are still carrying over today? I fear the damage has already been done, and there's no turning back. There needs to be some sort of middle ground.

I don't know about the afro-americans, but in NZ the education system is a WHITE system, catering for WHITE people. Too many maori people are not adapting to this system, they are falling through it, and becoming statistics. Is this what we really want? And is the "white" system so vastly superior that we need to enforce it upon those who do not find it so easy to navigate within? By saying that the counter-racism is being equally racist is overlooking the problem in itself. We are arrogantly demanding that they adapt to OUR system. Problem: they're not white. I can't really speak for afro-americans, but I can certainly state NZ statistics. Maori people perform better when schooled in their own rangitira/whenua. Why be so arrogant to assume that our system is working for them? And as for the so-called "handouts" (easier grades, etc), imagine if YOU were forced to use a system that was completely alien to you (and inner city schools don't count, Tater. Sorry, but in NZ multi-cultural schools are the norm.), I bet you would be asking for middle ground as well!

*Steps off soapbox.*

Go on, pelt me. I know you want to.

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

I, personally, wouldn't dream of pelting you for that, BoP

We (as in, the US. . .) did some really awful stuff to the 'natives' here, as well. I don't want to go into a detailed account of our crimes, just point that out, and say that there are still problems with that today.

[Darth Tater]

I am of course against racism in all its forms. I find slavery, and what we did to the American Indians, absolutely sickening. However, you can't answer racism with racism. In the case of Affirmative action there was no easy answer, and they came up with a system that seemed to work at the time. However, things have changed a lot, and it's time to discard this system. I go to an inner city public school that is largely black and hispanic, and, in applying to a college or university that employs affirmative action these students will be given preferential treatment over me. Is this fair? Of course not. Like I said, sins of the father. I've never done anything to deserve that, and in punishing me, a white person with no guilt in this circumstance, proponents of affirmative action are themselves being incredibly racist.