# racisms presence **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 3, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217 "2009-02-03T04:56:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/21 "2009-02-03T22:33:23Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > I know that because a friend interrupted me less than an hour ago to ask me about the antisemite racial slur used in the movie I was watching. what movie, and what could the context have been that he couldn’t figure it out on his own? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/22 "2009-02-03T22:47:50Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > what movie, and what could the context have been that he couldn’t figure it out on his own? It was a French movie for TV about the abolition of the death penalty, or more precisely about the most well known advocate of abolition at the time (a lawyer, and later minister). The context was a threatening phone call he gets for defending a high-profile murderer : “You volunteered to save murderers, I volunteer to kill youpins (the slur)” or something like that. So, the meaning of the word wasn’t obvious at all, especially since she didn’t know he was a Jew, and it wasn’t mentioned in the movie. Still, I was very surprised that at 41 she wouldn’t know the meaning of this word, by far the most common slur for Jews here. Not particularly important, but since it happened just before I read this post, I couldn’t help but mention it. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/23 "2009-02-03T23:31:58Z")
> [@Thesmartestidiot](#): > > My thought is why is there still racism? IMHO it’s very simple: many people do not like people who are different. It’s not just colour or race, but politics, football club, sex, sexuality, anything. Look at the Democrat vs Republican vitriol here; yet America united against the Taliban. You just have to persuade people that the differences are trivial compared to the similarities. This is decidedly non-trivial. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/24 "2009-02-03T23:56:27Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Are you attempting to make a point of some sort? If so, it would be the first. ---
**Author:** ![spike404](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@spike404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spike404)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/25 "2009-02-04T00:22:59Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Are you attempting to make a point of some sort? If, the question was addressed to me? Yes. Do you go into any neighborhood, anywhere in the country, and take no more, nor less precautions than you do in your front yard? Yes, it could get you killed. Are you just as safe in E. St. Louis, Illinois, as you would be in San Marcos, Texas? Both are about the same size. ---
**Author:** ![spike404](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@spike404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spike404)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/26 "2009-02-04T00:25:42Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > If so, it would be the first. Wow! From the author of over \>27,000 pointless posts! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/27 "2009-02-04T00:31:33Z")
> [@spike404](#): > > If, the question was addressed to me? Yes. > > Do you go into any neighborhood, anywhere in the country, and take no more, nor less precautions than you do in your front yard? Yes, it could get you killed. > > Are you just as safe in E. St. Louis, Illinois, as you would be in San Marcos, Texas? > Both are about the same size. And this relates to my post… how, exactly? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/28 "2009-02-04T00:58:07Z")
> [@spike404](#): > > Wow! From the author of over \>27,000 pointless posts! It was intended as a subtle attempt to let you know that your habit of dropping snide one-liners into numerous threads and then wandering off to shit in a different thread had been noticed. Since you appear to be unable to comprehend subtlety, I now lay it out in clear fashion: Your stay will be happier, (and longer), if you actually participate rather than engaging in your current behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo\_Pin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mojo\_Pin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo_Pin)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/29 "2009-02-04T01:20:24Z")
Why single out racism as the only -ism? I think racism on some subconscious (or guiltily conscious) level won’t disappear until humans change significantly as a species. It’s a side effect of our ability categorize and prejudge, which is largely automatic because we can’t possibly go through life without making assumptions all the time. We don’t like hugely fat people. We don’t like ugly people. Some people hate rich folks, and others hate hobos. Right wing nut, mindless bleeding heart liberal–all these labels conjure images that are never the whole truth. Umm, I think my original point was that some amount of prejudice is inevitable, because that is the way our brains function: constantly lumping things into categories and making predictions. ---
**Author:** ![spike404](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@spike404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spike404)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/30 "2009-02-04T01:37:33Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > And this relates to my post… how, exactly? I was replying to your statement, “approach every interaction as a blank slate”. That is impractical, in my opinion. Each interaction must be considered on the basis of past experiences, the situation, the location, time of day, etc. e.g. In some cultures looking someone in the eyes, even while passing by, is considered a challenge, and could escalate into violence. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/31 "2009-02-04T01:42:38Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > It was a French movie > > Still, I was very surprised that at 41 she wouldn’t know the meaning of this word, by far the most common slur for Jews here. > > Not particularly important, but since it happened just before I read this post, I couldn’t help but mention it. Yeah, I guess I would be surprised too. Didn’t notice your location before. For what its worth, I learned a new slur from you. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/32 "2009-02-04T01:44:27Z")
> [@spike404](#): > > I was replying to your statement, “approach every interaction as a blank slate”. That is impractical, in my opinion. Each interaction must be considered on the basis of past experiences, the situation, the location, time of day, etc. > > e.g. In some cultures looking someone in the eyes, even while passing by, is considered a challenge, and could escalate into violence. Yeah, I stand by my previous question: what the fuck does this have to do with what I was saying? Or anything else in this thread? Or, indeed, anything that’s ever been posted to this message board? ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/33 "2009-02-04T07:58:45Z")
If you’re pretty stupid and bad things are happening to you, you’re going to want to do something about that. But the problem is you’re too dumb/lazy/delusional to figure out what the real problem is. The easiest solution is accept the first plausible idea that comes to mind. Politicians know this and will use it against you since they don’t know how to solve your problem but they are really good at finding something that sounds like it can be your problem and then promising to solve it. The problem they come up with is not always another racial group, but often it is. Sometimes it’s that we need to drill more, or give out more tax cuts. Eventually they get around to blaming minorities. Divide and conquer. Get people fighting against each other and take the bigger half. It’s the best way to get votes when you can’t solve any real problem. You make one up and promise to solve it. Why are people ready to believe different racial groups are responsible for their troubles is beyond me. Here is an interesting [lecture](http://www.wimp.com/bigideas/)on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/34 "2009-02-04T10:38:49Z")
I don’t believe that prejudice against other “races” is hard=wired into our brains. Nor is prejudice against people who are simply different from us. Do people with brown eyes fear people with blue eyes? Do redheads fear blonds? Do the genders fear each other? I think there is an interest in what is different, but not an automatic fear. As the song in **South Pacific** says, [“You have to be carefully taught.”](http://blogs.cjonline.com/index.php?entry=8075) ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/35 "2009-02-04T11:32:01Z")
I agree with **Zoe** and the guy in **Lakai** ’s lecture. Noticing differences might be a natural human trait, but actually fearing or hating others because of these differences has to be taught. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/36 "2009-02-04T11:39:32Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Racism is pretty institutionalized in East and Southeast Asia, among other places. There have been entire threads debating which culture is exactly the most racist. The locals over here see nothing inherently immoral about racism and seem to regard the Westerner’s preoccupation with it as one of those goofy cultural quirks they doubt they’ll ever understand. Ok, but cite? And anecdotal evidence dose not count. I am from an Asian country myself, I have travelled in SE Asia and the Asia-Pacific regiona lot, and I have never seen institutionalised racism (except maybe in Australia; in cricket matches, against the English. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/37 "2009-02-04T11:46:29Z")
Missed edit widnow; That sign against Arabs in the other threads notwithstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/38 "2009-02-05T03:58:06Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Ok, but cite? And anecdotal evidence dose not count. I am from an Asian country myself, I have travelled in SE Asia and the Asia-Pacific regiona lot, and I have never seen institutionalised racism (except maybe in Australia; in cricket matches, against the English. If you have not seen institutionalized racism in Southeast Asia, you’re just not looking. I don’t know about your specific country, but perhaps it’s more evident if you live in Thailand and can speak the language. The short-term visiotr is often unaware of what’s being said right in front of him and leaves the country long before the novelty of quaint newness wears off. As racist as the Thai culture is, they pale in comparison with East Asia. As I’ve said, there’ve already been threads about which culture is the most racist, and it seems to be a three-way tie between the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans. The way the hilltribes and other ethnic minorities are treated at an official level is one good example here. They are not Thai, so they are dirt in the eyes of the government. Witness the recent debacle with the Rohingyas. I’ve met very few Thais who did not look down on each of the neighboring countries simply because they are not Thai. Cambodians are especially vilified, with the Burmese a close second. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/39 "2009-02-05T17:13:23Z")
Pakistan. Treating foreigners like dirt, is something that East Asians don’t have a monoply on, the United States or more specifically its immigration officers do a good job of that, as I have found out to my cost on a few occassions. I have had dealings with Thais, Singaporean, Malayas and Chinese, with more limited interaction with Japanese. I’ll admit being a professional, who they needed more than I needed them, I may have been shielded from their racism, but I could not help wondering that maybe you perceptions as a westener on what is and is not racist is different; a lot of what gets westeners riled up seems to involve various terms which describe a certain group, something which is not seen as offensive in most places. Note the Prince Harry “Paki” comment, where the person in question did not seem to take offence. I am interested in learning more, and thanks for your input. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217/40 "2009-02-05T17:34:02Z")
> [@Thesmartestidiot](#): > > Alright I’m just coming from experience of ignorant high schoolers, and the sight of news stories about racist acts. My thought is why is there still racism? Has the world not seen enough of hatred, war and blood yet? My theory is that everyones tears are the same, we all bleed, and we all poop. Anybody have a reaction?:dubious: [A good blog I read](http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/02/insisting_that_races_are_real.php) has just featured a paper that looks into racism and perception. [QUOTE=Greg Laden’s blog] If you focus on categorizing people into races at the expense of recognizing variation within these alleged racial groups, you will a) get ‘good’ at categorizing races, b) get bad at recognizing individual differences within the “other” races (other = not you), and c) become more racist. [/QUOTE] Be sure to check it out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racisms-presence/484217.md?page=3)