[Optimus Prime]

I don't feel any sympathy for Michael Richardson....he's clearly got issues and a rage problem. It's not like his career was hurt by any "media backlash" because his career was over after Seinfeld anyway.

[dktorode]

Aptorian, on Apr 3 2009, 09:27 AM, said:

The difference lies in most comedians are putting on an act, the Kramer guy was not acting he was pissed off and unfortunantly let a remark slip he shouldn't.

Personally I think people make too much out of it, but it's America. You can't do anything bad as an American celebrity and not get hung out to dry... for ever... by the media. And there's nothing more sensitive than African Americans when you play the race card.

If it was a black guy that got angry and said the same thing...it would be perfectly all right.

Nothing more sensitive than African Americans when you play the race card?
Try it in my country and see what happens...just try it.

[Aptorian]

Well, according to Danish Media Africa practically doesn't exist, so... meh... you're all make believe.

When I think of South Africa I think of rape, rape, rape, burning, pillaging, rape rape, carjacking random people, rape rape, shoot somebody, rape rape... I may have gotten a bad impression from visiting Johannesburg

[Optimus Prime]

You guys have a media?!?!?!?!?


Wowzers...I thought you all just sat around eating chocolate and staring at your strong jawed women.....

[dktorode]

Optimus Prime, on Apr 3 2009, 09:31 AM, said:

I don't feel any sympathy for Michael Richardson....he's clearly got issues and a rage problem. It's not like his career was hurt by any "media backlash" because his career was over after Seinfeld anyway.

What his whole statement comes down to is that I cant be proud of being white at least not out loud, cause thats racist/elitist.
But every other race can shout it off the hill tops with pride.
And therefore allot of the time we are not being racist...yet get perceived as such.

This post has been edited by dktorode: 03 April 2009 - 07:48 AM

[dktorode]

Aptorian, on Apr 3 2009, 09:42 AM, said:

Well, according to Danish Media Africa practically doesn't exist, so... meh... you're all make believe.

When I think of South Africa I think of rape, rape, rape, burning, pillaging, rape rape, carjacking random people, rape rape, shoot somebody, rape rape... I may have gotten a bad impression from visiting Johannesburg

you forgot AIDS

[Optimus Prime]

Let's not confuse "pride" w/ hate here.....his rant was hateful. I'm a mutt.....mainly of Greek and Irish descent....and I don't have any racial pride. Does that mean I get offended if other peoples have racial pride? No....as long as they aren't hating on others. It's the hate I have a problem with.

[Cougar]

I'll remind you all that we won't tolerate anything even borderline racist or antagonistic.

How has Eastern Europe benefitted from colonialsim? Well it was only a small part of my argument and I'll apologise as I don't have time to write a thesis on this here so simply put. Colonial expansion amongst the big powers (France, GB, Portugal and Spain) brought wealth and trade etc. Which has benefitted all of Europe.

[dktorode]

Optimus Prime, on Apr 3 2009, 09:50 AM, said:

Let's not confuse "pride" w/ hate here.....his rant was hateful. I'm a mutt.....mainly of Greek and Irish descent....and I don't have any racial pride. Does that mean I get offended if other peoples have racial pride? No....as long as they aren't hating on others. It's the hate I have a problem with.

Im not talking about hate at all...im talking about double standards.

[Traveller]

What an idiot for saying anything like that in the first place. I find the subtle, whispered comments, and privately told racist jokes more offensive than anything, as they sort of try to imply that the person they're told to is just as racist, but just doesn't like to say anything.

It might be rough (like in Macros case) with the job, and some black comedians might be able to get away with far more than a white comedian might - but really, in the big scheme of things these are REALLY small peanuts compared to what's happened in the past. No, I don't feel I'm personally responsible for those atrocities, but they did happen, and recently enough for the scars to still be fresh.
If a black comedian want to make jokes about whites, (however tastless) it still doesn't justify racism from white comedians.

At least with the job thing some effort is being made to redress inequality. And racist humour should just not be tolerated imo. A black President is an incredible achievement, but it might unfortunately give the false impression that equality problems in society have somehow been solved; and that suddenly other black people have opportunities that they didn't have before. There's still a lot of work to do, and comedians don't help things when they come out with stuff like Richards did.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 03 April 2009 - 07:59 AM

[dktorode]

Cougar, on Apr 3 2009, 09:57 AM, said:

I'll remind you all that we won't tolerate anything even borderline racist or antagonistic.

erm?....

[Optimus Prime]

@Apt...I'd almost forgotten the creepy talent you have for finding pics for all your posts.......


It's odd that the birthplace of humanity is now the poorest and most chaotic of all lands.

[dktorode]

Optimus Prime, on Apr 3 2009, 10:00 AM, said:

@Apt...I'd almost forgotten the creepy talent you have for finding pics for all your posts.......


It's odd that the birthplace of humanity is now the poorest and most chaotic of all lands.

Zimbabwe?

This post has been edited by dktorode: 03 April 2009 - 08:06 AM

[Gothos]

Cougar, on Apr 2 2009, 11:39 PM, said:

Poland and Ireland both benfited from and continue to benefit from the fruits of colonialism and this is an inarguable fact.

interesting. care to elaborate then?

[Silencer]

Aptorian, on Apr 3 2009, 01:09 PM, said:

Nice minefield of a thread going on here. I'm surprised we've gone 1½ pages with people still being somewhat civil

One of my uncles once asked me what I though about "immigrants". We were having a discussion about racial crime I believe. I took my time answering him, thinking about what my opinion actually is. My answer was that no, I don't have anything against Immigrants, I do however have a dislike of some young immigrant males who behave and dress in a certain manner. I'm weary of their presence when ever I get near them. But I don't feel a need to apologize for this generalization. It's natural both rational and irrational fear based on prejudice and self preservation, not really something I control, it's a by product of watching the news and being suspicious of your fellow man.

You see, I am Xenophobe. Not a racist. My hatreds and fears revolve around groups of people and my perception of them, but don't involve race. I'm not really one who believes in races, I do how ever make distinctions between cultures. There are cultures I strongly dislike, I don't like Emos, ABBA listeners, Hippies and plenty of other groups of people. It just so happens to be that I also don't like black skinned people dressed like a "gangster" being loud and acting aggressive. But I lump these people into the same category as muscular skinheads and smelly drug addicts. I also have problems with radical muslims, their unwillingness to intergrate themselves in danish culture, and some even voicing an intent to subvert the western ways, it makes me angry, but that's not a race issue either, it's their culture and indoctrination. Just like I've been indoctrinated to think christianity and democracy is the right thing. I lump those people into the same catagory as all religious nuts.

I think the problem lies in people claimming they aren't racists or biggots. Everyone is a racist in one way or another if you're taking the words meaning litterally. Admit you have those fears, those perceptions of certain groups of people and learn to overcome them or work around them. Don't just ignore them or claim to not be a biggot. That's just bullshit, everyone has those secret thoughts, those irrational opinions. It's acting on them or not, which makes the difference.

I think this post by Apt wins the thread. Brains work on categorization. It's how you react to the things you see in relation to those categories that make the difference. You see a black person and instantly think: "Danger, run, hide!" you are racist. If you see a group of black people wearing hoodies in a dark alley with baseball bats and think "Danger, run, hide!" then that ain't racism, that's self preservation. And you'd think the same damn thing if it was a bunch of white folk.
Er...I was gonna post something else, but I forgot what. XD

[Cougar]

dktorode, on Apr 3 2009, 08:59 AM, said:

Cougar, on Apr 3 2009, 09:57 AM, said:

I'll remind you all that we won't tolerate anything even borderline racist or antagonistic.

erm?....

If you've got an issue with something PM me this isn't helpful.

[dktorode]

Cougar, on Apr 3 2009, 02:18 PM, said:

dktorode, on Apr 3 2009, 08:59 AM, said:

Cougar, on Apr 3 2009, 09:57 AM, said:

I'll remind you all that we won't tolerate anything even borderline racist or antagonistic.

erm?....

If you've got an issue with something PM me this isn't helpful.

who or what are you referring to?

[Cougar]

Everyone and everything, it's a general pre-emptive strike before someone loses their rag, starts trolling or starts saying they think the Chinese are ugly or Mexicans all smell of Elderberries or whatever else the kids are talking about these days.

I've seen how these threads have gone in the past.

This post has been edited by Cougar: 03 April 2009 - 01:06 PM

[dktorode]

Cougar, on Apr 3 2009, 03:05 PM, said:

Everyone and everything, it's a general pre-emptive strike before someone loses their rag, starts trolling or starts saying they think the Chinese are ugly or Mexicans all smell of Elderberries or whatever else the kids are talking about these days.

I've seen how these threads have gone in the past.

aaah...seemed like you were berating ...someone

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Look at it this way, 200 years ago I wouldnt have got a job outside of coal mining or crime resulting in a cruise to Oz (the two prominent employment areas of my family history). But by the 1970s my parents got good jobs despite their poor backgrounds. Most minorities' parents wouldnt have, on account of the colour of their skin. Because of that, I grew up in a nice house my parents were able to buy, instead of a council estate like my parents. Because I was in a nicer area, I could go to a better primary school than they both went to. Because of that, and reading or whatever I did at home because my parents could afford to take the time and resources to aid my education, I passed my 11+ equivalent and went to a good secondary school, and unlike 95% of the kids I went to primary school with, I got into Uni. Because of higher education, my prospects in life are significantly higher.

Now, like Mac and Mentalist, my family history indicates that they had sweet fa to do with the slave trade or directly benefitted at the time.

But, because MY COUNTRY benefitted, wages went up, the standard of living increased, and my parents were able ultimately to overcome their background and get good enough jobs to joing the middle classes. They got a head start on minorities, who at the time they were finding employment, found it harder to get jobs because of discrimination and/or starting with less because of their country of birth (most minority population in the UK stems from the Ugandan/Kenyan crises and the Windrush-era immigration).

I benefit from that every day. If the slave trade hadnt happened, the UK would be poorer or wouldnt have got so economically developed. I would have been either a pickpocket in a shitty London street, or a miner in south-west Wales. Minorities in the UK nowadays also benefit from the slave trade, but to a much lesser degree, as white people's families have had a head-start of sorts on them, as previous generations benefitted from employment discrimination and being born in a rich country.

So when I see minority quotas for jobs, I think it's an unnecessary way of going about it. But quite frankly, it's better than doing nothing, and something has to be done. White people DO have an advantage in life, and they have to put up with less shit in jobs - my godfather for instance has been made redundant from a couple of jobs where he was the most qualified or experienced, but happened to be the only minority of the few considered, and I know he also has to put up with people making snidey comments and low-level racism in his job everyday.

Western countries benefit from the legacy of slavery, and white people are much more likely to benefit than minorities within those countries.