Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Club for Open-Minded Discussion & Debate

[Sy Borg]

So, is there a spectrum of violence amongst racists, varying from those who are quietly racist to those who are extremely violently racist?

Is there a spectrum of violence amongst the lest racist people? Racism and violence are not the same thing. It is possible to be violent without the slightest sense of racism.

Racism is just one "-ism" that is no better or worse than any other, despite what Americans - caught in the headlights of their own extreme racial focus - will tell you. The world is not America, for whole the whole world appears coloured or white, as if being "coloured" means membership of a larger group of blacks, Asians Arabs and the like. No, most of these groups hate each other too? Have you ever noticed close relations between black people and the Chinese? Have you seen a lot black people marrying east Asians the way they marry whites? What of the schisms between northern and central Africans? How about Bantu Africans in the Conga considering pygmies to be subhuman? How about Indians and Pakistanis? The list goes on.

How about we consider other forms of prejudice? Sexism, homophobia, disabilities, classism, religious intolerance, mental illness, body shape, political affiliation and so forth. It's as though none of these matter next to the "Great Satan", racism. Why is racism so deeply overrated, compared with other forms of prejudice? Power - the power to fight. That's why sexism is treated seriously too. Most of the other groups discriminated against don't have to power to be taken seriously; they can easily be dismissed as kooks, perverts and fools.

A single careless word about race on social media is often treated as a far more serious issue than actual physical bashing and rapes of gays and trans. Ethics and power are closer relatives than most people think.

Thank you for missing my point! I was asking simply if racist people are variably violent, going from not at all to extremely violent? This would have a bearing on whether they can, in fact, be pacifists and still be racist. Since I am not racist, I wouldn't know.

Since my point is more pertinent to the OP, asking about pacifism and racism, than bringing in the multitude of ways of being prejudiced, perhaps we should stay on topic.

Thank you for missing my point! I was making clear that the focus on racism in recent times in overblown and irrational, treating prejudice based on race as being worse than other kinds. The thread premise is illogical.

If your point was that not all racists are equally violent, then that point is moot. Do you know of any large group where all members are equally violent? That's not even the case in bikie gangs. There are extremely violent racists (and sexists, homophobes, transphobes, religious bigots etc) and there are racists (and homophobes etc) who just quietly hold their views, plus all variations in between. Obviously.

[Stoppelmann]

Thank you for missing my point! I was making clear that the focus on racism in recent times in overblown and irrational, treating prejudice based on race as being worse than other kinds. The thread premise is illogical.

If your point was that not all racists are equally violent, then that point is moot. Do you know of any large group where all members are equally violent? That's not even the case in bikie gangs. There are extremely violent racists (and sexists, homophobes, transphobes, religious bigots etc) and there are racists (and homophobes etc) who just quietly hold their views, plus all variations in between. Obviously.

Nice try, but the question stands as it stands, and my enquiry has provoked several replies that prove my point.

[Sy Borg]

Thank you for missing my point! I was making clear that the focus on racism in recent times in overblown and irrational, treating prejudice based on race as being worse than other kinds. The thread premise is illogical.

If your point was that not all racists are equally violent, then that point is moot. Do you know of any large group where all members are equally violent? That's not even the case in bikie gangs. There are extremely violent racists (and sexists, homophobes, transphobes, religious bigots etc) and there are racists (and homophobes etc) who just quietly hold their views, plus all variations in between. Obviously.

Nice try, but the question stands as it stands, and my enquiry has provoked several replies that prove my point.

Ok, you're more interested in the game than the actual issues. Provoking replies on this forum is more an indictment on the forum than a serious endorsement.

Your comment remains meaningless. It doesn't matter if you defend it or not. Are racists all equally violent? Are all doctors equally violent? Are all Christians equally violent? Are all Germans equally violent? Are all Republicans equally violent? Are all racists equally violent?

That's fair enough because the thread itself was based on logical fallacies.

[Stoppelmann]

Ok, you're more interested in the game than the actual issues. Provoking replies on this forum is more an indictment on the forum than a serious endorsement.

Your comment remains meaningless. It doesn't matter if you defend it or not. Are racists all equally violent? Are all doctors equally violent? Are all Christians equally violent? Are all Germans equally violent? Are all Republicans equally violent? Are all racists equally violent?

That's fair enough because the thread itself was based on logical fallacies.

Do you mean this initial question:

In that way, this question might be merely a matter of semantics, meaning her and I presumably wouldn't disagree about the facts but merely just the labels. Nonetheless, I'd like to ask it: Can a racist be a pacifist? Can a pacifist be a racist?

What do you think? And why?

Yet my thoughts are just "a game"? Or they are meaningless? What is your issue with me? Answering a question is an indictment? Are you saying that I am trying to illustrate that the forum is bad by answering the question, or asking my own questions?

[Sy Borg]

Ok, you're more interested in the game than the actual issues. Provoking replies on this forum is more an indictment on the forum than a serious endorsement.

Your comment remains meaningless. It doesn't matter if you defend it or not. Are racists all equally violent? Are all doctors equally violent? Are all Christians equally violent? Are all Germans equally violent? Are all Republicans equally violent? Are all racists equally violent?

That's fair enough because the thread itself was based on logical fallacies.

Do you mean this initial question:

In that way, this question might be merely a matter of semantics, meaning her and I presumably wouldn't disagree about the facts but merely just the labels. Nonetheless, I'd like to ask it: Can a racist be a pacifist? Can a pacifist be a racist?

What do you think? And why?

Yet my thoughts are just "a game"? Or they are meaningless? What is your issue with me? Answering a question is an indictment? Are you saying that I am trying to illustrate that the forum is bad by answering the question, or asking my own questions?

My issue with you is that I disagree with you. You might not like me disagreeing with you, but there it is. If you take every disagreement personally, you are in for a torrid life. It's not personal, and I should not even have to explain something so basic.

By the same token, one need not explain why racists can be pacifists, especially given that the word "racist" has been used to everything from violent race warriors to people who made a mindless remark online a decade ago.

If you asking if the Proud Boys can be pacifists, then sure, they probably can't because they are extremists, who do tend to be violent (and of any type, not just extreme racists).

[Stoppelmann]

Ok, you're more interested in the game than the actual issues. Provoking replies on this forum is more an indictment on the forum than a serious endorsement. Your comment remains meaningless.

... my thoughts are just "a game"? Or they are meaningless? What is your issue with me? Answering a question is an indictment? Are you saying that I am trying to illustrate that the forum is bad by answering the question, or asking my own questions?

My issue with you is that I disagree with you. You might not like me disagreeing with you, but there it is. If you take every disagreement personally, you are in for a torrid life. It's not personal, and I should not even have to explain something so basic.

You know that this is not your issue with me. The initial post was not talking about specific racists, but speaking generally, and the answer to that question was given by my enquiry. Yes, there can be racists who are pacifists, and pacifists who are racist. Are they hypocrites or any other names you can throw at them? Maybe, but that is not the issue.

[Sy Borg]

Ok, you're more interested in the game than the actual issues. Provoking replies on this forum is more an indictment on the forum than a serious endorsement. Your comment remains meaningless.

... my thoughts are just "a game"? Or they are meaningless? What is your issue with me? Answering a question is an indictment? Are you saying that I am trying to illustrate that the forum is bad by answering the question, or asking my own questions?

My issue with you is that I disagree with you. You might not like me disagreeing with you, but there it is. If you take every disagreement personally, you are in for a torrid life. It's not personal, and I should not even have to explain something so basic.

You know that this is not your issue with me. The initial post was not talking about specific racists, but speaking generally, and the answer to that question was given by my enquiry. Yes, there can be racists who are pacifists, and pacifists who are racist. Are they hypocrites or any other names you can throw at them? Maybe, but that is not the issue.

My point was that the question is problematic, and this leads us into the above pointless territory.

Pacifist: strongly and actively opposed to conflict and especially war

Racist: having, reflecting, or fostering the belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

A racist may prefer not to engage with those they don't like, and simply live and let live. We all have the option to live and let live, in all sorts of ways.



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