RACE - Do we make too much of it.
It seems to me that there are bugger all differences between the peoples of the world. Some only superficial differences are however fairly obvious.
On the one side people point their fingers to racial differences to explain characteristics they do not like and on the other people take this as a particular type of nastiness.
With little or no import in racial variation perhaps neither view is worth paying the time of day.
I say that as someone who has a partner of another race and children in between. Someone who grew up near a country town where the closest thing to another race was probably the Greek cafe owner...and that is not at all close. The point is that it is quite easy for me to say concern is all a lot of hullaballoo. I don't have to live with invective or differential treatment. Then, my kids feel none of it either.
Apart from the twisted superficially-focussed few who see themselves as black, white, yellow or brindle supremicists, what people would really be calling out relates to lifestyle, religion, belief even standard of living and occupation.
What brought this on is the recent news that administrative officials in France (originating in Reunion) have taken offence at octagenarian Brigitte Bardot's description of the aboriginals of Reunion as barbaric; that, guided by the "genes of savages" they treat animals disgracefully. Reunion took so much offence that they now seek to take Ms Bardot to court.
If any action was doomed to failure that must go close. Reunion doesn't have an aboriginal population. If a racist comment could have impact it would have to be directed at something real. Shouldn't this just be taken by all as hot air from the ignorant.
Perhaps all racist comments should be taken the same way. No reasonable person could be influenced by them.
Ms. Bardot of course is not talking about a people she is talking about practices. Talking in blundering fashion it is true but her real care is for animals and their treatment. This is a genuine care and whether reasonable or not is an acceptable area for debate.
If we were to ignore racist comment for the worthlessness that it really is would we lose anything? Firstly, by ignoring it per se we could concentrate in rational fashion on any matters there may be that the speaker regards as of real concern underneath.
Is it possible that laws banning racist speech actually encroach on liberty? Do people really take racist talk seriously? Cannot the effects of racist views be sufficiently dealt with so that real intent and action is what is measured for punishment rather than hot air?
Anyway, I throw it out there. Have a bash.
Arvo: "...does that mean that the writer is a racist?"
Well naturally it could Arvo. Who knows. There would be few humans who do not discriminate to some degree even if an infinitessimally small one. And while we still use the term race even if mostly in a highly confused manner then it is fair to understand any inappropriate behaviour or thinking in terms of the miss-use.
I have said that I think the term 'race' should be dropped (essentially as I agree that it is a social construct.) however I did adopt the accepted 3 maybe four races to clarify a distinction between my partner and I. The greek cafe owner was meant to be tongue in cheek, whether or not you believe we should use the term "race" that owner is certainly within the same accepted race as I. This places me as growing up in, to again use the term, a racially uniform environment. That section of the discussion placing my upbringing racially was intended to indicate that within Australia I am not likely to feel antipathy similarly to the way some others do and so, to recognise that there are other views available.
Note too that my children who look clearly "interracial" by the common definition would argue strongly that they have never felt any discrimination along the lines of that definition.
A later post reviews the definitions a little and I do agree, ethnicity is the far better way to handle any differences if they need to be discussed at all.