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Can We Please Define “Racism”?

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By Selwyn Duke

James Watson, the geneticist who helped unravel the structure of DNA, came under fire for saying that Africans are not as intelligent as Westerners. Aside from his remarks being deemed baseless and unscientific, he has quite predictably been labeled “racist.” Why, some thought police even want him charged under Britain’s Orwellian “racial hatred laws” (Watson is conducting a speaking tour in Britain presently).

In light of this tendency to apply the “R-word,” one that claims as victims late sportscaster Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder, manager of the Cincinnati Reds Dusty Baker, former baseball commissioner Al Campanis, late NFL player Reggie White and many others, I have a question.

What is “racism”?

Is it simply voicing beliefs about differences among races? Am I a racist if I say that blacks have darker skin and frizzier hair? No, I suppose not. What about if I point out that blacks commit an inordinate amount of crime and that 70 percent of black children are born out-of-wedlock, versus 27 percent for whites? Well, in our culture that is borderline. But why? On what basis should we determine what is “racist”?

One might think that pointing out negative characteristic qualities or the weaknesses of a race makes a person a racist, but even this cannot be so. After all, we take pains to emphasize that sickle cell anemia predominantly plagues blacks and that they are more likely to develop heart disease. Then there is the fact that Tay-Sachs Disease is found only among certain distinct groups, mainly Jews. In fact, were we to claim that these crosses are borne equally by all, we would be labeled “racist” for ignoring what ails minorities. It would be said that we really didn’t care if they lived or died. This gets confusing, though; on the one hand we’re castigated for pointing out differences, on the other we’re complimented for doing so.

It might seem that we mustn’t bring to light differences when doing so can lead to discrimination, but not so fast. When we emphasize the fact that only certain groups suffer from certain diseases, they receive attention and funding that others will not. Moreover, showcasing disparities in performance among the races has long been used to justify quotas and set-asides.

So, this is where one must start to think that there is more here – or less – than meets the eye. Is it that we cannot point out differences which, when brought to light, can lead to discrimination that doesn’t benefit politically-favored groups? Ah, now we’re getting somewhere. That certainly is part of the equation.

What, though, should be our standard? Well, it cannot be discovered by analyzing what has been said about Dr. Watson but, rather, by what is usually left unsaid.

Few have said his remarks were not true.

As was the case with the reception given to The Bell Curve, critics tend to take the position that the issue should not be raised, much less debated. And this brings us to the crux of the matter. All intellectual inquiry, be it scientific or philosophical, should be a search for Truth. This search must be sincere and remain unfettered by agendas or dogmas, and we do otherwise at our own peril.

This is why the politically correct thought police are so destructive. When they criticize a man like Watson, not only do they rarely say his statements are untrue, but the Truth of the matter doesn’t even seem to enter their minds. No, it doesn’t because they are blinded by their agenda.

Oh, having an agenda or hypothesis doesn’t make them unusual, but an intellectually honest seeker of knowledge will alter his hypothesis when the data contradicts it. To these folks, however, their agenda is deified and takes precedence over Truth; thus, when the Truth contradicts their agenda, instead of altering the latter, they simply suppress or rationalize away the Truth. Or, that is, anything they may fear is Truth.

It’s ironic, too, because these leftists are the same people who usually condemn Christianity for stifling scientific enterprise (a false claim). How many times have we heard about Galileo (his story has been mischaracterized)? But who is stifling scientific inquiry and open debate now? Even more egregiously, these modern-day inquisitors would imprison those who violate their dogma. They have become guilty of what they decry.

The Truth is that the outrage here isn’t Dr. Watson’s remarks; they’re either true or not. What’s outrageous is that we’re suffering under the yoke of those to whom Truth means nothing – the practitioners of a dark faith. They don’t care if a statement is correct, only whether it’s politically correct. They hate the Truth when it contradicts their agenda, and they’ll stop at nothing to still the tongues of those who would dare voice it. Racists? These miscreants are infinitely worse. They are Truthists.

And what is the Truth about racial differences? For one thing, is it logical and rational to claim that, except for appearance and a few diseases and conditions of the body, every group is the same in every way?

This is the left’s implication, and it’s absurd. It seems especially odd when you consider that most of these inquisitors are secularists who subscribe to the theory of evolution. Yet, despite their belief that different groups “evolved” in completely different parts of the world, operating in different environments and subject to different stresses, they would have us believe that all groups are identical in terms of the multitude of man’s talents and in every single measure of mental capacity. Why, miracle of miracles, all these two-legged cosmic accidents, the product of a billions-of-years journey from the primordial soup to primacy among creatures, whose evolution was influenced by perhaps millions of factors, wound up being precisely the same. It’s really the best argument for God I’ve ever heard, as such a statistical impossibility could only exist if it was ordained by the one with whom all things are possible.

Lastly, if we really care about a race’s welfare, shouldn’t we “diagnose” its condition – whatever that condition may be – properly so that its gifts may be best utilized, its inherent weaknesses best mitigated and its problems best remedied? If this makes sense with physical crosses such as sickle cell anemia and heart disease, it makes sense for all crosses, be they spiritual, social or, dare I say, intellectual. Stating this isn’t wrong or racist, and it shouldn’t be repressed. And as Dr. Watson might say, that’s something you don’t have to be a Sherlock to understand.

http://selwynduke.typepad.com/selwyndukeco...e-please-d.html

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies."

Senator Barack Obama
Senate Floor Speech on Public Debt
March 16, 2006



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i see this thread ending badly.

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Just because you're the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA doesn't make you an expert on race and intelligence. 1962 Nobel Prize winner James D. Watson, clearly a scientific genius, provides race-hate organizations with an air of legitimacy by tossing out this pantload to the Sunday Times of London:

H]e was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours -- whereas all the testing says not really."

He recognized that the prevailing belief was that all human groups are equal, but that "people who have to deal with black employees find this not true."

....

Steven Rose, a professor of biological sciences at the Open University in Britain, was quick to dismiss Watson's comments.

"This is Watson at his most scandalous, " Rose told the Times of London. "If he knew the literature in the subject, he would know he was out of his depth scientifically, quite apart from socially and politically."

....

"Race" is not a scientific concept. Biologists and anthropologists have conclusively demonstrated that there is no biological basis for classification of humans based on "race."

"Intelligence" is not scientifically defined. There is no one way to define intelligence, and there is no way to measure it objectively. I. Q. (the most commonly used method) is neither unbiased nor accurate.

There is a HUGE body of scientific evidence that shows no difference in intelligence between population groups. In other words, such a study would directly contradict firmly-established research.

It would be sort of like claiming that there is intelligent life on the sun - the study would be dismissed immediately without substantial proof. This is not because of "political correctness," but because it directly contradicts well-established knowledge.

Nice try though...

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I see this thread ending badly.

Yeah, this will go downhill real quick.

The guy makes some clear points. It's not about being correct now-a-days but politically correct instead.

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies."

Senator Barack Obama
Senate Floor Speech on Public Debt
March 16, 2006



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And what is the Truth about racial differences? For one thing, is it logical and rational to claim that, except for appearance and a few diseases and conditions of the body, every group is the same in every way?

This is the left’s implication, and it’s absurd. It seems especially odd when you consider that most of these inquisitors are secularists who subscribe to the theory of evolution. Yet, despite their belief that different groups “evolved” in completely different parts of the world, operating in different environments and subject to different stresses, they would have us believe that all groups are identical in terms of the multitude of man’s talents and in every single measure of mental capacity. Why, miracle of miracles, all these two-legged cosmic accidents, the product of a billions-of-years journey from the primordial soup to primacy among creatures, whose evolution was influenced by perhaps millions of factors, wound up being precisely the same. It’s really the best argument for God I’ve ever heard, as such a statistical impossibility could only exist if it was ordained by the one with whom all things are possible.

Well on that basis we might start thinking about President Ahmadinejad's view of the Holocaust, that "more research" is needed. Somehow I see you having a different opinion ;)

Edited by Number 6
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I see this thread ending badly.
Yeah, this will go downhill real quick.

The guy makes some clear points. It's not about being correct now-a-days but politically correct instead.

Sure he makes some clear points. Right or wrong, relevant or irrelevant. But they sure are clear.

Personally, I don't give much value to anything that's based on generalizations. Such as defining people by their race, religion, nationality, whatever. It's ultimately useless as all it does is raise tensions and fuel conflict. That's all it does.

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LOL! I love how he tries to equate statistics about Black Americans (babies born out of wedlock) with genetic predisposition for it. I assume most people with a high school education can see through that. Or maybe a non-U.S. high school education...

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LOL! I love how he tries to equate statistics about Black Americans (babies born out of wedlock) with genetic predisposition for it. I assume most people with a high school education can see through that. Or maybe a non-U.S. high school education...

Groovy....Another typical statement from a self loathing American ultra-liberal that apologized to the world by making ridiculous comments about their own country. How quaint.

We can't generalize about race, but we paint a wide swath about nationality. :blink:

"Credibility in immigration policy can be summed up in one sentence: Those who should get in, get in; those who should be kept out, are kept out; and those who should not be here will be required to leave."

"...for the system to be credible, people actually have to be deported at the end of the process."

US Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (D-TX)

Testimony to the House Immigration Subcommittee, February 24, 1995

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LOL! I love how he tries to equate statistics about Black Americans (babies born out of wedlock) with genetic predisposition for it. I assume most people with a high school education can see through that. Or maybe a non-U.S. high school education...

Groovy....Another typical statement from a self loathing American ultra-liberal that apologized to the world by making ridiculous comments about their own country. How quaint.

We can't generalize about race, but we paint a wide swath about nationality. :blink:

no, he's not hatin' on the nationality, but rather on the quality of the school system..

but yea, the 'baby daddy' phenomenom I don't think its a 'genetic predisposition' that's ridiculous.. that's just bad parenting..

Edited by pedroh

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LOL! I love how he tries to equate statistics about Black Americans (babies born out of wedlock) with genetic predisposition for it. I assume most people with a high school education can see through that. Or maybe a non-U.S. high school education...

Groovy....Another typical statement from a self loathing American ultra-liberal that apologized to the world by making ridiculous comments about their own country. How quaint.

We can't generalize about race, but we paint a wide swath about nationality. :blink:

good lord! stereotype much? :huh:

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Generalisations are pretty useless when applied to individuals. That should tell us something really - yet strangely...

Still this "well thought out" opinion, riffing as it does on specific comments made by an individual rings a little false IMO. Once again "political correctness" and one side of a polarised political spectrum are to blame for the world's ills. Honestly - does anyone else get tired of this #######?

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LOL! I love how he tries to equate statistics about Black Americans (babies born out of wedlock) with genetic predisposition for it. I assume most people with a high school education can see through that. Or maybe a non-U.S. high school education...

Groovy....Another typical statement from a self loathing American ultra-liberal that apologized to the world by making ridiculous comments about their own country. How quaint.

We can't generalize about race, but we paint a wide swath about nationality. :blink:

good lord! stereotype much? :huh:

lol-46383.jpg

El Presidente of VJ

regalame una sonrisita con sabor a viento

tu eres mi vitamina del pecho mi fibra

tu eres todo lo que me equilibra,

un balance, lo que me conplementa

un masajito con sabor a menta,

Deutsch: Du machst das richtig

Wohnen Heute

3678632315_87c29a1112_m.jpgdancing-bear.gif

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