Moose the Fat Cat
Member
There's been some positive upheaval on the board lately and just want to make sure we're all on the same page.
Race is something that's usually not taught properly in America. I'm willing to bet that a majority of the folks on this forum come from a similar background as I do — White, male, middle/working class/poor background, probably in a suburban or rural area.
If you, like me, are an adult, perhaps moved to a city and your life changed a bit as you grew older, you've learned how limited a lot of your thinking was in the old life, and how easily thoughts go unexamined in America.
Racism, especially for white people, is a subject you're "not supposed to talk about," like politics or religion or how much your coworker is getting paid compared to you. Ignorance is the oxygen of oppression.
So it's important to talk about... in ALL of our communities! Friends, family, coworkers, classmates, and even, your community of friendly SRB2 players.
So... The question is "are you racist or anti-racist?"
Definitions:
Race = An imaginary concept used to subjugate people based on physical differences. (See also "gender")
Racism = A social structure that enforces a caste system based on physical differences.
Racist = You are actively for the preservation of structures that perpetuate a racial caste system.
Not Racist = You are inactively for the preservation of structures that perpetuate a racial caste system.
Anti-Racist = You are actively opposed to the preservation of structures that perpetuate a racial caste system.
***
My guess is most of us are now Anti-Racist, whereas before we might've been, at best, Not Racist.
So, assuming nobody will be arguing in favor of racism or that "racism isn't a problem," the question then becomes "What are some ways you are being anti-racist in your life?"
Have you recently been talking about racism more with friends, family, colleagues, etc? IMO, talking about it is more important than anything — even donating. Donating to charities is good, but it can also be private, and delegates the hard work to other people.
Racism/bigotry aren't things that can be eliminated in a day. There's no magic wand or silver bullet. They are cultural attitudes built over a long, long time. Unfortunately the only way to really combat those attitudes is by shining a light, exposing it, and rejecting it.
(This should go without saying, but obviously, you should be considerate and thoughtful in your posts. Not just because this is a "sensitive subject" but because that's simply Golden Rule behavior.)
Race is something that's usually not taught properly in America. I'm willing to bet that a majority of the folks on this forum come from a similar background as I do — White, male, middle/working class/poor background, probably in a suburban or rural area.
If you, like me, are an adult, perhaps moved to a city and your life changed a bit as you grew older, you've learned how limited a lot of your thinking was in the old life, and how easily thoughts go unexamined in America.
Racism, especially for white people, is a subject you're "not supposed to talk about," like politics or religion or how much your coworker is getting paid compared to you. Ignorance is the oxygen of oppression.
So it's important to talk about... in ALL of our communities! Friends, family, coworkers, classmates, and even, your community of friendly SRB2 players.
So... The question is "are you racist or anti-racist?"
Definitions:
Race = An imaginary concept used to subjugate people based on physical differences. (See also "gender")
Racism = A social structure that enforces a caste system based on physical differences.
Racist = You are actively for the preservation of structures that perpetuate a racial caste system.
Not Racist = You are inactively for the preservation of structures that perpetuate a racial caste system.
Anti-Racist = You are actively opposed to the preservation of structures that perpetuate a racial caste system.
***
My guess is most of us are now Anti-Racist, whereas before we might've been, at best, Not Racist.
So, assuming nobody will be arguing in favor of racism or that "racism isn't a problem," the question then becomes "What are some ways you are being anti-racist in your life?"
Have you recently been talking about racism more with friends, family, colleagues, etc? IMO, talking about it is more important than anything — even donating. Donating to charities is good, but it can also be private, and delegates the hard work to other people.
Racism/bigotry aren't things that can be eliminated in a day. There's no magic wand or silver bullet. They are cultural attitudes built over a long, long time. Unfortunately the only way to really combat those attitudes is by shining a light, exposing it, and rejecting it.
(This should go without saying, but obviously, you should be considerate and thoughtful in your posts. Not just because this is a "sensitive subject" but because that's simply Golden Rule behavior.)
