Thread: Everyone's a Little Bit Racist Sometimes

Originally Posted by Arrianna

So we should accept that women are possessions in some countries, that parents have the right to kill their children, or that people should be killed if they won't convert religions? Ha. Tolerance is allowing other people their choices, we don't have to accept them. It applies to everyone and not just culture either. I have decided differences of opinion with one of my sisters and if she tries to impose them on me I tell her to shove it. Not very accepting am I. However I respect her right to her own opinion and tolerate our differences because I love her. Why do people think that just because someone doesn't accept a behavior they must also not accept the person? Nothing could be further from the truth, that is what tolerance truly is. There is no "only so long" in tolerance or it's not true tolerance. "Only so long" is just putting up with it only as long as you have to.

Judgment? *sits quietly* Only when you realize how little you know will you truly begin to progress in enlightenment grasshopper.

We should all have goals to strive for.

For one thing, the oppressive ideals you mentioned aren't because their race or religion dictates it. It is usually because of much more personal reasons. For example, Islamic terrorist groups are lead by leaders who really don't give a damn about religion. Islam, like most other religions, is peaceful and does not condone violence. The leaders just want personal gain.

About tolerance, I think that either you may be mistaken or something has been lost in communication between us.

I have a sister as well and she tries to shove her opinions on me as well. That doesn't mean I have to tolerate here shoving them in my face. I can just ignore her and walk away. However, I generally accept her opinions because, even though I usually don't agree with her, I can see where she's coming from and not just tolerate her incessant opinion-shoving.

Tolerance usually means tolerating something you do not like or think is anoying, like (BTW I don't believe in this sentence and I don't think you will, but I'm just giving an example of your theory being applied):

Black people annoy me, but I still should tolerate them even though I do not accept them as my equals.

Your move

Originally Posted by ILikeApples5520

For one thing, the oppressive ideals you mentioned aren't because their race or religion dictates it.

As a matter of fact everything I have mentioned are both cultural and legal conditions that either do or have existed in various countries.

Originally Posted by ILikeApples5520

About tolerance, I think that either you may be mistaken or something has been lost in communication between us.

Perhaps, or perhaps there is a need to outline the actual meanings of Tolerance and Acceptance? They are commonly misunderstood these days.

tol·er·ance
–noun
1. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.
2. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own.
3. interest in and concern for ideas, opinions, practices, etc., foreign to one's own; a liberal, undogmatic viewpoint.
4. the act or capacity of enduring; endurance: My tolerance of noise is limited.

ac·cept·ance
–noun
1. the act of taking or receiving something offered.
2. favorable reception; approval; favor.
3. the act of assenting or believing: acceptance of a theory.
4. the fact or state of being accepted or acceptable.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Tolerance allows for multiple beliefs and cultures. Accepting them requires that you assent or believe what they do. I do not accept the above things nor see any reason I should. We all have a right to our own opinions. Requiring acceptance however is a poorly veiled attempt to make everyone believe the same things. That is not acceptable. Tolerance means respect even when you don't accept. I will be tolerant and so should we all.

Black people annoy me, but I still should tolerate them even though I do not accept them as my equals.

I know this thread is to state your bias & feelings toward some race, religion, gender, age, etc..., but am I the only one who found that str8 racism.?? "not accept them as equals"...

I know you might had your run-ins & bad situation with a few & I say a "few" cause you seem like the person who would try & avoid them at all cost & probably if you had a magic button you would wipe them off the face of the earth, but don't you think "thinking one is superior than another" is racism.??

I don't fault you for having your views/opinions stated I just fault you for looking at some bad apples & putting them all in one basket as if all of them are rotten or making them all spoiled...

I can't say anything cause I know you are not the only person who feels like that... I just wish people would understand....

Originally Posted by Inuruto

I know this thread is to state your bias & feelings toward some race, religion, gender, age, etc..., but am I the only one who found that str8 racism.?? "not accept them as equals"...

*ahem* Do you need glasses? The entire quote should be:

Tolerance usually means tolerating something you do not like or think is anoying, like (BTW I don't believe in this sentence and I don't think you will, but I'm just giving an example of your theory being applied):

Black people annoy me, but I still should tolerate them even though I do not accept them as my equals.

He was using the words in a sentence to make a point (even if I did expose it as incorrect) not state his personal beliefs. Try reading closer before jumping to conclusions next time.

Yea' out of all the examples they could of chose to use "tolerate" & "accept" it so happens be the sentence that was stated...

Either that is how they feel deep down that was suppressed or that was the first thing that popped in their mind < and I wonder "why"> *thinking*.??

And yes I do wear glasses, but I didn't need them on to realize what was being said & why it was being said for...

Like I said something like that "for example" just won't pop up in their mind unless it is subconsciously branded in the brain or they sort of believe that in a way I don't care how many BTW: you throw at it...

"The example I tolerated; I just didn't accept it"...

Sorry if I offended anyone for stating that out, but the both of you all was talking about tolerating each other sister's opinions, but not accepting it... What that wasn't an good enough example.???

Okay, the definitions of tolerance and acceptance have been listed.
Now let's get back to the subject at hand.

Originally Posted by Arrianna

This idea that we have to agree with everyone and have no biases on anything is one of the biggest myths to come out of politically correct moral relativism.

We fear new experiences because they are unknown, that is natural. We have bias and make judgments based on personal experience, it means we learned something. We build opinions based on our personal belief, a God given and constitutional right. The key to getting along is not admitting our differences, that is a given, but respecting others right to have their own and expecting the same in return. Tolerance and acceptance is not the same thing. Tolerance creates unity. Demanding acceptance merely leads to intolerance and civil disorder.

While I don't approve of accepting everything (which is pretty much impossible anyway) I do agree with the viewpoint that bias should be eliminated as much as possible. Especially in the realm of education. Approaching everything with an open mind is the way to go about things. This however conflicts with some of our base emotions and defence systems. Most (all) people seem to be unable to approach a subject without the defense systems kicking in.

Merriam Webster's definition of bias:

3 a: bent, tendency b: an inclination of temperament or outlook; especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment : prejudice c: an instance of such prejudice d (1): deviation of the expected value of a statistical estimate from the quantity it estimates (2): systematic error introduced into sampling or testing by selecting or encouraging one outcome or answer over others

We all have biases but they're only worth something in the realm of self-protection.
E.g. You walk outside at night and you see a peculiar (I'm deliberately keeping it vague here) figure approaching you. Biased thoughts kick in to alert you of a possible danger.
You could say that this is a good defence system to keep you out of trouble. On the other hand it's also a very wrong one. Let's say I replace the word peculiar with "dark skinned". The racist thought in this is obvious, you are more on guard because of the skin colour of the individual than other much more important aspects of a person.

Originally Posted by Namida Goddess

I am really against racism and have friends of all races but I know that under certain circumstances I can demonstrate biases and prejudice. It might be kind of funny to some people (I don't mean to be offensive in any way so read the whole thing before u get mad at me ) but when it comes to calling someone black or African American I don't like saying either because when I say someone is black I feel like I am being racist but when I say they are African American I feel like people think I am trying too hard not to be racist. Either way I think I might make the person feel uncomfortable. I know that is a little confusing and weird but that is the only way I can explain it.

I have friends from almost every race, ethnicity, and social group, but that doesn't stop be from being a bit racist. In fact, I'll go as far as to say that working with people, actually interacting with people of different races than myself, has made me MORE racist, and more inclined to fall back on racial jokes due to all of the stereotypical actions I've seen enacted.

Often it goes beyond just seeing stereotypes to being particularly offended by a certain group. A friend of mine had several racism complaints filed against him when he worked at a TGI Fridays' near me, after parties of ten or fifteen black people would come in, be loud and rude, complain about their food, and then ultimately not tip. Some did it as a way of excusing their lack of tips, others knew from experience that if you cry racism, you might get free stuff, others figured that he was just not being polite enough for them.

Needless to say, he's a lot more jaded now.