Econ Teacher Expirment

[Aerik]

Well, regarding the idea of republicans and racism, most of us liberals acknowledge that the republicans weren't always that way.

That really changed after the passage of the civil rights act sent racists screaming away from the democratic party.

Since that happened, the republican party has had a heavier balance of racists than the democratic party.

Your examples (Lincoln and MLK) are correct, but they predate the 'game-changing' event.

[fusion]

I am a Republican. John McCain' date=' George W and the rest of those nitwits aren't. They are RINOs and hold no conservative values unless they are running for (re)election. I'm not sure there are any 'true' Republicans left in Washington. The only reason we hear Boehner screaming is because he knows that even if he gets every single R vote behind him he still can't do anything. He's a little too late, in my book. The party line is so blurry that sometimes I can't even keep up with the swing shift. McCain is just another lefty as far as I'm concerned. If people are convinced that he is actually conservative then it's no wonder we're in the state of carnage that we're currently in. People hear what the news tells them about Liberal/Conservative or Republican/Democrat and have no idea where the differences in ideology actually lie. All they know is I'm a racist, fat, rich, white guy that pees on hobos and punches fags every chance I get. I don't agree with 'free' health care or deficit spending so I'm automatically a bigot. Nevermind the President that freed the slaves was a Republican or that Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican or that the first KKK member was a Democrat.. none of that really makes a difference. I saw on TV once that Republicans owned slaves.. I'm a bad guy. [/quote']

Well you're definitely a nutcase but yeah...

I made sure I used the term republican and not conservative, because most Repubs definitely aren't conservatives.

[redkow97]

Sorry most people who claim to be libertarian or even independent seem to be nothing more than republicans claiming to be somehow different.

I'm not sure if you meant for that remark to be an insult or not, but I don't disagree.

my views align most closely with the Libertarian party on major issues.

I'm fiscally conservative and socially semi-liberal.

isn't the joke, "a Libertarian is a Democrat who learned economics?"

if you want to call me "a Republican who doesn't hate gay people," I'm not uncomfortable with that.

and if you wanna talk racism, I'm not racist at all! I'm an avid poorist though. I can't stand poor people, no matter what race they are - most I encounter just happen to be black

[Aerik]

Yeah' date=' those good, old fashioned Democrat values weaseled their way into our party and pissed all over the place. Now, we're the racists?? [/quote']

Now now, I didn't say all republicans are racists, just that many racists moved to the republican party after the bill was passed.

Up to that point, there was a fair amount of racism in both parties anyway.

Still is, actually.

But for now, we have to choose between two fairly crappy options-- given what the republican party has become during my lifetime, that means I generally have to vote for democrats that I don't really agree with over republicans that I don't agree with at all. Although there are some exceptions, since I try to weigh issues/ ideas as objectively as possible.

Incidentally, did anyone hear about this one? Yes, this link's from Huffington Post, but the story was CNN and the audio is Limbaugh. Apparently some kids got in a fight over a bus seat. Now Limbaugh's saying that this is 'Obama's America' and black kids get to beat up white kids like all the time. Growing up a mixed kid in a white, rural town (in 'Reagan's America', incidentally), I had my fair share of racially motivated fights. But I don't think Reagan had anything to do with it. And at this point we probably don't know the whole story behind this fight. But I doubt Obama has passed the 'all black kids get to beat up white kids' bill yet, so Limbaugh's most likely just trying to get the racists stirred up.

Now again, I'm NOT saying that all republicans are racists. But stuff like this illustrates that at least some major figures are aware of a fair number of racists within the ranks, and cater to them for ratings.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/16/rush-limbaugh-obamas-amer_n_288371.html

Edited September 16, 2009 by Aerik

[fusion]

I'm not sure if you meant for that remark to be an insult or not, but I don't disagree.

my views align most closely with the Libertarian party on major issues.

I'm fiscally conservative and socially semi-liberal.

isn't the joke, "a Libertarian is a Democrat who learned economics?"

if you want to call me "a Republican who doesn't hate gay people," I'm not uncomfortable with that.

and if you wanna talk racism, I'm not racist at all! I'm an avid poorist though. I can't stand poor people, no matter what race they are - most I encounter just happen to be black

Wasn't meant to be an insult at all, just an observation. I certainly didn't mean to suggest it was all libertarians either.

[Disclaimer]

Hey look, a political thread, I wonder what's going on in he....

[Likwid]

Hey look, a political thread, I wonder what's going on in he....

[redkow97]

can we talk about hate crimes next?

[Aerik]

...because most Repubs definitely aren't conservatives.

QFT. I could have a debate with a Goldwater type, shake hands and part amicably.

Too many modern republicans, on the other hand, revert to bumper-stickers, religous nonsense, or illogical gibberish (I didn't use a condom, your argument is invalid) pretty damned quickly.

If we had more of the old-school conservatives, I might even vote for some of them-- I'm not opposed to some of their principles. These cartoons we have now? Meh.

[Likwid]

can we talk about hate crimes next?

Here's a hat crime for you.

[Aerik]

[iNTERMISSION]

Before the thread turns into a complete shitstorm, let's take a deep breath, and calm down for a second. Think happy thoughts...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwMdE5z5KGw

We now return to our previously scheduled shitstorm, already in progress.

[Disclaimer]

No, more intermission!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxtmQDCyLE8

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" (stretch)

[Likwid]

[McLovin]

and if you wanna talk racism, I'm not racist at all! I'm an avid poorist though. I can't stand poor people, no matter what race they are - most I encounter just happen to be black

...and yet one points out, "You can't fix stupid."

[dmagicglock]

http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v64n4/v64n4p1.html

looks like his observations are factually correct... at least according to the social security administration

[Likwid]

"I'm not racist, I hate everyone the same"

[Likwid]

http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v64n4/v64n4p1.html

looks like his observations are factually correct... at least according to the social security administration

Holy shitballs, Table 1 is staggering....

[redkow97]

...and yet one points out, "You can't fix stupid."

did the "eye-roll" smiley not adequately convey my satirical tone?

but if you're going to take the comment seriously, what do poor white kids do? who do they emulate? the 'gangsta' lifestyle. stereotypes parallel economic position a lot more than they do race.

[Disclaimer]

So, just based on statistics, its OK for me to be a little prejudice based on race? Remember that Prejudice != Racist.

That is a serious question. Because on one hand, each of us is an individual, but as we get lumped into larger pools of people, trends develop and emerge. So, if I do not know YOU from another person, is it ok for me to base my behavior on statistical trends (race, heritage, sex, religion) until I do get to know you as an individual?

[McLovin]

did the "eye-roll" smiley not adequately convey my satirical tone?

but if you're going to take the comment seriously, what do poor white kids do? who do they emulate? the 'gangsta' lifestyle. stereotypes parallel economic position a lot more than they do race.

...as sarcastic as your may have been...there are more than enough people that really believe/feel/think...

I'm not racist at all! I'm an avid poorist though. I can't stand poor people, no matter what race they are - most I encounter just happen to be black

..so as a general statement I said, "You can't fix stupid."

[dmagicglock]

prejudice |ˈprejədəs|

noun

1 preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience

racism |ˈrāˌsizəm|

noun

the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

I don't think if you have prejudice against a particular group based on scientific data and your personal experiences correlate with that, so long as you don't think your race is superior due to such data and experience, that you're automatically racist.

good example: Pakistani people love curry food... that doesn't make me a racist, thats an honest observation that applies to a large majority of Pakistanis.

[Disclaimer]

I guess the "not based on reason or actual experience" disqualifies a lot of my question.

But, you'd still be called a racist if you walked to the other side of the street if you saw a group of hispanics or blacks walking toward you. Why'd you move to the other side of the street? Was it because you're racist? You're prejudice? Or, you have statistics and facts that say you're more likely to encounter hostility because you're not hispanic or black?

Edited September 16, 2009 by JRMMiii

[Likwid]

prejudice |ˈprejədəs|

noun

1 preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience

racism |ˈrāˌsizəm|

noun

the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

I don't think if you have prejudice against a particular group based on scientific data and your personal experiences correlate with that, so long as you don't think your race is superior due to such data and experience, that you're automatically racist.

good example: Pakistani people love curry food... that doesn't make me a racist, thats an honest observation that applies to a large majority of Pakistanis.

Well actually, "Pakistani people love curry food" could be a racist comment, what does curry food mean for that group of people?!? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, PAKISTANIS TASTE BUDS ARE LESS SENSITIVE?!?

95% of Pakistanis love curry therefore Pakistani people love curry food = racist

Pakistani people love curry food, you're Pakistani so you must love curry food = prejudice

Edited September 16, 2009 by Likwid

[fusion]

Well actually, "Pakistani people love curry food" is a racist comment. "Racist" has a negative connotation.

Is Pakistani a race?

[Likwid]

Is Pakistani a race?

Yes, but I know what you're getting at. Asian is probably the better "race" if you were saying Pakistani versus "white"

Race: people who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock; "some biologists doubt that there are important genetic differences between races of human beings"

Also:

The term race or racial group usually refers to the categorization of humans into populations or groups on the basis of various sets of heritable characteristics.[1] The most widely used human racial categories are based on salient visual traits (especially skin color, cranial or facial features and hair texture), and self-identification.[1][2]

Edited September 16, 2009 by Likwid