How to best go about it... with a syllabus of plurality?
Which often seems to mean homogeneity masquerading as tolerance and diversity.
Racism in the US
- Thread starter Bettysnake
- Start date
Which often seems to mean homogeneity masquerading as tolerance and diversity.
I'm not so much concerned with the syllabus, as just the idea of allowing children to at least be slightly familiar with other children of different backgrounds in the sense of having to occupy the same space. For example in Northern Ireland the faith schools thing is one of the chief motors (okay, maybe its a symptom, but one which could easily be addressed and isn't) allowing a continuation of distrustful parallel communities. Blair's desire to expand the total numbers of faith schools in the UK generally is such a negative, negative thing. The experience need not be "multicultural" in the sense of creating some possibly spurious sense of liberal-guilt appeasing harmony, but rather to prevent say white Christian UK kids from growing up without ever actually knowing any Muslim kids...
America is still very racist, as you can see. I do think it's a bit weird though how surprised people act when something like this happens though. It's not as if the apartheid era of American history is in the distant past. Many many people who remember drinking from colored drinking fountains are alive today, many of them are not even that old.
I agree that people going to school together is a great antidote to racism. I feel that one of the greatest causes of racism is the fear which arises with ignorance (not in small part due to the contributions of the media, culture industry, etc in propagating stereotypes).
And not every place is as divided as the US is. There is a much more bitter and serious current of racial fear, mistrust, animosity from both sides owing to the history of slavery and racial violence in this country. In the UK most of the black people one meets are the children of fairly recent immigrants from Africa or the Carribean. They have a very very different attitude towards white people than American black people who can trace their ancestry back to the slave ships. There is something very real to be bitter about in the US and this causes polarization, which maintains the distance between people and allows ignorance to flourish. Amongst the younger generation things are getting marginally better but that seinfeld nervousness is still very much in effect, and when you feel someone is being made nervous by your presence it causes you to resent them.
I agree that people going to school together is a great antidote to racism. I feel that one of the greatest causes of racism is the fear which arises with ignorance (not in small part due to the contributions of the media, culture industry, etc in propagating stereotypes).
And not every place is as divided as the US is. There is a much more bitter and serious current of racial fear, mistrust, animosity from both sides owing to the history of slavery and racial violence in this country. In the UK most of the black people one meets are the children of fairly recent immigrants from Africa or the Carribean. They have a very very different attitude towards white people than American black people who can trace their ancestry back to the slave ships. There is something very real to be bitter about in the US and this causes polarization, which maintains the distance between people and allows ignorance to flourish. Amongst the younger generation things are getting marginally better but that seinfeld nervousness is still very much in effect, and when you feel someone is being made nervous by your presence it causes you to resent them.
C
cyst
Guest
slightly OT but:
got sent on a "get back to work" course last week following a lenghty period on the dole. The induction day was a pc nightmare, covering everything from why its not advisable for untrained personnel to extuingish fires, to signing disclaimers to the effect of the centre not being liable if you split hot water on your hand.
By far the worst part was the discussion of diversity, defined by the course leader as "the fact various people are different doesn't mean they are neccesarily strange. Certain groups of people may have odd views on things but thats not to say they're wrong, especially people like Muslims. We have to be especially thoughful when communicating with them in this climate of terror." [paraphrased]
Her next point was to explain that in the event of a bomb we were to gather 200 metres down the road. This was in a community centre that doubles as a toddler meeting room, in a very small town in the Lake District [land of sheep and hills and tea rooms for those who don't know].
Does that count as instituitonal rasicm? Or rather is it simply reflective of government using race as a tool in creating and exacerbating the climate of fear, leaving racism as an ugly byproduct?
I'm by no means an expert on race and politics but fealt quite disgusted at the blatent ignorance being taught as fact to people perhaps unaware of what was actually happening.
got sent on a "get back to work" course last week following a lenghty period on the dole. The induction day was a pc nightmare, covering everything from why its not advisable for untrained personnel to extuingish fires, to signing disclaimers to the effect of the centre not being liable if you split hot water on your hand.
By far the worst part was the discussion of diversity, defined by the course leader as "the fact various people are different doesn't mean they are neccesarily strange. Certain groups of people may have odd views on things but thats not to say they're wrong, especially people like Muslims. We have to be especially thoughful when communicating with them in this climate of terror." [paraphrased]
Her next point was to explain that in the event of a bomb we were to gather 200 metres down the road. This was in a community centre that doubles as a toddler meeting room, in a very small town in the Lake District [land of sheep and hills and tea rooms for those who don't know].
Does that count as instituitonal rasicm? Or rather is it simply reflective of government using race as a tool in creating and exacerbating the climate of fear, leaving racism as an ugly byproduct?
I'm by no means an expert on race and politics but fealt quite disgusted at the blatent ignorance being taught as fact to people perhaps unaware of what was actually happening.
There seems to be a lot of talk about "communities", especially in terms of race relations. This term disturbs me in ways which I have not yet totally been able to tease apart, but I think it comes down to a number of things. Firstly it allows self-styled "leaders" to talk on behalf of people who may not agree with what they're saying, in other words it misrepresents people as homogeneous within a certain category or location. Secondly it allows for a parallelism of separation, bridged only by misguided multicultrualist projects designed to promote "understanding", (a valiant idea, yes) but which as shorn from the crucial context of co-existence are pretty ineffectual.
the undisputed truth
Banned
funnily enough the american office dealing with diversity just screened the other day and it was hilarious...
...maybe they could get this guy to run a course
tshirthell.com
Argh, yes! The whole media and government obession with communities drives me crazy.
Take for example the cringeworthy speech John Reid made to Muslim "community leaders" back in September 2006....
John Reid said:
BBC said:
Where is this mythical, monolithic "Muslim community" based?! The way the term is tossed around, you'd think there was a central meeting place where all the muslims in the UK got together and decided what they were gonna do - it's just not the case. It's no good John Reid and co talking about the responsibility of the "muslim community" to look out for terrorists. Not only is it horribly patronising, but it's vauge, nonsensical advice given to an undeterminable group of people.
And I don't think the problem's just about misrepresentation, but also that it could actually cause people to feel like they're not a normal member of the British public, but in someway different. If people feel they stand out, or are theatened, then bad stuff begins to happen.
Sorry this has turned into a bit of a rant, but I think you've picked up on a good and relevent point for this thread.
I often wonder what it would be like to be a young Muslim in the UK today. I'd hazard a guess that much of the prejudice suffered by 1st/2nd generation Afro-Carribean and Africans has now moved to Muslims (or rather, those who look like they could be Muslim).
eeurgh, makes me feel ill just typing about it!
"community" is a well dodgy word.
obviously such wordchoices can't be neutral but "community" certainly has negative, paternalistic connotations.
In the British press (according to the Bank of English a corpus of written and spoken english), the TOP TEN adjectives that come bfore "community" are
1.International
2.Local
3. Black
4. Gay
5. Asian
6. Economic
7. Muslim
8. Whole
9. Financial
10. Other (that's the actual word other, nt other adjectives)
i reckon Muslim is probably a climber.
looking at what words are likely to come before the phrase "muslim community" (and then what word is likely to come before that and so on) I got the following phrase as somehow a protootypical media phrase
"attacks on the muslim community"
even the word "international", which seems positive tends to be used in paternalistic, coercive contexts.
looking at prototypical word combinations i got
"And the rest of the international community to achieve a peaceful settlement"
Assuming words get some of their meaning from contexts they tend to be used in, i reckon a "communitiy" is usually homogeneous other often subject to coercion from those with the power to define what is and isnt a "community"
i mean i dont think ive ever heard "the governmental community"
obviously such wordchoices can't be neutral but "community" certainly has negative, paternalistic connotations.
In the British press (according to the Bank of English a corpus of written and spoken english), the TOP TEN adjectives that come bfore "community" are
1.International
2.Local
3. Black
4. Gay
5. Asian
6. Economic
7. Muslim
8. Whole
9. Financial
10. Other (that's the actual word other, nt other adjectives)
i reckon Muslim is probably a climber.
looking at what words are likely to come before the phrase "muslim community" (and then what word is likely to come before that and so on) I got the following phrase as somehow a protootypical media phrase
"attacks on the muslim community"
even the word "international", which seems positive tends to be used in paternalistic, coercive contexts.
looking at prototypical word combinations i got
"And the rest of the international community to achieve a peaceful settlement"
Assuming words get some of their meaning from contexts they tend to be used in, i reckon a "communitiy" is usually homogeneous other often subject to coercion from those with the power to define what is and isnt a "community"
i mean i dont think ive ever heard "the governmental community"
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N
nomadologist
Guest
sigh
Papoose records a song about the whole episode...
http://www.prefixmag.com/media/papoose/50-shots-mp3/2682
Guybrush
Dittohead
Did anyone else read yesterday’s Slate piece on Steven Poole’s book Unspeak? Here is what it said about the term ‘community’, which was discussed earlier in this thread:
* ‘Unspeak, writer Steven Poole's term for a phrase or word that contains a whole unspoken political argument, [---] an attempt to say something without saying it, without getting into an argument and so having to justify itself. At the same time, it tries to unspeak—in the sense of erasing, or silencing—any possible opposing point of view, by laying a claim right at the start to only one choice of looking at a problem.’
* ‘Unspeak, writer Steven Poole's term for a phrase or word that contains a whole unspoken political argument, [---] an attempt to say something without saying it, without getting into an argument and so having to justify itself. At the same time, it tries to unspeak—in the sense of erasing, or silencing—any possible opposing point of view, by laying a claim right at the start to only one choice of looking at a problem.’
Theres nothing like 300kg of explosives that can change peoples mind.
Racism in the US? In the 2007?
How come Im not surprised?
Its happening daily in European countries, dont let the ability of European leaders fool you. Theres a race war going on and they call it a "war against terrorism".
Wake the fok up
Racism in the US? In the 2007?
How come Im not surprised?
Its happening daily in European countries, dont let the ability of European leaders fool you. Theres a race war going on and they call it a "war against terrorism".
Wake the fok up
Mr. Tea
Let's Talk About Ceps
As a Cool Person, I make sure I'm never seen in public without at least one black friend. Sometimes I even have to make sure I'm seen with a gay or a disabled! You see, as a Honky, I can only define my own 'cool' in relation to my pigmentally-advantaged 'brudders'.
You would genuinely NOT watch a programme because it had no black people in it? You utter twat.
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racial tension in US largely fabricated by the powers that be - the drama of racism and resulting conflict staged as distraction by an oligarchy which have always called the shots.
the real dynamic of inequality in America is Class, not Race.
look at history of gangs such as Crips and Bloods - result of 1960s FBI engineered downfall of Black Panthers / black gangs that also defended their neighborhoods from roaming white gangs.
poor blacks, whites and latinos are pitted against eachother - conflict and rivalry among factions mean more efficient control for the elite --- perhaps drawing a comparison to what is happening in Iraq right now is not too much of a stretch?
edit: I realize that what I just said is probably entry-level shit to most people here... but just wanted to say it again anyway.
who is ngugi? how you doing Sufi? been traveling much?
the real dynamic of inequality in America is Class, not Race.
look at history of gangs such as Crips and Bloods - result of 1960s FBI engineered downfall of Black Panthers / black gangs that also defended their neighborhoods from roaming white gangs.
poor blacks, whites and latinos are pitted against eachother - conflict and rivalry among factions mean more efficient control for the elite --- perhaps drawing a comparison to what is happening in Iraq right now is not too much of a stretch?
edit: I realize that what I just said is probably entry-level shit to most people here... but just wanted to say it again anyway.
who is ngugi? how you doing Sufi? been traveling much?
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