Racism
An article in the perspective section of the Knoxville News Sentinel Sunday suggests that we all have latent racist attitudes.
The article by Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine, points to a Harvard test as proof. Shermer describes it this way:
"The insidiousness of racism is because of the fact that it arises out of the deep recesses of our unconscious. We may be unaware of it, yet it lurks there."
The Implicit Association Test (IAT) was developed by Harvard scientists and pairs words and concepts. Take the test.
I took the test and it showed that I - on a scale of slight, moderate and strong - have a slight preference for European Americans. That, according to the test, makes me a racist.
And that comes as a surprise because I'm not a racist. At least I didn't think I was. In fact, I'm not even European American. My father is an East Tennessee caucasian. My mother is Japanese.
Growing up in rural East Tennessee in the early 60's as a Japanese American was not easy. Except for my brothers and sisters, I was the only kid around with my mixed heritage.
There was a lot of open racism toward me back then. And not just from white kids. The black kids said some awful things too. It developed in me, a strong empathy for people who are different from the rest, who aren't part of the majority.
It's tough being different.
I don't look particularly Japanese. A new acquaintance once described me as a "person of questionable heritage." Others don't even notice,which can create some interesting situations.
For instance, many years ago I was dating a lady and we got together with a some of her friends. The evening was fun. One of the guys in the group was a young, bright, up and coming attorney in town.
He seemed to be my kind of guy. We had a lot in common. I liked him - at least until we started talking about the state of the auto industry in America. Suddenly this very reasonable, intelligent man began spouting racial epithets about the Japanese. No one objected to the language.
I didn't say anything at the time, either. But I also never hung out with the guy again.
I quit dating the girl too.
I'm sure if you asked the guy if he was a racist, he would say no.
Comments
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Comments
The idiot who posted here
The idiot who posted here claiming most conservatives are racists must never have heard of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakan, Charles Rangel, the black professor who said all whites should be exterminated, etc. But people like rikki have their liberal heads up their arse so far they don't understand that racism exists within us all, along with bigotry, hatred, envy, etc. It is up to each individual as to whether they have the moral fortitude to fight these evil traits or give in to them. I guess we all see what rikitiki chose to do, huh?
With people like you
With people like you guys..and Tim Mcvey..the people already realize who the enemy is...As far as a waffler and a liar...we don't have to go much further than our own President..who many of you voter for...logic never got in the way of numbskulls like Mike and barry..who want to kill people simply because their skin is a dfferent color...
Unfortunately, racism is
Unfortunately, racism is alive and well, but it is on a downward spiral.
Take for example black/white relations. It is very common to see these two mixed in marriages and no one gets up in arms over it anymore. In fact, there is so much of it that several generations from now, we won't know who is black or white!!
I think we should look beyond the skin to the person on the inside. This is what matters and life is too short to make an issue out of race.
[...] Rikki has a good post
[...] Rikki has a good post on racism on KnoxViews. Gene Patterson just posted a different look at racism on his blog. Between reading the two different posts I found myself asking a question. [...]
Most republicans and
Most republicans and conservatives are racists..that's a given....I think we're seeing that ..in the Michael Richards and Mel Gibson cases...that we have some famous people who are hiding their racism and it's only coming out when they are under stress.
Being a 40-something, white
Being a 40-something, white Knoxville native...I took the test and assumed my score would reflect a bias. Although I cannot shake the republican conservatism of my father and grandfather...I was pleasantly surprised to find I am decidedly less racist than they were. I fell in the 17% that show no preference. When it comes to race, neutrality is a good thing. Pass it on to your kids.
Took the test that came up.
Took the test that came up. It was about old and young! Nothing about anything else.
I'm not racist. I'm proud of being white and I'm not ashamed of it as some folks are today. Everyone should be proud of what they are. My wife is full Japanesse and she's very proud of her heritage. I don't see why it makes any differance to some folks what race you are. It's who you are on the inside that counts. So many people form an opinion of a person before they even know the person, based on what they look like. My father was a racist and yet his best friend was a Hispanic from Cuba and he loved my wife and was glad I was marrying her! I never could figure that out!
Hello, I just read that
Hello, I just read that Harold Ford said race didn't play a role in his election. He's a LIAR in the same article because it also said 95% of blacks voted for him. The blacks voted ONLY because of his race...Mike
Easy there Mike, some here
Easy there Mike, some here may label you a bigot. Liberals do that when you slap them with the truth, (like Bill O'Reilly does). They only believe in free speech as long as it serves the liberal American destroying agenda. Liberals hate truth and light, kinda like cockroaches, they scurry and hide and only sneak out at night when they can do the most damage.
To Rikitikitavi, So I'm a
To Rikitikitavi, So I'm a bigot for the--- Nov 10, 2006 Wate article ---that said 95%---yes 95% of blacks voted for him---ain't that odd. He has never did anything , not intelligent enough to pass the Bar Exam, from Washington D.C., etc... You must be one of those 'liberals' that are RUINING our country. Yes, rural people do have a grudge against cities "sucking" all the resources. If you are poor and WORK and buy a trailor (with your own money) --you are trailor park trash ---by people like you. If you live in the city- live FREE in a housing project, food stamps, and all the other programs. You call that person 'poor inner city' not a PROJECT PARASITE which I would bet a 100 to 1 is what you are. People like you are bringing our country to the point of civil war. Yes the smoldering fire is here. I am a VET and I am pro U.S., I salute the flag. When it starts, everyone will lose but you can bet people like you will be put in your place.
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