Feel free to link me to a source that says that racism (as I defined it) is a widespread problem in the US. I have yet to see evidence of widespread racism anywhere in the US. When was the last time you heard of a lynching, or of a local government saying non-whites can't vote?This strikes me as incredibly odd, considering the amount of public, openly racist Americans there are on the internet (and those that crop up repeatedly in the news, normally hating on Obama with no rational reason).
If anything, the US seems (from the media, and the people I have experience) like the most racist place in the western world.
In your own words, "I'm sorry but, this is just... it's really stupid to say that, putting it bluntly." Did you even read what I wrote? Specifically, reread the part about what I was taking the word "racism" to mean. If you can find reports of widespread violence or oppression against a particular racial group in the US other than the one I mentioned above (increased black-on-white crime rates in some inner-city areas), I'll take back what I said.Haha WHAT?! I'm sorry but, this is just... it's really stupid to say that, putting it bluntly
It maybe where you live... or the lifestyle that you've lived but, here in the south racism is pretty damn bad.
Feel free to link me to a source that says that racism (as I defined it) is a widespread problem in the US. I have yet to see evidence of widespread racism anywhere in the US. When was the last time you heard of a lynching, or of a local government saying non-whites can't vote?
I think the most blatant evidence of racism in the US is the high rates of black-on-white crime in inner cities. But even that I wouldn't say is "widespread;" it's, for the most part, confined to very specific areas.
"Racism," defined as "actions targeted toward other races based on some form of prejudice", is alive in some parts of the world. However, its existence in the first world (at least in the US) is trivial.
I didn't say it was limited to physical violence (or if I did, I didn't mean to), it's any "harmful action." Admittedly, lynching is an extreme example. However, my argument that it is not pervasive (not even close) remains. I live in probably one of the most prejudiced parts of Michigan outside of Detroit (a traditionally suburban area with a lot of old white people that's starting to experience the effects of urban sprawl) and I'm not aware of anything I'd call "racist" going on. Anecdotal, but still, I remain unconvinced that it's a widespread (or even somewhat common) problem here.You can still be a "racist" and not lynch anyone, those are really extreme examples of racial hatred that doesn't really back up your point. It's much more than purely physical actions, it can manifest in a variety of ways. So don't warp the definition to fit your odd semantics lesson. You're splitting hairs.
And what? How about those Voter ID laws that disproportionately target people of color? Which would be institutionalized racism.
That would count, since she's doing something overtly harmful based purely on race. If things like that do happen a lot in your area, I can see where you're coming from. However, the US is a big place, and I still think that, by and large, people are mostly cool with each other.Alright I admit it was my bad rushing to conclusions and getting pissed off irrationally but, you say here yourself that racism is defined as actions targeted towards other races based on some form of prejudice. I had a teacher a couple years ago that would berate black students and unfairly grade them.
I've heard from friends at other schools that this has happened other places too. So technically that's an action targeted to another race based on a form a prejudice is it not?
Unfortunately, young people can be racist too. Besides the gang of bullies at my school, I've heard others. There's this video of these two white girls from Arizona who spend five minutes bashing Mexicans, telling them to "grab their burritos" and go back to Mexico. Those girls said all these other obnoxious things. I'm glad they got in trouble for it.
I noticed how differently the term "Racist" has been defined in different parts of the world.
As far as I noticed, Americans speak of "Racism" in most cases, even when making a joke about one person of a foreign nationality.
Here in Europe, it's completely fine to make the said joke.
Arabs tend to be strict on "Racism" too.
If, for example, I tell an Iranese he is a fool, he shouts at me that I'm a Racist, while all the other people surrounding us just laugh at him for saying that.
But then? The same person hits an old man in his guts for being a white person, that's nothing Racist for him at all.
Finally, I've noticed Australians hardly have any problems with Racism, as long as you don't compare them to each other.
@Nymue In Australia, I've heard that there is a lot of racial conflict regarding aborigines. Is that right?