Comments on: Black & White Issues

By: Who should celebrate which religious festivals?

Who should celebrate which religious festivals? — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:28:35 +0000

[...] the sake of equality? The short answer: it wouldn’t happen. Stephen Graham recently made the remark that “…the current wisdom is that only blacks can suffer racism, and only whites can be [...]

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 22:21:34 +0000

Mmmm…I’ll try commenting again…

Quinney:

Thanks for your comments. I agree that science often conflicts with political correctness and certainly has done so in this instance.

But my above comment was trying to suggest that there is more to the concept of racism than what WTK55 suggested, and more to it than the belief that members of my race are on average more intelligent than members of some other race. Racism, to my mind, must include a hatred of another race purely on the basis of racial difference.

On this basis a member of the KKK who says “Blacks are subhuman vermin and we should kill them” is a racist. A scientist who says “there is evidence to suggest blacks are on average less intelligent than whites” is not a racist.

By: Quinney

Quinney — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 23:23:56 +0000

Ok Stephen let’s work back from there, say I don’t believe that ALL members of my race are better than ALL members of another race but I just believe that on average they are. Or say I believe that certain races have become better than others by evolution, isn’t it science conflicting with political correctness here somewhat? I agree with your article by the way and agree with Greg (shock!) that it’s the best article on the subject I’ve seen.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:25:30 +0000

Lets run with your definition for a moment:

What is “derogatory.” Is telling the truth derogatory? Is sharing the result of scientific research derogatory?

In any event your definition is wholly inadequte.

I think racism is hatred of a race purely because of difference. I think you can add to this a belief that one’s own race is inherently superior: in other words all members of that race are better, and morally superior and deserve to rule the “lower” races. The outcome of this belief is policies of discrimination based purely on race.

On this definition Dr Watson doesn’t qualify.

By: WTK55

WTK55 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 17:42:58 +0000

Could someone define racist? If its not saying something derogatory about another race then what is it?

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 14:23:11 +0000

Thanks for your comments Greg.

I should mention that the Independent newspaper in an effort to show that it was remotely interested in a rational discussion of this issue invited James Watson to write a column.

BUT….

The front page headline that day read:

“DR WATSON DEFENDS THE INDEFENSIBLE.”

The only thing remotely sensible in the newspaper that day were the words of James Watson.

By: Greg, Sacramento

Greg, Sacramento — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 02:23:11 +0000

Stephen this is above all, by far, exclusively the best break-down of this Watson thing I have seen so far. There are some people who have defended Watson but this takes all the thrust of their utterances and empties it out so we can see it for what it is. I can’t disagree in the slightest!