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Author Topic:   The war of atheism
Tempe 12ft Chicken
Member (Idle past 335 days)
Posts: 438
From: Tempe, Az.
Joined: 10-25-2012


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Message 526 of 526 (681654)
11-27-2012 10:08 AM


Final Thoughts
After the 500+ messages in this thread, I do not think that I have changed my position on any segment of the topic at all. I do not agree with the classification of Elevator Guy's behavior as sexism, rather I think it was an honest mistake (one does not proposition someone in front of the entire group, but rather waits until there is some privacy) perpetrated by someone who may be slightly socially awkward. I think the backlash that Rebecca Watson received was far and away the only real problem that came from the entire incident.
Also, as a person who has always been clumsy with women and trying to ask them out, I can understand how a simple, honest mistake could be misconstrued and I feel that RW and Elevator Guy could have actually had a pleasant experience had she said no and he simply walked away....no need to increase the focus on a failed pick-up attempt.
Onto the fun arguments.....
I think that we are talking about two completely different definitions. After reading through this whole thread, I think I can see the benefit to the privilege system when it comes to acts of discrimination. Legislation and corporate policy should not be written simply to protect the white race more than the racial privilege accrued through time allows them. Legisalation and policy should be brought up to date to the point where those races and genders that are less privileged are able to share in equal privilege as the white race. However, I only agree with this idea in the sense of discrimination.
When it comes to racism, I think that any definition that allows individuals to treat others differently simply based on race or sex should not be used because it will only cause problems. Example of these very things were brought up throughout this thread, including examples by Omni of being sexually harrassed, of me being sexually harrassed, and of the african american refusing to serve a table of white people, because he did not like white people. The problem with Crash's definition is that it is similar to reparations in a sociology way. The problem with ideas like this is that we will always come to the point of "where does it stop"? I can utilize ways that I am less privileged and attack those who are privileged in that way just the same as any one else. This definition will lead us to everyone trying to find the ways that they are marginalized and treating others in a negative aspect. Why? Because they can, those people are privileged.
I think that any definition of racism that says people are allowed to be racist should be thrown out, and sadly Crash's definition (or sociology's, if you will) allows this. It is important that we work together to remove all instances of racism, whether they attack blacks, whites, mexicans, or anyone else. We need to stop worrying about privilege and begin worrying about simply treating people well.
Racism does not require privilege, it requires TREATING someone differently based solely on race and can occur whether or not the race is privileged over another. Sexism does not require privilege, it simply requires TREATING someone differently based solely on gender and can occur in all directions. Stop accepting it hateful actions simply because of hateful actions that were done in the past. If our species continues to hold current generations accountable for that which happened historically, then A. Everyone is equally privileged (All races held authority at some time or another, in some place on the Earth, thus are privileged) or B. No one has privilege because all races and genders have received marginalized treatment at some time or another in the history of this species.

The theory of evolution by cumulative natural selection is the only theory we know of that is in principle capable of explaining the existence of organized complexity. -Richard Dawkins
Creationists make it sound as though a 'theory' is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night. -Issac Asimov
If you removed all the arteries, veins, & capillaries from a person’s body, and tied them end-to-endthe person will die. -Neil Degrasse Tyson
What would Buddha do? Nothing!
What does the Buddhist terrorist do? Goes into the middle of the street, takes the gas, *pfft*, Self-Barbecue. The Christian and the Muslim on either side are yelling, "What the Fuck are you doing?" The Buddhist says, "Making you deal with your shit. -Robin Williams-

  
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