From: wolfe@wolves.uucp (G. Wolfe Woodbury)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Re: Oppression is Oppression is Oppression...
Date: 28 Jul 92 06:47:57 GMT
Reply-To: wolfe@wolves.durham.nc.us
Followup-To: alt.pagan
Organization: Red Wolfe @ The Wolves Den
X-Md4-Signature: 557d0594e9b00aa4abffd40faeb2a519

In article <1992Jul24.154729.22616@lclark.edu> Klotz quotes a pamphlet:
>
>	No person of color can be a racist as long as white people
>maintain power.  This is because racism is "power over."  A person of
>color may have race prejudice, but until most of Congress, state,
>provincial and local governments, the Pentagon, the FBI, CIA, all major
>industries, the Stock Exchange, Fortune 500 members, the educational
>system, health care system, the International Monetary Fund, the armed
>forces and the police force are all operated and controlled by people of
>color and their cultural values, we do not have the kind of power that it
>takes to be racist toward anyone.
>	Similarly "reverse racism" within the context of present society,
>is a contradiction in terms.  (8-9)

Missing from this little extract is a definition of "racism".  From the
Merriam-Webster (R) 3rd New International Dictionary....

    racism
	1. The assumption that psychocultural traits and capacities
	are determined by biological races and that races differ
	decisively from one another which is usually coupled with a
	belief in the inherent superiority of a particular race and its
	right to domination over others.  2a: a doctrine or political
	program based on the assumption of racism and designed to
	execute its principles.  2b: a political or social system
	founded on racism.  3: racialism (racial prejudice or
	discrimination:race hatred)
    racist
	1: one who advocates or belives in racism.
	1: of, relating to, or based on racism. 2 advocating or
	practicing racism.

So why the definition?  I'm objecting to the "Politically Correct"
assertion in the pamphlet that was quoted that "no person of color can
be a racist..."

Certainly, racism is a major problem in america and elsewhere.  But to
assert that persons of color are engaging in mere "racial preference" is
to simply ignore part of the definition of racism.

I don't care if the person is in or out of "the power structure"  if
that person has a prejudicial opinion of someone else on the basis of
their race (or sex or whatever) they are engaged in the dispicable
practice of racism (or sexism or whatever).

If I am attacked or ignored or otherwise treated in a prejudicial manner
simply because I have the "wrong" color of skin or a "wrong" ethnic
heritage, then I am a victim of racism, and the person acting with
prejudice is a racist.  It makes no difference that the person acting
with prejudice is a "person of color", or a female, or a homophile -
their prejudice is just as wrong as any other prejudice.

Let us not get dragged into a childish shouting match of "is not" "is
too" and the negative effort of bashing anyone and everyone with what is
"wrong" with the world.

We all "know" what *we* think is wrong with society, can we talk about
how we know it's "wrong" and not "why" it is wrong or "who" is wrong.

Can we agree on:

	The inherent dignity and worth of every person,

	Justice, equity and compassion in personal relations,

  and

	Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we
	are a part.

Is there anyone who doesn't agree with these principles?


				Wolfe
-- 
G. Wolfe Woodbury @ The Wolves Den UNIX, Durham NC         [use the maps!]
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