From: stank@perrault.net.com (Stan Knight)
Subject: Re: You're a racist! statements
Organization: Network Equipment Technologies
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 17:30:50 GMT

>In article <1992Oct5.225418.7322@newshub.ariel.yorku.ca> cs911461@ariel.yorku.ca (CHRISTIAN D. ARMOUR) writes:

>>I stated that most rap artist are black. But if you think that any form of
>>entertainment can gain the kind of popularity that rap now has without the
>>support of a significant % of whites then you need to take a couple of math
>>courses.

>        Precisely my point.  White people HAVE TO like rap otherwise
>        they are racists.  

Baawwhahahaa---I can't take much more of this!! Let me get this straight you
really believe this statement huh?  You know what this means about hockey
fans don't you? Guess what---white people HAVE TO like country and western
music or they're bigots. Oh no I just realized I hate myself. BAAhaaHaaHaaa.
Now listen very very closely. I'm even going to type real slow so you can 
take your time when you read this ok? A signifcant % of society *LIKE* to 
listen to rap. Now most of these people are somewhat on the young side. 
Remember me saying this from before? These young ones don't care what color the
singer is and they really don't give a sh** that you don't like rap. Guess
what---just to make sure the laws of physics didn't change when I wasn't
looking I poised this question to my teen daughter:
Me:"There are kids at your school that don't listen to rap, right?
D:"Yes dad."
Me:"Does anyone, even the black kids, think the ones that don't like rap
are racists?"
D:"That's stupid dad. Quit being wierd!"

Any of this sinking in? Taste in music or perfered culture does not make one 
racist. Hateing someone because their race makes you racist. Everyone, of every
race, should take pride in their culture. Diversity is a good thing. Anyone
who tells you that you MUST do/be/act like X to be cool/hip/groovy is a
shallow twit. Anyone who believes someone that says this is also a shallow
twit.

>>Now just how the hell can YOU tell if it is having any affect against drugs
>>or violence? If just one kid stays out of a gang or doesn't smoke that 1st
>>pipe of crack, then how can you say it isn't having an affect? As far as
>>"you must like rap to be cool"--The only one[reportly]to say this is some
>>moron you said you were talking to. HHmmmmm what do we call people that will
>>believe anything a moron tells them?

>        I can tell it's NOT having any effect since drug abuse and
>        violence are *increasing*.  Everyone knows that.  Everyone 
>        also knows that "cool" people "get" the rap culture.
>
Baawaahaahaaa please you've got to stop!! Did it ever occur to you that maybe,
just maybe, the increase in drug abuse and violence is the reason that so
many rappers talk against it. At least some of them are out there trying to
do something about it instead of sitting around whining "I'm not popular
because I don't like rap." Bad news for you---the "everyone" you are 
refering to live in your head. What is this obsession with being "cool" you
seem to have? Instead try being happy with the person you are now. It might
not be easy for you to do that at 1st but in the long run you'll like it! 
Here let me get you started: HEY EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT TO BE COOL YOU GOTTA
BE HAPPY WITH YOURSELF. 

>>>Abolish racism IN ALL IT'S FORMS!

>>I'm certainly all for it. But let's get real. There are cultural differences
>>between the races. There are cultural differences between people of similar
>>races. I say let's not pertend they're not there but instead look closely at 
>>each one. There's somthing to be learned by all of them. If you really want 
>>to abolish racism IMHO you should start with the problem you have with your 
>>own color.
>
>        In South Africa, cultural difference is codified.  We call this
>        "apartheid".  If you admit that there are differences, then you
>        open the door to judgement.  Before you know it, the differences
>        of certain groups will make them "better" or "worse" than any
>        number of other groups.  Then, society becomes stratified and
>        develops a hierarchy of rights.  This we are supposed to 
>        encourage???  I think not.

No what we have in S. Africa is one culture trying to pretend that they are
not living with another culture. The problem there is one group won't admit
that there are differences. Why is it you look at different and say BAD
while I look at different and say "Hey great something different let's have
a new experience!" Only a bigoted judgemental jerk would equate someone 
being different with something threathening. If you are happy with who  you
are then there is no reason to be frightened by a new thing.

>        And who can say that these calls will not be made?  They've been
>        made in the past and they will continue to be made long into the
>        future.  Some differences are so obvious, one cannot avoid 
>        commenting.  Is anyone going to tell me that it is perfectly OK
>        (in a modern North American society) to have groups which force
>        their women to wear cloths on their heads and prohibit them from
>        driving because they are their husbands' chattel? 

I beleive that, this being a free country, if women CHOOSE to wear clothes
on their heads(or whatever)then they should be allowed to do that. If they
don't like it then they have the right and the power(at least here) to change 
it. 
>        Try telling a black man to examine his uneasiness about being
>        black.  To abolish racism, it is necessary to abolish race.
>
I have done this. I tell anyone how comes down on their own heritage to look
again and to get real. It would seem to surprise you that most blacks(and all
other minorities)are not only happy with being black but are proud of who they
are and where they come from. This is called living inside reality and 
maturity. What you are calling for would have EVERYONE dressing the same, 
talking the same, thinking the same, listening to the same music, in short 
stilfing all creativity and free thinking. I perfer this world where some 
bigotory still exist but people are real and(thank God)different from one 
another. There is no reason the bigortory has to remain either. It has already 
gotten better then it was say a 100 years ago and for as long as people keep 
learning more and more about other peoples the harder and harder it is to hate 
someone just because they are different. Now listen closely again--to abolish 
racism it is necessary to abolish ignorance. You can't abolish race and I don't
know anyone(other then you)who would want to.

You know Christian you seem to be one of those rare indiviuals that is 
bigoted towards the entire human race. Humans come in a large variety of 
colors and cultures. That's because of their development in different 
surroundings around the globe. Pretending this is not so is called "DENIAL". 
Any shrink will tell you---"that's a bad thing". Get real and try to find out
why you have so much supressed hate for anything "different". 


Stan Knight
|It's true---growing up is a hard thing to do|
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