quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09

quote:

ORIGINAL: Anaxagoras

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanity
Oh yeah they do, redheads (specially the dumb twat redheads) are typecast as ill tempered

quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09
i agree that *that's* not racist. i'm just saying it seems odd to me that culture alone would cause a country to notice black skin so much more than red hair. No one says that a person is "acting redheaded". (At least, i've never heard it). Maybe part of that is cultural, but i don't think it all is.

Red haired people are traditionally seen as bad tempered. Not sure it there is any truth in it tho - perhaps it is associated with Celts who were seen as very warlike. Weirdly in England they have an issue with red haired people. One can hear terms like "ginger twat" bandied about a fair bit, e.g. it's a common term of endearment for Chris "Christ" Evans.

i'm sorry, but i don't think that's a very strong example. i have never heard someone say that a person is "acting redheaded", but i've often heard it said that person is "acting black" or "acting white" or "not acting black" or "not acting white". i don't know whether they say the redheaded bit in England, but they don't say it here (at least, i've never heard it).

My point was that Americans seem significantly more preoccupied with skin color than they are with hair color. Saying that red haired people are traditionally seen as bad tempered in some countries, is *not* the same thing as saying that in the U.S., the two have equal weight.

pam

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanity


Oh yeah they do, redheads (specially the dumb twat redheads) are typecast as ill tempered

quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09

i agree that *that's* not racist. i'm just saying it seems odd to me that culture alone would cause a country to notice black skin so much more than red hair. No one says that a person is "acting redheaded". (At least, i've never heard it). Maybe part of that is cultural, but i don't think it all is.

pam

quote:

ORIGINAL: JstAnotherSub

quote:

ORIGINAL: Anaxagoras

A representation of the racist American male



(Disclaimer: a probable representation of Aneirin's views)

I hope my cousin signed a waiver for you to use his pic!

;o)

Some folks are racist, some folks ain't. That fact will never ever change.

quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09
i don't know whether they say the redheaded bit in England, but they don't say it here (at least, i've never heard it).

My point was that Americans seem significantly more preoccupied with skin color than they are with hair color. Saying that red haired people are traditionally seen as bad tempered in some countries, is *not* the same thing as saying that in the U.S., the two carry equal weight.

quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09
Okay, i've heard the blonde thing. But my point was that in the U.S., people are significantly more preocupied with skin color than hair color. And the fact that there are "dumb blonde" jokes, doesn't really discredit that point, in my opinion.

i believe that America is a racist country. If You're right, it may also be a "hair-ist" country.

pam

quote:

ORIGINAL: LaTigresse
In studies, people will view the very same woman with blonde hair versus another colour of hair, as more attractive. They will also assume the very same woman with blonde hair is less intelligent, and an easier sexual conquest.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not comparing racism to the blonde issue.......but the blonde thing does exist. I've heard/seen too much of it to believe otherwise.

quote:

ORIGINAL: slvemike4u

This is really quite simple...we view ourselves as a nation of laws...and have gone to great lengths to ensure that everyone is equal under the law... so how can you say the "country" is racist.

Because the OP asked "is America a racist country?" without defining what a "racist country" is, and so each poster had to define it *themselves*. The confusion is because there are various ways to define it. Does "country", in this context, mean the laws of a country or the people of a country? If it's the laws, then you may be right. As far as i know, the last racist laws here were for Affirmative Action, in the '80s. If it's the people, then the question becomes how many racist people make a racist country?

You keep coming back with individuals having a preoccupation with color...well under our system the fact of the matter is...a persons right to be a racist is actually protected,much as a persons right to be an asshole,is in fact,protected legally speaking.

Being racist is legal, as long as all a person does is sit around thinking racist thoughts. But to behave as a racist, to discriminate based on race, in certain situations (such as assigning jobs or housing) *is NOT* legal. My point is that this excessive "preoccupation" with race is in fact racism, and that there are enough racist people in the U.S. to describe the country as racist.

One can keep idiotic thoughts in their own minds and hearts....can choose to allow those idiotic thoughts to drive the way they live their lives.....right up to the point where it infringes on the rights of another.
And that is where,and when,that effort to eliminate racism in the law...and in opportunity comes into play.

It's true that the country can't outlaw racism until the point at which it becomes a behavior.

...so you can keep claiming that Americans are preoccupied with color,hell I might even agree with you(if we are talking about a percentage of,perhaps even a large percentage...but certainly not all)

...i never claimed that it was all.

But you can not claim the Country ,as a whole,is racist....our laws preclude that.

i can claim that because my definition of "country" (in this context) is different than yours. You apparently believe that the word "country" in the OP refers to the country's laws. i believe it refers to the country's people.

Americans(a significant number of) hold racist views.....the country outlawed racist policies years and years ago....now I have no hope at all that you will understand any of that,but I did think I would try once again.

Actually, i do understand what you said. It's just that i think you have mis-defined a critical term in the OP.

quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09

Okay, i've heard the blonde thing. But my point was that in the U.S., people are significantly more preocupied with skin color than hair color. And the fact that there are "dumb blonde" jokes, doesn't really discredit that point, in my opinion.

i believe that America is a racist country. If You're right, it may also be a "hair-ist" country.

pam

quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09

quote:

ORIGINAL: slvemike4u

This is really quite simple...we view ourselves as a nation of laws...and have gone to great lengths to ensure that everyone is equal under the law... so how can you say the "country" is racist.

Because the OP asked "is America a racist country?" without defining what a "racist country" is, and so each poster had to define it *themselves*. The confusion is because there are various ways to define it. Does "country", in this context, mean the laws of a country or the people of a country? If it's the laws, then you may be right. As far as i know, the last racist laws here were for Affirmative Action, in the '80s. If it's the people, then the question becomes how many racist people make a racist country?

You keep coming back with individuals having a preoccupation with color...well under our system the fact of the matter is...a persons right to be a racist is actually protected,much as a persons right to be an asshole,is in fact,protected legally speaking.

Being racist is legal, as long as all a person does is sit around thinking racist thoughts. But to behave as a racist, to discriminate based on race, in certain situations (such as assigning jobs or housing) *is NOT* legal. My point is that this excessive "preoccupation" with race is in fact racism, and that there are enough racist people in the U.S. to describe the country as racist.

One can keep idiotic thoughts in their own minds and hearts....can choose to allow those idiotic thoughts to drive the way they live their lives.....right up to the point where it infringes on the rights of another.
And that is where,and when,that effort to eliminate racism in the law...and in opportunity comes into play.

It's true that the country can't outlaw racism until the point at which it becomes a behavior.

...so you can keep claiming that Americans are preoccupied with color,hell I might even agree with you(if we are talking about a percentage of,perhaps even a large percentage...but certainly not all)

...i never claimed that it was all.

But you can not claim the Country ,as a whole,is racist....our laws preclude that.

i can claim that because my definition of "country" (in this context) is different than yours. You apparently believe that the word "country" in the OP refers to the country's laws. i believe it refers to the country's people.

Americans(a significant number of) hold racist views.....the country outlawed racist policies years and years ago....now I have no hope at all that you will understand any of that,but I did think I would try once again.

Actually, i do understand what you said. It's just that i think you have mis-defined a critical term in the OP.

pam

quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09

Okay, i've heard the blonde thing. But my point was that in the U.S., people are significantly more preocupied with skin color than hair color. And the fact that there are "dumb blonde" jokes, doesn't really discredit that point, in my opinion.

i believe that America is a racist country. If You're right, it may also be a "hair-ist" country.

pam

quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hillwilliam

We in the US are no more racist than most countries and a HELL of a lot less racist than some (Including industrialized countries).

That's true... and the answer is still "yes".

pam

quote:

ORIGINAL: kdsub


Maybe it is just me but I am more concerned about how someone sounds and acts than the color of their skin... Otherwise skin color means nothing if the persons sounds and acts like me.

I am being honest I wonder how many of you are?

We are creatures that can’t help but discriminate against others who sound or act differently…even if it is only politics…or this thread...or sexual orientation…on and on…it is just the way we are.

Butch

quote:

ORIGINAL: kdsub

quote:

ORIGINAL: gungadin09

Okay, i've heard the blonde thing. But my point was that in the U.S., people are significantly more preocupied with skin color than hair color. And the fact that there are "dumb blonde" jokes, doesn't really discredit that point, in my opinion.

i believe that America is a racist country. If You're right, it may also be a "hair-ist" country.

pam

Maybe it is just me but I am more concerned about how someone sounds and acts than the color of their skin... Otherwise skin color means nothing if the persons sounds and acts like me.

I am being honest I wonder how many of you are?

We are creatures that can’t help but discriminate against others who sound or act differently…even if it is only politics…or this thread...or sexual orientation…on and on…it is just the way we are.

Butch

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ORIGINAL: SexyBossyBBW

It's kool Hlen5. M

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

less so, IMO, than the UK is a Jew-hating country.