Racism is racism

www.hotchicken.com ^ | 1-27-05 | www.hotchicken.com

[thebiggestdog]

A very good friend of mine send me an e-mail she received from a member of her family. It is one of those 'send this to everyone you know so they will be enlightened' type of messages. It lists numerous events over several decades where Muslim terrorists have attacked and killed innocent people.

The point that the author of this piece is trying to make is that all these horrific events were caused by Muslim men ages 17-40 and that because of people like Gloria Allred, our hands are tied because we can no longer use racial profiiing to screen passengers at airports. The author contends that our political correctness has made it impossible for us to weed out potential bad guys, and instead we are aimlessly searching "80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, secret agents who are members of the President's security detail, 85-year old Congressmen with metal hips, and Medal of Honor winning and former Governor Joe Foss." If you go back into the hotchicken archives, you will find numerous examples of my disdain for the shoddy work done by the TSA. In my opinion, the majority of TSA staff are unmotivated, lack professionalism and are only there to get a paycheck, but this commentary isn't about the TSA, it is about racism.

[thebiggestdog]

Maybe you have recieved the e-mail about 'muslim males aged 17-40' and the atrocities a small percentage of Muslims have inflicted on innocent people. Racism is racism, even if we are fighting a war on terror

[Jack of all Trades]

'muslim males aged 17-40' do not constitute a race.

Atrocities are atrocities no matter how some may want to sugar coat them.

[dfwright]

I wasn't aware that 'muslim' was a race. If the majority of problems are associated with a certain group, then paying extra attention to that group might not be a bad idea.

[fastattacksailor]

Maybe no one noticed that the religion of peace wishes to destroy those who do not submit to their will.

...and a large percentage of those who follow the islamic faith have been all to silent since the 9/11 attacks. Many either did not condemn the attacks, or so qualified their answer that they would not constitute a condemnation (the qualification was the usual 'blame Israel' crowd)

[Ashamed Canadian]

a small percentage of Muslims have inflicted on innocent people

Well, if it's only a 'small percentage' of Muslims doing this, then I guess it's ok then, right? /sarcasm

And since when were Muslims a 'race'? Last I looked Islam was a religion that transcended many different races and Nationalities?

I.e. Bosnian Muslims, Nigerian Muslims, Iranian Muslims, Malaysian Muslims.

Are you stupid?

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

You start out with a crime. You gather evidence. Based on that evidence you formulate suspects. If your suspects are white women, ages 25-40, is that racism?

Profiling used to be called investigating........

I really hate the word profiling. Just as I hate the words politically correct. Being politically correct used to mean being polite. I was raised to be polite, but having someone else cram it down my throat isn't my idea of a genuine attitude or reaction to something.

As a woman, I've learned to be cautious of my surroundings. I look around before leaving my car in a parking lot. When leaving the mall, I glance around to be sure I'm not being followed. I use caution.

If I'm walking and a young man, black, white (the race doesn't matter - his proximity to me does) is walking near me you can bet I'm going to be cautious. That is not being a racist, that is using common sense.

[Heartland Hattie]

This brings up an interesting question. At what point do you separate "racism" and learned behavior? For example, imagine that as a small child, you loved dogs. One day you're riding along on your tricycle and an unruly dog rushes out and bites you. On your way to school one morning you decide to pet that cute fluffy doggie, who then bites you several times forcing you to undergo a series of nasty rabies shots. Out for a walk one evening with your junior high friends, you witness a nice old lady's little dog being torn to shreds by a pack of strays. Next thing you know, you don't like dogs much at all, in fact having one in your sights is pretty much the only way you like them. Your behavior has been learned, and your opinions modified by experience.
Radical Islam has been targeting Americans and American interests abroad since the 70's if not earlier. While working abroad, (in eastern Europe) I witnessed Arab students celebrating on 9/12 by laughing and burning American and Israeli flags in the old town square of a major city. Just recently we have seen a Coptic Christian family murdered in their home, coincidentally in the same fashion as murders of Christians take place in their native Egypt. I do not like Muslims. If I should happen to have to deal with a Muslim for any length of time, they would have to prove to me their lack of hostility toward my country, my religion and my culture. In MY homeland, I should not have to prove my lack of animosity toward those who, historically, want to destroy all that I hold dear.

[JFK_Lib]

Hattie, the difference between 'racism' and prudent behavior is that, unlike the dogs of your tale, people of various races are human beings made in the Image of God and therefore have inalienable rights.

Therefore, if you decide that since you have had a number of unpleasant experiences with Dobbermans and you decide to avoid them and not allow them onto your property, that is fine.

But if you decide that all orientals are bad people because of a set of bad experiences, then you are unjustly penalizing some individuals for the bhavior of others who only accidentally share some common physical features.

You see, the behavior of a Dobberman is dictated by its genetic code, instinct and training, but this is not true of people, as we have souls that can decide to ignore its genetic heritage and conditioning to do what is right or wrong.

So your tale isnt entirely analogous anyway.

Just the same, one has every right to be prudent in various situations - just dont take steps that punish or penalize people on the basis of race.

Thats all just my opinion, your milage may vary.

[MarineBrat]

After further review of your message, I believe that you have a dog in this fight somewhere.

I say, if all terrorists are muslim males beetween two ages, then check them out. Life isn't fair... and I'm afraid that you can't change reality.

[Oztrich Boy]

Hattie, the difference between 'racism' and prudent behavior is that, unlike the dogs of your tale, people of various races are human beings made in the Image of God and therefore have inalienable rights.

That's speciesism

[JFK_Lib]

LOL, well I am proud to be a speciesist, heheheh.

Wait....

You were kidding, weren't you?

One can never tell these days.

[JFK_Lib]

Can someone explain why prioritizing ones *investigations* (not punitive in any way, shape or form) based on known demographic FACTS is somehow *Racist*?

Racism is when someone advocates the dehumanization and/or discrimination of any races.

An investigation is merely an inquiry and does not constitute, in and of itself, a punishment or punitive act.

So how is *intelligent* investigation in and of itself racist?

Do we have to be stupid/ignorant of well known facts to not be racist?

This is so absurd.