Is it just me...

[thatguy]

but is racism and intolerance more...whats the word..wide spread? more common? in the country side.
I've lived in a small rural community for 5+years now, and before that i used to live around the small suburban areas around Brizzy (but i miss Garden City)
and one thing i've noticed...i actually see more racism up here then down in the city...The N word is said a lot more, theres more intolerance and people generally dislike (or voice their dislike) aborginies and chinese more.
Its quite...well fricken annoying...I've tried to get my friends to stop...and their generally good at it (not being racist...around me atleast) (cept one...he's really racist. Doesnt matter, dont like him much any way)

So i was wondering...is it just my town, or do any of you all notice it too?

[Ex Tenebris Lux]

i think its less racism and intolerance and more non-political correctness and less guarded thought. in "the country" people tend to be a lot more forthright. thus all the flaws and quirks and biases naturally inherent to man are all the more noticeable.

[I am Dvor]

I think its because of the probable fear of people that look and act different than what we're used to and therefore some people act hostily towards people of other races/nations/cultures.

[MaximiIian]

I think its because of the probable fear of people that look and act different than what we're used to and therefore some people act with hostility towards people of other races/nations/cultures.

And, when one is not used to a situation or locale where various cultures and peoples coexist, such as in the more urban areas, they aren't put in a situation where they have to abolish such fears. And, thus, they are not used to experiences with other kinds of people.

Though I wouldn't call it racism. Racism is the belief that a specific race is better than any others. Simply using derogatory terms to refer to other people, or falling prey to certain biases, does not mean that one is racist. Just that they follow inaccurate stereotypes (though, of course, not all stereotypes are inaccurate).

[Kiljaden]

Though I wouldn't call it racism. Racism is the belief that a specific race is better than any others.

No, that's Racial Supremacy

Simply using derogatory terms to refer to other people, or falling prey to certain biases, does not mean that one is racist. Just that they follow inaccurate stereotypes (though, of course, not all stereotypes are inaccurate).

Granted I won't call you a racist(noun) because it's so common to subscribe to those thoughts, but if you do those things then you are racist(adj) nonetheless. Also note that those stereotypes are oftentimes reinforced by the people themselves in order to have something to identify with. They are negative things, but still give people a sense of being and something to connect to, much like saying you're an African-American instead of just a damn American.

[MaximiIian]

No, that's Racial Supremacy

What you're thinking of is known as Racialism, not Racism. Racialism is the idea that there are significant and uncompromising differences between racial groups and for their own good, they should be separate communities. Racism is "Racial Supremacy"; it's the same thing.

They're both stupid-ass ideas anyway. This is why I'd pick a suburban area over a city or countryside any day.

[Evil Maniac From Mars]

Racism is "Racial Supremacy"; it's the same thing.

Racism is any sort of discrimination based on race. Racial supremacy is the idea that a specific race is superior to all others. For example, if a guy doesn't let blacks into his bar, he's a racist. If the same person advocates that white people are better than anyone else, then he's a supremacist.

[boofhead]

I spent about 20 years in Sydney, about 16 years in the bush. You would be 100% correct in your estimation that people speak more freely in the country, but to call a country person saying a particular word 'racist' or 'intolerant' would also be wrong. When you have a community of, say, 30,000 people of one cultural background, and 2 Chinese restaurants with maybe 10 Chinese, of course language takes on a different meaning to 'city folk'. An outsider is immediately noticeable, and people will use traditional terms to describe them.

This by no means means a person is racist. In my town there are 2 Chinese restaurants. People often say 'chink', 'slope', 'slaphead', 'gook', 'ching-chong' blah blah blah. But if they were truly racist those Asians would be bashed, shunned, ostracized, boycotted etc. Are they? No. They do great business, and are treated with the utmost respect.

If you have a mate who has shown himself to be racist, then fair enough, but a country person saying a word doesn't mean he is racist or intolerant. It is more likely just descriptive.

For example, my boss held a meeting the other day and warned us X big boss was coming up in a few days, "...I haven't met him, but he's a wog, so he's probably arrogant." I have to admit my eyes bugged out of my head (having originally come from the city), but nobody batted an eyelid. And guess what, the big boss came up and *shock* *horror* he was arrogant.

[thatguy]

From a bit more thought, i've also come to think its also cos in small rural areas the community is more close knit, so if one person has a bad run-in with someone of another race...the whole community feels badly about it...
But, I've also noticed its only really been said about aborginies and asains.
Never seems to be said about Italians, Muslims, etc etc.

A little bit of it against the poms and kiwi's( including me..)...but really every country has their rivals.
Never much about Americans or other Europeans.

Still, I hate hearing words such as and ching-chong. I have a huge moral standing on equality and tolerance...

I've never really seen it used as a descriptive term but always in a racist term (eg: "them *insert stupid stereotype here*) and all that.
Heck, even with your boss boofhead, that wasnt a descriptive term, but used in a racist/derogrative manner.
He used a racial slur for Italians and followed it up by a stereotype.
You dont have to hate a specific race to be racist.

ps: Boofhead, change your avatar back to techno viking. I liked that one better

[boofhead]

Heck, even with your boss boofhead, that wasnt a descriptive term, but used in a racist/derogrative manner.
He used a racial slur for Italians and followed it up by a stereotype.
You dont have to hate a specific race to be racist.

It was a she, and no, she's not racist. There ARE certain qualities more prevalent in some cultures than others, who would deny this? But by the same token, not all people from a certain culture are a certain race. That woman was 100% correct. She predicted "He'll be arrogant." And he was. Is this psychic power? Nope. It's the justifiable reason why people generalize. Of course that is not correct in every circumstance.

ps: Boofhead, change your avatar back to techno viking. I liked that one better [/QUOTE]

LOL. DONE (if I can find it)

[Green]

This by no means means a person is racist. In my town there are 2 Chinese restaurants. People often say 'chink', 'slope', 'slaphead', 'gook', 'ching-chong' blah blah blah. But if they were truly racist those Asians would be bashed, shunned, ostracized, boycotted etc. Are they? No. They do great business, and are treated with the utmost respect.

How do you think the Chinese people like being called a gook or a chink?

[boofhead]

How do you think the Chinese people like being called a gook or a chink?

Fine, as it is only said to them in a joking fashion between friends, never by a stranger. Just like I call my own brother 'a big black poof' sometimes, he just laughs his arse off.

[Tankbuster]

Racism is an evolutionairy mechanism. Groups of people always had to watch their back for other groups to take their women. Those groups could be distinguished by different colour of skin, different hair, smell, behaviour,...

Now I think it's very well possible that people in the city have grown out of this mechanism, since first of all, they're not part of a real, closed group, and second of all, the multiculturalism and so and so have perhaps learned them to step away from this irrational fear.
While people in the country-side, who are part of a much closer-knit community, still have this mechanism in a very strong way.

Just my 2 cents.

[Eli Phoenix]

I think racism branches out from so many sources, this world has just come to the conclusion that it's a "normal" behavoir to be racist, everyone is racist towards something or someone, prejudice against some belief or another, it's hard to say that racism is the only kind of prejudice in this world but it is one of the most wide spread imo

[Kiljaden]

I think racism is a societal flaw, perpetuated by brutal people mislead by delusions of grandeur. It has taken a long time, and will take more time, before this flaw is phased out of cultures on Earth - but racism will remain in the more discriminate places on Earth until they reconcile their savage beliefs or are eliminated\replaced by non-racist peoples.

Note that I am by no means naming cultures nor advocating the elimination or replacing of these cultures through violent means. I am advocating for time to pass as more people travel across the globe and share ideals and cultures with each other. The elimination\replacement obviously means eventual death by natural causes of the people that hold racist beliefs in hope that their children do not share the same beliefs (or at least share to a lesser degree)

We are seeing a steep primarily age-based decline in those that are racist, or even take race into question, at least in the western world.

To me, I think using politically correct terms like African-American, Asian-American, Latino-American, etc, are perpetuating racism as well by defining those people as separate. Even if we had a term for European-Americans(white people), it still places legal and societal boundaries on individuals based on the amount of melanin in their skin, or facial structures of people - which are obviously useless and ridiculous things to divide people based on.

I advocate that if you were born and raised in America, then you're AMERICAN. Plain and simple. I don't care who you are or what you do, who your parents were, you are American. Simple as that. If you immigrated to America, then you can define yourself by your previous lineage and say you were Sri Lankan-American, but your children are American. Period.


Edit: Also I find it very disheartening that, in an attempt to reconcile past racism, America has adopted numerous laws and statues across the land that grant favor to certain people based on melanin content in their skin or existence of a penis and balls.

As a white male in middle-class America, I am discriminated against when I try to apply for government aid for school. I don't really care, I'm not going to fuss about it - big deal. What bothers me is that even though my parents are giving me no aid whatsoever in my aspirations to go to college, I am placed in a bracket with white middle-America that dictates that I can receive no aid from the government, and I'm forced to pay for all of my school with student loans.

I have to pay it all back WITH INTEREST.

That's all well and good, I think it should be that way for everyone - but because a friend of mine has more melanin in his skin (he's black), he automatically gets free money from the government to help him in school. This is racial discrimination and is utter bullshizzle, it has to stop.

Even though people are trying to give people a break because of past atrocities, all it's doing is perpetuating this hole of racism and creating racial angst to eventually be used by the wrong person (white supremacist arse holes).


Edit 2: One last note on this grand subject: Reparations. What farking bullshizzle is that? Seriously, slavery was 150 years ago. I understand this was a horrible atrocity (committed all over the globe for many thousands of years mind you).

What I don't understand is the lazy asinine mindset that because my great-great grandfather was a slave, I deserve your money.

Seriously guys, where is this money going to come from? My pockets. My tax dollars. Going to some lazy arse hole because he's found a scapegoat, an easy way to get money. This is theft - Grand Larceny to be sure. I didn't enslave your arse, I didn't whip you, you don't deserve one penny of my money, so GTFO, get a job, peace.

[André Masséna]

but is racism and intolerance more...whats the word..wide spread? more common? in the country side.
I've lived in a small rural community for 5+years now, and before that i used to live around the small suburban areas around Brizzy (but i miss Garden City)
and one thing i've noticed...i actually see more racism up here then down in the city...The N word is said a lot more, theres more intolerance and people generally dislike (or voice their dislike) aborginies and chinese more.
Its quite...well fricken annoying...I've tried to get my friends to stop...and their generally good at it (not being racist...around me atleast) (cept one...he's really racist. Doesnt matter, dont like him much any way)

So i was wondering...is it just my town, or do any of you all notice it too?

I have to disagree.

I've lived in a town of 20,000 for a while. 10 percent black. The black people are treated just like the white people, and especially at work whites and blacks get along great. I'm often greeted and talked to more by the black workers than the more numerous white ones.

[thatguy]

I have to disagree.

I've lived in a town of 20,000 for a while. 10 percent black. The black people are treated just like the white people, and especially at work whites and blacks get along great. I'm often greeted and talked to more by the black workers than the more numerous white ones.

Well, 20 000 is a bretty big town, I was talking more about the smaller rural towns, usually less then 5000 people

[Miraj]

Extra racism in rural white communities is always a pretty consistent feature whether you go to Australia, Canada or America. I notice a world of difference whenever I venture out of Calgary and into Alberta's redneck heartland. You enter a Tim Hourtons out in a small town and the whites start staring you down right off the bat or look at you, as a great Australian TWC member once said, like you're a "funny little parasite". Of course I tend not to give a **** and sit my olive self right in front of the dude with the confederate plated pick-up and eat like a total hog right in his face and then I fart near him on the way out.

I have no clue what the real underlying reasons are for the racism, but I'm sure it's something to do with the lack of proper education, incest and raping of sheep.

[boofhead]

Extra racism in rural white communities is always a pretty consistent feature whether you go to Australia

You can stop right there....ever been to Australia? Are you making a racially based assumption against rural white Australians?

Of course I tend not to give a **** and sit my olive self right in front of the dude with the confederate plated pick-up and eat like a total hog right in his face and then I fart near him on the way out.

Ahhh. You obviously haven't been to Australia, as if you behaved in such a smug, smarty-pants and rude manner as a guest in a town, no matter what your race, you would probably depart in an ambulance.

And we all know what your racial brethren would do to an unaccompanied white man in their homeland, don't we...(or is that comment just as racially assumptive as yours :hmmm: )

[thatguy]

Now now Boof, no need for a - *cartman comes screaming through the TWC forums*
" RACE WAR! RACE WAR! EVERBODY LOOK! RACE WAR! RACE WAR!"

Boof dont say anything else and maybe he'll go away.

Now i aggree, miraj shouldnt do that, because its dumb and just breeds more negative views of his race.