[Vision2020] Godwin's Law Strikes Again!

[Sunil Ramalingam]

Gary,

So if an African-American killed the same person in the manner you describe, 
the statement "That miserable nigger just cut the head off of a American 
non-combatant," would not be racist?

You're right, I don't like or agree with your rationale.

I think it's a mistake to link emotion with the use of racist language or 
attitudes.  Racist decisions and statements are easily made in the absence 
of emotion; I think they're the results of attitudes developed over a 
lifetime and ingrained in cultures and individual people.  I don't think any 
particular 'race' or group has a monopoly on racism.  I know I've often 
heard racist statements expresses as casually as a request for a drink of 
water.  There's no requirement for actions as you suggest; statements 
express one's views quite effectively.

Sunil


>From: "g. crabtree" <jampot at adelphia.net>
>To: "Sunil Ramalingam" <sunilramalingam at hotmail.com>
>CC: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Godwin's Law Strikes Again!
>Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 07:12:39 -0800
>
>Well Sunil, since you insist on trying to chase me out onto a thin limb, 
>I'll give you my take on comments such as the one you refer to. You won't 
>like or agree with it, I suspect, but here goes. Please bare in mind that I 
>speak for myself and not anyone else to who you might attribute a lack of 
>sensitivity.
>
>When someone makes a remark like "All ragheads are vermin and have no right 
>to live" it is inexcusably racist and deserves to be denounced at every 
>possible turn.
>
>When someone says "That miserable raghead just cut the head off of a 
>American non-combatant," it is a minor lapse of manner(s) or tact. 
>Unfortunate but, forgivable. Not, in my opinion, an indication of racism 
>per se.
>
>In the first you are calmly stating your contemptible and unsupportable 
>opinion of a large group/race of people. In the second you are expressing 
>your anger and frustration at an individual or small group of proven evil 
>doers with language that is intemperate and poorly chosen.
>
>Racism is, in my opinion, demonstrated by actions. It is hinted at, 
>sometimes incorrectly, by individual words.
>
>
>
>I hope that this does not change your opinion of my fitness as company on 
>the list.
>
>g
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Sunil Ramalingam" <sunilramalingam at hotmail.com>
>Cc: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 9:31 PM
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Godwin's Law Strikes Again!
>
>
> > Gary,
> >
> > Are racist slurs minor lapses of manner or tact?
> >
> > I hope this question isn't considered trash talk, or 'self righteous, 
>self
> > satisfied, school yard sputtering,' though you may well consider me an
> > additional player; happy to have you as company on that list.
> >
> > Sunil
> >
> >
> >>From: "g. crabtree" <jampot at adelphia.net>
> >>To: <debismith at moscow.com>, <suehovey at moscow.com>, 
><vision2020 at moscow.com>
> >>CC: vision2020 at moscow.com
> >>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Godwin's Law Strikes Again!
> >>Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 20:07:27 -0800
> >>
> >>Extremely interesting. Should someone from the mildly conservative side 
>of
> >>the fence have a minor lapse of manners or tact, the squealing and
> >>castigation rises to a level at which our canine friends experience
> >>profound and lasting aural pain.
> >>
> >>But on the other hand it's OK to demean the offender with a level of
> >>calumny several orders of magnitude greater then anything originally 
>said.
> >>I mean really, when you feel you have to resort to not so subtly calling
> >>someone's mother a bitch along with the silly BS in the post to which 
>I'm
> >>responding, you really have to wonder If Ms. Hovey, Ms. R-S, Mr. Fox, 
>and
> >>the rest of the usual suspects have any sense of irony at all. Double
> >>standard risen to the power of hypocritical joke. What's even funnier is
> >>that this communication will likely raise the trash talk to the next 
>level
> >>as well as spread it to additional players. Who needs comedy central 
>when
> >>we've got the V.
> >>
> >>Commence self righteous, self satisfied, school yard sputtering,
> >>g
> >>
> >
> >
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