ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 68
Gender: Male
Posts: 39,637
Location: Long Island, New York
10 Jun 2020, 5:19 pm
10 Jun 2020, 5:25 pm
10 Jun 2020, 5:52 pm
10 Jun 2020, 7:43 pm
10 Jun 2020, 7:59 pm
ASPartOfMe wrote:
Merriam-Webster changes definition of racism — thanks to Missouri black woman named Kennedy Mitchum
Quote:
Kennedy Mitchum is a modern-day agent of change.
Thanks to the relatively unknown young black woman, racism has a new definition in the dictionary.
The Florissant, Mo., native took matters into her own fingers after growing wearisome of constant conversations about racism and injustice where white people have pointed to the dictionary to prove that they’re not racist.
The dictionary defines racism as "a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race."
In May, she emailed the prominent dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster and shared her thoughts about how its definition of the word racism was inadequate.
“With everything going on, I think it’s important everyone is on the same page," Mitchum told KMOV.
Surprisingly, an editor from the company reached out to her and after further communications agreed to update the entry.
The recent Drake University graduate and NAACP activist explained: “I basically told them they need to include that there is systematic oppression on people. It’s not just ‘I don’t like someone,’ it’s a system of oppression for a certain group of people.”
Merriam-Webster Dictionary editor Alex Chambers confirmed a revision to the entry for “racism” is now being drafted.
"This revision would not have been made without your persistence in contacting us about this problem,” Chambers wrote to Mitchum. “We sincerely thank you for repeatedly writing in and apologize for the harm and offense we have caused in failing to address the issue sooner. I will see to it that the entry for racism is given the attention it sorely needs.”
The publisher plans to make the revision within the coming months.
Thanks to the relatively unknown young black woman, racism has a new definition in the dictionary.
The Florissant, Mo., native took matters into her own fingers after growing wearisome of constant conversations about racism and injustice where white people have pointed to the dictionary to prove that they’re not racist.
The dictionary defines racism as "a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race."
In May, she emailed the prominent dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster and shared her thoughts about how its definition of the word racism was inadequate.
“With everything going on, I think it’s important everyone is on the same page," Mitchum told KMOV.
Surprisingly, an editor from the company reached out to her and after further communications agreed to update the entry.
The recent Drake University graduate and NAACP activist explained: “I basically told them they need to include that there is systematic oppression on people. It’s not just ‘I don’t like someone,’ it’s a system of oppression for a certain group of people.”
Merriam-Webster Dictionary editor Alex Chambers confirmed a revision to the entry for “racism” is now being drafted.
"This revision would not have been made without your persistence in contacting us about this problem,” Chambers wrote to Mitchum. “We sincerely thank you for repeatedly writing in and apologize for the harm and offense we have caused in failing to address the issue sooner. I will see to it that the entry for racism is given the attention it sorely needs.”
The publisher plans to make the revision within the coming months.
I don't have a problem.
Isn't it simply a matter of including the context of societal/cultural attitudes on top of an individual context, based on the definition given above?
Also:
Is this a "problem" specifically related to the Merriam-webster-definition?
Rhetorical question.
So, where does "Apartheid" fit into this?
10 Jun 2020, 8:03 pm
Fnord wrote:
As long as the definition does not include the false claim that only people of certain races can be racist, I'll accept it.
It is very racist to include that false claim.
10 Jun 2020, 8:07 pm
10 Jun 2020, 8:16 pm
10 Jun 2020, 8:18 pm
10 Jun 2020, 8:27 pm
10 Jun 2020, 9:28 pm
IsabellaLinton wrote:
Racism also includes comments such as "________ people are smarter", or "______ people are better at xyz", when referring to groups other than one's own.
I'm the smartest person on this website.
Does that make me "Racist" against other aspies?
IsabellaLinton wrote:
The comments can sound positive. It doesn't always sound like insults.
Well, I have always had a problem with positive observations of other races, to one's own, being seen as racist.
This is Political Correctness gone toxic, imo.
Weaponised PC is a bane of modern-day existence.
I also don't have a problem with "Objectively Observing" traits which have become divergent due to isolation, as an example.
There is talk about the native community in the Amazon having little resistance to the COV-19 virus, as a result of their isolation.
IsabellaLinton wrote:
The bottom line is that racism = prejudice or stereotype based on race, which doesn't necessarily include skin colour. Yes it does often lead to oppression but racial stereotype is also problematic.
I am not a racist,
Rather, I consider myself to be a "Culturist".
There are some cultures which inhibit personal enlightenment and self-determination.
I do have a problem with that.
Also:
Racial stereotyping is generally not the result of genetic coding.
(Don't tell Himmler I said that).
It is often due to cultural characteristics and the circumstances of environmental conditions.
BOOM!
But, yes,
The main focus of the term "Racist" is about prejudice.
10 Jun 2020, 9:33 pm
10 Jun 2020, 9:44 pm
HeroOfHyrule wrote:
IsabellaLinton wrote:
Racism also includes comments such as "________ people are smarter", or "______ people are better at xyz", when referring to groups other than one's own.
The comments can sound positive. It doesn't always sound like insults.
The bottom line is that racism = prejudice or stereotype based on race, which doesn't necessarily include skin colour. Yes it does often lead to oppression but racial stereotype is also problematic.
The comments can sound positive. It doesn't always sound like insults.
The bottom line is that racism = prejudice or stereotype based on race, which doesn't necessarily include skin colour. Yes it does often lead to oppression but racial stereotype is also problematic.
I think this is an important distinction. But, could that also possibly fit into "a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities"? If you said "people of X race are smarter", that would mean you're saying that is an inherent trait of that race, so thus someone being of that race determines that they must be smarter than others.
There was an (in)famous book called "The Bell Curve" which considered the possibility of some races being smarter than others, I believe.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
I have the book somewhere but have never read it.
Semi-dyslexia is a biatch.
The book was brutally savaged.
I am not sure how justified that criticism was since I haven't read the book or researched it, in any depth.
(I might do it soon).
What I am convinced about is that Political Correctness encouraged a lot of its condemnation.
From memory, there was some doubt as to the author's methodology, which might be very true,
But there would have been major opposition along other lines.
Isabella,
Sometimes it hurts so bad to be so intelligent.
"It's lonely at the top" sort of thing.
10 Jun 2020, 9:50 pm
IsabellaLinton wrote:
I'm just defining the word. I'm not PC and I'm not virtue signalling. I'm just defining the word.
Also, I have no prejudice for or against the common skunk -- of which you are indisputably the smartest.
Also, I have no prejudice for or against the common skunk -- of which you are indisputably the smartest.
You aren't getting defensive, I hope?
This is a great thread to sink my fangs into.
What do you mean: "I have no prejudice for or against the common skunk"?
I thought we were best buddies.
I thought you would be prejudiced in favour of the true blue skunk mate.
I'm wounded.
And what is this "Common", to which you refer?
EDIT:
Oops.
ASPartOfMe created this thread.
10 Jun 2020, 10:46 pm
10 Jun 2020, 10:56 pm
Of course we're buddies ^ ^ If memory serves me correctly, I even made your avatar. We have a mutual interest in cabbage, too. One can't overlook that, in the big picture.
I just didn't want anyone thinking that I was defending racism or oppression, or creating political debate about it. As you've likely noticed, I don't do politics. I only do common sense and equality, without any isms.
