Originally posted by Kinneary
I'm sorry, but if I understand this correctly, you're trying to say that European racists are more intellectual than American racists?
Not at all, however I feel there are perhaps more intellectual reasons which inspire racism across Europe as opposed to the reasons that one of your fellows and indeed yourself have said motivate American Racism.
I mean, so far you and another guy, Quinero or somebody or something like that...have basically said that the American racist thought is on the basis of skin colour. (You didn't out rightly say it BUT when it was said you didn't refute it, so I shall assume you agree with that assessment.) Now to be honest I think we can agree this is the worst form of bigotry- a hatred of someone based "on the colour of their skin" not "the content of their character".
Now what you find causes a lot of so called "racial tensions", lets remember you chose the term and I don't think it really fits, are more intellectually based problems.
For example politics, or religion or past conflicts in history. For example if a Frenchman belongs to the French race (or Frankish Tribe to be more accurate) then chances are he will have disputes with the Germans over a long history of political and even religious conflict. Keeping with the German theme Prussians might have troubles with the Catholic Southern states due to religious tension. There is also the ongoing tensions in the Balkans, the racial dispute hotspot of Europe as it has been since before the first world war. Continuing troubles and attacks from Serbs on Croats and Slavs on Serbs etc etc will continue to keep the fires of racism burning in those states.
Ofcourse, I think that modern day racial tensions in America probably do date back to the justifications of slavery so in that sense American Racism probably isn't really just about skin colour but about historical economics which have filtered down the generations in the form of white supremacy, black "African revivalists" etc
I do know racism exists in European countries...however I think problems like sectarianism- which are intellectual conflicts (all though mostly propagated by stupid people) are far more prevalent and they are certainly not swept under the rug as you suggested.
Oh and Kinneary this isn't about what makes sense...
Im not going to comment on all this racism business because I cannot understand how any intelligent person can be against any race or tribe of people. No matter where they come from.
Whatever caused these riots must have had some organization, or did it spread to other countries by luck. Anarchists were the core problem from what I heard on the news, maybe this group will get bigger and play a major role in the future.
I know in Germany any time there´s a far right demonstration, ie walk through the streets with banners and the like in a peaceful manner. Loads of Anarchists turn up, a lot more than there are demonstraters, and attack them and cause chaos.
Originally posted by Bicnarok
Im not going to comment on all this racism business because I cannot understand how any intelligent person can be against any race or tribe of people. No matter where they come from.Whatever caused these riots must have had some organization, or did it spread to other countries by luck. Anarchists were the core problem from what I heard on the news, maybe this group will get bigger and play a major role in the future.
I know in Germany any time there´s a far right demonstration, ie walk through the streets with banners and the like in a peaceful manner. Loads of Anarchists turn up, a lot more than there are demonstraters, and attack them and cause chaos.
Again your missing the point. Its not that the racists are intelligent per se. Its that they are "racist" due to intellectual divides rather more "simple" ones.
Racism based on a persons skin colour is a simple divide.
Sectarianism is an intellectual divide. That doesn't make it intelligent to be a sectarian or mean all sectarians are intelligent.
Originally posted by Grand-Moff-Gav
Again your missing the point. Its not that the racists are intelligent per se. Its that they are "racist" due to intellectual divides rather more "simple" ones.Racism based on a persons skin colour is a simple divide.
Sectarianism is an intellectual divide. That doesn't make it intelligent to be a sectarian or mean all sectarians are intelligent.
Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that the difference between racism and sectarianism is that one is racism and the other is sectarianism?