I'm doing a social work degree and in my indigenous issues class
i brought up reverse racism.
someone argued that racism exists across the board.
Such as Chinese being racist against Blacks,
or even racism within a nation, like in Mexico.
Furthermore, that at white person can experience racism.
I don't agree.
I think that racism is about skin colour, power and privilege, and it's systemic.
I thought I'd put that out there.
winterbamboo
i brought up reverse racism.
someone argued that racism exists across the board.
Such as Chinese being racist against Blacks,
or even racism within a nation, like in Mexico.
Furthermore, that at white person can experience racism.
I don't agree.
I think that racism is about skin colour, power and privilege, and it's systemic.
I thought I'd put that out there.
winterbamboo
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Re: reverse racism
Wed, October 24, 2007 - 2:50 PMThe very definition of racism makes it impossible for reverse racism to occur. Racism is something white people do to everyone not white. Other interactions are considered by academia to be ethnic interactions and conflicts, not racism. I wish I could remember the exact definition off the top of my head, but I'm in class right now and distracted.
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Re: reverse racism
Mon, April 7, 2008 - 1:43 AMI've heard many people define racism differently, and depending on your definition, reverse racism may or may not exist. Anyway, I decide to look up a particular dictionary's definition for racism and it came back with:
"Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
rac·ism Audio Help /ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[rey-siz-uhm] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
[Origin: 1865–70; < F racisme. See race2, -ism]
—Related forms
racist, noun, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
rac·ism Audio Help (rā'sĭz'əm) Pronunciation Key
n.
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
rac'ist adj. & n.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
racism
noun
1. the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races
2. discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
racism
The belief that some races are inherently superior (physically, intellectually, or culturally) to others and therefore have a right to dominate them. In the United States, racism, particularly by whites against blacks, has created profound racial tension and conflict in virtually all aspects of American society. Until the breakthroughs achieved by the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, white domination over blacks was institutionalized and supported in all branches and levels of government, by denying blacks their civil rights and opportunities to participate in political, economic, and social communities."
These definitions mainly focus on the idea of people in one racial group treating people in a particular racial group unfairly when compared to others. Using that definition, reverse racism can indeed happen. I mean, white folks can treat black folks unfairly, surely black folks can treat white folks unfairly.
However, there are other definitions of racism that focus on the idea there are groups in society with more power and groups in society with not as much power and that racism happens when one racial group with more power abuses that power and mistreats the ones with less power. Under that definition, reverse racism can't exist because an oppressed group doesn't have the same access to resources that a power group has and therefore can't truly be racist towards another group and are in fact internally racist if they feel hatred towards another group. I don't know if I fully agree with that assertion.
I think that at least in American and European societies, the power to make things happen tend to go more towards white folks. There are more senior government officials who are white in the US than there are non-whites; so in an institutional level one can say reverse racism can't really exist, but on an individual level, a non-white person is just as capable of wielding whatever power they have to mistreat a white person, so I'd argue that reverse racism can exist in an individual level.
These are just some of my thoughts. -
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Re: reverse racism
Mon, April 7, 2008 - 1:45 AMSorry for he unrelated stuff that came with my definitions. Kinda did a poor cut and paste job there. -
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Re: reverse racism
Sun, May 11, 2008 - 5:33 AMWell I'm Chinese and I do think that reverse racism can and does exist. But it doesn't have the same level of impact cuz there isn't a huge history and system of power behind it like standard racism. Also in America race issues only seem to be brought up in black and white terms, usually ignoring all the other populations.
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