Race?!

Hey Tariqe, I'm going to make a new thread on or about race everday, and try to bring it up and get the issue involved in every thread I can, just because you made this thread.

1) Do you not think most recent TSR threads about race have been?

2) This is where we disagree.

3) We are trying, normally, to engage with them rationally, and to try and change their views (I cannot speak for everyone, obviously). This is perfectly acceptable in society. Making racial comments in an insensitive manner, however, is obviously not.

4) I've done this before. It had little effect. Also, as I said in a previous post on this thread, I'm trying not to cause any more inflammatory debate, but I suspect I failed there. Tbh, I'm just disgusted about what has been thought of as ''reasonable'' discussion over the past few weeks on this topic.

But you must agree with me that whilst debate doesn't work, the overhaul of insults and verbal assaults on the OPs can not have a positive effect on either them, their views or the general perception of people on TSR. Sure, you don't agree with their views but the posters here are taking a very 'burn them at the stake' approach to this.

I agree with you that most of the race-related threads are racist but there are some which are great subjects for discussion and debate. I guess until people do realise that other people may have different views then the best policy is to not allow anyone to express them and close/delete all threads that even mention race, be they completely racist and immoral or an actual well-thought idea.

And just for the record, I personally don't support the majority, if not all, of the topics discussing race here, I just believe people have the right to speak their ideas. I don't regard myself as racist at all.

I agree with you that people on both sides ought to show restrain and humility. However, race for many people is a sensitive subject, and understandably so. If a thread about race is not laid out with care, then a blacklash can only be expected, and lack of rational argument prevailent, given that those who would bite back simply concieve the whole subject matter of race as illusory.

Your policy suggestion in your second paragraph is something I strongly advocate.

People do have a right to express their ideas - but, if they wish not to be 'burned at the stake', they should exercise some sensitivity. And recognise the truth (as far as I can see) that there are no races, so the subject matter of their thread should not be substantive in a manner that causes division.

Rep for you for being one of the minority who are willing and able to discuss this sensibly and also having an argument way beyond criticism.

It's interesting also to not that this thread, one of the most sensible about the topic of race, has not gained as much interest as other threads which seem to attract those who simply wish to express inflammatory opinions which are usually only loosely linked to specific issue raised by the OP - Maybe people just like arguing about race because it makes them feel better!

Human "races" are like fairy tales: They simply do NOT exist.

If people knew more about genes they'd know that.

This is probably the dumbest post I have ever read. Fairy tales do exist. If your parents love you (yeah, that's right), then they'd read them to you when you were little.

This is probably the dumbest post I have ever read. Fairy tales do exist. If your parents love you (yeah, that's right), then they'd read them to you when you were little.

Errrrr yeah. Did you want to be funny or did you just tell what you really think?

Errrrr yeah. Did you want to be funny or did you just tell what you really think?

No offense, whitepearlbaby, but you appear to love verbal jousting!

Race does exist, just as a social construction. And it's no suprise that a smaller group of people that identify with one another as a more homogenous group than humanity as a whole are likely to have different value sets, customs, traditions, whatever, which when enacted influence how they are perceived. So I think it's too simple to say race doesn't exist unless you use it in the most limited conception.

Also, in fairness to the race debate of late (good rhyme), whilst some of it clearly is racist, I think people do need to pick up the difference between racism and racialism. Because in my mind, one is unacceptable, and one is just misguided, and people should not be shot down for the latter.