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Since you turned this into a discussion about race, I am inclined to speak up. Racism and discrimination is about who has power. Caucasians in America have all

Since you turned this into a discussion about race, I am inclined to speak up. Racism and discrimination is about who has power. Caucasians in America have all the power and hence the struggle of the minorities for equality. I admire github for taking a stance in the diversity debate( although I have yet to fully familiarize with the details). I know that people from all demographics desire equality and a more fair world. I'll work towards that world and keep build things.

victor9000 11y ago
Racism and discrimination have nothing to do with power. You're redefining the word so that it allows a particular group to engage in discriminatory behavior while avoiding accountability.
- jshevek 11y ago
  The previous speaker, who is definitely involved in an agenda driven redefinition of a word, probably has no conscious desire to engage in discriminatory behavior while avoiding accountability. S/he is almost certainly a well intentioned enabler of those who do wish to engage in discriminatory behavior while avoiding accountability
  - oldmanjay 11y ago
    I'm having difficulty understanding the distinction. Does rewording it make it something it isn't?
    - jshevek 11y ago
      Apologies if I misunderstood, but I think you are asking me to clarify that I'm making a distinction between (a) one person allegedly having dishonest intentions and a conscious motive to do X and (b) that same person having better intentions, and doing X by accident. The phrasing of the parent was "You are doing A so that B can happen.", which I thought was presumptive and unfair towards the other party. I've known a lot of people who participate in the subculture of SJWs, and I'm confident that many of them have no conscious desire to be enablers of hatred and bigotry, not even hatred and bigotry towards white males. They simply don't understand the consequences of their beliefs.
dracht 11y ago
>Racism and discrimination is about who has power. Caucasians in America have all the power ... Ah yes, I'm really against discrimination based on race, but when I see a Caucasian I know they have power they don't deserve. All 10s for these mental gymnastics. >I know that people from all demographics desire equality and a more fair world. Going with your previous statement: why would Caucasians desire equality if they benefit from inequality? Of course, when you say equality and diversity, you mean a reduction in white males, regardless of merit - you already made up your mind that they got to where they are unfairly and that they owe you their position.
- senthil_rajasek 11y ago
  >why would Caucasians desire equality? altruism or morality or may be people just want to be nice to each other... >Of course, when you say equality and diversity, you mean >a reduction in white males, regardless of merit Economics is not a zero-sum game. >you already made up your mind that they got to where they are unfairly Civilization is a new idea. May be we are all learning from the past and working towards a better future.
- JohnBooty 11y ago
  you already made up your mind that [white males] got to where they are unfairly Given the disproportionate amount of power that white males have in America, there are two possibilities. One possibility is that white males really are that superior. We (white males) have the power because we're the best. Conversely, this would also of course imply that other groups like women and minorities are intrinsically inferior. The other possibility is that the system really is tilted in the favor of certain groups, and that has affected the distribution of power and wealth that you see in America today. I believe strongly in the second possibility and reject the first. why would Caucasians desire equality if they benefit from inequality We (again, speaking as a white male here) might benefit in the short term from inequality, but I believe that in the long term we benefit a lot more from equality. I love my country and my country is much stronger if we have an equal playing field. I respect the fact that many people feel that actions like minority hiring initiatives are in fact the opposite of a level playing field. In the most myopic possible sense, that is correct. In a broader sense, I do not agree.
jshevek 11y ago
Racism and discrimination are not exclusively about 'who has power', unless you abandon the existing and widely accepted usages of those words in favor of an agenda driven re-definition of the terms. > Caucasians in America have all the power This does not excuse anti-white racism, and is often mostly irrelevant to situations involving individuals. Many people, sadly, will use this observation to justify their personal bigotry against white people.

victor9000 11y ago

Racism and discrimination have nothing to do with power. You're redefining the word so that it allows a particular group to engage in discriminatory behavior while avoiding accountability.

jshevek 11y ago
The previous speaker, who is definitely involved in an agenda driven redefinition of a word, probably has no conscious desire to engage in discriminatory behavior while avoiding accountability. S/he is almost certainly a well intentioned enabler of those who do wish to engage in discriminatory behavior while avoiding accountability
- oldmanjay 11y ago
  I'm having difficulty understanding the distinction. Does rewording it make it something it isn't?
  - jshevek 11y ago
    Apologies if I misunderstood, but I think you are asking me to clarify that I'm making a distinction between (a) one person allegedly having dishonest intentions and a conscious motive to do X and (b) that same person having better intentions, and doing X by accident. The phrasing of the parent was "You are doing A so that B can happen.", which I thought was presumptive and unfair towards the other party. I've known a lot of people who participate in the subculture of SJWs, and I'm confident that many of them have no conscious desire to be enablers of hatred and bigotry, not even hatred and bigotry towards white males. They simply don't understand the consequences of their beliefs.

dracht 11y ago

>Racism and discrimination is about who has power. Caucasians in America have all the power ... Ah yes, I'm really against discrimination based on race, but when I see a Caucasian I know they have power they don't deserve. All 10s for these mental gymnastics. >I know that people from all demographics desire equality and a more fair world. Going with your previous statement: why would Caucasians desire equality if they benefit from inequality? Of course, when you say equality and diversity, you mean a reduction in white males, regardless of merit - you already made up your mind that they got to where they are unfairly and that they owe you their position.

senthil_rajasek 11y ago
>why would Caucasians desire equality? altruism or morality or may be people just want to be nice to each other... >Of course, when you say equality and diversity, you mean >a reduction in white males, regardless of merit Economics is not a zero-sum game. >you already made up your mind that they got to where they are unfairly Civilization is a new idea. May be we are all learning from the past and working towards a better future.
JohnBooty 11y ago
you already made up your mind that [white males] got to where they are unfairly Given the disproportionate amount of power that white males have in America, there are two possibilities. One possibility is that white males really are that superior. We (white males) have the power because we're the best. Conversely, this would also of course imply that other groups like women and minorities are intrinsically inferior. The other possibility is that the system really is tilted in the favor of certain groups, and that has affected the distribution of power and wealth that you see in America today. I believe strongly in the second possibility and reject the first. why would Caucasians desire equality if they benefit from inequality We (again, speaking as a white male here) might benefit in the short term from inequality, but I believe that in the long term we benefit a lot more from equality. I love my country and my country is much stronger if we have an equal playing field. I respect the fact that many people feel that actions like minority hiring initiatives are in fact the opposite of a level playing field. In the most myopic possible sense, that is correct. In a broader sense, I do not agree.

jshevek 11y ago

Racism and discrimination are not exclusively about 'who has power', unless you abandon the existing and widely accepted usages of those words in favor of an agenda driven re-definition of the terms. > Caucasians in America have all the power This does not excuse anti-white racism, and is often mostly irrelevant to situations involving individuals. Many people, sadly, will use this observation to justify their personal bigotry against white people.