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Old 09-18-2008, 07:20 PM
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hambirg hambirg is offline
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Race. . .cont. pt. 2

Quote:
Originally Posted by marilynk
So, just so I'm clear--if say LAVON SMITH was arrested for selling drugs, and a person was to assume they were black based on the name and the fact that they were selling drugs...THAT would be racist? Or would that be stereotyping? Discrimination? or racial profiling? Just wondering....
oh and I think assuming that a person if of a particular race based on their stereotypical name--does qualify a person as racist.
If they are assuming she is black solely on the fact that she is sellin drugs. . .yes!

If they are assuming she is black based solely on her name. . .no!

If they are reading it and assuming she is black, and seeing that she was arrested for selling drugs, THEN coming to the conclusion that ALL blacks sell drugs. . .or coming to the conclusion that ALL drug dealers are black. . .yes!

We already defined stereotyping:

something conforming to a fixed or general pattern ; especially : a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment

Is it discriminatory to read in the paper that somebody named Lavon Smith was arrested for selling drugs? I don't think so. . .How is reading discrimination?

Is it racial profiling. . .no!

We already defined that too. . .which one would you like? Wikepedia? ACLU? or Amnesty International?
Let's go with Amnesty International:

Racial profiling occurs when race is used by law enforcement or private security officials, to any degree, as a basis for criminal suspicion in non-suspect specific investigations. Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, nationality or on any other particular identity undermines the basic human rights and freedoms to which every person is entitled

Racial Profiling

And your last statement is silly. . .honestly.

Just assuming somebody's ethnicity given their name is NOT racist! My maiden name is Birgenheier. What you're saying is that everybody that ever looked at me and said, "oh, German?" is a racist???!!! I don't think so! Now if they equated German ethnicity to a Nazi stereotype than THAT would be racist.
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Last edited by hambirg; 09-19-2008 at 12:57 AM.
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