is racism common in Toronto?

[X2 Buyer]

But of course, the use of the term "ghost" to describe foreigners originated in "mainland" (ie, rest of China) centuries before HK even existed as an entity.

If you mean the term "Yang Guei zi" - Western Ghost. This was created when Western countries invaded China and made China their colonies from year 1840. Under this context it was very different from racism and the meaning of "Gueilo".

 

[oreoshack]

i dont perceive minorities stereotyping other minorities or white people as racist. i would just consider it ethnocentrism. for something to be racist, the person doing it must have more socio-economic power and/or have more access to resources in society (thus having power to stop others from getting to those resources) than the person being afflicted.

 

[jenny_zhang]

i dont perceive minorities stereotyping other minorities or white people as racist. i would just consider it ethnocentrism. for something to be racist, the person doing it must have more socio-economic power and/or have more access to resources in society (thus having power to stop others from getting to those resources) than the person being afflicted.

So you're saying that if someone who wasn't in a position of power got up and said that some ethnic group was stupid and should be deported, it's not racist?

I don't understand the logic behind that one. And I still think most racism comes from ethnic communities.

 

[JayBee]

So you're saying that if someone who wasn't in a position of power got up and said that some ethnic group was stupid and should be deported, it's not racist?

I don't understand the logic behind that one. And I still think most racism comes from ethnic communities.

Wow....simply, wow.

 

[jenny_zhang]

Wow....simply, wow.

Yeah, probably sounds shocking if you haven't been a part of these communities and seen it for yourself. The real world isn't so clear as "opressing majority vs. opressed minority", particularly in Toronto.

 

[Eug]

i dont perceive minorities stereotyping other minorities or white people as racist. i would just consider it ethnocentrism.

I consider it racist.

for something to be racist, the person doing it must have more socio-economic power and/or have more access to resources in society (thus having power to stop others from getting to those resources) than the person being afflicted.

So a poor white person calling Obama a racist slur is not racist then?

Yeah, probably sounds shocking if you haven't been a part of these communities and seen it for yourself. The real world isn't so clear as "opressing majority vs. opressed minority", particularly in Toronto.

Indeed. While I don't agree with you in that "ethnic communities" are necessarily more racist, I think it's pretty naive to think only the proverbial white overlords can be racist.

 

[borgo100]

Something people should think about....

I don't believe in the ideal that one race is superior to another, i believe all men are created equal, but this documentary opened my eyes.... i'm not a racist.

A Conversation About Race
http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...fS7fHlAw&q=craig+bodeker&hl=en&client=safari#

 

[nfitz]

i dont perceive minorities stereotyping other minorities or white people as racist. i would just consider it ethnocentrism.

Of course it's racist and bigoted. It's disgusting and vile, and those that justify such practices should be ashamed of themselves, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

 

[Tewder]

You would 'prosecute' people for stereotyping? All you UTers are alike!!!

 

[nfitz]

You would 'prosecute' people for stereotyping? All you UTers are alike!!!

If they break the law, people should be prosecuted. Publishing material promoting discrimination on the basis of race is not legal in Canada.

Are you in favour of turning a blind eye to bigotry?

 

[valkoholic]

If they break the law, people should be prosecuted. Publishing material promoting discrimination on the basis of race is not legal in Canada.

So the authors of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms should be prosectued?

"(2) Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability"

i.e. it's okay for people to discriminate if their heart is in the right place.

 

[nfitz]

So the authors of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms should be prosectued?

"(2) Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability"

i.e. it's okay for people to discriminate if their heart is in the right place.

... uh ... the authors wrote the charter before it went into effect, and thus could not be retroactively prosecuted ... ignoring a thousand other reasons why they also would not be prosecutred. Besides, if you think that Subsection 2 violates subsection 1, then wouldn't subsection 2 also qualify as a law under subsection 2?

 

[valkoholic]

I was being sarcastic. Although I have no real problem with affirmative action if it's handled right I've always found it ironic that the charter of rights and freedoms makes special provision for certain types of discrimination.

 

[Tewder]

So was I. I guess humour is lost on nfitz...

At the end of the day stereotyping and discrimination are different things. I think I'd rather deal with an honest a-hole who stereotypes than the humourless and holier-than-thou types who are constantly peeking at others through their shutters, ready to pounce on anything they deem incorrect. People do and say inappropriate things. It's not a crime. People are delightfully flawed this way and it doesn't make them evil. The act of actually discriminating against somebody, however, is an entirely different matter. We should not confuse the two.

 

[nfitz]

Surely if someone consistently says inappropriate comments of a racial manner, then they are a racist. I don't see why one would want to brush over such utter evil.

Though there is a line between that and stereotypical comments. Being British, I think I can safely point out that the stereotypes about traditional British cooking (boil the vegatables to mush) and very poor retail customer service are quite true ... though slowly fading. Should we avoid all mention of such things? Probably not.

Humour is generally not lost on me ... though I'm not sure since when sarcasm qualified as humour.