Another killing at the hands of the Police (7 Viewers)

matttyl said:

TobiasFunke said:

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

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So then franchises like Churches and Popeyes opening their restaurants in mostly black neighborhoods is perpetuating racism? Honest question. Or is it a smart financial move because their product is actually consumed more by that race on average?

Click to expand...

Parrothead said:

PinkydaPimp said:

Im trying to do a juice cleanse here and all this talk of chicken and italian subs is really making this difficult.

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the Italian sub is delightful- just the right amount of hot pepper spread and onions. my office smells like Sicily

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bigbottom said:

Ditkaless Wonders said:

Ditka Butkus said:

What the hell happened in here?

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Tangents prevailed since their was general consensus on the main topic.

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Story out this morning that the dash cam video and witness testimony might help the officer's defense against a murder charge.

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hxperson said:

uhh..no? I'm saying Blinky is quoting someone making fun of himself. I have no idea what race Blinky is.

And if you are quoting Chapelle or whoever else making fun of other races, that can be racist. Again, is it worth an uproar? 99% of the time, it isn't, because there's no malicious intent in it.

Click to expand...

PinkydaPimp said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-word

How can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.

But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

Click to expand...

Raycess, no. Bad idea? Probably.

Click to expand...

timschochet said:

matttyl said:

TobiasFunke said:

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

So then franchises like Churches and Popeyes opening their restaurants in mostly black neighborhoods is perpetuating racism? Honest question. Or is it a smart financial move because their product is actually consumed more by that race on average?

Click to expand...

The latter.It's not racist to use demographics to determine consumer trends. That's s form of racial profiling that is inoffensive. It only becomes racist when you negatively target individuals based on racial stereotypes.

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matttyl said:

hxperson said:

uhh..no? I'm saying Blinky is quoting someone making fun of himself. I have no idea what race Blinky is.

And if you are quoting Chapelle or whoever else making fun of other races, that can be racist. Again, is it worth an uproar? 99% of the time, it isn't, because there's no malicious intent in it.

Click to expand...

So you can quote someone making fun on their own race, but you can't quote someone of another race making fun of a 3rd race? As a white guy, can I quote Chapelle making fun of whites? If so, I think I got it. I can quote Chapelle making fun of black people because he's making fun of himself. I can also quote Chapelle making fun of white people because I'm white. I just can't quote Chapelle making fun of Asians because neither he or I are Asian. Is that how it goes?

I'm pretty sure I can't quote Chapelle making fun of black people liking fried chicken, though. Or I can't quote Tobias with anything he says about Jewish people (which I am not).

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matttyl said:

TobiasFunke said:

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

So then franchises like Churches and Popeyes opening their restaurants in mostly black neighborhoods is perpetuating racism? Honest question. Or is it a smart financial move because their product is actually consumed more by that race on average?

Click to expand...

Hang 10 said:

PinkydaPimp said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-word

How can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.

But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

Click to expand...

Raycess, no. Bad idea? Probably.

Click to expand...

Why is a bad idea though? I grew up listening to 90's rap music, loved movie's like Friday and like everyone else was a fan of Chapelle. That word is SO common in those examples. To me it's just repeating a line in song or movie that makes me laugh. Again, I'm not talking about saying ##### around a bunch of strangers who may get offended.

Click to expand...

Hang 10 said:

PinkydaPimp said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-wordHow can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

Click to expand...

Raycess, no. Bad idea? Probably.

Click to expand...

Why is a bad idea though? I grew up listening to 90's rap music, loved movie's like Friday and like everyone else was a fan of Chapelle. That word is SO common in those examples. To me it's just repeating a line in song or movie that makes me laugh. Again, I'm not talking about saying ##### around a bunch of strangers who may get offended.

Click to expand...

PinkydaPimp said:

Hang 10 said:

PinkydaPimp said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-word

How can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.

But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

Click to expand...

Raycess, no. Bad idea? Probably.

Click to expand...

Why is a bad idea though? I grew up listening to 90's rap music, loved movie's like Friday and like everyone else was a fan of Chapelle. That word is SO common in those examples. To me it's just repeating a line in song or movie that makes me laugh. Again, I'm not talking about saying ##### around a bunch of strangers who may get offended.

Click to expand...

if its amongst yourselves go for it. But if you want to be conscious of offending others, then its probably not a good idea in public.

Click to expand...

matttyl said:

timschochet said:

matttyl said:

TobiasFunke said:

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

So then franchises like Churches and Popeyes opening their restaurants in mostly black neighborhoods is perpetuating racism? Honest question. Or is it a smart financial move because their product is actually consumed more by that race on average?

Click to expand...

The latter.It's not racist to use demographics to determine consumer trends. That's s form of racial profiling that is inoffensive. It only becomes racist when you negatively target individuals based on racial stereotypes.

Click to expand...

So targeting them for profit is fine? I thought targeting undereducated (which isn't a racial thing, but was turned into one) people to buy lotto tickets was a bad thing.

Click to expand...

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-word

How can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.

But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

Click to expand...

I personally wouldn't do it, but feel free to try it next time you and your friends are out in public and let me know how it goes.

Click to expand...

I didn't say public. But I generally understand that things I'd say to my friends in our houses, the gym, etc are not things I'd around people that might not understand the context.

Same question, with the clarification of being at someone's private residence.

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Narcotics officers were serving a search warrant at Burgess' home on Belcher Road in the Boiling Springs area just before 10 a.m. Thursday when Burgess got belligerent, Lt. Kevin Bobo said.

The narcotics officers called for backup.

Two deputies from traffic patrol showed up to assist the narcotics team.

Burgess continued to be belligerent, grabbed a gun off the top of the refrigerator and pointed it at the traffic deputies, according to Bobo.

The two traffic deputies opened fire, killing Burgess, Bobo said.

A woman and a child were in the home when the narcotics team first arrived, but were allowed to leave before the situation escalated, according to Bobo.

Click to expand...

PinkydaPimp said:

matttyl said:

hxperson said:

uhh..no? I'm saying Blinky is quoting someone making fun of himself. I have no idea what race Blinky is.

And if you are quoting Chapelle or whoever else making fun of other races, that can be racist. Again, is it worth an uproar? 99% of the time, it isn't, because there's no malicious intent in it.

Click to expand...

So you can quote someone making fun on their own race, but you can't quote someone of another race making fun of a 3rd race? As a white guy, can I quote Chapelle making fun of whites? If so, I think I got it. I can quote Chapelle making fun of black people because he's making fun of himself. I can also quote Chapelle making fun of white people because I'm white. I just can't quote Chapelle making fun of Asians because neither he or I are Asian. Is that how it goes?

I'm pretty sure I can't quote Chapelle making fun of black people liking fried chicken, though. Or I can't quote Tobias with anything he says about Jewish people (which I am not).

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

jonessed said:

Hang 10 said:

PinkydaPimp said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-wordHow can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

Click to expand...

Raycess, no. Bad idea? Probably.

Click to expand...

Why is a bad idea though? I grew up listening to 90's rap music, loved movie's like Friday and like everyone else was a fan of Chapelle. That word is SO common in those examples. To me it's just repeating a line in song or movie that makes me laugh. Again, I'm not talking about saying ##### around a bunch of strangers who may get offended.

Click to expand...

It's a bad idea because most educated people will think you are an idiot.I suppose if your friends are also idiots it doesn't matter though.

This applies to all races.

Click to expand...

Sinn Fein said:

Another officer-involved killing in SC

Narcotics officers were serving a search warrant at Burgess' home on Belcher Road in the Boiling Springs area just before 10 a.m. Thursday when Burgess got belligerent, Lt. Kevin Bobo said.

The narcotics officers called for backup.

Two deputies from traffic patrol showed up to assist the narcotics team.

Burgess continued to be belligerent, grabbed a gun off the top of the refrigerator and pointed it at the traffic deputies, according to Bobo.

The two traffic deputies opened fire, killing Burgess, Bobo said.

A woman and a child were in the home when the narcotics team first arrived, but were allowed to leave before the situation escalated, according to Bobo.

Click to expand...

Cops say the bad guy reached for a gun....

Click to expand...

Ditkaless Wonders said:

bigbottom said:

Ditkaless Wonders said:

Ditka Butkus said:

What the hell happened in here?

Click to expand...

Tangents prevailed since their was general consensus on the main topic.

Click to expand...

Story out this morning that the dash cam video and witness testimony might help the officer's defense against a murder charge.

Click to expand...

Fodder to distract a jury, certainly, but in my mind not material. Of course, I am not the one who will be ruling on the materiality.

Click to expand...

Hang 10 said:

jonessed said:

Hang 10 said:

PinkydaPimp said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-wordHow can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

Click to expand...

Raycess, no. Bad idea? Probably.

Click to expand...

Why is a bad idea though? I grew up listening to 90's rap music, loved movie's like Friday and like everyone else was a fan of Chapelle. That word is SO common in those examples. To me it's just repeating a line in song or movie that makes me laugh. Again, I'm not talking about saying ##### around a bunch of strangers who may get offended.

Click to expand...

It's a bad idea because most educated people will think you are an idiot.I suppose if your friends are also idiots it doesn't matter though.

This applies to all races.

Click to expand...

So quoting Samuel Jackson from Pulp Fiction makes me an idiot? And it makes my friends idiots for laughing? Gotta be PC at all times I guess.

Click to expand...

TobiasFunke said:

matttyl said:

TobiasFunke said:

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

So then franchises like Churches and Popeyes opening their restaurants in mostly black neighborhoods is perpetuating racism? Honest question. Or is it a smart financial move because their product is actually consumed more by that race on average?

Click to expand...

Well, I didn't even say that a matter of fact statement about black people liking fried chicken was racist. I said the negative aspect of the association is explained in the previous link. If you're saying it in that context- like say you've conducted a detailed study into fast food preferences by race and reached that conclusion- then it's a different story.

Regardless, a company deciding to open a restaurant in a place where it will make money is obviously not racist, whether it's a Popeye's in a predominantly black neighborhood or a Brooks Brothers in a predominantly white neighborhood. The only context to a business decision is maximizing profits. I really hope you're joking with this line of questions, because if not I'm starting to question my previous statements about respecting your intelligence and perspective.

Click to expand...

TobiasFunke said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-word

How can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.

But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

Click to expand...

I personally wouldn't do it, but feel free to try it next time you and your friends are out in public and let me know how it goes.

Click to expand...

I didn't say public. But I generally understand that things I'd say to my friends in our houses, the gym, etc are not things I'd around people that might not understand the context.

Same question, with the clarification of being at someone's private residence.

Click to expand...

Depends on the context, as always. Like, if you're singing along to a song, I'm guessing most people would think that's fine. If you say it because one of your friends does something similar to a negative behavior associated with black people, yeah it's probably racist. If you just use it as a term of endearment with no other context at all, I'd probably say it's not racist. Just kinda weird.

Click to expand...

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

matttyl said:

TobiasFunke said:

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

So then franchises like Churches and Popeyes opening their restaurants in mostly black neighborhoods is perpetuating racism? Honest question. Or is it a smart financial move because their product is actually consumed more by that race on average?

Click to expand...

Well, I didn't even say that a matter of fact statement about black people liking fried chicken was racist. I said the negative aspect of the association is explained in the previous link. If you're saying it in that context- like say you've conducted a detailed study into fast food preferences by race and reached that conclusion- then it's a different story.

Regardless, a company deciding to open a restaurant in a place where it will make money is obviously not racist, whether it's a Popeye's in a predominantly black neighborhood or a Brooks Brothers in a predominantly white neighborhood. The only context to a business decision is maximizing profits. I really hope you're joking with this line of questions, because if not I'm starting to question my previous statements about respecting your intelligence and perspective.

Click to expand...

I think you need to tone down the veiled insults of lack of intelligence. Your response here is very curious, because there were some high profile cases in the late 90's early 2000's about certain businesses targeting black communities as the very definition of racism. I'm talking about McDonald's and Package Stores in particular.

Click to expand...

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

matttyl said:

TobiasFunke said:

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

So then franchises like Churches and Popeyes opening their restaurants in mostly black neighborhoods is perpetuating racism? Honest question. Or is it a smart financial move because their product is actually consumed more by that race on average?

Click to expand...

Well, I didn't even say that a matter of fact statement about black people liking fried chicken was racist. I said the negative aspect of the association is explained in the previous link. If you're saying it in that context- like say you've conducted a detailed study into fast food preferences by race and reached that conclusion- then it's a different story.

Regardless, a company deciding to open a restaurant in a place where it will make money is obviously not racist, whether it's a Popeye's in a predominantly black neighborhood or a Brooks Brothers in a predominantly white neighborhood. The only context to a business decision is maximizing profits. I really hope you're joking with this line of questions, because if not I'm starting to question my previous statements about respecting your intelligence and perspective.

Click to expand...

I think you need to tone down the veiled insults of lack of intelligence. Your response here is very curious, because there were some high profile cases in the late 90's early 2000's about certain businesses targeting black communities as the very definition of racism. I'm talking about McDonald's and Package Stores in particular.

Click to expand...

jonessed said:

That's not the context you alluded to, but debating this is pointless.

Use common sense.

Click to expand...

timschochet said:

I think a lot of you guys are deliberately trying to obscure what is and what is not racism. And that's easy to do because there's no clear definition: to paraphrase Potter Stewart, it's like obscenity: you know it when you see it.

Racial profiling by police is racism. No matter how many other examples you might bring up in an attempt to blur this fact, or how many reasons you come up with in an attempt to justify it, it's still racism. Like the vast majority of racism in this country, it's caused, not by malevolence toward another race, but by laziness and ignorance and our constant desire to find simple solutions to complex problems.

Click to expand...

matttyl said:

PinkydaPimp said:

matttyl said:

hxperson said:

uhh..no? I'm saying Blinky is quoting someone making fun of himself. I have no idea what race Blinky is.

And if you are quoting Chapelle or whoever else making fun of other races, that can be racist. Again, is it worth an uproar? 99% of the time, it isn't, because there's no malicious intent in it.

Click to expand...

So you can quote someone making fun on their own race, but you can't quote someone of another race making fun of a 3rd race? As a white guy, can I quote Chapelle making fun of whites? If so, I think I got it. I can quote Chapelle making fun of black people because he's making fun of himself. I can also quote Chapelle making fun of white people because I'm white. I just can't quote Chapelle making fun of Asians because neither he or I are Asian. Is that how it goes?

I'm pretty sure I can't quote Chapelle making fun of black people liking fried chicken, though. Or I can't quote Tobias with anything he says about Jewish people (which I am not).

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Honest questions. Your avatar picture is apparently ok because the guy was making fun of a racial stereotype of his own race. The history of the chicken stuff is new to me, so thank you Tobias.

Click to expand...

Sweet J said:

Ditkaless Wonders said:

bigbottom said:

Ditkaless Wonders said:

Ditka Butkus said:

What the hell happened in here?

Click to expand...

Tangents prevailed since their was general consensus on the main topic.

Click to expand...

Story out this morning that the dash cam video and witness testimony might help the officer's defense against a murder charge.

Click to expand...

Fodder to distract a jury, certainly, but in my mind not material. Of course, I am not the one who will be ruling on the materiality.

Click to expand...

I guess if I'm being devil's advocate: Cop pulls over guy. Guy is really shady when cop asks him about the car and who owns it and where the registration is. Guy is evasive and seems to change his story. Can't put my finger on it, but something is off about the guy. Cop goes back to his car to run plates and license. Guy continues to act squirrely, and starts to get out of car. Cop tells him to stay put. Cop's blood pressure probably starting to spike. Guy suddenly bolts out of car and takes off.

[now stop for a second: Cop may think -- "if this guy is really who he says he is and this is his car, why would he bolt? We'd just go to his house later and find it. Guy might have stolen this car and be a danger to the public."]

Anyway, Cop chases guy, and tases guy, and gets him on the ground. But taser doesn't work!! Guy seems to cop to be a freak of nature. He's still going! Guy gets up, knocks taser out of cop's hand, and takes off! Cop, in a split-second, has to decide what to do. There is a potentially dangerous fellon running away, he ran from a routine stop, he overpowered me even though he was tased, and Cop has no idea where his backup is, and no idea if the Guy is running towards an innocent bystander. Cop pulls weapon and fires. And, as he's trained to do: If he fires one bullet, then he keeps firing until the guy is incpacitated.

_________________________________

Anyway: that's how the video could help. In a weird way, I almost feel bad for the cop. He was probably terrified and unequipped to handle the situation. And poorly trained. (that doesn't mean he shouldn't suffer the consequences of his actions).

Click to expand...

TobiasFunke said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-word

How can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.

But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

Click to expand...

I personally wouldn't do it, but feel free to try it next time you and your friends are out in public and let me know how it goes.

Click to expand...

I didn't say public. But I generally understand that things I'd say to my friends in our houses, the gym, etc are not things I'd around people that might not understand the context.

Same question, with the clarification of being at someone's private residence.

Click to expand...

Depends on the context, as always. Like, if you're singing along to a song, I'm guessing most people would think that's fine. If you say it because one of your friends does something similar to a negative behavior associated with black people, yeah it's probably racist. If you just use it as a term of endearment with no other context at all, I'd probably say it's not racist. Just kinda weird.

Click to expand...

TobiasFunke said:

matttyl said:

TobiasFunke said:

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

Click to expand...

So then franchises like Churches and Popeyes opening their restaurants in mostly black neighborhoods is perpetuating racism? Honest question. Or is it a smart financial move because their product is actually consumed more by that race on average?

Click to expand...

Well, I didn't even say that a matter of fact statement about black people liking fried chicken was racist. I said the negative aspect of the association is explained in the previous link. If you're saying it in that context- like say you've conducted a detailed study into fast food preferences by race and reached that conclusion- then it's a different story.

Regardless, a company deciding to open a restaurant in a place where it will make money is obviously not racist, whether it's a Popeye's in a predominantly black neighborhood or a Brooks Brothers in a predominantly white neighborhood. The only context to a business decision is maximizing profits. I really hope you're joking with this line of questions, because if not I'm starting to question my previous statements about respecting your intelligence and perspective.

Click to expand...

bigbottom said:

Sweet J said:

Ditkaless Wonders said:

bigbottom said:

Ditkaless Wonders said:

Ditka Butkus said:

What the hell happened in here?

Click to expand...

Tangents prevailed since their was general consensus on the main topic.

Click to expand...

Story out this morning that the dash cam video and witness testimony might help the officer's defense against a murder charge.

Click to expand...

Fodder to distract a jury, certainly, but in my mind not material. Of course, I am not the one who will be ruling on the materiality.

Click to expand...

I guess if I'm being devil's advocate: Cop pulls over guy. Guy is really shady when cop asks him about the car and who owns it and where the registration is. Guy is evasive and seems to change his story. Can't put my finger on it, but something is off about the guy. Cop goes back to his car to run plates and license. Guy continues to act squirrely, and starts to get out of car. Cop tells him to stay put. Cop's blood pressure probably starting to spike. Guy suddenly bolts out of car and takes off.

[now stop for a second: Cop may think -- "if this guy is really who he says he is and this is his car, why would he bolt? We'd just go to his house later and find it. Guy might have stolen this car and be a danger to the public."]

Anyway, Cop chases guy, and tases guy, and gets him on the ground. But taser doesn't work!! Guy seems to cop to be a freak of nature. He's still going! Guy gets up, knocks taser out of cop's hand, and takes off! Cop, in a split-second, has to decide what to do. There is a potentially dangerous fellon running away, he ran from a routine stop, he overpowered me even though he was tased, and Cop has no idea where his backup is, and no idea if the Guy is running towards an innocent bystander. Cop pulls weapon and fires. And, as he's trained to do: If he fires one bullet, then he keeps firing until the guy is incpacitated.

_________________________________

Anyway: that's how the video could help. In a weird way, I almost feel bad for the cop. He was probably terrified and unequipped to handle the situation. And poorly trained. (that doesn't mean he shouldn't suffer the consequences of his actions).

Click to expand...

There's also a new eyewitness who confirms that there was a "tussle" between the cop and Scott. The current speculation is the dash cam video and the confirmation of the physical confrontation may help get the conviction reduced to manslaughter.

Click to expand...

timschochet said:

I have a question about the tazer. I've always assumed that if you get tazed, that puts you out for a while, several minutes. It's supposed to be quite painful and quite debilitating. You should not be able to get up an run away seconds later.

Is this a wrong assumption?

Click to expand...

B-Deep said:

this thread seems to have drifted a bit....

Click to expand...

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

Hang 10 said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

As far as your confusion- you didn't just make a minor mistake. The "inherent" part of the statement "it is racism if you think the races have inherent differences other than physical ones" was the whole point. It was really weird that you left it off.

As for your examples/questions- who knows? Whether any thing is racist or sexist or whatever depends on context- what you're trying to say when you say or do something.

\

For the life of me I don't understand why people don't get the concept of context. You know how you can call your significant other by a cute name but I can't call him/her by that name? Or how a comedian can crack a joke about the dumb ##### he met last night during a standup show but a politician can't do it during a debate? That's context. It's really a simple concept.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why people don't get the concept of context - because it's a moving target. And it is occasionally used as a weapon. Once again, I bring up the teacher in Chicago who was suspended for using the n-word as a teaching exercise to show his predominantly black class why the term was so offensive. http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/473030/judge-throws-lawsuit-white-teacher-suspended-using-n-word

How can you blame white people for being confused in this area? Your continued assertion that this is a "simple concept" shows a little bit of a blind spot.

Click to expand...

No, I said the concept is a basic one. I understand that the actual lines are occasionally difficult to grasp.

Personally, I generally avoid trouble by staying far enough away from the line when it comes to other races, ethnicities, etc. that I don't have to worry about it. If you want to walk that line, that's up to you. And if you feel like someone has wrongly accused someone else of crossing it, feel free to question their accusations.

But don't tell me you don't get why black rappers can use the n-word but a white guy on a fantasy football message board can't, or why gay men can refer to their friends as a bunch of queers but straight guys in a bar can't refer to a group of gay men that way, or that you don't understand why it's racist to say black people love fried chicken and watermelon but not racist to say they love the NBA. That's total ignorance of the entire concept of context, not just ignorance of where the lines are drawn .

Click to expand...

I actually like what you said about avoiding the lines altogether, and I've learned the hard way over the years that this is the prudent course of action.

But I'm interested, can you tell me why it is ok for black rappers to use the n-word? Or why it's not ok for a white person to say, in a matter of fact manner, that black people like fried chicken? Not trolling - genuinely interested in your thoughts on this.

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Well, obviously I'm not the arbiter of what is and isn't racist based on context. Context is established collectively. All I can do is tell you why I can tell you why I think those things, and why most other people think them too.

The rappers using the n-word thing is a reclamation thing, where a minority takes a slur and uses it among themselves as a term of familiarity or endearment. Pretty common thing, you also see it with gays using queer (or even "f----t") to refer to themselves. Lots of other minorities do it, or at least they're not that upset when others do it. I'm Jewish and if I called another Jewish person who know I was Jewish a "****" it would go over much differently than if a non-Jewish stranger did it. That's how slurs have always worked.

The fried chicken thing is in a previous link- there's a history tied to it being slave food in the south and its depiction in "Birth of a Nation."

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What if I(a whiteboy) like rap music and call my white friends ##### or #####z? With emphasis on the "a" and not an "er". Raycess or not?

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I personally wouldn't do it, but feel free to try it next time you and your friends are out in public and let me know how it goes.

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I didn't say public. But I generally understand that things I'd say to my friends in our houses, the gym, etc are not things I'd around people that might not understand the context.

Same question, with the clarification of being at someone's private residence.

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Depends on the context, as always. Like, if you're singing along to a song, I'm guessing most people would think that's fine. If you say it because one of your friends does something similar to a negative behavior associated with black people, yeah it's probably racist. If you just use it as a term of endearment with no other context at all, I'd probably say it's not racist. Just kinda weird.

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You really believe that the concept of context is applied fairly? I direct you now for the third time to the high school teacher in Chicago example. The context of how he used the n-word did not apply at all in his case. And meanwhile the black kid who sent the note used the n-word was undisciplined. And this was at a public institution, with Unions and lawyers involved.

It amazes me how blind liberals can be to reverse discrimination and the inherent unfairness of it.

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General Tso said:

You really believe that the concept of context is applied fairly? I direct you now for the third time to the high school teacher in Chicago example. The context of how he used the n-word did not apply at all in his case. And meanwhile the black kid who sent the note used the n-word was undisciplined. And this was at a public institution, with Unions and lawyers involved.

It amazes me how blind liberals can be to reverse discrimination and the inherent unfairness of it.

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B-Deep said:

jon_mx said:

B-Deep said:

jon_mx said:

Hang 10 said:

Statistically speaking blacks commit more crimes than other races, correct? Inevitably this is going to lead to profiling. I don't know how you avoid that.That's why I just wish we could discuss excessive use of force separate from the race issue. Show me a cop harassing a minority that's not resisting arrest, running, escalating the situation, etc and I'm right there on their side with everyone else.

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The topic should be non-race specific and target general abuse by some police officers. I think that would be more productive. Unfortunately, because of the prevelence of black crime, police do harrass innocent blacks more often than whites. But I think if the issue of police conduct is addressed in general terms, it will translate into everyone being treated better.

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unless the "prevalence of black crime" is a myth which is propagated by the police targeting black people more

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I suggest you take a late night stroll down the streets of south Chicago and test your theory. Report back.

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I'd suggest that's a very poor way to indict a race as somehow inherently criminal.

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Sweet J said:

bigbottom said:

Sweet J said:

Ditkaless Wonders said:

bigbottom said:

Ditkaless Wonders said:

Ditka Butkus said:

What the hell happened in here?

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Tangents prevailed since their was general consensus on the main topic.

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Story out this morning that the dash cam video and witness testimony might help the officer's defense against a murder charge.

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Fodder to distract a jury, certainly, but in my mind not material. Of course, I am not the one who will be ruling on the materiality.

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I guess if I'm being devil's advocate: Cop pulls over guy. Guy is really shady when cop asks him about the car and who owns it and where the registration is. Guy is evasive and seems to change his story. Can't put my finger on it, but something is off about the guy. Cop goes back to his car to run plates and license. Guy continues to act squirrely, and starts to get out of car. Cop tells him to stay put. Cop's blood pressure probably starting to spike. Guy suddenly bolts out of car and takes off.

[now stop for a second: Cop may think -- "if this guy is really who he says he is and this is his car, why would he bolt? We'd just go to his house later and find it. Guy might have stolen this car and be a danger to the public."]

Anyway, Cop chases guy, and tases guy, and gets him on the ground. But taser doesn't work!! Guy seems to cop to be a freak of nature. He's still going! Guy gets up, knocks taser out of cop's hand, and takes off! Cop, in a split-second, has to decide what to do. There is a potentially dangerous fellon running away, he ran from a routine stop, he overpowered me even though he was tased, and Cop has no idea where his backup is, and no idea if the Guy is running towards an innocent bystander. Cop pulls weapon and fires. And, as he's trained to do: If he fires one bullet, then he keeps firing until the guy is incpacitated.

_________________________________

Anyway: that's how the video could help. In a weird way, I almost feel bad for the cop. He was probably terrified and unequipped to handle the situation. And poorly trained. (that doesn't mean he shouldn't suffer the consequences of his actions).

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There's also a new eyewitness who confirms that there was a "tussle" between the cop and Scott. The current speculation is the dash cam video and the confirmation of the physical confrontation may help get the conviction reduced to manslaughter.

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Hell, I could see an acquital. My (very fuzzy) memory from Criminal Law class is that if a suspect is fleeing and the police has reason to believe that this suspect is a serious danger to the public, he can shoot the (unarmed) suspect.

The quintisential argument would be something like this: Boston Bombing suspect breaks out of jail, is unarmed, and running and is about to vanish/get away. If a cop shot the suspect in the exact same manner (unarmed, running away, no danger to the cop), wouldn't that be justified?

So if that's the rule, and the defendant convinces the jury about his state of mind, coudn't that lead to an acquittal?

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TobiasFunke said:

Where did you get this out of my post? I'm sure there's cases on the margins that result in things that might be unjust or unfair- which again, is why I generally go with the better safe than sorry approach. I saw your link to the story, and it strikes me as one of those cases. Based on what I read it sucks for him that he was suspended without pay for five days. I'm sure there's similar cases that also suck for the people involved. Not sure what you want me to do about it.

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timschochet said:

I have a question about the tazer. I've always assumed that if you get tazed, that puts you out for a while, several minutes. It's supposed to be quite painful and quite debilitating. You should not be able to get up an run away seconds later.

Is this a wrong assumption?

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The Commish said:

Did you see the car cam footage posted above? If one can get to an individual as dangerous as the boston bomber from that video, I'd like to really understand their thinking. It's pretty clear (to me) that the guy in the car is scared. You can tell by the way he's fumbling through his answers about the car. If a defense attorney can get a jury to believe that this guy was getting ready to go on a rampage and be a sever threat to society off that footage, he/she is a miracle worker at picking a jury and a fantastic salesman.

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Ditkaless Wonders said:

timschochet said:

I have a question about the tazer. I've always assumed that if you get tazed, that puts you out for a while, several minutes. It's supposed to be quite painful and quite debilitating. You should not be able to get up an run away seconds later.

Is this a wrong assumption?

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Yes.

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General Tso said:

TobiasFunke said:

Where did you get this out of my post? I'm sure there's cases on the margins that result in things that might be unjust or unfair- which again, is why I generally go with the better safe than sorry approach. I saw your link to the story, and it strikes me as one of those cases. Based on what I read it sucks for him that he was suspended without pay for five days. I'm sure there's similar cases that also suck for the people involved. Not sure what you want me to do about it.

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Acknowledging it would be nice. You give it very short shrift and you trivialize it, and the only thing I am able to deduce from that is you don't care. If it happened to a black person, however, you would care. And that's the disconnect I have with you.

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timschochet said:

Ditkaless Wonders said:

timschochet said:

I have a question about the tazer. I've always assumed that if you get tazed, that puts you out for a while, several minutes. It's supposed to be quite painful and quite debilitating. You should not be able to get up an run away seconds later.

Is this a wrong assumption?

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Yes.

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then please educate me. Tia

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timschochet said:

There was a warrant out for Scott's arrest for child support. There was also another person in Scott's car when he took off and ran.

Curiouser and curiouser....

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timschochet said:

There was a warrant out for Scott's arrest for child support. There was also another person in Scott's car when he took off and ran.

Curiouser and curiouser....

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The Commish said:

timschochet said:

There was a warrant out for Scott's arrest for child support. There was also another person in Scott's car when he took off and ran.

Curiouser and curiouser....

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There was NO bench warrant out for his arrest, though he WAS $7500 behind in payments.

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