Blacks are Not Lazy." New OSI President Steps Down 1687

Nice snipping there.

I said: "His allegedly racist comments do appear to have been whipped up a bit in the media, but it's a bit difficult to check since his site has clearly edited the original text."

You're attacking me for saying something is alleged when I have just indicated that I've been unable to verify whether it's true or not. Of course, you snipped that part so that your angy retort wouldn't look quite as silly. Bad netiquette.

No, actually: "Racism is prejudice or discrimination based on the belief that race is the primary factor determining human traits and abilities. Racism includes the belief that genetic or inherited differences produce the inherent superiority or inferiority of one race over another."

A comment applied about a racial group is what we term a generalization. A derogatory comment applied about a racial group would be clbuttified as racism. Nelsons comments are certainly generalizations, and appear to have racist elements, but as I said, I'd like to read the unedited original before removing the "alleged" moniker.

My country is ruled by a black-dominated political party...

Oh hell! I must be a racist. But wait, I *voted* for them... Now I'm stuck in a paradox.

Not according to the blacks I know ;D, but more than a few right-wing racists in South Africa would agree with you.

Actually it's factually correct. Asians do eat rice, so do Blacks, Whites, Inuits, Amerindians, and Aborigines. Hell, in this globalized world, every racial group probably eats rice.

What about when you apply group labels to groups? Or individual labels to individuals? Or individual labels to groups?

How about if I say that programmers are geeks? Is that racist?

If I read Nelsons *actual* comments and they do indeed smack of racism, then by all means string the man up, but forgive me for not making up my mind till then. I *will not* be forced into accepting a party line based on buttertions, hearsay and rumour.

Can I suggest that you read "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller? It's a pretty good read that shows how howling hysteria can condemn people to fear and hatred and isolation. Interestingly it leaves open the possibility that the original "witches" might have actually been guilty. It doesn't focus on the guilt or innocence, merely on the hysteria that surrounded the accusations.