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I posted this in the FOG:Chat forum yesterday, and seeing as it has absolutely nothing to do with gaming, and several people pointed that out to me, I thought I might as well put it here too...
Last night (well, two nights ago now) there was a news article on TV. While this in itself is not a particularly unusual occurence, the subject rather alarmed me.
A particular person, I forget who, had suggested, to combat bullying of black children in schools, that, in certain areas, Black schools are set up, to allow these kids to be taught about their culture and background away from bullies who may intimidate them because of their skin colour.
Think about this for a moment. What have hundreds of people around the world fought for, for many years? What did Nelson Mandela go into prison for? The banning of segregation in every aspect of society.
Now the person who has proposed this claims that this is not segregation. It is simply an opportunity for, in selected areas, black children to learn separately, about slightly different things, to white children. In my book, that's segregation.
It's all very well to say that this is harmless. But for white children nearby, and also for black children in these schools, the other group are certainly going to be seen as "different". When these children grow up, what will they think of one another?
The black children will probably resent white people because they had to go into their own school to get away from bullies.
Moving further on from this, think about what else this segregation could cause. Once black schools are set up, there is a distinct possibility that white people will want to set up their own "white-only" schools. And why shouldn't they? If black people are allowed to do it, then why shouldn't white people?
Beyond this, segregation could move into every aspect of our lives. From schools, it wouldn't be a big step to segregate universaties, shops, transport, and so on. Doesn't this defeat the object of a multi-cultural society, and also what many people have fought to stop?
Our society could be split into several groups of people from different ethnic backgrounds. Once this has happened, it would be very easy for one of these to become dominant. Their services would be better, and no-one else would be allowed to use them. These people would get a better life, and everyone else would suffer. Just like the situation until recently in South Africa.
If this has happened, would it really be hard for some madman to come along, and decide to kill or enforce slavery onto everyone in one of these groups? It would be nice to think that this could never happen (again), but, of course, it could.
This is obviously an extreme example. This is not likely to happen, certainly not within our lifetimes. But it is a possibility. Regardless of any consequences, I am convinced that any sort of segregation in schools (for that is what this is) will not help combat racism or bullying. Indeed, it will undoubtably make it worse.
Surely a better way of combating these problems is to teach children, in multi-ethnic groups, about each other, and about themselves, so that these problems never arise. Racism shouldn't be a problem in this country. But it is. And, I agree, the only way to stop it is by teaching children differently. But not by splitting them apart.
I know that this isn't directly related to gaming, or to this forum, but this is an issue that I feel very strongly about. Thank-you for taking the time for reading this - I am very interested in what everyone else (I'm sure someone's got something to say :=)) thinks about this!
See Ya
PinkPig
Last night (well, two nights ago now) there was a news article on TV. While this in itself is not a particularly unusual occurence, the subject rather alarmed me.
A particular person, I forget who, had suggested, to combat bullying of black children in schools, that, in certain areas, Black schools are set up, to allow these kids to be taught about their culture and background away from bullies who may intimidate them because of their skin colour.
Think about this for a moment. What have hundreds of people around the world fought for, for many years? What did Nelson Mandela go into prison for? The banning of segregation in every aspect of society.
Now the person who has proposed this claims that this is not segregation. It is simply an opportunity for, in selected areas, black children to learn separately, about slightly different things, to white children. In my book, that's segregation.
It's all very well to say that this is harmless. But for white children nearby, and also for black children in these schools, the other group are certainly going to be seen as "different". When these children grow up, what will they think of one another?
The black children will probably resent white people because they had to go into their own school to get away from bullies.
Moving further on from this, think about what else this segregation could cause. Once black schools are set up, there is a distinct possibility that white people will want to set up their own "white-only" schools. And why shouldn't they? If black people are allowed to do it, then why shouldn't white people?
Beyond this, segregation could move into every aspect of our lives. From schools, it wouldn't be a big step to segregate universaties, shops, transport, and so on. Doesn't this defeat the object of a multi-cultural society, and also what many people have fought to stop?
Our society could be split into several groups of people from different ethnic backgrounds. Once this has happened, it would be very easy for one of these to become dominant. Their services would be better, and no-one else would be allowed to use them. These people would get a better life, and everyone else would suffer. Just like the situation until recently in South Africa.
If this has happened, would it really be hard for some madman to come along, and decide to kill or enforce slavery onto everyone in one of these groups? It would be nice to think that this could never happen (again), but, of course, it could.
This is obviously an extreme example. This is not likely to happen, certainly not within our lifetimes. But it is a possibility. Regardless of any consequences, I am convinced that any sort of segregation in schools (for that is what this is) will not help combat racism or bullying. Indeed, it will undoubtably make it worse.
Surely a better way of combating these problems is to teach children, in multi-ethnic groups, about each other, and about themselves, so that these problems never arise. Racism shouldn't be a problem in this country. But it is. And, I agree, the only way to stop it is by teaching children differently. But not by splitting them apart.
I know that this isn't directly related to gaming, or to this forum, but this is an issue that I feel very strongly about. Thank-you for taking the time for reading this - I am very interested in what everyone else (I'm sure someone's got something to say :=)) thinks about this!
See Ya
PinkPig
It's all very well to say that you aren't being racist by firing someone, or suspending them, but how do you prove that?
Surely any racism exists only in your own head, so there is no evidence whatsover. I agree this is unfair, but people have to be very careful professionally to avoid an unfair legal system coming down hard on them
See Ya
PinkPig
Surely any racism exists only in your own head, so there is no evidence whatsover. I agree this is unfair, but people have to be very careful professionally to avoid an unfair legal system coming down hard on them
See Ya
PinkPig
Racism plays a big part in lots of people's lives, not just in the bully's.
It also affects police teachers and employers for example.
There was an incident not so long ago where a black man was arrested for a perfectly good reason (drugs or rape or something). But as he was about to be sentenced, his lawyer said that the man himself thought this was a racist attack, and suddenly the court case swerved the other way, and the guy got hardly a punishment at all. Now police are afraid to arrest a black person in the fear that they will be called a racist. The judge and jury also played a big part here, fearing that they too will be called a racist if they sentence this coloured man.
A teacher sent a boy outside the classroom and later the head of year gave him a three day suspension (for all the reasons as above - good reasons) but the boy claimed that she was being racist towards him, and took this teacher to court. He did not get his 3 day suspension (P.S. this didn't happen at my school, but I saw it in the paper).
A black employee kept slacking off during work, and the employer decided that it was finally time to gie him the boot. The guy begged and begged for one more chance, which he was given. However he continued in the same way, and was later fired. The next day the employer appeared in court facing charges of unfair dismissal i.e. he fired the bloke because he was black, which was untrue.
In all of these cases the black people themselves have gotten away with these things purely because they are black, and people (ie the police) are afraid to do certain things to them incase of them being called a racist. If in these incidents above the person was white, things would have just happened without hardly any hassle; no court, no fine for being a racist - which you wouldn't be.
So I feel that the colour of your skin does not matter. You should think of people as all the same, and if somebody wants to take you to court on a racist charge, you have nothing to worry about, because you know you did the right thing, and are not a racist.
Namostar
It also affects police teachers and employers for example.
There was an incident not so long ago where a black man was arrested for a perfectly good reason (drugs or rape or something). But as he was about to be sentenced, his lawyer said that the man himself thought this was a racist attack, and suddenly the court case swerved the other way, and the guy got hardly a punishment at all. Now police are afraid to arrest a black person in the fear that they will be called a racist. The judge and jury also played a big part here, fearing that they too will be called a racist if they sentence this coloured man.
A teacher sent a boy outside the classroom and later the head of year gave him a three day suspension (for all the reasons as above - good reasons) but the boy claimed that she was being racist towards him, and took this teacher to court. He did not get his 3 day suspension (P.S. this didn't happen at my school, but I saw it in the paper).
A black employee kept slacking off during work, and the employer decided that it was finally time to gie him the boot. The guy begged and begged for one more chance, which he was given. However he continued in the same way, and was later fired. The next day the employer appeared in court facing charges of unfair dismissal i.e. he fired the bloke because he was black, which was untrue.
In all of these cases the black people themselves have gotten away with these things purely because they are black, and people (ie the police) are afraid to do certain things to them incase of them being called a racist. If in these incidents above the person was white, things would have just happened without hardly any hassle; no court, no fine for being a racist - which you wouldn't be.
So I feel that the colour of your skin does not matter. You should think of people as all the same, and if somebody wants to take you to court on a racist charge, you have nothing to worry about, because you know you did the right thing, and are not a racist.
Namostar
I posted this in the FOG:Chat forum yesterday, and seeing as it has absolutely nothing to do with gaming, and several people pointed that out to me, I thought I might as well put it here too...
Last night (well, two nights ago now) there was a news article on TV. While this in itself is not a particularly unusual occurence, the subject rather alarmed me.
A particular person, I forget who, had suggested, to combat bullying of black children in schools, that, in certain areas, Black schools are set up, to allow these kids to be taught about their culture and background away from bullies who may intimidate them because of their skin colour.
Think about this for a moment. What have hundreds of people around the world fought for, for many years? What did Nelson Mandela go into prison for? The banning of segregation in every aspect of society.
Now the person who has proposed this claims that this is not segregation. It is simply an opportunity for, in selected areas, black children to learn separately, about slightly different things, to white children. In my book, that's segregation.
It's all very well to say that this is harmless. But for white children nearby, and also for black children in these schools, the other group are certainly going to be seen as "different". When these children grow up, what will they think of one another?
The black children will probably resent white people because they had to go into their own school to get away from bullies.
Moving further on from this, think about what else this segregation could cause. Once black schools are set up, there is a distinct possibility that white people will want to set up their own "white-only" schools. And why shouldn't they? If black people are allowed to do it, then why shouldn't white people?
Beyond this, segregation could move into every aspect of our lives. From schools, it wouldn't be a big step to segregate universaties, shops, transport, and so on. Doesn't this defeat the object of a multi-cultural society, and also what many people have fought to stop?
Our society could be split into several groups of people from different ethnic backgrounds. Once this has happened, it would be very easy for one of these to become dominant. Their services would be better, and no-one else would be allowed to use them. These people would get a better life, and everyone else would suffer. Just like the situation until recently in South Africa.
If this has happened, would it really be hard for some madman to come along, and decide to kill or enforce slavery onto everyone in one of these groups? It would be nice to think that this could never happen (again), but, of course, it could.
This is obviously an extreme example. This is not likely to happen, certainly not within our lifetimes. But it is a possibility. Regardless of any consequences, I am convinced that any sort of segregation in schools (for that is what this is) will not help combat racism or bullying. Indeed, it will undoubtably make it worse.
Surely a better way of combating these problems is to teach children, in multi-ethnic groups, about each other, and about themselves, so that these problems never arise. Racism shouldn't be a problem in this country. But it is. And, I agree, the only way to stop it is by teaching children differently. But not by splitting them apart.
I know that this isn't directly related to gaming, or to this forum, but this is an issue that I feel very strongly about. Thank-you for taking the time for reading this - I am very interested in what everyone else (I'm sure someone's got something to say :=)) thinks about this!
See Ya
PinkPig
Last night (well, two nights ago now) there was a news article on TV. While this in itself is not a particularly unusual occurence, the subject rather alarmed me.
A particular person, I forget who, had suggested, to combat bullying of black children in schools, that, in certain areas, Black schools are set up, to allow these kids to be taught about their culture and background away from bullies who may intimidate them because of their skin colour.
Think about this for a moment. What have hundreds of people around the world fought for, for many years? What did Nelson Mandela go into prison for? The banning of segregation in every aspect of society.
Now the person who has proposed this claims that this is not segregation. It is simply an opportunity for, in selected areas, black children to learn separately, about slightly different things, to white children. In my book, that's segregation.
It's all very well to say that this is harmless. But for white children nearby, and also for black children in these schools, the other group are certainly going to be seen as "different". When these children grow up, what will they think of one another?
The black children will probably resent white people because they had to go into their own school to get away from bullies.
Moving further on from this, think about what else this segregation could cause. Once black schools are set up, there is a distinct possibility that white people will want to set up their own "white-only" schools. And why shouldn't they? If black people are allowed to do it, then why shouldn't white people?
Beyond this, segregation could move into every aspect of our lives. From schools, it wouldn't be a big step to segregate universaties, shops, transport, and so on. Doesn't this defeat the object of a multi-cultural society, and also what many people have fought to stop?
Our society could be split into several groups of people from different ethnic backgrounds. Once this has happened, it would be very easy for one of these to become dominant. Their services would be better, and no-one else would be allowed to use them. These people would get a better life, and everyone else would suffer. Just like the situation until recently in South Africa.
If this has happened, would it really be hard for some madman to come along, and decide to kill or enforce slavery onto everyone in one of these groups? It would be nice to think that this could never happen (again), but, of course, it could.
This is obviously an extreme example. This is not likely to happen, certainly not within our lifetimes. But it is a possibility. Regardless of any consequences, I am convinced that any sort of segregation in schools (for that is what this is) will not help combat racism or bullying. Indeed, it will undoubtably make it worse.
Surely a better way of combating these problems is to teach children, in multi-ethnic groups, about each other, and about themselves, so that these problems never arise. Racism shouldn't be a problem in this country. But it is. And, I agree, the only way to stop it is by teaching children differently. But not by splitting them apart.
I know that this isn't directly related to gaming, or to this forum, but this is an issue that I feel very strongly about. Thank-you for taking the time for reading this - I am very interested in what everyone else (I'm sure someone's got something to say :=)) thinks about this!
See Ya
PinkPig