"Hoges in WA" wrote in message
...
Hm, no wonder you're sympathetic. Lets try again with another group. Say
a North Korean ship accidentally killed some friends of yours. Would you
then think all Asians are inferior and deserve to be killed? If they did
it on purpose would you *then* think all Asians are inferior and deserve
to be killed?

Stephen

No, you're missing the distinction between racism and bigotry.
I am selective in my prejudices, not racially biased.

I think that's a reasonable argument, but I have a question (or perhaps a
comment). Don't you think we need to struggle against our prejudices? I
think that allows us to make the claim we're fully human.


To illustrate the point:-
Genetically there is no difference between Palestinians and Jews. (the
ones from Israel) They are both Semitic. However, I generally dislike
the Palestinians and generally like the Jews. That demonstrates
prejudice - I prejudge based on my experiences.

To use your point as the illustration... perhaps you don't know Palestinians
as well? Perhaps there's some other factor involved (up to you to share it).
I think we can't get away from have prejudices and bias, but we have a
choice of either fighting against those internal mindsets or "ignore" them.

I didn't comment below, but I think all of your points say about the same
thing...

With respect to Asians, I generally get on well with Chinese, although I
am not all that well disposed to those from Peking and prefer the company
of southerners - again, this is experience as I find the ones from the
north far quicker to espouse Chinese political aims and the ones from the
south more inclined to eat good food and drink heaps. I like the company
of Cantonese, but not party-liners from the capital.

This distinction also applies on Oz, as I generally am not all that well
disposed to people from Canberra (the capital) as they are far more
liberal elitist than the rest of Australia. I am led to believe that you
people have this problem with Washington DC apparatchicks also.

With respect to Africans, I would not countenance giving someone from the
Congo anything other than suspicion, whereas I'd be happy to relax in the
company of someone from Tanganyika. Unfortunately, in that blighted
tribal basket-case, there are very few tribes to like.

It has nothing to do with race and is all about track records, which is
what most people base their prejudices on. Most just don't recognise it
or admit it.

I have a different Jewish experience to Larry's, and I have many Jewish
associates and friends but as I said, I understand why he is of the
opinion he is.

I hope this makes it clearer.








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"j" ganz @@
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