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Black People Are Damned If We React & Damned If We Don’t
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Worth the 1000 words of this post...
Last week, a Harvard law student expressed her views on genetics and intelligence in an email that hit the internet like a ton of virus-infused bricks. Check out this excerpt:
I absolutely do not rule out the possibility that African Americans are, on average, genetically predisposed to be less intelligent. I could also obviously be convinced that by controlling for the right variables, we would see that they are, in fact, as intelligent as white people under the same circumstances.
If you want to read the rest of her thoughts on the subject, click here. Despite all the controversial bullsh!t goodness the above statement contains, this post isn’t about her racist views or the fact that plenty of Americans share these views. It’s not about the intellectual freedom some believe we should have to debate any issue, no matter how stupid, racist, or wrong. And no worries. I will not waste your time or mine attempting to dispel the ridiculous and ancient genetic inferiority argument. Instead, I want to talk about the tight-rope Black professionals walk whenever issues like this come up.
When I first read Stephanie Grace’s email entertaining the idea that like red hair or skin tone, my intelligence is a product of my inferior genetic makeup, I just shook my head. This view is one I’ve heard and read too many times before, and it made me think “Really? People still have not ‘ruled out the possibility’?” Eff outta here. Moving on, it was said that the Harvard Black Law Students Association sent the email out all over the place and were planning to try and have Grace’s job offer revoked.
Before the initial Above the Law article was revised, the general sentiment was that trying to get Grace’s potentially career-making 9th Circuit judicial clerkship revoked was doing too much. HBLSA wrote to the editors stating that, among other things, they reminded their members “(1) of their inability to speak on behalf of the organization and (2) cautioning them of the potential ramifications of any action taken in an individual capacity.” Of course, people were not satisfied. Read a few quotes from two Above the Law editors:
“…Why is Harvard BLSA so eager to distance itself from this controversy and disclaim any “official” position? Why not embrace the situation, and use it as an opportunity to start a National Discussion About Race…”
“But at a point when the entire law school world would have at least considered what Harvard BLSA had to say, the organization sought to cover their own ass in the media, instead of standing up on the behalf of maligned black law students everywhere.”
“If you insult me, my mother, my family, and my entire race in the cloth of academic debate (as one does when one suggests that we are just not as smart as white people), then you best believe that offense will be taken. . . . When confronted with a slap in the face, the organization responds with neither outrage nor strength. Instead, it takes a poll, holds a symposium, delivers the kind of tame and measured response that non-confrontational whites love to hear…”
What frustrates me about the above sentiments is the fact that I largely agree with them. Damn right I would be offended. Damn right I would feel ready to leap into action. Damn right a conversation about these views needs to had. Yet my issue isn’t so much about what the Black law students at Harvard did or didn’t do. I can’t say that I disagree with their initial reaction. I think I would have made what seems to be their official and final statement on the matter my first and only statement, but I understand their concern with “covering their own ass” in the media. My issue is with the struggle we have all faced at some point in our academic and professional lives. As Black people attending predominately White schools or working in mostly White environments, we are all faced with situations when we must stop and ask ourselves: Do I ignore it? Do I react? How much do I react? What risks do I face if I do or do not say something?
As a (soon-to-be) Black professional, I am fully aware of the rope that holds up my right to freely express myself. However, I am also aware that this same rope can be used to hang me. Why do you think I try to stay so anonymous on these internets? This is a lesson Ms. Grace had to learn the hard way. As a Black woman, I never need to learn this lesson on my own. I’ve had the experiences. I’ve heard the stories. The question is: when will I be willing to accept the consequences this lesson brings with it?
If you read the emails written on behalf of HBLSA, the words were chosen very carefully, admittedly so. Why? Because as Black people, they know that no matter how they reacted as individuals or as an organization, they were going to get chewed out. No one was going to be satisfied. As mentioned in this post over at Feministe, when Black people react one way, we are too sensitive; we are being unprofessional; God forbid, we could actually be angry or insenced. But if we in react another way, either we don’t care, we are selfish, we are cowardly, or we are not really down for the cause.
The fact that I even feel compelled to talk about this dilemma pisses me off. The fact that HBLSA felt the need, at least initially, to mince their words shows that the consequences Black people face for expressing their views on controversial topics (read: race) are at odds with those faced by Whites for doing the same. Stephanie Grace didn’t feel the need to mince her words in the email that carried the risk of being read by the masses. She is not likely to lose her job because of her racist views or her poor judgment. For Black people in the same profession, reacting to her views and expressing our own puts us at risk for being blacklisted (no pun) and labeled as angry or ::insert your favorite stereotype or assumption about Black people here::.
I hate the game that Black professionals have to play. I hate that I had to spend 3 days weighing how I should react to a White man telling me that I wouldn’t get hired because “another diverse candidate” filled one of the three available positions. I hate the fact that I had to worry about being considered a “whistleblower” for responding to something that plainly inappropriate and offensive. I hate that for much of my professional life, I will be in this position. And I hate that knowing this, I’m still willing to put my hand in the lion’s mouth anyway.
Did you hear about this situation before today? Even if you didn’t, what are your thoughts? Have you found yourself having to decide whether you should react to something that was clearly offensive? What did you do? Why? Share your thoughts and experiences.
Yeah I do give a damn, but can I at least think about the bigger picture,
30 Responses to “Black People Are Damned If We React & Damned If We Don’t”
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Before I go to bed.
#1) I dont really have a problem w/ what she said. The concept, the idea, the notion because we also have to consider the converse which is “Are black ppl genetically predisposed to being more intelligent?”. I personally dont agree w/ the idea that anyone is genetically predisposed to being more intelligent but thats more of a philosophical debate around how we define intelligence. Science hasnt proven it to be untrue so how can we really cross it off the list? I think we’re just uncomfortable w/ the notion.
#2) I agree w/ you. Its a thin line that we have to walk. It is extremely tough to do. The lot that we’ve been dealt in this country hasnt and will never be a fair one. How to do you remain true to yourself w/o placing everything that you’ve worked hard in jeopardy. However, its alot more difficult to change something from the outside than it is from the inside.
#3) There is nothing wrong w/ reacting. Just be appropriate. Doesnt always mean go to HR or to the Dean’s Office. I’d like to think that a discussion w/ this Stephanie broad may have done the trick.
But basically, it sucks. We have to make sure we dont end up on “When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong”. Similar to Dubois idea of a double consciousness, we have to be more than one person. Is it unfair? Yes. Are we as a people equipped to handle said tasks? Yes.
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Miss Jenkins Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:32 am
Although your converse question is correct, the original question is never posed or researched from that perspective. The question of genetics and intelligence is never framed in a way that questions whether White people could be genetically inferior. This leads me to believe that the fact that it even gets asked is simply to find another reason to put Blacks in a subpar box and support views that people can’t let go of.
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Peyso Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:37 am
My point still holds in that there is nothing implicitly wrong w/ the notion and that the problem lies in the application of said notion. Secondly, I wouldnt expect it to be framed unfavorably for 2520s b/c they are the ppl asking the questions.
ATL hasnt posted the chick’s whole email so I’m interested in how the whole thing was framed and what led to it.
Sidenote: I do think she’s racist, the comment about Nigeria was ridiculous.
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CHeeKZ Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:09 am
I still have to read the email link. However I agree with Peyso 100%, I have no offense to the idea that some people may be genetically predisposed to being more intelligent. That concept is fine with me… Sure people are going to target black folks for being inferior, we are talking about science.. therefore they are going to have to back it up evidence. But I need to read more…
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SassyNoLA Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 11:47 am
so then we disagree with biology- race is not simply a social construct, it is in fact biological? you can’t claim that race is a social construct because it is not based in biology as science HAS established and is not in question, and then in the next thought, suggest that this question of inferiority is a valid one. and in fact social science HAS also struck down this notion. i read the email in its entirety and the argument is framed by a very boring, rigid definition of intelligence as measured by grades, tests. the body of research shows that controlling for socioeconomic factors, no difference in “intelligence” exists.
i think there’s also this weird undercurrent where black people clamor to prove how hard is it to ruffle their feathers and how un-PC they are by entertaining bullish. while the author of the email acknowledges the nature vs nurture bit, she acts like it’s this murky undefined element of science and research. science does in fact say that intelligence is probably genetic, but science also says that genetics are nearly identical across races. race does not exist. so while your parents being smart influences your intelligence, being black does not. social science says this is wrong, but we’re willing to have a discussion. ugh. i just don’t get it. are people unaware of these findings? are we just questioning their validity or something? what’s exactly going on here…
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Peyso Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:58 pm
“you can’t claim that race is a social construct because it is not based in biology as science HAS established and is not in question, and then in the next thought, suggest that this question of inferiority is a valid one.” – Actually I can because if you interpret black as “having this collection of genes” or “having at least some of these genes”, instead of a group of ppl w/ similar experiences and struggles, it is solely a genetic question.
Secondly, I dont believe social “science” b/c there were leading social scientist who once argued that black people WERE inferior. The fact that you say “nearly identical across races” leaves room for the notion to be true; possible – yes, probable – no.
Question for the group – If we eradicated racism, like finally ended it, could we then ask this question?
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Miss Jenkins Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:06 pm
Why would we ask that question if racism was no longer an issue?
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Peyso Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Scientific curiousity, eugenics, tons of reasons.
Could I ever ask do the same genes that control how you look physically have anything to do w/ you mentally?
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Miss Jenkins Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:18 pm
No.
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Peyso Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:19 pm
touche lol
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The Honorable and Rather Articulate Award Winning RightCoastLexSteele, B.A., LLC, Affirm Dese Nuts Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Yes. We’d probably end up replicating some sort of Mendel experiment, which would inevitably bring up of the question of one “phenotype’s” superiority over others and we’ll be right back to square 1.
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I read her entire e-mail and I found it racist and offensive. Especially since the main premise of her opinion is that she cannot rule out the “fact” that black people are genetically predisposed to be less intelligent. She throws in the line “I could also obviously be convinced that by controlling for the right variables, we would see that they are, in fact, as intelligent as white people under the same circumstances.” But this is just meant to be a guise for her true feelings because she goes on in her e-mail to discuss her reasons for believing that it is possible that black people are less intelligent because of our genetic make up.
However, with that being stated, I am not surprised that she would try to use “logic” and “science” to support a racist point-of-view and try to make an old racist stereotype appear to be new and profound. This is going to sound messed up, but based on a lot of my experiences with white people, I usually expect the worst from them, until they show me otherwise. I am getting better about that because I’ve met some pretty cool white people since I moved to NY, but going to college in the Boston Metro area made me that way. Things like this were a common occurrence where I went to high school in Rhode Island and only got worse in college.
I don’t know what the right way for HBLSA to react would be because you really are d*mned if you do and d*mned if you don’t. Now that I’m in the professional world, I’ve been in some really tough situations in which I have had to deal with racist and sexist comments on a daily basis. I really haven’t said anything because I know in the end it would be to the detriment of my career. I would look like the angry black woman and it would just make the work place even more hostile for me. Also, knowing the people I work with, they would try to get me fired and the reputation of being a troublemaker would follow me around every where I would go. However, it does get to me because I’m not usually the type to just sit back when issues like this arise.
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Peyso Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:59 am
“I could also obviously be convinced that by controlling for the right variables, we would see that they are, in fact, as intelligent as white people under the same circumstances.” But this is just meant to be a guise for her true feelings
I’m not defending her but how did you determine this to be a guise for her true feelings. Its like you can pick and choose what part of the email that you want to take to be true.
Why’d you put logic and science in quotations?
However, i feel you on this I would look like the angry black woman and it would just make the work place even more hostile for me. I dont understand how other wfolk (2520s aint the only offenders) expect us to take their sh!t daily but never want to lash out. If you beat a dog enough, eventually its gonna bite yo arse back
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Anonymous Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 3:40 pm
“I’m not defending her but how did you determine this to be a guise for her true feelings. Its like you can pick and choose what part of the email that you want to take to be true.”
Given that sentence was one of the few times she mentioned that point-of-view, it’s fair to draw that conclusion. In the e-mail she goes on and on about the likelihood of black people being intellectually inferior because of genetics and only mentions the possiblity of Black people being just as intelligent as White people once (maybe a second time). She never mentions the possibility of it being
I put logic and science in quotes because there are a lot of people who will claim that they are coming to logically-based or scietifically derived decisions when in fact they are just based on stereotypes and I believe this chick is one of those people.
Sorry for the rushed response have to get back to work.
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I read about this chick. My first thought was, another white, crazzy racist….next. They bore me. I didn’t think anymore about it. I can’t feed into it. It’s getting old…these frivolous notions about black folks and inferiority. She’s a White Supremacist pure and simple. I could care three sh*ts about her or what she said because its not based in truth or even science…..
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Miss Jenkins Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:46 am
Have you found yourself in a situation where you had to decide whether you should react, or just sit back and let the offensive situation unfold?
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I saw this last week, read her email and a few comments, and then I dismissed it. This notion is nothing new, white people will always seek ways to remain at least symbolically superior, especially now as the country becomes more an more brown.
It is tough to walk that line. I found out a lot about some of my co-workers during the presidential election, where they felt to need to say silly ish about Obama whenever I was around. Since they never said anything to me directly, I never responded.
When I got to law school, it was interesting watching some of my black classmates around white people and how they danced around certain situations and conversations. Especially in Con Law, where some black people refused to participate when we talked about certain topics. smh… That wasn’t me, b/c I needed all of my particiapation points. lol. But it saddens me that we can’t even feel comfortable in the classroom, let along the boardroom.
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Miss Jenkins Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:45 am
But it saddens me that we can’t even feel comfortable in the classroom, let along the boardroom.
Word.
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Up here in the great white north where Black professionals are as rare as a Raptor win, I find myself in awkward situations on a regular basis.
When I was younger and just started working and someone said something racist to me or in my presence, I would just hold my tongue because I didn’t want to be the angry black girl. I can’t do that anymore; I’ve become too mouthy in my old age. I don’t go to HR or make a stink but I will confront the person. I say something like “I know you’re not a racist [LIE] but I just want to make you aware of how you’re coming across because a different person might react badly to what you’ve just said…” or some sh*t like that.
Because racism generally stays beneath the surface here I find that there are a lot of people who truly don’t realize that their views are effed up. Because we’re brought up to believe that Canada is this wonderful mixed salad of different races happily co-existing, people tend to think that race doesn’t matter and we can all say whatever we want because there’s no such thing as racism.
I consider it my personal mission in life to educate this ignorant fools.
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I agree with the post and most of the responses already posted. Just wanted to add two words: Barack Obama. What happens to him daily in the media and what is said about him in public/home/work by white ppl when he was running, won, and now in office was and is appalling. Many think he is inferior and not fit to be president based on his skin color as well. No matter what he does there is negative feedback. I had to hold my tongue a couple of times at work because yes, I too was on a tight rope or I didn’t know what the consequences would be if the outburst that was going on in my head actually came out of my mouth. Then again my presence alone was enough the shut the low key racist individuals up once they saw me standing there looking at them. If looks could kill.
Now I will tell u this as well. I was pushed to my breaking point. Many side and DIRECT comments to my face by managers and co-workers (all white men) about where I come from and what I do based solely on the color of my skin annoyed me (u live in the suburbs, I thought u were in the hood with all the homies…u ordering chicken…u went the college…etc) and I usually handled the situation. It wasn’t until my head manager got in my face with the intentions of intimidating me. Personal space was def encroached upon. Ima give yall a picture, me sitted: 5’2 him standing over me: 5’8″, fat as hell. Please know the attack was not warranted, he often yelled at other workers. He did so because he thought he could to this “lil black girl”. Yall know I had to get him right, but I did so professionally although the angry black woman was begging me to make an appearance. I spoke my piece and left that job the same day respectfully…..
I would like Stephanie Grace to take her thoughts around the world and present them to rooms full of black ppl instead of hiding behind email. I’d like to see how confident she would be and how she would handle herself with opposing views from intelligent folk even though she has already proven that one doesn’t have to be intelligent to have an opinion/view. She is truly misguided
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S0_Flyy Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 11:08 am
Girl I w/ you alll the way on that first paragraph, having to sit by while they say whatever they want about MY President and then offer little to opinion is a killer. Ugh… I just walk away from the conversation. It a hard line to walk… a hard, hard line.
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Funny comment handle aside, some serious thoughts:
1) I agree with Peyso: you can’t consider the converse if you accept “academically” the original question. You then turn what seemed to be an objective approach (albeit inflammatory and unwisely worded) position/email into a statement with highly subjective interpretation.
2) Do I necessarily agree with her statement? No. I believe, subjectively, there are flaws in the reasoning (race and genetics are like oil and water – they just don’t mix. Race is a social construct, genes scientific). However, walk with me for a second as I play devil’s advocate and objectively reason both sides:
a) Genetic Inferiority – generation upon generation of African Americans (and others) have had a dual path in this country: one of perpetual progress and one of perpetual regression financially, educationally, and socially. Take this statement: “I could also obviously be convinced that by controlling for the right variables, we would see that they are, in fact, as intelligent as white people — under the same circumstances –.”
The part in between the “–” is for emphasis. Why? If generations of folks do not have the same comprehension, resources, and tools to achieve one’s full potential, could there be a passing of the genes (not amongst a race, but a gene pool/community) that sets this stage? That nurture can then help overcome?
b) “Same Conditions” – She goes on to argue that if access to the same conditions and circumstances were reality, African Americans and whites could be equals intelligently. Is that necessarily true? Does access to more information and resources completely change the playing field?
3) My views: As I discussed this exact issue with someone last week, I think the statement’s flaws lies in the mix of genetics and socio-economic conditions. One does not have to do with the other. While individual aptitude maybe have a base in your genes (who knows), no potential is fully realized without some type of nurturing, whether by others or by self. That nurturing requires access to certain tools and conditions to flourish.
Furthermore, she ignores the fact that all, for the sake of her argument,racial communities have a division between the haves and have-nots, the intelligent and the less intelligent, the “rich” and the “poor”, so to speak. Instead of tearing her down and trying to take her job, I’d actually like to see the community engage HER in dialogue – instead of knee-jerk inflammatory “witch hunting”, give her a chance to respond and have a productive dialogue. You cannot fight that you do not understand, for you will never know how to win the war. Why not take a second and point out the holes you see in her logic TO HER? As a society, this is where WE fail – we quickly assail anything and everyone that seems to attack and belittle us instead of hearing out the counter-argument and creating a productive dialogue where we at least ATTEMPT to listen. Especially if she is on her way to an influential position/career lineage professionally, instead of now having a controversy that’s public record and could ruin her (if she was ever up for any time of nomination, this could be a future black eye), why not be the change you wish to see.? Cliche much? You damn right. Does it work? More often than not – and if it didn’t work, at least you now know where she completely stands and can deal with her accordingly.
It’s not that we are damned if we do/don’t react, it’s that often times people knee-jerk react and often in what can be perceived as inflammatory actions/terms. Take a second and confirm the attack is being made before you fire off your counter attacks. And if it is confirmed, then act accordingly.
That’s probably the most 2 cents can ever get someone, but there it is.
-McSwindle
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Peyso Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:55 am
I agree with alot of what you said. However, I do disagree with “race and genetics are like oil and water – they just don’t mix. Race is a social construct, genes scientific”.
Everything in this world is defined by “society”. Society is in a sense, the interaction of a being or entity w/ all else around it. Using this definition, society is how we interact w/ each other and how we interact w/ the world as created by its constituents. Genetic fitness is relative to the environment (or society) that you are currently in. For example, ppl w/ Sickle Cell thrive where malaria is and dont thrive else where. We have no choice but to subconciously choose for ppl w/ sickle cell in areas where malaria is present. Do you see how genetics became social? Froma purely genetic point of view, it makes little sense to be black in America (racism, all other BS we put up w/).
I think that I am able to see it less as a race issue and more of a purely genetic one. There are genes that make you black (black meaning certain physical characteristics), if you have those, you may also have this. That makes sense according to the rules of genetics that we do accept.
Intelligence is a societal created concept. That doesnt mean that you cant be genetically predisposed to be intelligent as society has defined it.
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Maaaaaaaaan, listen. Is what she said offensive? Sure, why not. But let’s be real, this is just another grain of sand in the hourglass of white supremacist thought. So, all the smart negroes are gonna get together and attempt to get shorty’s clerkship pulled…big f*ckin whoop. She’s gonna be or already is a Harvard Law grad…so you think pullin’ her clerkship is really gonna mess her life up that much? Who’s gonna scoff @ Harvard J.D….Ok, she said some messed things in an email…but just wait it out, I’m sure someone will say something more offensive or pop up somewhere in blackface now that the weather is warmer. For all we know this will boost her career more than it will actually harm it.
Call it what you will, but I am rather jaded by the seemingly racist views that are presented in classrooms by fellow non-pigmented students. I remember sitting in a corner of lecture hall w/ 2 fellow BGLO memebers in a Poli Sci class exchanging shots w/ heads like it was a 3 on 20 tennis match. I can’t even remember what we were arguing about, but I just remembered feeling like we were the representatives of the entire black community @ our PWI and the rest of the world for that matter, and I hate that feeling. I also agree w/ Mr. McSwindle that we should all take deep breath when these issues come up and ask yourself “What is my reaction really going to accomplish?” because seriously, I dont care if you’ve never grown up around black people or have only seen them on TV, I’m pretty sure unless you’ve live under a rock or a infidel cave in Afghanistan, I’m tired of the “I didn’t know that was offensive” BS. Let’s keep it real, you’re white, you’re accessing your white priveledge and you’re probably just apologizing because you now have a 225lb. black man in a suit checkin’ you. But I rarely check people in these situations because I’m not a Civil Rights teacher, I just want to do my job and be left alone. And when your statement starts with “Not to be racist but…”, I’ve already tuned you out and picture myself sitting on a beach far far far far away from you.
Dutch please.
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before this post i had not heard of this situation. it’s a shame really. before i get into the slant that you posed on this situation i want to delve into something else real quick.
stephanie grace is a lawyer by training if i’m not mistaken. not a geneticist, not a biochemist or biologist. if that’s the case then how can she speak on anyone being genetically predisposed to be less intelligent. i’m black and i guarantee that my IQ is higher than hers, genetics aside.
she would have been better off saying that there are environmental or nurture issues that cause blacks to achieve the same level of intelligence.
back to your questions. i’m fortunate enough to attend a majority black professional school so i still kind of live in a bubble. i know once i leave here things will change quickly and i will have to censor myself a lot. i know that i will be offended more than i would like to be. i seriously don’t know how i’m going to deal. i can keep my mouth shut all day but my facial expressions are so easy to read. i guess i’m going to have to work on that.
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Another day, another racist. *shrugs*
Until what a person says has an effect on my everyday life, I just can’t bring myself to care much about what some random woman says. This brings me back to the words I used when commenting on SBM today, “If I’m not being one, then I have no reason to care what you’re spewing outta your mouth”. It’s the same concept to me. If I am confident in my own intelligence (or that of my race), then why should anything she says pierce me?
I guess I would feel differently if I had to encounter racism every day in my working life. I’ve been fortunate enough to not have to deal with it except for small incidents every now and then. I never bite my tongue if I encounter it at work, but I know how to address it professionally and respectfully. For the most part though, I’m not sensitive to these situations (again, if it isn’t true, why should I care? Your racism says more about you than it does me.). Then again, my job is a melting pot of folks and jokes get told about all.
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How about we state that perhaps 90% of ALL white people arent intellignet at all-when in power you dont need to be, just point and shoot. If in the end your connected like Carlito it doesnt matter if you’re good or not. I argue this over us as blacks being as intelligent as whites…heck having never been oppressed their ingenuity was on some casual shit-on the other hand for us it was at one point illegal to do what we do on these blogs every day, read and write. We’ve been using our ingenuity since day one on the slave ships, whites use theirs when the “legacy” is threatened. (If you saw Braveheart you kind of see this, Longshanks knew his son was weak for the throne but he like all weak sons of kings would have got it anyway).
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Stephanie’s email seemed reasonable to me – not extremely diplomatic, but that’s not what I’d expect from a private email.
I will probably be called racist, but I pretty much share her point of view – I don’t rule out the possibility. Should anybody who doesn’t rule out the possibility be called out and publicly shunned for being an evil racist?
I don’t have much of an axe to grind here, I’m just a nerd who cares about the truth and evidence and stuff, and is probably pretty low on the scale of “caring about actual living people”.
Don’t you think using “racist” in cases like this risks decreasing the value of the term? Shouldn’t it be kept for cases of actual animosity towards people of other groups (and I’ve seen enough of that)? It is at least *possible* that there are population groups with, overall, less genes leading to high intellectual ability. If that was the case, would having a correct image of the world be racist?
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CHeeKZ-Money Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 12:38 am
u GET A CO-SIGN!
i actually suggested we have a roundtable discussion anytime someone wants to pull the race card. And if we are a group decide it is what is best for us as a people, the card can be pulled.
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