The Racism Of Left-Wing Definitions Of Racism

Another one from Fred Ray:

The Seattle public schools web site has posted some amazing tripe on the Definitions of Racism. Among its gems is the following:

Cultural Racism:

Those aspects of society that overtly and covertly attribute value and normality to white people and Whiteness, and devalue, stereotype, and label people of color as “other”, different, less than, or render them invisible. Examples of these norms include defining white skin tones as nude or flesh colored, having a future time orientation, emphasizing individualism as opposed to a more collective ideology, defining one form of English as standard, and identifying only Whites as great writers or composers. (Emphasis added)

Critics of racial preferences have pointed out for years that if blacks and Hispanics were not regarded as “other” and “different” there would be no reason to suppose that their presence provided any “diversity” to others, or at least no more than other “underrepresented” but unpreferred groups on college faculties, such as conservatives or born again Christians. But I don’t think I’ve seen anyone claim before that having a “future time orientation,” i.e., planning ahead, is racist.

And, on the same web site, is some advice for those of you want to improve your skills “[c]ounseling the culturally different.” (Leave aside the troubling fact that if you regard the “culturally different” as different you are a cultural racist.)

Read, by all means, the whole amzing document. I suspect most students can see the idiocy of these views, even if the “diversity” bureaucracy can’t.

UPDATE

Hube points to a similar discussion here.

Say What? (11)

  1. Hube May 19, 2006 at 8:26 am | | Reply

    From some of the Volokh commenters on “Future Time Orientation”:

    Future Time Orientation for career is a personality characteristic defined as the “general capacity to anticipate, shed light on and structure the future of one’s career. (Gjesme, 1983)” Those who score high in the construct are likely to spend more time thinking about their future career and engaging in career development activities for the benefit of their future career than those who score low in the construct.

    The construct being measured is an important assessment tool for the workplace, specifically for hiring practices. By measuring potential employees’ FTO for career, human resource personnel and managers can recognize candidates who have the personality to succeed in a work position. A candidate with a personality that is conscientious and proactive is likely to succeed. (Link.)

    Also:

    Here is an article found on google by a Professor Josef A. Mestenhauser in Minneapolis called “Traveling the Unpaved Road to Democracy from Communism”. (http://education.umn.edu/EdPA/CIDE/TRAV.html). He describes it as a criticism of educational philosophy in the 1950s, that “man is improvable”.

    Generally, if you look it up on google it is an expression used by Communists who discuss education. Apparently, the expression “future time orientation” is used disparagingly to criticize the capitalist/Judeo-Christian idea of achievement and personal growth. In other words, by teaching children to think about the future and make responsible life choices you are a racist. Pretty much the standard leftist line.

  2. Dom May 19, 2006 at 11:59 am | | Reply

    Sometimes it strikes me how far behind the times I am. I really and truly had no idea that FTO is a sign of racism.

    It makes me think of when I first heard an educator use the phrase “linguistic imperialism”, to describe the attempt to teach english in school.

  3. Hans Bader May 19, 2006 at 12:23 pm | | Reply

    In an apparent conflict with federal law and court rulings, the Seattle schools deny that whites can be the victims of racism.

    They define racism as limited to acts against groups that have “little social power in the United States (Blacks, Latino/as, Native Americans, and Asians), by the members of the agent racial group who have relatively more social power (Whites).”

    By contrast, federal appeals courts routinely rule against institutions that fire or harass white employees, recognizing that whites can indeed be victims of racism. See, e.g., Bowen v. Missouri Department of Social Services (2002) (racial harassment of white employee by black co-worker); Taxman v. Board of Education (1996) (termination of white teacher instead of black teacher).

    And the Supreme Court held that racial discrimination against whites by local governments is generally illegal in City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co. (1989).

    Affirmative action can’t be used to justify terminating or harassing an employee, although it can sometimes be used to a limited extent in hiring, promotions, and admissions.

  4. Dom May 19, 2006 at 3:35 pm | | Reply

    It just occured to me that Asians are the victims of racism when the perpetrator is white, but not when the perpetrator is black. It is common in Philadelphia to find blacks harrassing Korean shopkeepers.

  5. mj May 19, 2006 at 10:00 pm | | Reply

    The operative leftist definition of racism is “anyone who disagrees with me”.

  6. Cobra May 20, 2006 at 9:02 am | | Reply

    Professor Josef A. Mestenhauser writes:

    >>>”Apparently, the expression “future time orientation” is used disparagingly to criticize the capitalist/Judeo-Christian idea of achievement and personal growth.”

    Since when was Jesus Christ was a capitalist?

    Matthew 19:

    >>>”20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

    21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

    22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

    23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

    24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camels to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

    Somehow I don’t think Jesus placed “personal achievement and growth” over SPIRITUAL achievement and growth.

    –Cobra

  7. Dom May 20, 2006 at 4:09 pm | | Reply

    “Somehow I don’t think Jesus placed “personal achievement and growth” over SPIRITUAL achievement and growth.”

    This is absolutely pointless. There is nothing in the quote about personal achievement and growth.

  8. sharon May 22, 2006 at 12:23 am | | Reply

    Surely, Cobra, you realize that characterizing something as “Judeo-Christian” does not mean it was spoken by Jesus Christ, but, rather, describes a particular set of beliefs, habits, behaviors, etc., which are most often associated with Jewish or Christian people. For example, Jesus never said that the Sabbath should be changed from Saturday to Sunday, yet most Christian denominations observe Sunday rather than Saturday. It doesn’t make such practices worse or less important because Jesus didn’t discuss them.

    Perhaps you would disagree that the “Protestant Work Ethic” (which would probably be related to “future time orientation”) is a Judeo-Christian value, but most Protestants would not.

  9. sharon May 22, 2006 at 12:29 am | | Reply

    BTW, Cobra, you might want to look up II Thessalonians 3:10 where Paul says “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” Maybe you should argue with St. Paul, too.

  10. Cobra May 22, 2006 at 5:27 pm | | Reply

    Sharon writes:

    >>>”BTW, Cobra, you might want to look up II Thessalonians 3:10 where Paul says “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” Maybe you should argue with St. Paul, too.”

    I don’t have an argument with Paul, because Paul never claimed to be a “capitalist.”

    Conservatives will often use religious terminology to justify whatever political or financial agenda.

    Sharon writes:

    >>>”Surely, Cobra, you realize that characterizing something as “Judeo-Christian” does not mean it was spoken by Jesus Christ, but, rather, describes a particular set of beliefs, habits, behaviors, etc., which are most often associated with Jewish or Christian people.”

    There have been some truly “hellish” activities throughout history perpetrated by folks who claim that mantle. My point is that it’s not always a positive adjective.

    –Cobra

  11. sharon May 23, 2006 at 6:34 pm | | Reply

    “I don’t have an argument with Paul, because Paul never claimed to be a “capitalist.””

    Neither did Jesus. But he wasn’t a Marxist, either. And you are the one quoting the Bible. I merely quoted a different passage.

    “Conservatives will often use religious terminology to justify whatever political or financial agenda.”

    And liberals don’t? How many times do liberals scream, “Judge not, lest ye be judged” when one of their ilk is caught in some illegal and/or seedy situation? Or how about the whole “What Would Jesus Drive?” schtick?

    “There have been some truly “hellish” activities throughout history perpetrated by folks who claim that mantle. My point is that it’s not always a positive adjective.”

    If that was your point, you should have done a better job with it. What you wound up saying was to take an idea that was not embraced until about the 17th Century in America and try to imply that, through a quote from the Bible, Jesus would refute the idea. It’s nonsensical. And yes, we all know how “hellish” Christianity has been for the world. Sounds like you loved the Da Vinci Code.

Say What?