The Chasm
I went to see a couple of films today, 'Guess Who' and 'Beauty Shop', both worried me greatly - there seems to be a chasm between the people of the americas, and it appears to be getting worse. Just look at the message boards for these films to see what I mean.
Whether it be white to black, black to white, mauve to lavender, or culture to culture - racism is discrimination, believing that you can somehow decide on a person's character or abilities via their race. It is ignorant and shameful, regardless of whom it comes from.
In particular, the belief that just because one is subject to racism, they can give it back and expect to retain any respect is unfathomable. People gain respect by being decent and upstanding, not by dropping down to the level of those they hate.
You know you've truly lost the battle if you've become your enemy.
Can I just say I believe in Unity, Harmony and Love - and I really do pray that people lay down their hate and join me in that belief.
racism n.
- The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
- Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
Whether it be white to black, black to white, mauve to lavender, or culture to culture - racism is discrimination, believing that you can somehow decide on a person's character or abilities via their race. It is ignorant and shameful, regardless of whom it comes from.
In particular, the belief that just because one is subject to racism, they can give it back and expect to retain any respect is unfathomable. People gain respect by being decent and upstanding, not by dropping down to the level of those they hate.
You know you've truly lost the battle if you've become your enemy.
In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach.
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach.
-- My Back Pages; Bob Dylan
Can I just say I believe in Unity, Harmony and Love - and I really do pray that people lay down their hate and join me in that belief.
Every child smiles in the same language.
posted by Orbling at
05:52
31 Comments:
Because people are replacing ignorance (lack of knowledge) with hatred and vengence (from a dislike of the knowledge one has).
The problem in america seems to get worse day by day, it's obviously born out of the pendulum effect of a long-term abuse. Once you've swung something all the way up one side, it's going to come back the other way and swing side to side before it comes to rest - eventually. Just hope it loses momentum quickly - at the moment there are a lot of people that fuel it, too many chips on peoples' shoulders.
Over the years I've looked into the birth of this problem a lot, and how it got to where it is - the prognosis is rather bleak. The segregation levels in some cities is ridiculous, and not primarily down to fiscal reasons - once people have been split for a long time, it's not easy getting back together. Let's hope the situation eases.
Education teaches fact, but racism is normally taught out of the classroom and not necessarily with words. Believe me that racism is taught, mainly by example. How your peers, family, community treat people, whether they show bias, etc. Even down to whether or not they pay attention to a particular feature of a person. On three seperate logs that I read, I've recently seen them talk about someone in a post (like people do) and explicitly mention that they were black - whereas they never bother to say, "a white person". As if it was important enough to warrant special mention. Such things always grate on me, and I remember them. Society is worn away grain by grain, not usually in chunks.
IMDB is indeed a holy site, one that I use more than any other, bar Google and Hotmail. I always leave my movie vote after seeing any film to help the ratings, my vote history is up to 500 films now. :) Everyone should do that rating thing, very useful it is. Particularly if you see a lot of films.
Though you're quite right, a lot of people that use the message boards are very immature or utterly pig-headed. In particular, every time a modern ghetto-style comedy is released that contains a load of racial stupidity there are two camps of people arguing over the basic issues. It's a symptom of the wider problem. Oh well.
By the way, I nearly entitled this post "Where is the love?", but remembered that you had done a post recently on that song - so gave it a different spin. :)
By
Orbling, at Wednesday, April 27, 2005 2:20:00 am
Well in this film the couple had been together for some time by the look of it, there was certainly no indication of rush - it wasn't very good, issues aside.
I'm not sure the hip-hop scene, especially the ghetto culture element is assimilating well at all. I'd argue that it does more to divide than meld, just that the assimiliation causes some to split onto a non-obvious side. You know my opinion on that stuff.
Segregation isn't racism in itself, but it can breed it - lack of exposure to those that are different is the best way to ensure problems. Just look at the difference in attitudes between exposed city folk and unexposed rural people. Though your stance on state intervention is no doubt born out of your anarchist like state, I agree on this matter, political interference on this issue tends to make things worse.
I don't really want a film like that at all, ta. Seen that last one, and thought it was annoying. Not a fan of those two, the first Scary Movie was alright maybe.
By
Orbling, at Wednesday, April 27, 2005 4:36:00 am
Oi! LOL
Well I do worry about the continuing trend of music having an appearence as well as a sound - it was so much better without the visual pollution that comes with it. And no thank you for suggestions, this machine's drives are cluttered enough with your musical "suggestions". ;)
Listen to some folk.
By
Orbling, at Wednesday, April 27, 2005 5:10:00 am
We aren't as enlightened in this country as I once thought we were.
Stereotypes are still perpetuated. Discrimination is alive and well. And the chasm you spoke of seems to be growing wider everyday.
It worries me greatly to know that there are people out there teaching the innocent how to hate for the sake of hating.
By
KC, at Saturday, April 30, 2005 4:49:00 am
Sometimes, I think people need some bad in their lives - and in our modern world, of overfed, relaxation/entertainment heavy, overly safe times - some people just find something to hate to fill the void.
It's more than a little upsetting.
By
Orbling, at Saturday, April 30, 2005 5:04:00 am
Well as you know I avoid all of those, and most other things come to think of it.
Hence I'll just have to bare it.
By
Orbling, at Sunday, May 01, 2005 3:31:00 am
To think, I thought about using the word bare in a reply to you and decided, "nah, he'll be more mature than that".
LOL
By
Orbling, at Sunday, May 01, 2005 4:16:00 am
Argh, defeated by spelling; again.
Write 100 lines...
"The man could barely bear the bear's weight upon his bare back."
God knows why the man is carrying a bear bareback, but he is.
By
Orbling, at Sunday, May 01, 2005 4:27:00 am
Thanks Kit. :)
Yours is great too. P&L.
By
Orbling, at Friday, May 06, 2005 6:34:00 am
It's true. Here in midwest Ohio, it's not uncommon to hear every manner of racial slur used freely.
By
Grover, at Saturday, May 07, 2005 12:49:00 am
Doesn't that make you sick to your stomach though?
There are areas like that here I suppose, though not really any open comments - as you can get jailed for such things. Some backwater places can have a distinctly old-fashioned attitude to them, and some city rundown areas have a chip-on-the-shoulder style prejudice within them mind.
It's amazes me how far we haven't come.
By
Orbling, at Saturday, May 07, 2005 12:58:00 am
Which did you like the best? Bradsblog
By
bschneider5, at Saturday, May 07, 2005 2:04:00 am
It's not normal for city areas to be backwaters, most people are up-to-date. Just occasionally with up-to-date bad attitudes. ;)
And no, I don't agree with your first statement Eion.
By
Orbling, at Saturday, May 07, 2005 3:44:00 am
Well they were the best films, so that makes sense. ;)
A little free fancy and fantasy can get you through most things.
By
Orbling, at Saturday, May 21, 2005 6:28:00 am
so uhm, it's different where you are?
i thought the ugliness was everywhere
but to hear its especially disgusting in america
makes me even more disturbed.
By
chk, at Monday, May 23, 2005 3:55:00 am
Whilst there is ugliness everywhere, the intensity and how it manifests itself varies from place to place.
There are some people hear with a problem, but they are generally considered to be a minority.
Though the problem is growing, fuelled by chips on young shoulders.
We don't seem to have the same division here though, London is very multicultural. Everyone blends. I saw a young girl the other day, mixed-race rastafarian, with ginger dreadlocks (not dyed either, her mum was a ginger) - nice blendy world we live in. :)
By
Orbling, at Monday, May 23, 2005 4:50:00 am
what kind of weak ass films do you see...
go watch house of wax.
By
Andrew, at Wednesday, May 25, 2005 5:19:00 pm
Have to concur with Eion there, at least in part.
The current version of House of Wax looks pants. Paris Hilton really should return to from whence she came, or somewhere less accessible. But the whole film just looks tacky. Hollywood can't do horror too well these days, Ring copies aside perhaps.
Ichi the Killer is too violent for humans to watch, makes me ill just thinking about it.
By
Orbling, at Thursday, May 26, 2005 1:53:00 am
"Pants" is an adjective? I'll have to add that one to my vernacular. Exactly what does it mean?
Went and saw "The Amityville Horror" a week or two ago. I couldn't wait for the credits to roll. "Saw" almost had me going until the dude got up at the end. Big groaner there. "The Ring" is the only one that has come close to really giving me the creeps... especially the bit when they show what's on the video tape.
By
Grover, at Monday, May 30, 2005 11:23:00 pm
I'm exceptionally lenient on films, very rare is it that I will actually dislike a film. So I go and see everything that comes on and tend to enjoy all of it.
The new Amityville was reasonably enjoyable, if formulaic, Saw I thought was great, the twist was rather good I thought. ;) The Ring 2 was fairly creepy, the far-east horror films tend to be better though - anyone see A Tale Of Two Sisters?
By
Orbling, at Tuesday, May 31, 2005 12:07:00 am
hey karl..
how's life? found a job already?=P
haven't spoken to you for a long time..
take care ya
sylvia
By
Desolation, at Friday, June 03, 2005 4:14:00 pm
Sylvia, haven't seen you online in ages - message me if you see me on. :)
Mel, I actually posted to Andrew that once I saw House of Wax I didn't think it was all that bad. Obviously cliched to the point of no return, but then all those type of films tend to be. It was very gory though, made me feel a bit sick in places - I thought the wax house was clever, especially at the end. Not sure what I thought of Hilton, the two main leads were quite reasonable (Eliza Cuthbert/Chad Michael Murray).
By
Orbling, at Friday, June 10, 2005 12:52:00 am
Ok, Karl, I've put off typing this as long as I could...time to post again. What's shakin' bacon? How is life treating you? Yes, I know I go weeks without posting, but we won't talk about that. ;)
Speaking of movies and racism: I just got the collector's edition of Gone With the Wind...my all time favorite book and one of my favorite movies. A wonderful Friday night film to watch, just me and the animals, cuddled up on my couch, in my own living room, in my own apartment. I'm loving it.
Thoughts?
By
Texas Gurl, at Saturday, July 02, 2005 4:31:00 am
Karl,
I hope you're safe and my thoughts are with you and your country right now.
By
Texas Gurl, at Saturday, July 09, 2005 6:07:00 am
Thanks TG, I'm fine, London is alright. Quite a hefty incident this one, but terrorist strikes are fairly old hat here. I've lost count of the number of times I've been evacuated from somewhere for a bomb warning.
We don't live in fear of it, just take the "C'est la vie" approach to it. If you let it get to you, make you panic, make you fearful - they've succeeded.
Incidently, London is a *huge* city with many millions of people - the odds that anyone you know here were involved are infantesimal, so rest easy. :)
Yes, I really must post asap, it's getting silly - I just prioritize commenting to others than creating myself.
Gone With The Wind, really must watch that again, haven't seen it since I was quite young, 10 possibly. Dare say it would have altered in my perceptions considerably. Your description of your place sounds nice, 'cept the constant occurrence of the words 'my own' - do hope that's not preceded to often with 'on'.
Keep smiling.
By
Orbling, at Saturday, July 09, 2005 6:25:00 am
Oh my God, that picture of the tree is so gorgeous.
By
karla, at Sunday, July 31, 2005 10:37:00 pm
Agreed.
All trees are beautiful, that one inparticular. :)
The tree of life has many branches and deep roots; long may it grow.
By
Orbling, at Sunday, July 31, 2005 10:46:00 pm
update your blog you boring git!
By
Andrew, at Wednesday, October 12, 2005 5:49:00 pm
hi!!!! remember me??
:)
By
chk, at Friday, January 06, 2006 12:19:00 am
Hi Karl,
Rob said I should check out your blog and so I did and found it to be a really thoughtful and nice read. Thanks for that,
Tom Fotherby
By
Tom, at Tuesday, February 14, 2006 1:18:00 pm
Thanks Tom,
Glad to hear from you - I hear things are going wonderfully for you. Very glad to hear it! :)
My blog is temporarily suspended until I can find time and energy to write more, but glad you enjoyed what you read so far.
My regards to Chloe, take care,
Karl.
By
Orbling, at Tuesday, February 14, 2006 2:38:00 pm
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