On matters of Race

RMNIXON · 03-19-2008, 03:28 PM

How many of you are old enough to remember when the word "prejudice" was in common use?

prej·u·dice (prĕj'ə-dĭs)
n.

An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts.

A preconceived preference or idea.

The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived judgments or convictions.

Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion.

Detriment or injury caused to a person by the preconceived, unfavorable conviction of another or others.

http://www.answers.com/prejudice&r=67?nr=1&lsc=true

You can see how well it applies to Rev Wright as well as any number of people.

And why has it fallen out of use to be replaced almost entirely by "racism" or "sexism."

Because it comes from the root word Judge or in Latin "sub Judice" meaning "under judgement."

In other words we should not prejudge people by race, but that does not exclude passing judgement on them in light of their words or behavior after the fact. And that is what contradicts liberal notions of "empathy" and non-judgement of those who fit neatly into PC catagories. We can't talk of "prejudice" because someone of color might also have poor character that can be examined. They have simply replaced a collectivist form of hate by the white racist for a collectivist form of empathy and victim statis for blacks and other PC catagories. Blacks have suffered as a collective and this negates judgment of individual behavior. You will find this type of thinking in Obama's race relations speech, even to include a majority of white people as another victim class in solidarity.

In all comes from the same type of irrational thought process. The notion that the works or genius elevates you because of the same race is no different than the notion that the suffering of another person of the same race harms you. It is the same basic premise. White guilt is just another form of collectivism. Collectivism in economics negates personal liberty and responsibility and commits your life and work as belonging to the group. Racism from any group does the same thing on a social and political level.

The argument that Obama is not responsible for what Rev Wright says is a rational act of personal judgement of his character. The notion that he has no responsibility for his closeness to this person without questioning what he has heard over 20 years falls back on the same race sympathy and identity thinking. That he cannot turn his back on this man anymore than he can the black race. He said it himself. You cannot move a society in the direction of being color blind when the political pressure is on being color aware. The modern collectivism of the left does not allow Obama to be the individual he wants to be. Poor Geraldine had to open her big mouth and point that out even it is in no way the fault of the candidate. Hillary is certainly pandering to gender in a much more obvious and calculated way than he has on race.

Obama has fallen into an identity trap that his own Chicago community and Democrat Party built for him. They really don't know how to get out of it, and if at all possible just hope it goes away before the election. I bet a number of his supporters won't let him do that.