Redefining racism?
According to Helsingin Sanomat…
Racist crimes refers to crimes whose victims are chosen on the basis of their ethnic, racial, religious, cultural, or national background.
Since when did racism include religion, cultural or national background? When a Finn tells a harmless joke involving a Swede, is it a racist joke? I think the word they’re looking for is “bigotry”.
Now I’m not saying that bigotry less severe than racism, or anything of the sort - I’m just afraid that we’re “dumbing down” the meaning of the word “racism” - Once Finns believe that it’s considered “racist” to tell (for instance) a joke involving a Swede, they’ll “poo-poo” (for lack of better words) the idea of real racist behavior they won’t take racism seriously because they believe racism encompasses so many different things. Know what I mean? (I’m having trouble explaining this…)
I think I don understand you.
The same phenomenon as with feminism, I guess. Few men take it/them seriously anymore. Well, it’s not exactly the same…
When racism becomes an over-extended category, it loses it’s meaning.
Comment by M — Wed, Aug 31st, 2005 @ 5:24 pm
That’s the word I’m looking for “serious”, why the hell didn’t I think of that before?
But yeah, feminism is the same way. Enviornmentalism is another good example.
Comment by Phil — Wed, Aug 31st, 2005 @ 5:40 pm
The “duming down” has already happened, as shown by terms like age-racism (ikärasismi).
Comment by JK — Wed, Aug 31st, 2005 @ 6:05 pm
Another overextension to the meaning of “racism” is disliking a culture or religion. “If you don’t love Islam, you’re a racist!”
Comment by sepisp — Thu, Sep 1st, 2005 @ 12:41 pm
Helsingin Sanomat was talking about racist crimes. As far as I know, telling a harmless joke is not a crime.
As the whole concept of ‘race’ is so questionable and arbitary, why should we make a distinction of racial crimes and for example crimes against members of certain religious groups? Why can’t we call all hate crimes against poorly defined exclusive groups racist crimes? Thinking in terms of races is racistic.
Comment by Tom — Thu, Sep 1st, 2005 @ 8:35 pm