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Re: real vs false discrimination
To label people "incorrect and immoral" based on characteristics such as
race, religion or sexual orientation is the the essence of bigotry. While
it may not be discrimination - it is such bigotry which leads to
discrimination. The Nazis and American ancestors who sanctioned slavery
discrimnated because they believed people were inferior, immoral or placed
some other label on them that allowed them to dehumanize the agents of
their ultimate discrimination. That a bigot does not discriminate makes
that person no less of a bigot nor less deserving of our criticism.
Jeff Parcher
----------
> From: Matt Stannard <mstannard@AC.CEU.EDU>
> To: Issues concerning CEDA Debate <CEDA-L@cornell.edu>
> Subject: real vs false discrimination
> Date: Monday, April 14, 1997 3:06 PM
>
> REAL discrimination is when the structures of the
> social system are manipulated to deny certain rights,
> needs or privileges to certain people based on arbitrary
> factors of their being.
>
> FALSE discrimination is when people accuse
> others of discrimination simply for hurting their
> feelings.
>
> As Ms. Chan pointed out, nobody's telling
> the bigot Barnes he can't get married,
> or denying him a job or locking him up or denying
> him housing, etc. No one's even being physically
> violent towards him.
>
> By Mr. O'Toole's logic, Mr. O'Toole himself
> is discriminating against all those who disagree
> with the bigot Barnes. Mr. O'Toole is "discriminating"
> against our "belief" that the bigot Barnes is immoral
> and incorrect.
>
> That's why we need to distinguish between false and
> genuine discrimination--because Mr. O'Toole's definition
> lends itself to infinite regress, while genuine discrimination
> is structural and materially verifiable.
>
> stannard
Archive created by Jonathan Stanton (jonathan@cs.jhu.edu)
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