What in your opinion would consitute a major trauma?
I honestly don't know, but apparently it has to be something worse than Columbine. :(

better here than anywhere else.

What is ? :confused:

I don't think that it is unfair to say it's a racial stereotype.

TS

What makes you say I'm a racist.

Hint:
Claming people want to be ignorant and poor is a classist statement not racist.

What makes you say I'm a racist.

Hint:
Claming people want to be ignorant and poor is a classist statement not racist.

Try rereading posts 217 and 218

Brian

Try rereading posts 217 and 218

Brian

That was in response to an erroneous statement TS posted earlier (I cant find the post) about him thinking that the majority of the people I described as generally ignorant where black; that being the reason I could dismiss them.

What argument do you use against that accusation?

And I don’t mean that rhetorically, I truly want an answer.

Originally Posted by The Stoat
Just as a matter of interest how do you know who is black and who isn't?

your response
Well have any Americans on this board whined about inequality?

If you cannot see that this is racist then I can't help you.

Brian

Originally Posted by The Stoat
Just as a matter of interest how do you know who is black and who isn't?

your response
Well have any Americans on this board whined about inequality?

If you cannot see that this is racist then I can't help you.

Brian

The point Brian, which obviously you’re missing, is that people that succeed don’t complain about inequality.

I have actually raised this question among my black friends (about half of my friends are black). Whereas they do concede that inequality exist in the system, they’re more inclined to put self actualization higher on the list.

Joe it is you who is missing the point, your response to the The Stoat implied, inadvertently or not, that if anybody had whined about inequality they would have been Black, obviously I was not the only one to interpret your post that way, the onus is on you to communicate what you mean correctly.

Brian

I'm with Brian on this one - your comment does lead the reader to think that only black Americans whine about inequality

and people that succeed do complain about inequality because often its the higher profile successful person that can make changes happen - like Bob Geldof complaining about Africa's inequality, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther-King, Charities like Oxfam, Medicine Sans Frontier the list is endless.

The problem is making those who actually can change things listen to the people and not go off on a hair brained scheme for no possible use to the world.

Col

I'm with Brian on this one - your comment does lead the reader to think that only black Americans whine about inequality

and people that succeed do complain about inequality because often its the higher profile successful person that can make changes happen - like Bob Geldof complaining about Africa's inequality, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther-King, Charities like Oxfam, Medicine Sans Frontier the list is endless.

The problem is making those who actually can change things listen to the people and not go off on a hair brained scheme for no possible use to the world.

Col


This was definitely a communication problem. Every one that knows me believes me to be one of the least racist people they know.

That includes black folks, white folks, and every thing in between.

If you’re going to quote me here is the quote.

Generational ignorance is the biggest enemy of poor Americans.

It knows no race, ethnicity, or culture.

I can't resist this one any more. In the original post, I must admit I took it to mean blacks. But today reading the sentence out of context, I was wondering why Brian said that. So that makes me wonder if, the statement is racist, or the people preceiving it are racist? Oh, you want an example, OK, but it is not about racism, but how words are perceived.
My wife says (tells) me somthing.
I act according to what I hear.
I am wrong because what I heard is not what she meant.

Case Closed!

I can't resist this one any more. In the original post, I must admit I took it to mean blacks. But today reading the sentence out of context, I was wondering why Brian said that. So that makes me wonder if, the statement is racist, or the people preceiving it are racist? Oh, you want an example, OK, but it is not about racism, but how words are perceived.
My wife says (tells) me somthing.
I act according to what I hear.
I am wrong because what I heard is not what she meant.

Case Closed!

:confused: :confused:

With written communication the onus must be on the writer as no interaction is going to take place, but in this case when it was pointed out to Jsanders what we all took his statement to mean, he attempted no correction or clarification.

Brian

With written communication the onus must be on the writer as no interaction is going to take place, but in this case when it was pointed out to Jsanders what we all took his statement to mean, he attempted no correction or clarification.
Yea, I have heard that crap before, but the reality of it is no matter how hard you try, there will always be someone who has a different take on the same words.
And GOD FORBID I tell my wife what she said was wrong, trust me, I know what I am talking about here. And since my wife is always right, then you must be incorrect :p

Yea, I have heard that crap before, but the reality of it is no matter how hard you try, there will always be someone who has a different take on the same words.


BUT WE ALL SEEM TO HAVE TAKEN HIS WORDS THE SAME WAY.

Mind you I have noticed with some posters that we are all out of step but them:rolleyes:

Brian

:confused: :confused:

With written communication the onus must be on the writer as no interaction is going to take place, but in this case when it was pointed out to Jsanders what we all took his statement to mean, he attempted no correction or clarification.

Brian

Sorry I didn’t get back to this earlier.
It took me several days to recover from being called a racist.
I didn’t understand that you were misunderstanding me.

It’s actually been on my mind this last week or so. Similar to being called a liberal by FoFa.

Neither accusation is correct.

I think a far more telling point is the one on the French Riots. I only read the first post and that was enough for me. He's been on my ignore list since.

Sorry I didn’t get back to this earlier.
It took me several days to recover from being called a racist.
I didn’t understand that you were misunderstanding me.

It’s actually been on my mind this last week or so. Similar to being called a liberal by FoFa.

Neither accusation is correct.

I think that we should consider this closed, misunderstandings happen.

Brian

I think a far more telling point is the one on the French Riots. I only read the first post and that was enough for me. He's been on my ignore list since.

Are you talking about me?

Yea, I have heard that crap before[...]
There you go being rude again. What is up with you lately?

Joe, I've stayed out of this issue so far, but I have to say that I interpreted your comments the same way. Oddly, though, when I saw the first comment that caused a problem I thought you were being sarcastic but your follow-up posts seemed to confirm that you were serious. Chalk it all up to a massive miscommunication, but I thought you might be interested in my perspective.

:confused: :confused:

With written communication the onus must be on the writer as no interaction is going to take place, but in this case when it was pointed out to Jsanders what we all took his statement to mean, he attempted no correction or clarification.

Brian
Under normal circumstances the writer usually apologises for the misunderstandings of their text and clarifies it in another way.
One would think this is normal etiquette as most people do it - if only to correct readers (wrong) impressions of them.

Col

Under normal circumstances the writer usually apologises for the misunderstandings of their text and clarifies it in another way.
One would think this is normal etiquette as most people do it - if only to correct readers (wrong) impressions of them.

Col.


What is this?


This was definitely a communication problem. Every one that knows me believes me to be one of the least racist people they know.

That includes black folks, white folks, and every thing in between.

If you’re going to quote me here is the quote.

Generational ignorance is the biggest enemy of poor Americans.

It knows no race, ethnicity, or culture.


.

There you go being rude again. What is up with you lately?
Not rude, man you seem to be a bit touchy lately.
It is crap. What I mean is if a writter says something, and 1 million people understand them, but 150 have 150 different takes on the same words, is that the fault of the writter? Does the writter have to then keep issueing statements until all 150 get it?

Well this is another fine mess Stanley :D

My original question was tongue in cheek. A response to this


Rich why don’t you think any of the black people that visit this forum ever say anything about this?


J appeared to be saying that he could tell what people looked like from what they wrote. As i have trouble telling if people are male or female i thought it was a bit funny and basically asked him(?) to clarify what was meant. I didn't expect back the response i got, which i can see now could be equally tongue in cheek. Then again i felt there was other issues raised between us about groups within the US that were percieved as a burden on the rest of the country.

So in the best traditions of the forum i let him have it with both barrels -no offence to the anti gun lobby - premature? Possibly, but quite frankly some of his posts really bugged the sh!t out of me. I'm preachy. He's pompous -imho of course ;) :D . No-one's perfect and i enjoy a good debate. I wasn't actually calling him racist. The damnation i felt he'd done was to his arguments about an America that could show Europe how to integrate. The statement could -as has been shown - be taken as racist but i prefered to express it in less flammatory terms i.e. racial sterotype and gross generalization which is something that most of us have been guilty of in here, it just happens we've been talking about cultures rather than skin colour.

So apologies all round. I am a bastard and enjoy a good argument as much as the next person and whilst i honestly read what i read without intentionally trying to mis-interpret it there was a lot that could be mis-interpreted. I do think we are responsible for what we write and cannot expect people to see things that aren't there, likewise we shouldn't deliberately misconstrue things either.

TS

Not rude, man you seem to be a bit touchy lately.
It is crap. What I mean is if a writter says something, and 1 million people understand them, but 150 have 150 different takes on the same words, is that the fault of the writter? Does the writter have to then keep issueing statements until all 150 get it?

Only if he doesn't want the 150 to go away with that impression. If he/she couldn't careless then no i don't think they would.

What I mean is if a writter says something, and 1 million people understand them, but 150 have 150 different takes on the same words, is that the fault of the writter? Does the writter have to then keep issueing statements until all 150 get it?
If that is what you believe, then an appropriate response is "I disagree". Referring to someone's opinion as "crap" or "drivel" is rude, plain and simple, and I for one would appreciate if you avoid using such unnecessarily negative language to yourself when other people are trying to communicate in a civil manner.

[...]whilst i honestly read what i read without intentionally trying to mis-interpret it there was a lot that could be mis-interpreted. I do think we are responsible for what we write and cannot expect people to see things that aren't there, likewise we shouldn't deliberately misconstrue things either.
Aye, there's the rub! And well said. Something to this effect should be stickied... "Guideliness for not getting your undies in a bunch." Hey, that's a good one for the slang thread... :D

BTW, Stoat, I have it in my mind that you're from New Zeland. Am I being stupid?

BTW, Stoat, I have it in my mind that you're from New Zeland. Am I being stupid?



How dare you :mad: :D


No mate merry old England hence my continued homily on the evils of the EU. Unless of course you dumb yanks don't know where New Zealand is :D :D

Didn't you used to live in NY?

No mate merry old England hence my continued homily on the evils of the EU. Unless of course you dumb yanks don't know where New Zealand is :D :D

Didn't you used to live in NY?
OK...I'm just being stupid. I swear there's a regular poster from New Zealand....hmmm... *goes off to mutter incoherently in a corner*

And if you're seriously asking, no I've been in the Chicago area all my life, but cheuschober is from NY.

:D OK...I'm just being stupid. I swear there's a regular poster from New Zealand....hmmm... *goes off to mutter incoherently in a corner*

And if you're seriously asking, no I've been in the Chicago area all my life, but cheuschober is from NY.

Lister is from New Zealand. Likes guns and killing wild boar with a knife. - no offence Listy but i always remember that pick of you being humped by a dead pig :D

No i wasn't being serious i just wasn't sure what parallel i could use. :o

Referring to someone's opinion as "crap" or "drivel" is rude, plain and simple
True, but I was not refering to their opinion, but the contents of the words, which are two different things in this case.

Lister is from New Zealand.
Aha! OK, I feel better now...

True, but I was not refering to their opinion, but the contents of the words, which are two different things in this case.
So you're saying that your comments are on the quality of the writing and not the content?

As i have trouble telling if people are male or female
Is that the result of a comprehensive education?
Look it's very simple, males have bits that stick out of the bottom half of the body, females have bits that stick out of the top half, if they're lucky.

It took me several days to recover from being called a racist.

Aspirin works wonders, try some next time

Similar to being called a liberal by FoFa.

On some issues you are, but then what's so bad about being seen as liberal in your country?:confused:

Is that the result of a comprehensive education?
Look it's very simple, males have bits that stick out of the bottom half of the body, females have bits that stick out of the top half, if they're lucky.
I had a comprehensive education, left school at 15 to earn the pennies - none of this easy life going to Uni till you're 40 like they do these days:rolleyes:

You anatomical description of male and female was one of the first things we learnt at comprehensive schools in Bristol;)

Col

You anatomical description of male and female was one of the first things we learnt at comprehensive schools in Bristol;)

Col


Hands on behind the bike shed?

Brian

Hands on behind the bike shed?

Brian
Only if you were lucky!:D

Is that the result of a comprehensive education?
Look it's very simple, males have bits that stick out of the bottom half of the body, females have bits that stick out of the top half, if they're lucky.

If that's your definition I suggest you don't go to Thailand then, you could be in for a rude awakening :D

If that's your definition I suggest you don't go to Thailand then, you could be in for a rude awakening :D
I've often wondered what the attraction was over there:D

It is firstly important to distinguish between Bush and his neo-con Republicans and Americans generally. It is unfair to assume that all Americans are like Bush or like him.

It would seem that the Iraq situation has gotten out of control for Bush. He had hoped that he could put a puppet government into Iraq using Ahmed Chalabi (an old CIA stooge) but, with the conivance and interference of Iran, what we now have is a theocratic government of Ali Sistani - favoured by Iran.

Now Iraq really IS the fundamentalist hotbed the US government really did not want.

Way to go George! Still, just keep spying illegally on your own citizens. All the easier to impeach you then!