David Strand asks: "So, for the edification of us all, I'd like to hear, outside of the context of this campaign, what are listmembers perceptions relative to color based bias in Minneapolis? How much of a problem is it and what can or is being done about it in our community?"
I'm tempted to be silent on the issue because a person of color by definition is someone who is not "white;" as a white guy (meaning I'm 'white,' 'Caucasian,' or a resident of Caucasus, an area between the Black and Caspian Seas where folks can be pretty swarthy). I don't feel I have the experience necessary to comment on the prevalence of color bias. But in the interest of edifying some folks with my brand of discrimination rhetoric, I'll take a stab at it too. The list of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, affectional preference, disability, age, marital status, and status with regard to public assistance is preceded by "except when based on a bona fide occupational qualification" in Chapter 149 of Title 7 of the Minneapolis code of ordinances (Civil Rights) many times. You'll find very few of the words in the list defined in the chapter, so they must be considered pretty much cut'n'dried. Given Strand's assertion that the Star Tribune does not distinguish between color and race, I guess it must not be that clear, so let me repeat that color means 'not white' and race means something else. I've discussed my own problems with the common usage of race on the list before. Because race is commonly used to describe a set of characteristics that don't have anything to do with the physical or genetic traits common to human beings or other animals from a specific geographic area (a biological view of race), I don't find it all that useful a concept. I accept that human beings can be described as a race of great apes, but the common usage of race seems more to do with culture and ethnicity of given regions of the world, and sometimes of a city, than any real differences between animals of the species Homo sapiens sapiens. There are definitely African American and Native American cultures separate and distinct from that of other Americans as a whole. Different cultural groups can be seen in the light of the processes of acculturation and assimilation (two different things); through acculturation, a group can adopt a modicum of predominant culture (or what they find attractive or tasty) and retain their own culture intact while through assimilation, the change is complete, one becomes indistinguishable from others, culturally speaking. There are certain cultural groups that may never assimilate into broad American culture. I won't pretend any expertise in this area, but there is a broad literature that can get pretty involved and complex in dealing with different cultural groups, everyone perhaps a special case. When I read this list or encounter folks in my work, I can't help making the distinction between African Americans who post here and the kind of neighborhood folks about which Jim Graham, Wizard Marks, Barb Lickness, et al occasionaly post and about whom comedians Chris Rock and that Blue Collar guy expound on in their routines. .....Getting back to color bias, though, I think it would be okay to discriminate against the Blue Man Group and perhaps mimes and clowns in general.......they certainly shouldn't be allowed to vote.......but I guess we can draw the line at melanin based pigmentation. Bill Kahn edifying nonsense from Prospect Park REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
