Is Blackpeoplemeet.com Racist?

[RamFan503]

@ King - Interesting that you can love that song and still be fearful of what it suggests - even in both cases if you understand the lyrics. I suppose that's why you would listen to Bob in the first place. Great mind.

 

[RamFan503]

You're going to get dates for sure. Hell - what gay guy wouldn't Freak THAT? Oh... are you looking for chicks?

Sorry - my late night alter ego typed that.:yousure:

 

[Thordaddy]

The best way for me to try and explain myself is that as long as the belief is NOT that races can be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to others... I'm saying it's not racism in my eyes.

Recognizing that there is a difference in race is not the same thing. I like to think of that as respect.

But again this isn't merely a "recognition" this IS an expression of preference as surely as white restroom /black restroom is,whether they follow through on enforcing it doesn't change the intent of the person who issues it.


I lived and worked 45 years in a predominantly black neighborhood,been cat called about my race, been surrounded by black teenagers threatening to "knock me out " for the sin of being white ,I've experienced that first hand ,and respectfully man it didn't render me any more an authority on this matter.
I merely adamantly maintain that racism is a state of mind, not an act, that the acts are manifestations of that state of mind , and that if it is racist for any color person to express publicly and FWIW loudly that they want to associate exclusively with people of their color then it is racist for every color to do so ,history be damned.
Further I believe that those who allow themselves double standards about things like this are of a state of mind that allows them other double standards all of which they HAVE to find justification for and that those manufactured justifications are themselves the root cause of racism.

 

[Selassie I]

But again this isn't merely a "recognition" this IS an expression of preference as surely as white restroom /black restroom is,whether they follow through on enforcing it doesn't change the intent of the person who issues it.


I lived and worked 45 years in a predominantly black neighborhood,been cat called about my race, been surrounded by black teenagers threatening to "knock me out " for the sin of being white ,I've experienced that first hand ,and respectfully man it didn't render me any more an authority on this matter.
I merely adamantly maintain that racism is a state of mind, not an act, that the acts are manifestations of that state of mind , and that if it is racist for any color person to express publicly and FWIW loudly that they want to associate exclusively with people of their color then it is racist for every color to do so ,history be damned.
Further I believe that those who allow themselves double standards about things like this are of a state of mind that allows them other double standards all of which they HAVE to find justification for and that those manufactured justifications are themselves the root cause of racism.

I'm not saying that one has to have lived on the receiving end in order to know what racism is, I'm just saying that it made a very big impression on me at a time when my mind was still being molded. The level of racism I had to live with was almost what I would have to consider very high. It wasn't just the kids I went to school with,,, it came from almost all human contact... all of my teachers, my friend's parents and older siblings, my neighbors, on the beach,,, I could never escape it unless I was home alone with my family. What I consider racism is easy for me to immediately see and I've already stated what I define it to be.

I'm just saying that the website in the OP does not qualify as being racist in my view. It's not suggesting that blacks are superior or inferior to any other race,,, it's just proudly recognizing itself as a place where black people can meet. I don't have any problem with that at all.

 

[Thordaddy]

I'm not saying that one has to have lived on the receiving end in order to know what racism is, I'm just saying that it made a very big impression on me at a time when my mind was still being molded. The level of racism I had to live with was almost what I would have to consider very high. It wasn't just the kids I went to school with,,, it came from almost all human contact... all of my teachers, my friend's parents and older siblings, my neighbors, on the beach,,, I could never escape it unless I was home alone with my family. What I consider racism is easy for me to immediately see and I've already stated what I define it to be.

I'm just saying that the website in the OP does not qualify as being racist in my view. It's not suggesting that blacks are superior or inferior to any other race,,, it's just proudly recognizing itself as a place where black people can meet. I don't have any problem with that at all.

I guess we're gonna have to disagree to agree then cuz IMO preference implies superiority in my narrow little mind.
BTW FWIW personal ( subjective) experience deters the ability to be objective .
I guess I think too much but for me the statement "Your a racist" is incomplete because what it really implies is "and I'm not" or it's a meaningless indictment ,IMO if you can find me someone who can honestly make that statement and can stand up perfectly to the scrutiny I would subject them to, Sherlock Holmes would envy your skills .
In the end I don't care that it is racist because the "non racist" is IMO an extinct animal ,my issue is with those who decry and exploit the racism of others while allowing themselves their "inconsistencies" because again their blind eye fosters attitudes that cause friction that beget attitudes.

Bill RUSSEL SAID SOMETHING LIKE THIS " prejudice is just an expression of preference and we all are more comfortable with those we share common cultural experiences with due to race , life is always easier if you don't have to explain yourself at every moment ,the trick is not to allow those prejudices and preferences to foster bigotry".
So there is that as well,so yeah ,I'm not headed to the Justice dept with a cease and desist complaint (as if it would hit a second desk before a wastebasket,but that's another touchier subject
Sumthin tells me this lil dity has some application here

 

[Selassie I]

@ King - Interesting that you can love that song and still be fearful of what it suggests - even in both cases if you understand the lyrics. I suppose that's why you would listen to Bob in the first place. Great mind.

Excellent.

I've put this out there on a couple of different posts through the years... but it shouldn't go without mentioning that Bob actually used the words of a speech given by Haile Selassie I to create that song.

 

[jrry32]

But again this isn't merely a "recognition" this IS an expression of preference as surely as white restroom /black restroom is,whether they follow through on enforcing it doesn't change the intent of the person who issues it.


I lived and worked 45 years in a predominantly black neighborhood,been cat called about my race, been surrounded by black teenagers threatening to "knock me out " for the sin of being white ,I've experienced that first hand ,and respectfully man it didn't render me any more an authority on this matter.
I merely adamantly maintain that racism is a state of mind, not an act, that the acts are manifestations of that state of mind , and that if it is racist for any color person to express publicly and FWIW loudly that they want to associate exclusively with people of their color then it is racist for every color to do so ,history be damned.
Further I believe that those who allow themselves double standards about things like this are of a state of mind that allows them other double standards all of which they HAVE to find justification for and that those manufactured justifications are themselves the root cause of racism.

I disagree with you. And I strongly disagree that is the root cause of racism. The root cause of racism is hatred instilled in children by authority figures while they were growing up without the proper environment to show them that hatred is wrong and misplaced.

I prefer to date white(or hispanic) women. That doesn't make me racist. That's who I am attracted to...for the most part. There are some black women and some asian women that I find attractive. But for the most part, I am not as attracted to those women. It's not racist. It's preference.

I see nothing wrong with the site. It's smart business. Black people wanted a site where they could meet other black people and they got one.

 

[Ramhusker]

I disagree with you. And I strongly disagree that is the root cause of racism. The root cause of racism is hatred instilled in children by authority figures while they were growing up without the proper environment to show them that hatred is wrong and misplaced.

I prefer to date white(or hispanic) women. That doesn't make me racist. That's who I am attracted to...for the most part. There are some black women and some asian women that I find attractive. But for the most part, I am not as attracted to those women. It's not racist. It's preference.

I see nothing wrong with the site. It's smart business. Black people wanted a site where they could meet other black people and they got one.

I wish I would of thought of it and did it first. But if I would of, I'd have made a site for each race I could think of doing. That would have been interesting to see how it would of been received if done that way.

 

[-X-]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but that site doesn't exclude anyone. I just joined, and "Caucasian" was one of the drop-down menu choices under ethnicity.

 

[Ramhusker]

Awwwww FUBU!!!!

 

[bluecoconuts]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but that site doesn't exclude anyone. I just joined, and "Caucasian" was one of the drop-down menu choices under ethnicity.

I have so many inappropriate comments that I've been dying to say since the start of this thread.

 

[jrry32]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but that site doesn't exclude anyone. I just joined, and "Caucasian" was one of the drop-down menu choices under ethnicity.

But have you gotten any dates?

 

[-X-]

But have you gotten any dates?

Several. But I'm picking my shots. :nau:

Actually, I only registered. I didn't fill out a profile or anything.

 

[Thordaddy]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but that site doesn't exclude anyone. I just joined, and "Caucasian" was one of the drop-down menu choices under ethnicity.

Well then ,if that's the case , is there a truth in advertising case here? cuz without investigation I'd say for the most part anyone seeing their adds wouldn't expect to find that option.

 

[Thordaddy]

I disagree with you. And I strongly disagree that is the root cause of racism. The root cause of racism is hatred instilled in children by authority figures while they were growing up without the proper environment to show them that hatred is wrong and misplaced.

I prefer to date white(or hispanic) women. That doesn't make me racist. That's who I am attracted to...for the most part. There are some black women and some asian women that I find attractive. But for the most part, I am not as attracted to those women. It's not racist. It's preference.

I see nothing wrong with the site. It's smart business. Black people wanted a site where they could meet other black people and they got one.

Once again jrry that is a manifestation of the perpetuation, somewhere someone developed an attitude they expanded to that degree.

I have so many inappropriate comments that I've been dying to say since the start of this thread.

And I applaud your self control, because this discussion has remained civil but would not if we ( I say we cuz in the end you aren't the only one holding back inflammatory comments ) indulged our emotions.

 

[-X-]

Well then ,if that's the case , is there a truth in advertising case here? cuz without investigation I'd say for the most part anyone seeing their adds wouldn't expect to find that option.

Only if one is looking to find something wrong with their site.

If the creators of that site felt there were limited resources available, and wanted to capitalize on that, then I find nothing wrong with it. It's not exclusive or anything. Every other dating site around is predominantly white, so this is a good thing. Would it be wrong if Samoans did it? Or Asians? What about Eskimos?

Sorry, but this is a non-issue as far as I'm concerned.

 

[bluecoconuts]

And I applaud your self control, because this discussion has remained civil but would not if we ( I say we cuz in the end you aren't the only one holding back inflammatory comments ) indulged our emotions.

They are just jokes and not racist ones. If people couldn't handle them, then they aren't mature enough to discuss this issue, or too sensitive to do so.

 

[Thordaddy]

Only if one is looking to find something wrong with their site.

If the creators of that site felt there were limited resources available, and wanted to capitalize on that, then I find nothing wrong with it. It's not exclusive or anything. Every other dating site around is predominantly white, so this is a good thing. Would it be wrong if Samoans did it? Or Asians? What about Eskimos?

Sorry, but this is a non-issue as far as I'm concerned.

Not any more than IF someone established one that billed itself as white people meet but not any less and that's the thread starters objection ,it would cause a furor.

 

[RamFan503]

This thread hasn't run its course yet eh? Kinda getting stale. Of course X joining up is pretty sweet.

 

[-X-]

Not any more than IF someone established one that billed itself as white people meet but not any less and that's the thread starters objection ,it would cause a furor.

Well, on that premise, I would agree it would cause an uproar. As well it should. We already had that putrid era of "Whites Only" water fountains, restaurants, bathrooms, schools, etc. It's a stigma that isn't (and shouldn't be) easily forgotten. But as I said, all dating sites ARE predominantly geared towards Caucasians anyway, so I don't see what the big deal is if another race wants to put together a dating site tailored to a (insert race here) population. Why should anyone care? You can join, I can join, black people can join, it's not exclusionary. It's just a better option for black people than sites like eHarmony.