Bias and Racist, there is a difference.

Race and religion.

Published on May 6, 2005 By Moderateman In Ethics

bias, one definition,{a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation }

Racist: based on racial intolerance; "racist remarks"
a person with a prejudiced belief that one race is superior to others
discriminatory especially on the basis of race or religion

I have heard the term "racist thrown around alot in my life, but what if a person IS NOT A RACIST,. but bias about race or religion?

I grew up in a ghetto, a place that I experenced religious persacution, The blacks that went to school with me, had a tough time as
the high school was based in Itailian terrority, so did the puerto ricans.

I have wondered if having a preference for one race or religion is really Racist, or bias.

If All the Itailians I met were complete assholes and mean, why would I want to hang out with them?
I had what I considered good reasons for not hanging out with blacks, they used to kick the hell out of white kids when ever they could.
Why would anyone grow close to a people that torture them?

The spanish in my neighborhood, were clanish to say the least, the whites behaved the same way.

Now my question is, If someone has had NOTHING but bad experences with any race or religion and refuses to be around these peoples, Is he or she a racist or just plain bias, and if bias, is being bias a bad thing?"

Comments (Page 1)

Reiki-House

on May 06, 2005

I always get amused at the english language and its application and usage by those who speak it. Words and meanings get jumbled and fumbled to the point where two distinct and individual words get placed together in casual conversation. When someone uses the word 'bias' it is always in relation to or concers a third party, the party which receives the benefit of the bias. Racism is personal and is always based on the person's individual race. I'm not racist when I serve a person like me before a person of a different nationality, I'm biased towards my own. I'm not biased if I ever call some black guy a nigger. I'm racist against his own.

Moderateman

on May 06, 2005

Reply By: Reiki-HousePosted: Friday, May 06, 2005I always get amused at the english language and its application and usage by those who speak it. Words and meanings get jumbled and fumbled to the point where two distinct and individual words get placed together in casual conversation. When someone uses the word 'bias' it is always in relation to or concers a third party, the party which receives the benefit of the bias. Racism is personal and is always based on the person's individual race. I'm not racist when I serve a person like me before a person of a different nationality, I'm biased towards my own. I'm not biased if I ever call some black guy a nigger. I'm racist against his own.

altho what you say is true, it does not adress my question, {is being biased a bad thing?}

ParaTed2k

on May 06, 2005

I think bias is a good thing, as long as we recognize each other's right to their biases also.

I think the United States is the best country in the world. Period.

Now, that means that "I" think the U.S. is best, it has nothing to do with what you or anyone else can and can't think. I would hope that everyone consider their Nation, their State and even their City to be the best place to live.

The same goes for religion.

When I say, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only church on earth that has the full Gospel of Jesus Christ." Am I telling everyone else that they can't believe their church is true? Am I infringing on anyone's right to believe anything they want? Nope. Again, it is my hope that everyone be that firm in their beliefs, even if they believe in nothing.

In both cases, I am showing my bias, yet I am in no way forcing my bias on anyone else, in fact, I strongly encourage everyone else to be just as biased as myself.

Having biases is not the problem, mistreating others because of their biases is.

Dr Guy

on May 06, 2005

Having biases is not the problem, mistreating others because of their biases is.

Having Biases is simply the right to associate with those you want. As long as you do not infringe on the rights of those you are biased against, there is nothing anyone can do. I chose not to associate with pedophiles and murders, and I am baised against them. Does that make me racists or sexists or whatever? Not as long as I do not deprive them of life liberty or property.

Moderateman

on May 06, 2005

#3 by ParaTed2k
Friday, May 06, 2005

think bias is a good thing, as long as we recognize each other's right to their biases also.

I think the United States is the best country in the world. Period.

Now, that means that "I" think the U.S. is best, it has nothing to do with what you or anyone else can and can't think. I would hope that everyone consider their Nation, their State and even their City to be the best place to live.

The same goes for religion.

When I say, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only church on earth that has the full Gospel of Jesus Christ." Am I telling everyone else that they can't believe their church is true? Am I infringing on anyone's right to believe anything they want? Nope. Again, it is my hope that everyone be that firm in their beliefs, even if they believe in nothing.

In both cases, I am showing my bias, yet I am in no way forcing my bias on anyone else, in fact, I strongly encourage everyone else to be just as biased as myself.

Having biases is not the problem, mistreating others because of their biases is.

I agree, but it seems that when a person shows bias concerning race they are immediatly branded a racist.

Moderateman

on May 06, 2005

#4 by Dr. Guy
Friday, May 06, 2005

Having biases is not the problem, mistreating others because of their biases is.

Having Biases is simply the right to associate with those you want. As long as you do not infringe on the rights of those you are biased against, there is nothing anyone can do. I chose not to associate with pedophiles and murders, and I am baised against them. Does that make me racists or sexists or whatever? Not as long as I do not deprive them of life liberty

again I agree, but again I stae "suppose" you do not like hanging out with "insert race or religion" and stae so publically, you are branded as some kind of hate monger. right?

Moderateman

on May 06, 2005

Dr Guy

on May 06, 2005

again I agree, but again I stae "suppose" you do not like hanging out with "insert race or religion" and stae so publically, you are branded as some kind of hate monger. right?

Ignorance on their part is not a crime on your part.

Reiki-House

on May 06, 2005

Sorry for not answering your question. Being biased is simply a natural behavior. We see it all around us. Divisions and teams and sides and sections. The football team we cheer for. Our childhood little league teams, hockey teams, elementary school gym class teams, left wing right wing liberal conservative black white...we naturally are geared to favoritism whether it be sports teams, high school teams, etc...It's not in itself bad to favor one side over another. It's not a good characteristic trait, but it's not something that can be avoided. You could be a peace loving all-embracing most unbiased lover of everything on the planet. He'll still want to hang with the guy who is of the same temperament over a guy who feeds gasoline to his flowers.

Manopeace

on May 06, 2005

Bias is usually something one gets from a bad experience. A bad taste in oines mouth from a particular food, bad experiences from members of a particular ethnic group, etc.
If the latter gets magnified to the point that one believes that his race is superior to another, he is a racist. If he discriminates against same regarding housing or employment, he is a racist. If he uses racial slurs in his everyday language, he is a racist.
I for one am biased against racists!

Manopeace

on May 06, 2005

Bias is usually something one gets from a bad experience. A bad taste in ones mouth from a particular food, bad experiences from members of a particular ethnic group, etc.
If the latter gets magnified to the point that one believes that his race is superior to another, he is a racist. If he discriminates against same regarding housing or employment, he is a racist. If he uses racial slurs in his everyday language, he is a racist.
I for one am biased against racists!

Manopeace

on May 06, 2005

sorry for the double post...but PW's dont mind them...do we???

MasonM

on May 06, 2005

Consider an alternately worded definition of racist: holding a strong bias against a particular race.

In that light, yes that bias would be negative as it's based on race. I think it's a negative any time one stereotypes a group of people.

But now, to answer your original question as posed: No, bias in and of itself is neither right nor wrong and I would challenge anyone to show any person who has no bias about anything or anyone. No such animal.

I am very biased towards chocolate cream Oreos and against white cream Oreos. Uh oh, I must be a cookiest.

Dr Guy

on May 06, 2005

I am very biased towards chocolate cream Oreos and against white cream Oreos. Uh oh, I must be a cookiest.

*sigh* No, just a chocoholic!

Moderateman

on May 06, 2005

Reply By: Dr. GuyPosted: Friday, May 06, 2005again I agree, but again I stae "suppose" you do not like hanging out with "insert race or religion" and stae so publically, you are branded as some kind of hate monger. right?Ignorance on their part is not a crime on your part.

I got that doc, it's just somehow when you express a preference the liberal left screams, we MUST be more tolerent. well no thank you, I like being able to choose my friends without being labels anything.

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