Are people who are against civil rights racist?

[DrWeird]

It's hard to believe this day and age that there are people besides klan members who are against civil rights. But then there are civil libertarians. Some of whom claim that it should be within a persons right to discriminate by race. That is, it's OK if somebody wants black people to use the take out window instead of being able to sit at the counter. Or not be able to use the white persons fountain. Usually they say something like, "oh, I sure hope nobody would do that, but it's their right."

Would you consider this person a closet racist? Progressive? Just plain stupid?

[Syrinx]

1. it depends if they are against civil rights for everyone,

Or just particular races, I guess.

[Cleita]

2. Stupid is certainly the operative word here.

Unfortunately, this kind of racism is widespread and it's becoming more open today again since the days of MLK. It seems we are moving backwards instead of forwards. It's too bad that people like Mel Gibson, who seem to have some influence on the Jesus people, don't use that clout for something useful like diffusing racism instead of a violent film that is scaring everyone to death who has any sense at all.

[TheFarseer]

3. do you really think civil rights still has somewhere to go?

I think civil rights, if we're talking about race has gone as far as it should go. I know that black people and hispanics make less money than white people on average but that's just because the rich get richer, it's not a racial thing. It's a class thing. I know people that might think that mexicans or whatever shouldnt be here illegally or are causing too much crime for example but they wouldnt actually do anything about that and you can't ledgislate thought, so I'm not sure where else people want civil rights to go. Maybe you all can help me out with that cause I've often wondered. (Just so you know, I work with a bunch of hispanic people and an indian guy and a black guy and we hang out, cause they're cool people. Who cares where they're from?)

[DrWeird]

4. I'm talking about people who want to repeal civil rights.

Pre- Rosa Parks, MLK, sit ins, etc.


"I know that black people and hispanics make less money than white people on average but that's just because the rich get richer, it's not a racial thing."

Sure it's a racial thing. Studies of hiring practices show that identical application with black sounding names are less likely to get call backs than their white counter parts. So hiring practices are racist. Then there's the drug war, which is entirely racist. You can't pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you're on probation.

[Syrinx]

5. I see where you're coming from, and I agree with your sentiments

But it is important to realize that "civil rights" apply to everyone. Or they should, anyway. (And yes, minorities, tend to lose them first. But the Bushies want to take them away from everyone.)

Main Entry: civil rights
Function: noun plural
: the nonpolitical rights of a citizen; especially : the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress

[TheFarseer]

6. That's a good point about the drug war

I'm just not as liberal as some people around here. What would you do with the drug war? I'm convinced it's not working as is. Lot's of people are wasting their lives in jail and our tax money on drug charges when they wouldn't be hurting anyone and might have a chance to make something of themselves if they weren't in jail. You might even be able to convince me that pot should be legal. But are people seriously suggesting that crack, pcp, herion should be legal? (not that you were but ive seen other posts that made me wonder)

[DrWeird]

12. Maybe you should do some research.

Many countries have decriminalized drug use (not smuggling, production, etc.) and set up shelters for addicts. Crime has dropped precipitously and drug treatment saves dramastic amount of tax money compared to prison.

That's a lot more intelligent then sending pot smokers to prison.

[put out]

15. Racist drug war.

Perhaps Dr. W. was referring to the disparate penalties between powdered cocaine and crack cocaine. Powdered coke used mainly by whites, crack used mainly by blacks. Powdered coke, more expensive for the high. Crack, more potent because of the delivery system (smoking rather than snorting) and easier to buy in very small amounts. But the difference in sentencing guidelines (or are they now mandates?) are just amazing, even adjusting for the fact that possessing 1/8 ounce of powdered coke will draw you lots less jail time than if you cook it into crack.

Please don't flame me; I didn't mean to imply I think "all whites this and all blacks that". But those sentencing guidelines, I think, were targeted to unfairly penalize the users of crack as opposed to users of powdered cocaine.

Edit, I hope I was clear. I think those particular sentencing mandates are unfair and racially motivated.

[tobius]

7. try pulling youself up smokin crack, hooked on smack, doin meth,

hooked on drugs.

[Speed8098]

9. "hooked on drugs"

Ok, here we go.

Number one, the war on drugs MUST end.

If all the money wasted on this exercise in futility were to be spent on rehab and education, the drug problem would be much less than it is today.

When Nancy Reagan started the "Just Say No" campaign, I thought she was tripping. That idiotic idea shows just how far out of touch she was/is with the real world.

Number two, tax it, regulate it and pay off the national debt in 5-10 years. No, not just cut the deficit, PAY OFF THE NATIONAL DEBT.

Crime would decrease dramatically.

The list of benefits from legalizing ALL drugs is extremely long, can you tell me the benefits of continuing the joke of a War on Drugs??

People need to wake up.

[DrWeird]

11. How about I try pulling myself up on marijuana.

Oh wait, I'm already pulling a 4.0 gpa in my doctoral program and smoking weed. Good thing I'm not black, I could have been pulled over arrested, and spent decades in prison.

:eyes:

[Rich Hunt]

8. those aren't 'civil libertarians'

Those are 'Libertarians', with a capital 'L'.

I'm a civil libertarian, I'm sure many if not most people on DU are.

[rman]

10. proponents of the non civilian class

Theoretically the 'non civilian class' are civilians as well (in the end, we're all just people), but in practice they can get nearly anything, nearly any 'right' they want because of the weatlh/power they have. All those rights of civilians only stand in their way.

Seriously, why would any civilian want to give up his/her basic rights?

[amazona]

13. a not-so-closeted racist

I haven't personally heard this argument from anyone I didn't know was a racist already. Pinch your libertarian friends. I think you will find, when they kick back and open their hearts to you over a few beers, a great many of them are super, super, super racist. OK, I live in the south, but I can't believe some of the racist crap I've heard from libertarians. If you just don't say anything and let them ramble on, their true colors come out. It's a bit shocking.

[amazona]

14. argh --dupe, sorry!

edited to remove duplicate message