Those who get knitted knickers from racism are only on the threshold of all the dreadful discriminations that people indulge in all the time. There are plenty of other evil ‘isms’ to be eradicated, all based on the same terrible inclination to identify with particular groups … even if their scabs are not picked at to keep them raw as regularly as the racism ones are.
What about feminism?
(Oops, bad example. For that one, the ‘feminists’ are trying to counter any form of discrimination based on their being feminine. Feminists aren’t the ones who are saying nasty things about females or putting them down; the ones anti-feminist are. Oh, blast!)
All right. Moving on. What about religion-ism. How dare anyone express doubts about other religions, or make any derogatory remarks about them? Identifying Christians, Muslims or Jews as being barbarians for carrying out inhumane slaughter rituals is not on. They need to be referred to in more general terms, perhaps, like ‘stone-age-minded individuals’? Thus, the mention of the actual religions involved is avoided. Factually inaccurate, but full marks for PC.
Then, there are all the evils of sport-ism. Here, the guilty parties will contend that a particular sport is superior to others. Horrors! (One should never even utter the sorts of jokes that compare cricket to watching grass grow, or that football — soccer — is a game for gentlemen played by hooligans while rugby football is a game for hooligans played by gentlemen. These might be seen as offensive.)
Or, in another form, sport-ism would hold that a particular fancied sportsperson or team is the greatest. Such dreadful practices make other sport sorts, people or teams feel bad. Disgraceful! Supporting your county’s team in a sport is, after all, no different to contending that the racial group you belong to is superior, and then deeply resenting anyone who maintains it is not.
Carried to excess, any support of a cause is shoving-ism … er, chauvinism. Contrary to what you may think, this term is not confined to boars but is actually “an irrational belief in the superiority or dominance of one’s own group or people”. Thus, it is possible to add an equally tautological female chauvinistic sow to the male chauvinist pig.
The President of South Africa is leading a great fight against intellectualism. Any dusky person who shows evidence of having a brain and using it is labelled a ‘Smart Black’ and treated with derision.
In fact, all these ‘-isms’ lead to a majorly evil ‘-ism’. Antagonism. Unfortunately, though, with human nature being what it is, this is one ‘ism’ people would find a way to perpetuate even if all the other ‘isms’ were done away with.
South Africa maintains all should be colour blind.
But then, just how come is it that they do give mind
To shades of all that play within a sporting team,
Or those that find employment in a business scheme,
And when these are too pale they all let out a scream;
It is a total bind!
Haha to compare Sportism to Racism
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Fed by all the same impulses!
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Interesting viewpoint on sport. I believe sport is an aspect of society that should be an accepting, friendly, and positive environment for people to be in. Too often in the news we hear issues of racism or financial breaches and problems. Sport nowadays seems to be moving away from its roots. It is important that we use sport as platform to encourage teamwork, good health, and positivity.
– Louis Rickard-Ford
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Indeed so. I don’t see anything wrong with sports fans being fiercely loyal to their team/s, as long as it is all in a ‘sporting’ spirit!
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After giving this post much thought, I think that I would qualify as a rascist, whether that’s a good or bad thing, doesn’t really worry me.
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Although the very mention would attract horrified wails of protest, I think it is true to say that everyone, black or white or green or blue, is a racist to some extent. One simply cannot escape entirely from a cultural bias.
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Brilliant post, Col! I’m afraid that ‘isms’ will always be with us. It’s scary to realise just how many different ones there. http://ismbook.com/ismlist.html
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How interesting that Christianity appears on the ‘ism’ list but is the only one not ending that way.
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Maybe it should be renamed Christiania.
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No, simply Christianism with Christianists or even Christism with Christists.
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That’s what I meant to type. My mind is playing tricks on my fingers today. 😀
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Better than fingers playing tricks on your mind!
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Aluta continua. Civilization is always a work-in-progress.
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With roller-coaster moments.
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I agree. Thanks for the wisdom.
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Risquay… well stated.
It is understandable that ole JZ wants to belittle people of intelligence superior to his… which would be 95 percent of South Africa… he is wearing stupidity like a badge! What is not understandable is how the hell he was pushed into the presidential role.
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He illustrates how unscrupulous cunning beats high intelligence hands down.
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“They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience” 😉
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Excellent piece, Leslie
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Thanks! I have this strange feeling that a number of people who think so will be too brainwashed to admit it.
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Probably right
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Agreed. Totally. In many instances anti-racism is just used as a political tool. And “hush” anything you say will be deemed racist, and you will be fined around 5,000 Euros… 😦
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Half these idiots who howl about racism have absolutely no idea regarding the distinction between identification with one’s group or undue discrimination against others.
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Very aptly put. ask a Kikuyu about a Luo in Kenya, or – I guess – a Zulu about another tribe. In that sense, the worst “racism” I’ve ever witnessed was in Africa… 😉
Thank you for the phrase. I may re-use it. 😉
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Indeed. We have seen constant xenophobic attacks recently against Nigerians and Zimbabweans etc working in this country.
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The defense rests your honour.
(Have a lovely week-end Leslie)
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