From: Zhang, Yangkun (Yangkun.Zhang@FMR.COM)
Date: Tue Nov 28 2000 - 05:50:00 PST
>>They may be well-meaning, but it makes it no less racist.
> No, it absolutely makes it less racist. The article called the protesters
> racists because they intended to keep the poor poor, to make their own
I'm sure the Religious-Right is extremely well-meaning when they seek to
have all women stay home and raise kids, but it doesn't make it any less
sexist. I'm sure some Southern-Democrats back in the 19th century were
extremely well meaning when they figured that blacks were better off staying
on the plantations and "protected" by their previous masters, but it makes
it no less racist. A person can be well-meaning and still be racist. bell
hooks makes a similar argument in her book Feminist Political Theory From
Margin to Center regarding well-meaning white feminists who harboured much
racism, even if very subtle racism.
> If you concede that most protesters had
> good intentions, that claim of racism dissolves.
I'm sure you're aware of the phrase that the road to hell is paved with good
intentions? Just because they have good intentions doesn't make them any
less racist. I'm sure the colonialists were full of good intentions when
they seeked to "cultivate lesser-cultures" and bring the "Word of God" to
these heathens -- surely you can't claim that they weren't racist.
> Does that
> mean everyone was racist because they didn't fly to Malaysia and interview
> workers themselves?
It makes them especially prone to subtle, systemic racism. Do you think
Right-Wingers ever ask gay people whether they think the gay-life style is
"destructive?" I'm sure all the Religious-Right (at least most of them)
truly want to save the soul of the gays in this country, but it certainly
doesn't make them any less homophobic in my book.
It is appalling that the left in the Western countries can be so filled with
arrogance that they can systematically ignore their own inbred racist
tendencies and think that they know what is best for foreigners. Why don't
read some English language newspapers from Hong Kong, Singapore, India,
Japan, etc. They're fairly unanimous in condemning the left in the West and
the US in particular on labour issues. Failing that, go find some
fresh-off-boat (or plane) Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, whatever, and ask them
how they feel.
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