Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Texas Teacher Suspended for 'Go Back to Mexico' Comment [View all]Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)132. Nice job of splitting hairs
The term is commonly used negatively and is usually associated with race-based prejudice, violence, dislike, discrimination, or oppression, the term can also have varying and contested definitions.
Legal
The UN does not define "racism", however it does define "racial discrimination": According to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,
the term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.[14]
This definition does not make any difference between discrimination based on ethnicity and race, in part because the distinction between the two remains debatable among anthropologists.[15] Similarly, in British law the phrase racial group means "any group of people who are defined by reference to their race, colour, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origin".[16]
The UN does not define "racism", however it does define "racial discrimination": According to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,
the term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.[14]
This definition does not make any difference between discrimination based on ethnicity and race, in part because the distinction between the two remains debatable among anthropologists.[15] Similarly, in British law the phrase racial group means "any group of people who are defined by reference to their race, colour, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origin".[16]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism#Definitions
This is hardly inventing new definitions and at best is tangential to any meaningful substantive discussion on the original topic. So if you want to flaunt your knowledge of various English dictionaries, go right ahead, but please don't pretend that the definition of racism is as cut and dried as you claim.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
167 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
If you can't deal with difficult kids without racism, don't teach school in Texas. n/t
EFerrari
Feb 2012
#7
uh, no mexican isnt a race but most mexicans are a mix of indigenous american and european, therefor
arely staircase
Feb 2012
#89
"go back to mexico" has for my entire lifetime been a racist statement. a quite common one at that
arely staircase
Feb 2012
#126
Teachers are human. Her comment was a response to his comment and not racist.
Honeycombe8
Feb 2012
#85
I posted this before scrolling down (and seeing your plea to stop laboring this point).
boppers
Feb 2012
#152
I don't think TX provides alternative teaching materials & forms in different languages.
Honeycombe8
Feb 2012
#94
no, the forms in spanish were available in the office, the story says. nt
arely staircase
Feb 2012
#96
Oh, I missed that sentence. It says she tried to tell him to go get it from the office...
Honeycombe8
Feb 2012
#98
im a school teacher and i get the feeling the kid was being a total jackass
arely staircase
Feb 2012
#102
Me, too. If it's not a pattern and onetime frustration comment, give her a pass.
Honeycombe8
Feb 2012
#84
For the irony challenged, that's the same as calling all Latinos "Mexicans". n/t
EFerrari
Feb 2012
#30
I think it is the same, if you're talking about a kid who speaks only French...
Honeycombe8
Feb 2012
#86
the history of anti mexican bigotry in texas and the dirth of comparable francophobia
arely staircase
Feb 2012
#95
I live in TX near where that school district is. There is no anti-Mexican bigotry here...
Honeycombe8
Feb 2012
#99
then congratulations for living in the only town in texas with no anti mexican bigotry
arely staircase
Feb 2012
#101
You're off topic. This is about one remark by one person in response to one remark by
Honeycombe8
Feb 2012
#120
my favorite thing i when people call me and other mexican americans spanish
arely staircase
Feb 2012
#103
No, he's not right. Using nativist slams on kids entrusted to your care is wrong.
EFerrari
Feb 2012
#26
You are comparing language used by an insider to language used by an outsider.
EFerrari
Feb 2012
#107
Why do you think the school district is legally require to provide alternate books & forms
Honeycombe8
Feb 2012
#91
Granted, I'm saying the response (poor as it was) need not be fueled by bigotry
TheKentuckian
Feb 2012
#165
This isn't the first occurence of her making a negative comment about Hispanics. n/t
EFerrari
Feb 2012
#19
I am siding with the teacher because she should not be faced with losing her job over one comment.
Riley18
Feb 2012
#41
Aaaahh, it's good to know that every day I can wake up, log into DU and have my faith in.....
PavePusher
Feb 2012
#58
Note that he didn't say "Every Mexican-American kid had gang family members"....
PavePusher
Feb 2012
#83