ATAR Notes: Forum

Uni Stuff => Universities - Victoria => University of Melbourne => Topic started by: Chrissyy on August 10, 2013, 11:28:39 am

Title: [offtopic from UoM General Chat] discussion on racism
Post by: Chrissyy on August 10, 2013, 11:28:39 am
Racism IMO is never acceptable in any form. I almost got up and left after Sheila Jeffrey's in Sexual Politics referred to Chaz Bono as a woman and called genital reassignment surgery a 'violation of human rights'. I feel like reporting her to the Queer Dept. I can't imagine they'll be able to do much, though, she is esteemed world wide in the radfem community for her transphobia so this is nothing new and something I thought might happen when I enrolled to the subject. Thankfully we've moved on from bashing trans*people!
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: Professor Polonsky on August 10, 2013, 12:55:29 pm
I think the issue with saying that 'all racism is bad' is that it simply becomes a definitional thing. With every counter-example, one then changes the definition of racism until it becomes unrecognisable when looking back at the original definition (yay categorical imperatives!).

Also, taking a hit at an academic for a political view which you don't approve of is unethical, I would say. The freedom for academic pursuit is not one which should be taken away lightly, especially when the issue at stake is far from settled. There should be room for disagreement.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: Chrissyy on August 10, 2013, 01:12:07 pm
I think the issue with saying that 'all racism is bad' is that it simply becomes a definitional thing. With every counter-example, one then changes the definition of racism until it becomes unrecognisable when looking back at the original definition (yay categorical imperatives!).

Also, taking a hit at an academic for a political view which you don't approve of is unethical, I would say. The freedom for academic pursuit is not one which should be taken away lightly, especially when the issue at stake is far from settled. There should be room for disagreement.

This is ridiculous. To demonize anyone for the purposes of 'waking the class up' or in the name of humour is never okay regardless of context. The feelings of potential students in the setting of a classroom should never be lumped into the category of 'political view'. We live in a world where the lives of minorities are already unsafe enough - the least we can do is foster a safe environment in an academic space.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: Professor Polonsky on August 10, 2013, 01:49:50 pm
This is ridiculous. To demonize anyone for the purposes of 'waking the class up' or in the name of humour is never okay regardless of context. The feelings of potential students in the setting of a classroom should never be lumped into the category of 'political view'. We live in a world where the lives of minorities are already unsafe enough - the least we can do is foster a safe environment in an academic space.
Sorry, that was about Jeffreys. Not the other lecturer.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: 816 on August 10, 2013, 03:13:28 pm
This is ridiculous. To demonize anyone for the purposes of 'waking the class up' or in the name of humour is never okay regardless of context. The feelings of potential students in the setting of a classroom should never be lumped into the category of 'political view'. We live in a world where the lives of minorities are already unsafe enough - the least we can do is foster a safe environment in an academic space.

Lol at claiming Asians are a minority at UoM.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: Chrissyy on August 10, 2013, 03:24:22 pm
Lol at claiming Asians are a minority at UoM.

The institutional power still resides with the white man.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: Professor Polonsky on August 10, 2013, 04:37:30 pm
Really? I'd be quite interested if you could point out in what form exactly institutional racism exists in Australia. :)
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: 816 on August 10, 2013, 07:12:30 pm
Cbf making a thoughtful post on the matter but harden up, racist jokes are funny.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: simpak on August 10, 2013, 07:30:32 pm
Really? I'd be quite interested if you could point out in what form exactly institutional racism exists in Australia. :)

OMG Australia's Next Top Model although it's not an institution but rather an INDUSTRY.
<3
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: golden on August 10, 2013, 07:32:45 pm
Cbf making a thoughtful post on the matter but harden up, racist jokes are funny.

Are you serious?
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: 816 on August 10, 2013, 07:34:59 pm
OMG Australia's Next Top Model although it's not an institution but rather an INDUSTRY.
<3

Dunno if that's necessarily racism. 92% of Australia white.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: 816 on August 10, 2013, 07:36:50 pm
Are you serious?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4YJAs6Cv9I

100% serious, if it were up to me, there would be more racist jokes.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: golden on August 10, 2013, 07:57:38 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4YJAs6Cv9I

100% serious, if it were up to me, there would be more racist jokes.

I guess that's your personal opinion.

But to ask someone to not take offence to something that they personally find offensive, because it represents them as a person in who they are, and just "harden up, racist jokes are funny" is likely to be mocking them and is silly.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: 816 on August 10, 2013, 08:23:37 pm
I guess that's your personal opinion.

But to ask someone to not take offence to something that they personally find offensive, because it represents them as a person in who they are, and just instead "harden up, racist jokes are funny" is likely to be mocking them and is silly.

I disagree. It is Australian culture to amiably poke fun at our differences through racist jokes. Whilst I am in Australia, I believe I ought to have a right to my culture. If I should go to France, I have no right to tell them that they ought to start speaking English like the rest of Europe, the French people have a right to determine how things will be in France and if they choose to be difficult and keep speaking only French, so be it.

When they come to Australia, I will make fun of them for eating croissants, they can make fun of me for having a lack of culture and we can all be friends.
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: brenden on August 10, 2013, 08:25:57 pm
It was South African culture to segregate and stuff like that. "All goods, don't change, it's their culture, they have a right to it"
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: lavalamp123 on August 10, 2013, 08:26:56 pm
How does this constitute a University of Melbourne 'general chat'!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: Turtle on August 10, 2013, 08:33:36 pm
I wish we could all get along..I wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy :)

I apologise if not everyone has seen mean girls  :-X
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: 816 on August 10, 2013, 08:38:39 pm
It was South African culture to segregate and stuff like that. "All goods, don't change, it's their culture, they have a right to it"

I disagree, no one ought to be forced to do anything.

If I don't like French culture, I will not live in France, I won't ask them to change for me.
Title: Re: [offtopic from UoM General Chat] discussion on racism
Post by: ninwa on August 10, 2013, 09:36:07 pm
Mod action: split off topic posts

Go nuts, but in light of the sensitive topic please observe the forum/posting rules :)
Title: Re: Re: UoM General Chat
Post by: brenden on August 10, 2013, 09:51:59 pm
I disagree, no one ought to be forced to do anything.

If I don't like French culture, I will not live in France, I won't ask them to change for me.
You disagree with what?
Title: Re: [offtopic from UoM General Chat] discussion on racism
Post by: spectroscopy on August 10, 2013, 10:23:21 pm
at my school in our classes we actually had serious discussions about racism, and my class being 40% asian 40% curry, 1 aboriginal and the rest wogs, none of us had ever been seriously vilified for racism. we make jokes to each other like calling people good at math cos theyre asian or they must do IT because theyre curry but no one takes it seriously and people get over it straight away. ive never seen or heard of in melbourne people actually being abused or being segregated or being at any disadvantage for stuff for being a minority
 (drunk homeless bogans who are high and angry all the time on public transport dont count)

seriously though, go to any other country, racism is waaaaaaay worse overseas than here
Title: Re: [offtopic from UoM General Chat] discussion on racism
Post by: Stick on August 10, 2013, 10:31:38 pm
I disagree. It is Australian culture to amiably poke fun at our differences through racist jokes. Whilst I am in Australia, I believe I ought to have a right to my culture. If I should go to France, I have no right to tell them that they ought to start speaking English like the rest of Europe, the French people have a right to determine how things will be in France and if they choose to be difficult and keep speaking only French, so be it.

When they come to Australia, I will make fun of them for eating croissants, they can make fun of me for having a lack of culture and we can all be friends.

Don't hide behind larrikinism and use it as an excuse for racism. It's because of this sort of behaviour that Australia is considered a racist country on the global stage.
Title: Re: [offtopic from UoM General Chat] discussion on racism
Post by: jinny1 on August 11, 2013, 12:07:22 am
Maybe the lecturer should reserve his xenophobic remarks to people who know him better because it is so easy for strangers to get the wrong impression. I would never make racist jokes in front of hundreds of people i don't even know lol

I really want to know what this lecturer has said.....