[Peace-discuss] [Peace] Stand Together with Community

Brussel, Morton K brussel at illinois.edu
Fri Jul 19 02:34:15 UTC 2013


A distinction without much of a difference… One can really get hung up trying to define/clarify racism. 

--mkb

On Jul 18, 2013, at 9:00 PM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:

> I want to question the notion that Trayvon was killed "due to racism." (It's obvious that A. Al-Awlaki wasn't.)
> 
> First of all, to be consistent, 'racism' (as distinguished, say, from 'racial prejudice') refers to laws and governmental practice, specifically such that one group, defined by descent (i.e. who their parents were), are disadvantaged. Thus the Virginia of my youth was a racist state (e.g., a Chinese friend could not marry a white person in the Commonwealth in those days), but it is no longer; South Africa, formerly a racist state, is not one today, although racial prejudice continues; and Israel remains a racist state,  even if some of its residents lack racial prejudice. In this sense, racism had nothing to do with the murder of Trayvon, but racial prejudice might have.
> 
> Second, suppose the 17-year-old in the hoodie on that fatal night had been an Arab, a Latino, or even a 'Caucasian': would matters have ended differently? We need to ask about the circumstances that led to an armed ne'er-do-well with a handgun patrolling a gated community to guard it from 'punks.'   
> 
> It says either too little or too much to say that Trayvon was killed due to racism. Why would we want to do that, and avoid talking about other social evils? 
> 
> --CGE
> 
> On Jul 18, 2013, at 7:27 PM, Karen Aram <karenaram at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> I'm making a sign for Sat., " Justice for Trayvon". On the other side, for you Carl, I will say "Justice for A. Al Awlaki" perhaps it will generate interest and raise awareness. They were both killed due to "racism".
>> 
>>> From: carl at newsfromneptune.com
>>> Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2013 16:02:25 -0500
>>> To: rachelstrm at gmail.com
>>> CC: sdas-list at googlegroups.com; peace at anti-war.net; occupyCU at lists.chambana.net; sdas-current at googlegroups.com
>>> Subject: Re: [Peace] Stand Together with Community
>>> 
>>> What's being demanded when we demand "Justice for Trayvon Martin"? The imprisonment of his killer?
>>> 
>>> I'd certainly support that, but I'd also want the killer of another innocent 16-year-old American, Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, to be imprisoned as well.
>>> 
>>> Many who (rightly) condemn Trayvon's killer seem to be fervent supporters of Abdulrahman's killer.
>>> 
>>> --CGE
>>> 
>>> <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/18/opinion/the-drone-that-killed-my-grandson.html>
>>> 
>>> On Jul 18, 2013, at 3:22 PM, Rachel Storm <rachelstrm at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Friends!
>>>> 
>>>> Didn't make it out to the rally against the Zimmerman verdict last week? Here's another opportunity to stand together with CU community members. 
>>>> ...
> 
> 
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