The Hotbutton Racism Thread

[Chads]

Perhaps people who live in glass houses etc etc.

"When I see comments that Thais are lazy, stupid, a nation of halfwits, or are a “nation of children” it reminds me of what was said during slavery and segregation. It does not imply “equality” to me; it implies that the person making the comments believes himself/herself/his culture to be superior, and one is the master and the other is the servant."

I live in Thailand and speak to Thais on a daily basis, I regularly hear comments like the above, however its Thais who are making them, usually directed towards their neighbours from Laos, Cambodia or Burma.

Lets not forget the comments also passed about Indians and how they and their food stinks.

You only have to watch Thai lakorns to see the caricature sterotypical way people from Issan are portrayed.

It may well be the Op has looked in the mirror and doesnt like what he sees.

+1.

The most racist people here in Thailand are the Thais themselves.

+2.

Seriously submaniac, I have never been racist and will never support racism by anyone. But I'd like to see your replies regarding the racism of Thais against their neighbours in Laos, Cambodia and Burma.

Easy for you to criticize the silly comments made by a few people on this forum, but why not you do or say something about the racism delivered by Thais themselves? That would have a very real impact on Thai society because many of those people come here to work for Thai bosses.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Chads

[smokie36]

Perhaps people who live in glass houses etc etc.

"When I see comments that Thais are lazy, stupid, a nation of halfwits, or are a “nation of children” it reminds me of what was said during slavery and segregation. It does not imply “equality” to me; it implies that the person making the comments believes himself/herself/his culture to be superior, and one is the master and the other is the servant."

I live in Thailand and speak to Thais on a daily basis, I regularly hear comments like the above, however its Thais who are making them, usually directed towards their neighbours from Laos, Cambodia or Burma.

Lets not forget the comments also passed about Indians and how they and their food stinks.

You only have to watch Thai lakorns to see the caricature sterotypical way people from Issan are portrayed.

It may well be the Op has looked in the mirror and doesnt like what he sees.

+1.

The most racist people here in Thailand are the Thais themselves.

+2.

Seriously submaniac, I have never been racist and will never support racism by anyone. But I'd like to see your replies regarding the racism of Thais against their neighbours in Laos, Cambodia and Burma.

Easy for you to criticize the silly comments made by a few people on this forum, but why not you do or say something about the racism delivered by Thais themselves? That would have a very real impact on Thai society because many of those people come here to work for Thai bosses.

Surely that is only on topic if Thais are on this board making racist remarks about their neighbours.

[mauGR1]

My 2 satangs..

Almost everybody is a bit racist, and almost everybody think it's wrong to be racist.

Hardships can pull some of the best or some of the worst qualities out of humans; racism is quite nothing to be proud about.

[Rob8891]

AN APOLOGY

After the last exchange between myself and CMK, I PM'd him to clarify something. In light of his reply, I would like to withdraw my previous comment and apologise for getting him wrong. It was entirely my fault for not reading his earlier posts more carefully.

[thaibeachlovers]

Sorry, don't have time to read 11 pages, but would like to contribute to this post.

To start with, I take issue with your statement <The United States, unlike virtually every English speaking country, was the only one that had institutionalized slavery>.

England certainly had institutionalized slavery, as did just about every country in the world at one time or another.

I think you are being thin skinned about it. As one of Irish decent, I grew up in a world when "Irish jokes" were common place, and if it had offended me, I would have been permanently PO.

Lastly ( running out of time to write more ), when I see a woman riding a m'bike with one hand while holding a newborn baby with the other, it is hard not to be critical of Thais- that sort of behaviour is very common where I live, and it constantly makes me freak out when I'm on the roads ( and don't get me started on Thai "electricians" ).

[hookedondhamma]

Sorry, don't have time to read 11 pages, but would like to contribute to this post.

To start with, I take issue with your statement <The United States, unlike virtually every English speaking country, was the only one that had institutionalized slavery>.

England certainly had institutionalized slavery, as did just about every country in the world at one time or another.

I think you are being thin skinned about it. As one of Irish decent, I grew up in a world when "Irish jokes" were common place, and if it had offended me, I would have been permanently PO.

Lastly ( running out of time to write more ), when I see a woman riding a m'bike with one hand while holding a newborn baby with the other, it is hard not to be critical of Thais- that sort of behaviour is very common where I live, and it constantly makes me freak out when I'm on the roads ( and don't get me started on Thai "electricians" ).

The only thing about that, though, is you haven't seen the responses from the various members of the TV forum in this thread. I don't mind saying this thread opened my eyes quite a bit in subtle ways, so hats off to the OP for making it. If you can, come back and read it ... then later on read it a second time.

I know you probably are aware of it already, but for those of us who weren't born here, we will more than likely experience something that will make us turn our heads; as long as we remember that it is a different culture than the one we were brought up in, it'll help us keep our eyes open, as well as our minds (and quite possibly make us more accepting and compassionate of others). Hell, I got looks the other day from a group of acquaintances from using a fork, lol - it's just cultural thing.

I cannot count the number of times old men and ladies here have turned a complete 180 upon viewing that I was a person with whom they could relate with, even though I was of a different ethnicity (or not so much, but that's a different thread, lol). All it took was some persistence on my part, and acceptance on theirs (two traits all humans have a degree of, and many other positive ones as well, regardless of nationality)

We latch on to things for too long and it has the potential to become a great emotional/psychological burden. Of course thailand isn't fluffy cotton candy and gummy bears, but we should catch ourselves making consistent statements with negative undertones and check them, before they turn into the 'ball and chain' - everyone included.

Edited September 15, 2012 by hookedondhamma

[2unique]

Perhaps people who live in glass houses etc etc.

"When I see comments that Thais are lazy, stupid, a nation of halfwits, or are a “nation of children” it reminds me of what was said during slavery and segregation. It does not imply “equality” to me; it implies that the person making the comments believes himself/herself/his culture to be superior, and one is the master and the other is the servant."

I live in Thailand and speak to Thais on a daily basis, I regularly hear comments like the above, however its Thais who are making them, usually directed towards their neighbours from Laos, Cambodia or Burma.

Lets not forget the comments also passed about Indians and how they and their food stinks.

You only have to watch Thai lakorns to see the caricature sterotypical way people from Issan are portrayed.

It may well be the Op has looked in the mirror and doesnt like what he sees.

+1.

The most racist people here in Thailand are the Thais themselves.

+2.

Seriously submaniac, I have never been racist and will never support racism by anyone. But I'd like to see your replies regarding the racism of Thais against their neighbours in Laos, Cambodia and Burma.

Easy for you to criticize the silly comments made by a few people on this forum, but why not you do or say something about the racism delivered by Thais themselves? That would have a very real impact on Thai society because many of those people come here to work for Thai bosses.

What makes submaniac an expert on the racism of Thais against others. If his house was burgled by Brits would you then expect him to comment on Thai burglars or have a working knowledge of their mindset?

Would him being burgled be marginalized because hey some of his country men have committed burglaries...

If you feel aggrieved by or are seeking knowledge on the racism of Asians on Asians then start your own topic and maybe submaniac and /or other Asians or Thais will chime in.

Sent from Android, please excuse errors in type or judgement.

[jbrain]

I don't understand why the OP wants to bring up a topic that is actually such a known fact among his own Nation.

[2unique]

Lastly ( running out of time to write more ), when I see a woman riding a m'bike with one hand while holding a newborn baby with the other, it is hard not to be critical of Thais- that sort of behaviour is very common where I live, and it constantly makes me freak out when I'm on the roads ( and don't get me started on Thai "electricians" ).

Oh i couldn't agree more, I often shake my head and tsk tsk from the comfort of my air conditioned Mercedes wondering where on earth can she be going that's so important to her that it takes precedence over staying in her condo taking care of her baby... maybe it's the maids day off and she couldn't get a sitter but then why doesn't her husband help.

As much as I cringe to see it, sometimes folk don't have the same choices as you or I...

Sent from Android, please excuse errors in type or judgement.

[samran]

A few points:

1 Submaniac is Thai. Accept it.

It still would be interesting to know if submaniac is of Thai culture or not.

A passport doesn't make a person member of a cultural community.

Get a Thai passport and see if it stops Thais call you farang.

Why does it require a Thai passport to be offended by the offensive tripe that regularly comes out in posts like yours?

[JemJem]

There is quite a lot of bigotry on this forum (especially against Thais, ladyboys, gays, women, Moslems, Nigerians and Americans) and a lot of bigotry goes unpunished.

I personally am getting sick of the bigotry/fascism here.

And, of course, I sympathise with the original poster.

Edited September 15, 2012 by JemJem

[JemJem]

i would love to give my views on your PC rant but I fear the mods will suspend anybody who dares to contradict you

there is becoming less and less freedom of speech on the internet

You imply that you want to use 'freedom of expression' to insult certain groups of people ?!

I am sick of some anti-PC folks, using the 'PC vs anti-PC' factor to justify bigotry !

[smokie36]

Take a deep breath and relax before posting folks......

[chiangmaikelly]

I don't understand why the OP wants to bring up a topic that is actually such a known fact among his own Nation.

Why not? A lot of people in Switzerland don't like guns yet the Swiss have a high percentage of guns in the home. So the Swiss should not say they don't want guns in the home?

[jbrain]

I don't understand why the OP wants to bring up a topic that is actually such a known fact among his own Nation.

Why not? A lot of people in Switzerland don't like guns yet the Swiss have a high percentage of guns in the home. So the Swiss should not say they don't want guns in the home?

Of course they can, but what the OP is saying is the same as that the Swiss would say that their neighbouring country's should refrain from keeping guns in their homes, and I think that's called bigotry.

[Rob8891]

I think you are being thin skinned about it. As one of Irish decent, I grew up in a world when "Irish jokes" were common place, and if it had offended me, I would have been permanently PO.

Lastly ( running out of time to write more ), when I see a woman riding a m'bike with one hand while holding a newborn baby with the other, it is hard not to be critical of Thais- that sort of behaviour is very common where I live, and it constantly makes me freak out when I'm on the roads ( and don't get me started on Thai "electricians" ).

1. So because you had to put up with irish jokes racist comments thinly disguised as "jokes" , you imply that the OP should not be "thin-skinned" and put up with the barrage of racist slurs??????????????

2. You say you see ONE woman riding a motorbike while holding a child (that individual is seriously flawed, I agree) and you say ".....it is hard not to be critical of Thais....". XACTLY the sort of gross generalisation to which many posters are objecting.

3. Ditto your implied comment about Thai electricians.

It really could be a good idea to read through this thread, as already suggested to you, and maybe you would at least pause for thought.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Rob8891

[StreetCowboy]

I don't understand why the OP wants to bring up a topic that is actually such a known fact among his own Nation.

Why not? A lot of people in Switzerland don't like guns yet the Swiss have a high percentage of guns in the home. So the Swiss should not say they don't want guns in the home?

Of course they can, but what the OP is saying is the same as that the Swiss would say that their neighbouring country's should refrain from keeping guns in their homes, and I think that's called bigotry.

So you're saying that because the Swiss keep guns in their homes, its OK for us to keep guns in our homes? But the whole point is that we are holding ourselves up as better, more civilised, more broad-minded than the Swiss; not a claim that is supported by our generalising and stereotyping them as goat-milking, money-counting, cheesey clock-work yodellers.

SC

[chiangmaikelly]

I don't understand why the OP wants to bring up a topic that is actually such a known fact among his own Nation.

Why not? A lot of people in Switzerland don't like guns yet the Swiss have a high percentage of guns in the home. So the Swiss should not say they don't want guns in the home?

Of course they can, but what the OP is saying is the same as that the Swiss would say that their neighbouring country's should refrain from keeping guns in their homes, and I think that's called bigotry.

Don't want to start a language clinic but that is hypocrisy not bigotry.

[jbrain]

I don't understand why the OP wants to bring up a topic that is actually such a known fact among his own Nation.

Why not? A lot of people in Switzerland don't like guns yet the Swiss have a high percentage of guns in the home. So the Swiss should not say they don't want guns in the home?

Of course they can, but what the OP is saying is the same as that the Swiss would say that their neighbouring country's should refrain from keeping guns in their homes, and I think that's called bigotry.

So you're saying that because the Swiss keep guns in their homes, its OK for us to keep guns in our homes?

SC

No I wasn't saying that at all !!

What I was saying was that since the majority of Swiss keep guns in their home, they should not tell their neighbouring country's not to keep guns.

[jbrain]

I don't understand why the OP wants to bring up a topic that is actually such a known fact among his own Nation.

Why not? A lot of people in Switzerland don't like guns yet the Swiss have a high percentage of guns in the home. So the Swiss should not say they don't want guns in the home?

Of course they can, but what the OP is saying is the same as that the Swiss would say that their neighbouring country's should refrain from keeping guns in their homes, and I think that's called bigotry.

Don't want to start a language clinic but that is hypocrisy not bigotry.

Thanks for the correction, I'm not English native and probably the word you use is a better description.

[chiangmaikelly]

Why not? A lot of people in Switzerland don't like guns yet the Swiss have a high percentage of guns in the home. So the Swiss should not say they don't want guns in the home?

Of course they can, but what the OP is saying is the same as that the Swiss would say that their neighbouring country's should refrain from keeping guns in their homes, and I think that's called bigotry.

So you're saying that because the Swiss keep guns in their homes, its OK for us to keep guns in our homes?

SC

No I wasn't saying that at all !!

What I was saying was that since the majority of Swiss keep guns in their home, they should not tell their neighbouring country's not to keep guns.

Why not? The majority of women cheat and they all tell their husbands not to? The majority of men cheat and they all tell their wives not to? Seems natural to me. I smoked and drank and told my kids not to.

[jbrain]

Why not? The majority of women cheat and they all tell their husbands not to? The majority of men cheat and they all tell their wives not to? Seems natural to me. I smoked and drank and told my kids not to.

Maybe you should tell them also not to post on internet forums

[StreetCowboy]

...

Of course they can, but what the OP is saying is the same as that the Swiss would say that their neighbouring country's should refrain from keeping guns in their homes, and I think that's called bigotry.

So you're saying that because the Swiss keep guns in their homes, its OK for us to keep guns in our homes?

SC

No I wasn't saying that at all !!

What I was saying was that since the majority of Swiss keep guns in their home, they should not tell their neighbouring country's not to keep guns.

What about those Swiss people who do not keep guns in their home?

The point is that we know its wrong to keep guns in the home, and we pretend that we are better-educated than the Swiss. So regardless of the sins of some Swiss people, when a Swiss person reproves us for our behaviour, we should accept and address those aspects of our behaviour that we know to be wrong.

In fact, it should not need some secretive Central European bureaucrat to tell us that; we should seek to behave as we know we ought without getting dragged into "he started it" / "he's done more than I did" / "nothing to do with e, sir, I just held his legs" childishness.

SC

[TommoPhysicist]

What about those Swiss people who do not keep guns in their home?

The point is that we know its wrong to keep guns in the home, and we pretend that we are better-educated than the Swiss. So regardless of the sins of some Swiss people, when a Swiss person reproves us for our behaviour, we should accept and address those aspects of our behaviour that we know to be wrong.

Most Swiss men between age 20 and 30 are required to belong to the militia, they are issued rifles that they must keep in their homes at all times. Officers also have handguns to keep at home. How can it be wrong when their government compels them to keep the guns? After their service is over, they can keep the guns, but they have the full-auto mode disabled.

I doubt there are any nations in the world more civilized and broad-minded than the Swiss.

Edited September 15, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[chiangmaikelly]

What about those Swiss people who do not keep guns in their home?

The point is that we know its wrong to keep guns in the home, and we pretend that we are better-educated than the Swiss. So regardless of the sins of some Swiss people, when a Swiss person reproves us for our behaviour, we should accept and address those aspects of our behaviour that we know to be wrong.

Most Swiss men between age 20 and 30 are required to belong to the militia, they are issued rifles that they must keep in their homes at all times. Officers also have handguns to keep at home. How can it be wrong when their government compels them to keep the guns? After their service is over, they can keep the guns, but they have the semi-auto mode disabled.

I doubt there are any nations in the world more civilized and broad-minded than the Swiss.

The Swiss and guns was an allegorical point.

Edited September 15, 2012 by chiangmaikelly

[jbrain]

...

Of course they can, but what the OP is saying is the same as that the Swiss would say that their neighbouring country's should refrain from keeping guns in their homes, and I think that's called bigotry.

So you're saying that because the Swiss keep guns in their homes, its OK for us to keep guns in our homes?

SC

No I wasn't saying that at all !!

What I was saying was that since the majority of Swiss keep guns in their home, they should not tell their neighbouring country's not to keep guns.

What about those Swiss people who do not keep guns in their home?

The point is that we know its wrong to keep guns in the home, and we pretend that we are better-educated than the Swiss. So regardless of the sins of some Swiss people, when a Swiss person reproves us for our behaviour, we should accept and address those aspects of our behaviour that we know to be wrong.

In fact, it should not need some secretive Central European bureaucrat to tell us that; we should seek to behave as we know we ought without getting dragged into "he started it" / "he's done more than I did" / "nothing to do with e, sir, I just held his legs" childishness.

SC

No idea where you want to take this, but to clarify my point

a : This is not about if it is right or wrong to own a gun

b : Every Swiss that has completed his conscription has a weapon, so this means the majority of Swiss family's, not just SOME Swiss

c : When someone tells someone else that something is wrong, while it is a widely accepted fact in his own country, then the first one should look in the mirror before saying that.

[smokie36]

What was the topic again?

[chiangmaikelly]

So you're saying that because the Swiss keep guns in their homes, its OK for us to keep guns in our homes?

SC

No I wasn't saying that at all !!

What I was saying was that since the majority of Swiss keep guns in their home, they should not tell their neighbouring country's not to keep guns.

What about those Swiss people who do not keep guns in their home?

The point is that we know its wrong to keep guns in the home, and we pretend that we are better-educated than the Swiss. So regardless of the sins of some Swiss people, when a Swiss person reproves us for our behaviour, we should accept and address those aspects of our behaviour that we know to be wrong.

In fact, it should not need some secretive Central European bureaucrat to tell us that; we should seek to behave as we know we ought without getting dragged into "he started it" / "he's done more than I did" / "nothing to do with e, sir, I just held his legs" childishness.

SC

No idea where you want to take this, but to clarify my point

a : This is not about if it is right or wrong to own a gun

b : Every Swiss that has completed his conscription has a weapon, so this means the majority of Swiss family's, not just SOME Swiss

c : When someone tells someone else that something is wrong, while it is a widely accepted fact in his own country, then the first one should look in the mirror before saying that.

Would be a nice idea but it would also mean the end to politics and marriage as we know it and religion and well you get the idea.

[mauGR1]

What was the topic again?

Yep, smokie, i am reading about Swissmen and guns, and i wonder where is the nexus..

Oh well

[chiangmaikelly]

What was the topic again?

Yep, smokie, i am reading about Swissmen and guns, and i wonder where is the nexus..

Oh well

It was an allegorical point guys. Is that hard to understand?