Category: “isms”

A characteristic/distinctive set of attitudes, beliefs, practices, principles, doctrines, and systems accepted as authoritative by some group of people.  Often associated with a political ideology, and sometimes seen as derogatory.

The term “ism” comes from the Greek and is attached to a noun to form words which indicate an action, state, or condition.  For example:

  • Marxism – following the teachings of Marx.
  • Criticism – the activity of criticizing or passing judgement on something.
  • Realism – concerned with what is real as versus what is intangible or abstract.

Ism’s can be:

Negative (and forms of oppression): sexism, heterosexism (or homophobia), ageism, ableism, classism, religious chauvinism, racism, etc.

Positive: egalitarianism, altruism, optimism, humanism, positivism, idealism, etc.

Descriptive:

  • E.g., of a political system: Nationalism, Communism, Fascism, Capitalism, Socialism, Liberalism, etc.
  • E.g., of a movement in the arts; Classicism, Romanticism, Impressionism, Modernism, Postmodernism, etc.

Just for fun, here’s a list of 234 different ism’s – including philosophical, political, and moral, and beliefs about proper government, God, and the nature of existence itself:  http://phrontistery.info/isms.html

Categories
"isms"

Let Them Breathe!

Photo Credit: Obi Onyeador
Listen!
A whole group of oppressed human beings is crying out to you in their pain, in their distress, “We can’t breathe!”

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“So many of you are asking: What can I do? There is a sense of helplessness, but that must not paralyze us. Your voice matters, especially when you are a leader or influential figure, and especially if you are white. Leaders have to be bold enough to state the obvious and call out racism.

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“The conversation can no longer be avoided because it is hard. We have to have it. Now.”
Masai Ujiri
(President, Toronto Raptors)
Categories
"isms"

This IS a white problem

As a Caucasian, I may not be individually responsible for the wrongs of history – I didn’t commit the offenses – some distant ancestor did.

I may be a good person, who believes in equality.

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But that does not let me off the hook:

Our Society, our wealth, our success rests upon a foundation largely built by enslaved labor. The soil we sprang from was made fruitful with the fertilizer of their blood, their bones, their suffering, and their souls.

We have, every one of us, benefitted from the sacrifices our ancestors extracted from these People.

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“This is a white problem. How are WE Caucasian people going to create equality? Listen. Read. Walk in others shoes. Organize. Sacrifice. Change. Support. VOTE! These are the MINIMUM of REPARATIONS.”
Steve Nash
(Basketball Hall of Famer, recent Canadian Sports Hall of Fame inductee, two-time NBA MVP)
Categories
"isms"

No Justice! No Peace!

Western Society enslaved Africans, brutally tearing them from their homes and families, and then working them to death to build our wealth. 
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For 100’s of years, Society has treated these People, whom we kidnapped, used and abused, with contempt, degradation, exploitation, brutality, violence, and summary execution.  And now, Society reacts with consternation when African Americans rise-up in frustration, responding in kind with contempt and violence? 
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Systemic racism has been an issue in Western Culture for over 500 years. If we don’t address our institutionalized oppression, if we don’t fix it, we will live through this kind of violent upheaval over and over and over … 
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The protestors are right: No justice, no peace!