Jackie, I am probably one of the more conservative folks here, and even I have no problem seeing the racism in your statement. I’ll parse it for you:

I don’t want x group to become close-minded and self absorbed,
This part is a bit obnoxious–who are you to judge whether an entire group is close-minded or self abosorbed? Glass houses, stones, etc. That said, it’s not racist per se.

acting as if they’re the only group that’s ever suffered discrimination
This part is more problematic. You are linking “close minded and self absorbed” with “acting like they’re the only group that’s ever suffered discrimination.”

It’s the second part that is the bigger problem. What does that kind of “acting” look like? Does it–surprise!!–look exactly like “acting like they are a member of a group that suffered extraordinarily bad discrimination?” Because, you know, that second part is true for many people, which should be relevant here.

On to:
like Blacks are.
Now that you’ve made two general attacks on certain traits (see above) and have described those traits as negative, you are assigning these traits to blacks in general. In other words, you are saying that blacks are acting like they are the only group who has ever suffered discrimination, and that blacks are close-minded and self absorbed.

Wow.

Do you not see the problem with this? Do you not see how this is racist? If not, I can’t help you much, other than to advise you not to be to, um, “close-minded or self absorbed.”

M-W’s definition of racism:
“a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race”

You said that blacks — a racial group — were closed-minded and self-absorbed. The latter qualities are human traits, and evidently you believe that blackness is the primary determinant (or at least an important one, seeing as you deemed it notable enough to mention in tandem with these traits) … unless you believe that correlation is not causation in this instance, or that a**holes just eventually become black as a result of said attributes (that the traits are the primary determinant of race instead, lol).

” I mentioned that while nobody questions all the criticisms Black people make of White people in a broad sense, nobody can even mention Black people without having claims of racism thrown at them.”

Patently false. People question broad criticisms that black people make regarding whites all of the time, and black people can indeed be mentioned without claims of racism being thrown at them…. why misstate the entire state of discourse on race in America to provide excuses for yourself? You pretty much said “black people suck.” You were called on it… so either prove that we indeed suck, or admit that what you said was wrong. Fight, or get your flag out.

Nobody has ever explained to me why that statement is racist, or not true. Apperantly I should know why it’s racist. All I can figure out is it’s racist because I mentioned Black people. I mentioned that while nobody questions all the criticisms Black people make of White people in a broad sense, nobody can even mention Black people without having claims of racism thrown at them. Then they are told, but it’s ok to discuss race? What, how can you discuss race when there’s always that one group of people you can never refer to without being called a racist?

Probably not.

I appreciate you’re honest reply.

I don’t pretend to be objective; all else being equal, I’m more likely to point out the logical flaws in comments intended to refute me, than I am in comments intended to agree with my point.

I tend to point out the logical flaws in any argument, whether I agree with the conclusion or not. That is, if I spot them. I think it’s inherently harder to spot logical flaws in arguments both whose premises and conclusions you agree with.

?No doubt I’m the only one who behaves this way. :-p

I’m sure you’re not.

I try to be fair. I try to operate under a strong presumption that people are honest about their experiences of being victimised, and to do so, whether or not those experiences support or detract from my political stances. I wouldn’t call this presumption objective. I just try to apply it fairly.

Incidently - and this will probably be surprising to many people here - the ethos behind that presumption comes from my background in rape support. It’s just the maxim “believe the survivor” applied to victimisation of all kinds, including being falsely accused.

No doubt I’m the only one who behaves this way. :-p

1) Anecdotes like this aren’t very meaningful, because we’re only hearing one side of the story. If your student and his/her parents could be here, posting in this thread, would their account match yours?

If someone posted here with an anecdote about how they’d been racially harassed, would you respond by saying “we’re only hearing one side of the story”?

1) Anecdotes like this aren’t very meaningful, because we’re only hearing one side of the story. If your student and his/her parents could be here, posting in this thread, would their account match yours?

2) Putting that aside, even if everything happened exactly as you say it did, one incident does not equal “many people.”

3) Because you have a Mexican wife doesn’t mean you can’t be racist. Nor does it mean you are. But bringing it up at all is irrelevant, at best.

4) I never suggested that people who are falsely accused need to apologize.

Your suggestions are way off! Many people invent racism because they are looking for excuses. It’s high time people stopped looking for excuses and started looking for solutions. To suggest an apology from people who are falsely accused is ludicrous!! The people making false accusations need to apologize.

3. Panels 6, 7, and 8, are red herrings.

If you believe that, there really is no hope for you.

Hey, I may be stupid, but I can learn.

I’m not disputing the truth of points made in those panels, nor their wider importance. They just don’t seem to be relevant to the point of the cartoon.

It’s a bit like the stereotypical “Millions of children in Africa are starving. So eat your dinner” non sequitur.

(and I’m The Ultimate Lurker :)