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American democracy and its double standards


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The United States, considering itself an example of freedom and democracy is actively imposing its vision around the world. At the same time, the concepts "freedom" and "democracy" being a thinking foundation of majority in American society are represented by universal values. However, Americans regardless with other people`s views, opinions and tastes consider that "freedom" is doing everything the way they want to. As a result, American "freedom" and "democracy" actually turns out to be nothing more than an illusion and manifestation of double standards.

An example is a phenomenon of racism in the United States. The previous US leader Barack Obama being the only African-American president in the country`s history foreshadowed the end of racism from both a legal and political point of view. However, the coming to power of Donald Trump, almost "the whitest from all white Americans" showed that at social level racism has not lost its power. Moreover, according to data released in 2017 by The Center for research on hatred and extremism at the University of California, the number of racist attacks harshly increased, especially in big American cities such as New York and Chicago. This is evidenced by harsh increase of violence explosion motivated by racial hatred after the winning of D. Trump, which gave a courage to racists, first of all, by the fact that almost every statement he used was derogating people who are not rich, white, Christian or male.

The courage broke out in august 2017 in Virginia State, which was the epicenter of tension during the Civil War between North and South. At that time, the decision of local authorities to demolish a monument to the commander of the Confederate army, the leader of racist and right-wing extremist movements of the United States that was located in a small town of Charlottesville State, was met with protests. On the streets of that town was held a torchlight procession with obvious signs of sympathy to Ku Klux Klan, and in counterbalance took place an anti-racist demonstration. Protests of the members of the opposite views went into serious collision with loss of lives. The fact that racist-nationalists, having clashed with their opponents, came to the protests because of the monument with weapons is the most important indicator that racism continues to exist in the United States.

This is evidenced by long-term racist statements of online-showman Roseanna Barr. But despite that fact, "ABC" TV channel gave a green light to restart the show "Roseanna" for the second season taking advantages of the high ratings of the show. Artists, scenarists and producers decided to support the show, despite the racism of its co-author. That connivance led to the fact that on May 29, 2018, R. Barr wrote on her Twitter about the former senior adviser of President Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett, using the racist statement about the connection of African-Americans with monkeys. And only after that accident people finally paid attention on her racism. Her agents "ACM Partners" stopped representing her interests. Comedian Wanda Sykes, who was a consultant to restart the show "Roseanne", announced that she was leaving the show. Within a few hours, the "ABC" channel removed the new "Roseanne" show from the broadcasting grid, and the repeated showing of this show disappeared from the air of "T-V Land", "C-M-T" and "Paramount network". However, many of R. Barr`s Twitter followers revel in freedom and permission to be racists because the restart of the show helped to appearance of situation when white people feels themselves extremely comfortable as they are "the policemen for black bodies" in a social space.

Thus, if white people do not like something, in their opinion, in behavior of African-Americans, they just call the police immediately, even if there is not any impermissible or criminal action. For example, the police was called because of the one of African-American post-graduate student of Yale University, who fell asleep in her community dormitory room, and as a result, she had to prove that she had rights to be in her dormitory in her university campus. The police was called in South California because of the fact that black women were packing their baggage into a car, black teenagers were shopping in "Northstome Rek" in St. Louis, and black women in Pennsylvania were playing the golf too slowly. The police was also called because of one white woman did not like that black people were frying the barbecue using a coal grill on public territory in Aukland, California State. And in April in Philadelphia two men were arrested for attending a public café "Sturbacks" being black colored skin people.

In every of these situations white people took upon themselves a role of "policemen for black bodies" directly in public places. They thought that they have rights to do it because of the racism that they used for arbitrary determination of behavior boundaries that was acceptable for black people. They thought that they have rights to do it also because the racism allows to one group of people to feel themselves higher and have a power upon others. Meanwhile, the double standards exist in America.

And here is important to note a hip-hop music which is very popular and traditionally was written and listened by black colored skin teenagers from a working class. So it led to the fact that a slang of African-American people became a linguistic basis of hip-hop music. Meanwhile, African-American teenagers are trying to strengthen their solidarity and self-consciousness using the word "nigger" as an interclass term. This word helps black men to identify themselves as "inventive and pragmatic winners" of racial injustice. Nowadays, the word "nigger" is marked as the most using word, taking an important place in black teenagers` slang. African-American entertainers use this word in the meaning of the "guy", but with different spices and no one of them is really abusive. African-American entertainers and masters of ceremonies use this word in the meaning of "a guy" but with different spices and no one of those are really offensive.

It should be noted that white teenagers are listening to "hot" hip-hop music on money, sex adventures, life in ghetto and racial injustice theme too, and keep rhymed lines from ghetto on the top of music charts of popular music. However, white rappers should not use the word "nigger", but should avoid of the word on letter "n" preferring neutral expressions that are not associate with this word.  Otherwise, it will cause indignation from black audience that conceive the word on the "n" letter as racial offence which was always used and still used by white Americans. That is why during a concert in Alabama, the black audience in a hall started to hoot during the execution of the white fan of the song, who used the word "nigger", considering it as a racial offence. The video of that incident caused the scandal which attracted a lot of attention.

Also it should be noted that white Latin American of the "Rianna" group was fired on the eve of the concert on "MTV Video Music Awards" in Columbia because the team of artists decided to choose a completely black aesthetics that is besides a permanent guitar player of Rianna group there should not be white people on the stage. Moreover, if it were the other way around, a black musician would be fired in order to achieve exceptionally white aesthetics and this would definitely look like a moral offence. It would be pulled out common in such cases calls to consider that event in a context of a long history of slavery in that country. And many people would consider this reaction as justified.

Thus, racism has not gone away from the United States with their vaunted freedom and democracy, and moreover, it exists both for black and white people. This is an obvious evidence of double standards. Moreover, the unshakable confidence of Americans in the exclusivity of their freedom and democracy led to the fact that American policy in the world is perceived as Washington`s hypocrisy which tends to condemn the actions of other people, ignoring their own shortcomings.

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This is not an American problem. Racism and hypocrisy are found all over the world. The difference is, the Americans recognize racism as wrong and are trying to resolve it. It is a condition that has existed as long as humanity, so don't expect it to be solved over night.

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8 hours ago, Queenmandy85 said:

This is not an American problem. Racism and hypocrisy are found all over the world. The difference is, the Americans recognize racism as wrong and are trying to resolve it. It is a condition that has existed as long as humanity, so don't expect it to be solved over night.

i dont expect the problem to be solved over night. this stuff of course is found all over the world but especially in the US, imho. we see it almost in every movie on the tv or internet and not every American recognize racism as wrong. moreover, not everyone consider their actions as a manifestation of racism

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3 minutes ago, imnotyou said:

i dont expect the problem to be solved over night. this stuff of course is found all over the world but especially in the US, imho. we see it almost in every movie on the tv or internet and not every American recognize racism as wrong. moreover, not everyone consider their actions as a manifestation of racism

 

Just because there is more American film or television content viewed around the world does not mean there is more racism in the United States.   As stated above, racism is a global condition and problem, with many nations far worse than in the U.S., but with far less media coverage/content.

Racism can be systemic (legal) without any recognition or acknowledgement at all.

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On 3/7/2019 at 3:45 PM, Carlus Magnus said:

Poppycock, drivel, race baiting propaganda.

Look at the Jussie Smollett incident recently, and it is just one example of fake racial hate crimes. 

These racial crime hoaxes happen because the demand for racism has outstripped supply of racism.  

Then why doesn't Canada and the world destroy all Americans so that this American double standard that you speak of will end?

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I didn't talk about a double standard, I just stated the myth of American Racism so high that people who want more racism have to go create their own.

Lot's of posts round here about Canada stopping the US from doing this or that.  It's funny, in the US we don't talk about stopping Canada from doing various things.

If Canada wants to force the US to start or stop something, we are right here.  Any time you want to come force us into a course of action you are welcome to.

 

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9 hours ago, Carlus Magnus said:

It's funny, in the US we don't talk about stopping Canada from doing various things.

Because Canada is a kind and nice country that have never brought trouble to the ward.

9 hours ago, Carlus Magnus said:

If Canada wants to force the US to start or stop something, we are right here.

That's what I'm trying to say here.

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On 3/5/2019 at 9:15 AM, bush_cheney2004 said:

 

Just because there is more American film or television content viewed around the world does not mean there is more racism in the United States.   As stated above, racism is a global condition and problem, with many nations far worse than in the U.S., but with far less media coverage/content.

Racism can be systemic (legal) without any recognition or acknowledgement at all.

but we see that stuff on the tv or internet especially in the US you know. 
and you say that "racism can be legal without any recognition or acknowledgement at all", so its ok for you? you support a racism?

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22 minutes ago, imnotyou said:

but we see that stuff on the tv or internet especially in the US you know. 
and you say that "racism can be legal without any recognition or acknowledgement at all", so its ok for you? you support a racism?

 

The very concept of "race" is a social construct that has existed for millennia regardless of what I think about it.

Hence, racism exists around the world, in many forms.  

If there is too much racism to bear in American media...then don't consume it.

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23 hours ago, bush_cheney2004 said:

 

The very concept of "race" is a social construct that has existed for millennia regardless of what I think about it.

Hence, racism exists around the world, in many forms.  

If there is too much racism to bear in American media...then don't consume it.

Do you think all forms of hate speech should be permitted?  That’s the problem.  Some words are so offensive as to constitute true profanity.  Telling someone that they deserve to die because they are a lesser being shouldn’t be permitted.  Hitler dehumanized Jews by calling them vermin.  Once racist remarks become an acceptable form of public discourse, it’s easy to justify the elimination (murder) of such aberrations.  

It’s fine to be critical of ideologies/religion/viewpoints, as long as such criticism doesn’t degenerate into attacks on an ethnicity or people.  

“I may disagree with what you say, but I’ll fight to my death for your right to say it.”

We are civilized respectful people who can vehemently disagree in politics, religion, or on any range of issues.  That’s the beauty of our liberal democratic freedom.  The lives of all people are sacrosanct.  Debate is healthy.  Hate is not.  

Edited by Zeitgeist
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1 hour ago, Zeitgeist said:

Do you think all forms of hate speech should be permitted?  That’s the problem.  Some words are so offensive as to constitute true profanity.  Telling someone that they deserve to die because they are a lesser being shouldn’t be permitted.  Hitler dehumanized Jews by calling them vermin.  Once racist remarks become an acceptable form of public discourse, it’s easy to justify the elimination (murder) of such aberrations.  

It’s fine to be critical of ideologies/religion/viewpoints, as long as such criticism doesn’t degenerate into attacks on an ethnicity or people.  

“I may disagree with what you say, but I’ll fight to my death for your right to say it.”

We are civilized respectful people who can vehemently disagree in politics, religion, or on any range of issues.  That’s the beauty of our liberal democratic freedom.  The lives of all people are sacrosanct.  Debate is healthy.  Hate is not.  

 

You have fallen into the usual trap....expression vs. action.

Hate is not illegal.

All forms of speech should be permitted, and the most profane of all are the kinds that need the greatest protections.

...and we fight over far more pedestrian things than profane free speech.

Perhaps your country would not survive with a 1st Amendment...mine already has.

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44 minutes ago, bush_cheney2004 said:

 

You have fallen into the usual trap....expression vs. action.

Hate is not illegal.

All forms of speech should be permitted, and the most profane of all are the kinds that need the greatest protections.

...and we fight over far more pedestrian things than profane free speech.

Perhaps your country would not survive with a 1st Amendment...mine already has.

You’re wrong.  Words matter.  I’m not for banning most speech even when I know some of that speech is irresponsible, but when speech infringes on other freedoms like a child’s ability to walk to school and be in public places without being called racist insults, a line is crossed.  Limited free speech is not our problem.  CSIS doesn’t even track hate speech.  It tracks terrorist groups.  We need to look at the public discourse and consider whether ethnic groups or the followers of any religions are being seriously disparaged or dehumanized.  This isn’t about Puritanical political correctness and oversensitivity.  I realize that there are many critics of Islam.  I’ve been one of them and I accept criticism of Christian faiths though I like to consider myself Christian.  I think we need take care that such criticism doesn’t lapse into something genuinely sinister.  There are far more white supremicist groups now than there were 20 years ago.  Their rhetoric impacts public safety because some people express such ideas in violence.  Don’t worry, Soros and the Globalists aren’t going to throw the little ranting dress up militias into FEMA camps, but it’s sad to see how much xenophobia is driving the public discourse, and right wing populism has been a contributing factor.  The anti-immigration invective has made its point and needs to settle down.  

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1 minute ago, Zeitgeist said:

You’re wrong.  Words matter.  I’m not for banning most speech even when I know some of that speech is irresponsible, but when speech infringes on other freedoms like a child’s ability to walk to school and be in public places without being called racist insults, a line is crossed.  Limited free speech is not our problem.  CSIS doesn’t even track hate speech.  It tracks terrorist groups.  We need to look at the public discourse and consider whether ethnic groups or the followers of any religions are being seriously disparaged or dehumanized.  This isn’t about Puritanical political correctness and oversensitivity.  I realize that there are many critics of Islam.  I’ve been one of them and I accept criticism of Christian faiths though I like to consider myself Christian.  I think we need take care that such criticism doesn’t lapse into something genuinely sinister.  There are far more white supremicist groups now than there were 20 years ago.  Their rhetoric has impacts public safety because some people express such ideas in violence.  Don’t worry, Soros and the Globalists aren’t going to throw the little ranting dress up militias into FEMA camps, but it’s sad to see how much xenophobia is driving the public discourse, and right wing populism has been a contributing factor.  The anti-immigration invective has made its point and needs to settle down.  

 

I would be legally wrong...in Canada.    But I don't live in Canada.  

Again, you are trapped in the swirling of today's events without a longer time horizon or objective understanding of what limits on free speech would mean in many other settings/context.   It goes far beyond your concerns about xenophobia and populism...projected across international borders.

I have never supported banning the free speech of Islamists, and in fact encourage the engagement of same as a healthy inoculation and evolution, the same as many other groups have experienced.

Free speech is a far more powerful tool than censorship and hate speech bans.

More speech please....not less.

 

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Hate speech is just a word for free speech that liberals don't like. Inciting violence should be illegal, racist slurs should not. The point of free speech is not to protect speech that no one finds offensive, because no one will try to censor it, the point of free speech is to protect speech that some people find offensive, because people will try to censor it, like Zeitgeist here.

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1 hour ago, Yzermandius19 said:

Hate speech is just a word for free speech that liberals don't like. Inciting violence should be illegal, racist slurs should not. The point of free speech is not to protect speech that no one finds offensive, because no one will try to censor it, the point of free speech is to protect speech that some people find offensive, because people will try to censor it, like Zeitgeist here.

Yes I will in extreme instances.  Marching through Jewish communities waving swastikas and chanting “dirty Jews die” when these residents’ parents or grandparents were murdered by Nazis who thought and said the same things is too much of an abuse of people to be justified as a mere expression of free speech.  

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On 3/14/2019 at 2:46 AM, bush_cheney2004 said:

 

Don't ever say that in Haiti.

Canada contributed $440 million to rebuilding Haiti after the earthquake.  Many Canadians went to Haiti as volunteer medics or builders.  Quebec has a large Haitian population.  I don’t understand why you would think Canadians are so disliked there.  Government corruption was rife there and Canada opposed it. 

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1 hour ago, Zeitgeist said:

Yes I will in extreme instances.  Marching through Jewish communities waving swastikas and chanting “dirty Jews die” when these residents’ parents or grandparents were murdered by Nazis who thought and said the same things is too much of an abuse of people to be justified as a mere expression of free speech.  

 

Sorry, but your limits on free speech do not apply in the United States.  

U.S. courts have upheld the 1st Amendment rights of all citizens, including those with "swastikas".   

You do not have the right to not be offended...not even in Canada.

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3 hours ago, bush_cheney2004 said:

 

Sorry, but your limits on free speech do not apply in the United States.  

U.S. courts have upheld the 1st Amendment rights of all citizens, including those with "swastikas".   

You do not have the right to not be offended...not even in Canada.

Offended is one thing. I’m not talking about identity politics games with language like which pronouns are precisely correct to describe transgender people or ribbing over cultural traits, use of stereotypes, etc., but it’s fair to say that clearly racist or hateful language directed at people isn’t okay.  It’s certainly unacceptable on this forum.  Such language would have to be extreme to be illegal, but when it threatens or incites violence, that IS illegal, even in the US.  

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50 minutes ago, Zeitgeist said:

Offended is one thing. I’m not talking about identity politics games with language like which pronouns are precisely correct to describe transgender people or ribbing over cultural traits, use of stereotypes, etc., but it’s fair to say that clearly racist or hateful language directed at people isn’t okay.  It’s certainly unacceptable on this forum.  Such language would have to be extreme to be illegal, but when it threatens or incites violence, that IS illegal, even in the US.  

 

Good....you are learning the difference between free expression and actions.

This forum is privately owned and administered....with specific forum rules...but "racist" language is still permitted in some instances (e.g. "visible minority", colour of Obama/Trump's skin,  JWR "aboriginal" slights, etc.).

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18 minutes ago, bush_cheney2004 said:

 

Good....you are learning the difference between free expression and actions.

This forum is privately owned and administered....with specific forum rules...but "racist" language is still permitted in some instances (e.g. "visible minority", colour of Obama/Trump's skin,  JWR "aboriginal" slights, etc.).

I guess we’re into semantics.  I’d say we’re using racial, not racist, language.  Anyway I don’t see too much mean spirited discussion on here.  It gets heated and people get angry, which is fine.  

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