<<“Race” is an imaginary component of the socially constructed reality of race/ism.>>
That idea is found in many forms in a massive amount of literature produced by not only English majors but also by social scientists, cultural anthropologists, politicians, civil rights advocates, poets, philosophers, etc. And the idea has proved very unproductive for social, political, religious, etc. purposes. Or, more precisely, counter-productive in diverting our mental energies.
The phenomenon of "race" is a BIOLOGICAL REALITY, and refers to the fact generally recognized by the "man in the street" better than many academics, that over the tens of thousands of years during which our species spread over planet earth, those groups that became geographically isolated from each other became slightly differentiated from each other in appearance and form but still sufficiently similar genetically that they could interbreed successfully if they came back into contact with each other via migrations of populations. Where other animal species have similarly and visibly differentiated into geographically distinct subpopulatiion, those subpopulations have often been called subspecies. For people, the term "race" is more common. But regardless, the mere defining of different races or subspecies implies nothing about the importance or significance of such differences. It only suggests that the groups have been at least partially reproductively isolated from each other for some long period of time. Disciplines competent to evaluate such matters include population geneticists, physical anthropologists, evolutionay biologists, taxonomists, and such.
If Sheena wants to help the movement to forbid the government from requiring us to "state our race," as we attempted in California's 2003 Racial Privacy Initiative, she should not diminish her credibility by saying that race is imaginary or just a social construct.
Racism is a spiritual problem and there are no solutions by merely adopting the different platforms and philosophies of man. It is part of the eternal battle Of good versus evil. Spiritual problems require a Spiritual solution which includes repentance and turning to God. Without that, all that is being offered is a Band-Aid that when pulled off, is even more painful. Without godly sorrow and repentance, people will continue to harbor their sinful attitudes. and racism will continue. It’s not a matter of intellect or education; spiritual things are discerned by the spirit.
Ah, Sheena, I am so looking froward to your book. You clearly have continued growing in intellect and spirit, finding the language at just the right time to penetrate the fog.
<<“Race” is an imaginary component of the socially constructed reality of race/ism.>>
That idea is found in many forms in a massive amount of literature produced by not only English majors but also by social scientists, cultural anthropologists, politicians, civil rights advocates, poets, philosophers, etc. And the idea has proved very unproductive for social, political, religious, etc. purposes. Or, more precisely, counter-productive in diverting our mental energies.
The phenomenon of "race" is a BIOLOGICAL REALITY, and refers to the fact generally recognized by the "man in the street" better than many academics, that over the tens of thousands of years during which our species spread over planet earth, those groups that became geographically isolated from each other became slightly differentiated from each other in appearance and form but still sufficiently similar genetically that they could interbreed successfully if they came back into contact with each other via migrations of populations. Where other animal species have similarly and visibly differentiated into geographically distinct subpopulatiion, those subpopulations have often been called subspecies. For people, the term "race" is more common. But regardless, the mere defining of different races or subspecies implies nothing about the importance or significance of such differences. It only suggests that the groups have been at least partially reproductively isolated from each other for some long period of time. Disciplines competent to evaluate such matters include population geneticists, physical anthropologists, evolutionay biologists, taxonomists, and such.
If Sheena wants to help the movement to forbid the government from requiring us to "state our race," as we attempted in California's 2003 Racial Privacy Initiative, she should not diminish her credibility by saying that race is imaginary or just a social construct.
Racism is a spiritual problem and there are no solutions by merely adopting the different platforms and philosophies of man. It is part of the eternal battle Of good versus evil. Spiritual problems require a Spiritual solution which includes repentance and turning to God. Without that, all that is being offered is a Band-Aid that when pulled off, is even more painful. Without godly sorrow and repentance, people will continue to harbor their sinful attitudes. and racism will continue. It’s not a matter of intellect or education; spiritual things are discerned by the spirit.
Ah, Sheena, I am so looking froward to your book. You clearly have continued growing in intellect and spirit, finding the language at just the right time to penetrate the fog.