Comments on: It’s very simple http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/ | social justice | higher education | technology | Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:30:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Jess http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-17970 Sat, 15 Dec 2007 23:47:59 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-17970 There is simply no racism in the cherished pastime of college football? Wow. It can be so depressing to live in the sea of ignorance that is the mid-Willamette Valley. There is simply no racism in the cherished pastime of college football?

Wow.

It can be so depressing to live in the sea of ignorance that is the mid-Willamette Valley.

]]> by: FinanceBuzz http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-17182 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 05:15:10 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-17182 I am pleased that Kevin Hampton stood up to this hypersensitivity that is attempting to further sterilize our existence out of some irrational expectation that people are offended by things that only appear ist on the peripheral surface. The thing that occurred to me reading how attending a football game in school colors is racism, etc. is that this is the battle I want to see the people fight who seemingly find racism/sexism/etc. under sofas, behind doors, and everywhere else they look. People may not pay much attention when you attack an obscure television show on an obscure network. However, when you start finding racism in a cherished pastime like college football (or sports in general) when there simply is none there (possibly the wigs of some individuals notwithstanding), people will hopefully consider what is being said (like in Eric's focus on the blackout game) and realize just how divorced a lot of the people with these viewpoints are from reality. Hopefully, this will spillover into not giving as much credence and influence to people who seemingly want to find some type of -ism in almost everything they observe. So I say, fight on Eric. Go after OSU's blackout. FYI, UGA hosted a blackout last weekend against Auburn so maybe you want to go after them (though I would be torn as to whether to be amused to watch UGA get attacked or begrudgingly support my arch-rival against such frivolous complaints as those y'all here on the ESB are leveling against OSU.) I am pleased that Kevin Hampton stood up to this hypersensitivity that is attempting to further sterilize our existence out of some irrational expectation that people are offended by things that only appear ist on the peripheral surface.

The thing that occurred to me reading how attending a football game in school colors is racism, etc. is that this is the battle I want to see the people fight who seemingly find racism/sexism/etc. under sofas, behind doors, and everywhere else they look. People may not pay much attention when you attack an obscure television show on an obscure network. However, when you start finding racism in a cherished pastime like college football (or sports in general) when there simply is none there (possibly the wigs of some individuals notwithstanding), people will hopefully consider what is being said (like in Eric’s focus on the blackout game) and realize just how divorced a lot of the people with these viewpoints are from reality. Hopefully, this will spillover into not giving as much credence and influence to people who seemingly want to find some type of -ism in almost everything they observe. So I say, fight on Eric. Go after OSU’s blackout. FYI, UGA hosted a blackout last weekend against Auburn so maybe you want to go after them (though I would be torn as to whether to be amused to watch UGA get attacked or begrudgingly support my arch-rival against such frivolous complaints as those y’all here on the ESB are leveling against OSU.)

]]> by: Bill http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-16906 Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:36:59 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-16906 Wow.... I have to admit some people are WAY to sensitive. The kids were not wearing blackface, look it up. In blackface, one highlights around the mouth with white or red paint or makeup to give the exageration of large lips. None of the kids were ever reported to have done this. ANd the afro wig was offensive? I have lots of friends who have afros, including Jewish friends (who refer to it as a JewFro), and some white kids with really knappy hair. That would be like saying the black student who attempted to kick a field goal at halftime while wearing an orange afro wig was making fun of Irish kids... Give me a break. The one right ABSOLUTELY NO ONE HAS is the right to not be offended. They were having fun and had no ill intention of what they were doing. If one was to live their life worrying about offending people, they wouldn't be able to do anything. Personally, I'm offended that people eat ketchup. That has got to be the most worthless condiment out there, but I don't think people should quit eating it just because of me.... Wow…. I have to admit some people are WAY to sensitive. The kids were not wearing blackface, look it up. In blackface, one highlights around the mouth with white or red paint or makeup to give the exageration of large lips. None of the kids were ever reported to have done this. ANd the afro wig was offensive? I have lots of friends who have afros, including Jewish friends (who refer to it as a JewFro), and some white kids with really knappy hair. That would be like saying the black student who attempted to kick a field goal at halftime while wearing an orange afro wig was making fun of Irish kids… Give me a break. The one right ABSOLUTELY NO ONE HAS is the right to not be offended. They were having fun and had no ill intention of what they were doing. If one was to live their life worrying about offending people, they wouldn’t be able to do anything. Personally, I’m offended that people eat ketchup. That has got to be the most worthless condiment out there, but I don’t think people should quit eating it just because of me….

]]> by: LAR http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-16902 Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:49:35 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-16902 I'd like to add a little moral philosophy analysis to this discussion. It cannot possibly be the case that immorality depends wholly or mostly on the intent of the agent doing the act. In fact, without the harmful effects on those who suffer the consequences of the acts, there would be no ethics. Ethics is about unnnecessary harm suffered and what determines this is the experience of the one harmed. Most of us, who stop to think about it, have experienced real harm, not intended by someone but caused by their actions nonetheless. If intent was required, there would be no penalties for people injured or killed by drunk drivers. The harm is real whether the agent intends it or not. Philip Hallie has a fabulous article called "The Evil That Men Think and Do" and it is about how we err when we focus on the intent of the wrong doer rather than the suffering of those harmed. I’d like to add a little moral philosophy analysis to this discussion. It cannot possibly be the case that immorality depends wholly or mostly on the intent of the agent doing the act. In fact, without the harmful effects on those who suffer the consequences of the acts, there would be no ethics. Ethics is about unnnecessary harm suffered and what determines this is the experience of the one harmed. Most of us, who stop to think about it, have experienced real harm, not intended by someone but caused by their actions nonetheless. If intent was required, there would be no penalties for people injured or killed by drunk drivers. The harm is real whether the agent intends it or not. Philip Hallie has a fabulous article called “The Evil That Men Think and Do” and it is about how we err when we focus on the intent of the wrong doer rather than the suffering of those harmed.

]]> by: Luke http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-16891 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:53:27 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/10/28/its-very-simple/#comment-16891 I hate to break it to everyone, but black is NOT an official school color of OSU, see my unpublished and censored Barometer column <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/~sugiem/blog/">at my blog</a>. The school's official color is orange, and only orange, with black AND white as compliments for the football team. Various other colors are used as well. Why is it that a whiteout was never suggested? Nothing scarier than a sea of pasty white faces staring back at me during a football game. Maybe with some white hoods. And a torch? I hate to break it to everyone, but black is NOT an official school color of OSU, see my unpublished and censored Barometer column at my blog. The school’s official color is orange, and only orange, with black AND white as compliments for the football team. Various other colors are used as well. Why is it that a whiteout was never suggested? Nothing scarier than a sea of pasty white faces staring back at me during a football game. Maybe with some white hoods. And a torch?

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