In looking at racism and sexism we can outline several things in which to think about. First, what does it mean to be a racist or a sexist? Second, what are the reasons or background for being racist or sexist? Third what are possible similarities, differences, and issues between sexism and racism? Further we can look at the current issues of sexism and racism as we deal with them today. Such as minority groups and feminist groups and their practices of exclusion or correction programs like affirmative action. Finally we can ask the questions of why it is so important to rid ourselves of racism and sexism and what possible ways we can do so.

Racism is the view that ones race, particularly your own, makes one superior than another while sexism is the view that ones gender, particularly your own, makes one superior to the other. For example men are seen to be more independent, capable, and powerful than woman. Whites are also seen this way against those of color. The further removed one is from what is considered the normal the more inferior you are.

Jean-Paul Sartre in his description of the anti-Semite asserted that "[if] the Jew did not exist, the anti-Semite would invent him." Further explaining that the anti-Semite chooses to hate because this passion fills him when otherwise we would be empty (338-339). Others such as Marilyn Frye might describe racism less insidiously as she does sexism, "cultural and economic structures which create and enforce elaborate and rigid patterns..." (413). Perhaps it depends on different people and circumstances, it can be one or the other or even a little of both.

In The Erasure of Black Woman Elizabeth V. Spelman argues against the ideas that sexism is more fundamental than racism, that if you get rid of sexism all racism would be gone, and that sexism is much harder to eradicate. My argument would be that sexism is the most pervasive, while perhaps sexism is not the most fundamental, sexism accounts for at least half the population, racism can account for far less. Sexism occurs to those even who would be oppressors, such as the white woman. Spelman argues that you can't equate a black woman's experience of sexism with a white woman's experience, and that the black woman experiences oppression uniquely different from of the black man.

In describing her participation with feminist groups Bell Hooks "found that white woman adopted a condescending attitude towards me and other non-white participants" (363). Shelby Steele argues that minority groups and feminist groups have forgotten the objectives that called for their existence in the first place. In direct opposition of the integration sought in the mid-sixties they sought sovereignty and collective entitlements. Steele describes collective entitlements as "always undemocratic" and inherently exclusive (365 - 369). Both Michael Lind and Shelby Steele had problems with racial preference policies or programs such as affirmative action. Michael Lind described it as a "tokenism embodied in racial preference and multiculturalism" (374). Shelby Steele explained that affirmative action "has very little real impact on the employment and advancement of blacks" (366).

Shelby Steele described the reasons for getting rid of racism and I would assert sexism when she wrote, "[i]ntegration had little to do with merely rubbing shoulders with white people... [i]t was about the right to go absolutely anywhere white people could go... [t]o be anywhere they could be and do anything they could do [is] the point" (367). How can we get rid of sexism or racism? We can't do it by policing people's minds, locking them up for merely thinking sexist or racist thoughts. It is not the role of government to change public opinion. I would even assert that people have a right to think anyway they want. We can however begin to rid sexism and racism through education. Even now the next generation has a harder time understanding their parents racisms. It may not be as quick as many would want it but it can be done slowly by ensuring as Shelby Steele described it as "the inclusion of all citizens into the same sphere of rights, the same range of opportunities and possibilities" (369).


posted by dharh 11:45 AM Aug 3rd, 2007

I am almost done with the first version of online neTodo. There is a demo login people can use to test it out just go here and login with demo/demo for login and password. As soon as I finish all the rest of the items on my list for neTodo I'll release it everyone to register to.

posted by dharh 4:43 PM Jul 23rd, 2007

I added a new menu item under the logo called Link Blog which is a list of items I've marked as shared through google reader. It's a glimpse into some of the stuff I end up posting here and alot of stuff I don't.

In other news I've been mulling over how I want to approach posting more content to the site as most of it has ended up being political in nature or about the environment. This is in fact only a small portion of my daily life, where I actually spend most of my time programming, reading, and philosophizing.

I have never been good at organizing my self. For all my endeavors into doing so (book cases, file cabinets, plastic bins, cork board, etc), it has all amounted to organized chaos. Much like how this site came to be in the first place, where it is an attempt to bring a little order to my own chaotic mind, so I can have some semblance of backing up my otherwise intractable thoughts.

Hopefully I will do better.


posted by dharh 3:25 PM Jul 11th, 2007

The in deep thought code base has just reached v0.3. You can view the changelog to see the changes.

posted by dharh 1:51 PM Jun 19th, 2007

Wow not only are we using corn crops and such to make ethanol and plastics but we can make other stuff out of plant sugars?

posted by dharh 1:15 AM Jun 17th, 2007

If you are concerned about the genocide in Darfur and like John Lennon's music perhaps you would like to get the new album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, which reprises John Lennon's music played by many various artists.

Either get the CD, even though I've suggested before people shouldn't buy CDs anymore, or download from online stores like iTunes.


posted by dharh 8:06 PM Jun 15th, 2007

Yeah, ok so you can't really compare a giant MacBook Pro to the tiny Foleo and NanoBook, but the MacBook Pro just got updated today so here it is anyway.

Foleo as you'll note was released last week by Palm. It seems like a good idea. Basically adding a large screen and full keyboard to a palm device. Palm sees it as a companion to their palm devices.

Via then today releases their NanoBook Ultra Mobile Device (NanoBook woulda been just fine...) reference design. Running a 1.2 GHZ VIA processor, with up to 1 GB memory, 30GB hard drive, bluetooth and 802.11g, a DVI out, Windows XP or Vista, and I'm sure eventually Linux, it seem to beat the pants off the Foleo.

I think the NanoBook does win over the Foleo, if nothing else it is a full computer which can handle all the things I would expect from a device larger than a cell phone (or palm device if you want). The fact is palm sized devices are gaining more abilities becoming more like full mobile computers.

To make a lap sized devices, even though it is very small, with essentially the same abilities as their palm devices, is not really worth it. They should either focus on more innovations to their palm sized devices (touch screen, removing keyboard, larger screen) or focus on more advanced lap sized devices.

When it comes down to it though. I am not really as impressed with these new small notebooks. I am still looking for the large palm device (not depth) essentially like the iPhone but slightly larger and can wirelessly interface, control, connect, and VNC into any machine I have access too.

If I want a larger screen ill go with a MacBook.


posted by dharh 2:06 PM Jun 5th, 2007


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