A series of arsons along Virginia's Eastern Shore were allegedly committed by...wait for it... a former volunteer fireman.
That's sort of up there with "Will a Catholic Priest diddle an altar boy?" or "Will a Kardashian screw a negro?" in the likelihood department, ain't it?
Showing posts with label stereotypes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stereotypes. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Stereotypes All Round
Down at a convenience store in Rock Hill, SC, in which the clerk was shot by the robbers...
...the clerk was the stereotypical Indian named Patel, and the robbers were the stereotypical Young Black Men.
...the clerk was the stereotypical Indian named Patel, and the robbers were the stereotypical Young Black Men.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Is Playing the Odds Racism?
"1 shot at business on Albemarle Rd."
One man was seriously injured in a shooting before daybreak Friday at a business on Albemarle Road, police say.
The shooting was reported about 4:45 a.m. at the Albemarle Business Center, a sweepstakes parlor near Central Avenue in the Eastland area.
There is no description of a suspect, and no arrests have been announced.
Well, that area of Charlotte is impoverished and home to a lot of African-Americans and Latinos. Much of the violent crime is concentrated in the area, especially robberies, shootings and murders. Most of these are committed by African-American youths who would probably closely resemble President Obama were that individual to have sons.
So, although no description has been published, you won't go broke betting that both the victim and the perpetrator were young, male and African-American. The Charlotte Observer may in fact be reluctant to publish a description for that very reason.
When you read crime reports a lot - - and I do - - you notice trends. Even other news stories tend to have trends when the human factor is considered. Crimes of violence - - murders, armed robberies, and rapes - - tend to be committed by young African-American men. Is it racist to say so? No. Many will hesitate to say so, though, out of fear of being labeled racist. Bank robberies, at least in Charlotte, more often tend to be the work of white men. Why? I don't know. It's a Federal offense to rob banks, and the prison time is substantial when you are caught.
When I read an article and note that a machete was used as a weapon, I automatically think that it was a crime committed by a Latino, and again I am usually right. Racist? No. Playing the odds.
Who makes meth? White rednecks, for the most part, and often white motorcycle gangs. Can't be racist for pointing that out, can I?
A common crime a century ago was to blind someone by throwing lye into their eyes. Who committed this crime? African-American women, for the most part. You'll occasionally read of attacks with acid in modern times (the English of Victorian times referred to it as vitriol-throwing) and it's usually Middle Eastern men who commit this sort of crime these days.
Hackers? White guys. It's playing the odds. Profiling, if you will. Stereotyping. I once came up with a satirical definition of the word stereotype: drawing conclusions about a group based on the observed behavior among members of that group, by someone who has not acquired a science degree. When an individual with a science degree makes conclusions about a group based on observed behavior among members of that group, it is called anthropology.
None of this is to suggest that playing the odds should be government policy, or to focus on a profiled group to the exclusion of other possibilities; but for a private individual who must make decisions while going about his/her daily business, you ignore the odds at your peril.
One man was seriously injured in a shooting before daybreak Friday at a business on Albemarle Road, police say.
The shooting was reported about 4:45 a.m. at the Albemarle Business Center, a sweepstakes parlor near Central Avenue in the Eastland area.
There is no description of a suspect, and no arrests have been announced.
Well, that area of Charlotte is impoverished and home to a lot of African-Americans and Latinos. Much of the violent crime is concentrated in the area, especially robberies, shootings and murders. Most of these are committed by African-American youths who would probably closely resemble President Obama were that individual to have sons.
So, although no description has been published, you won't go broke betting that both the victim and the perpetrator were young, male and African-American. The Charlotte Observer may in fact be reluctant to publish a description for that very reason.
When you read crime reports a lot - - and I do - - you notice trends. Even other news stories tend to have trends when the human factor is considered. Crimes of violence - - murders, armed robberies, and rapes - - tend to be committed by young African-American men. Is it racist to say so? No. Many will hesitate to say so, though, out of fear of being labeled racist. Bank robberies, at least in Charlotte, more often tend to be the work of white men. Why? I don't know. It's a Federal offense to rob banks, and the prison time is substantial when you are caught.
When I read an article and note that a machete was used as a weapon, I automatically think that it was a crime committed by a Latino, and again I am usually right. Racist? No. Playing the odds.
Who makes meth? White rednecks, for the most part, and often white motorcycle gangs. Can't be racist for pointing that out, can I?
A common crime a century ago was to blind someone by throwing lye into their eyes. Who committed this crime? African-American women, for the most part. You'll occasionally read of attacks with acid in modern times (the English of Victorian times referred to it as vitriol-throwing) and it's usually Middle Eastern men who commit this sort of crime these days.
Hackers? White guys. It's playing the odds. Profiling, if you will. Stereotyping. I once came up with a satirical definition of the word stereotype: drawing conclusions about a group based on the observed behavior among members of that group, by someone who has not acquired a science degree. When an individual with a science degree makes conclusions about a group based on observed behavior among members of that group, it is called anthropology.
None of this is to suggest that playing the odds should be government policy, or to focus on a profiled group to the exclusion of other possibilities; but for a private individual who must make decisions while going about his/her daily business, you ignore the odds at your peril.
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
New Game: Fill In the Headline!
Today's fill in the headline tests your knowledge of unfortunate stereotypes:
"Volunteer firefighter accused of ____________."
Answer in comments. Please don't cheat by Googling the answer. If no one comes up with it I'll do an update tomorrow with the answer.
update: "fraudulent use of credit card."
Thanks to everyone who played!
"Volunteer firefighter accused of ____________."
Answer in comments. Please don't cheat by Googling the answer. If no one comes up with it I'll do an update tomorrow with the answer.
update: "fraudulent use of credit card."
Thanks to everyone who played!
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Yassuh, Boss, Dat Be Some Finger-Lickin' Good Chicken
That would be Obama Fried Chicken in Beijing.
Here's the sign, with Barack Obama looking rather Chinese with slanted eyes and a toothy grin:
Here's the sign, with Barack Obama looking rather Chinese with slanted eyes and a toothy grin:
Friday, September 16, 2011
One of Them Rhetorical Questions
The question being, "If you're a contemporary Hollywood director filming a remake of Sam Peckinpah's movie Straw Dogs, (in which a yuppie couple leave big city violence for a quiet rural existence, which is interrupted by violent locals), where do you decide to locate your film?"
Why, Mississippi, of course.
Update: Boston Globe review here. According to the reviewer, it's nothing more than a blue state-vs-red state war; tellingly, it's set in Blackwater, Mississippi. Lame.
Why, Mississippi, of course.
Update: Boston Globe review here. According to the reviewer, it's nothing more than a blue state-vs-red state war; tellingly, it's set in Blackwater, Mississippi. Lame.
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