"Perhaps I should choose a less offensive word than race for the dominant physical characteristics of subsets of humanity which are not limited to skin color."
Dave, I'm not taking offence. The word "race" isn't offensive to me or to anybody I've ever come across. You seem absolutely convinced that my position is based on a desire to wish…
"Perhaps I should choose a less offensive word than race for the dominant physical characteristics of subsets of humanity which are not limited to skin color."
Dave, I'm not taking offence. The word "race" isn't offensive to me or to anybody I've ever come across. You seem absolutely convinced that my position is based on a desire to wish away the concept of race in the hope that racism will somehow die along with it. Please hear me when I say you couldn't be more wrong about that. My position is based purely on the data available (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_genetics#Race_and_human_genetic_variation).
Despite my extensive writing on the topic, people often assume that somewhere, deep down, I'm unable to think critically and objectively about racial issues because I'm black. And so they assume I'm saying things I'm not saying. I'm not sure if it's what's happening here, but let me at least be clear that I'm not saying any of this because I think it will somehow end racism. If everybody on Earth understood that racial categories are meaningless tomorrow, almost exactly the same number of people would hate others almost exactly the same amount based on the colour of their skin.
But all that said, yes, I'd suggest that you choose a different word than "race" to describe the various characteristics that can be found in subsets of humanity *irrespective* of skin colour. Solely because not a single person or organisation I've ever come across uses the word "race" in that way, and I think you'll end up being misunderstood.
From "diversity" questionnaires to census data to government data sources, if you find the word "race" on a form, or you see a data point broken down by "race," what you'll find underneath it 100% of the time is a short list of categories that will include "Black, "White," "Asian," "Hispanic" etc.
No "Black but with an epicanthic fold," no "White but with sickle cell trait," no "Asian but with a high proportion of fast twitch muscle fibres." No differentiation between black people from Zimbabwe and Senegal. Or white people from Finland and Italy. Or Asians from Nepal and the Philippines.
Racial categories, as they're actually used, are so broad they're meaningless. Based entirely on a casual glance at an eye-catching physical characteristic. That's why I keep comparing them to grouping people by hair colour or height.
Anyway, I think I'll join you in quoting Forrest Gump here. Again, absolutely no offence was taken, so apologies if I came off aggressive at any point. My exasperation is in no way to be confused with animosity.
"Perhaps I should choose a less offensive word than race for the dominant physical characteristics of subsets of humanity which are not limited to skin color."
Dave, I'm not taking offence. The word "race" isn't offensive to me or to anybody I've ever come across. You seem absolutely convinced that my position is based on a desire to wish away the concept of race in the hope that racism will somehow die along with it. Please hear me when I say you couldn't be more wrong about that. My position is based purely on the data available (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_genetics#Race_and_human_genetic_variation).
Despite my extensive writing on the topic, people often assume that somewhere, deep down, I'm unable to think critically and objectively about racial issues because I'm black. And so they assume I'm saying things I'm not saying. I'm not sure if it's what's happening here, but let me at least be clear that I'm not saying any of this because I think it will somehow end racism. If everybody on Earth understood that racial categories are meaningless tomorrow, almost exactly the same number of people would hate others almost exactly the same amount based on the colour of their skin.
But all that said, yes, I'd suggest that you choose a different word than "race" to describe the various characteristics that can be found in subsets of humanity *irrespective* of skin colour. Solely because not a single person or organisation I've ever come across uses the word "race" in that way, and I think you'll end up being misunderstood.
From "diversity" questionnaires to census data to government data sources, if you find the word "race" on a form, or you see a data point broken down by "race," what you'll find underneath it 100% of the time is a short list of categories that will include "Black, "White," "Asian," "Hispanic" etc.
No "Black but with an epicanthic fold," no "White but with sickle cell trait," no "Asian but with a high proportion of fast twitch muscle fibres." No differentiation between black people from Zimbabwe and Senegal. Or white people from Finland and Italy. Or Asians from Nepal and the Philippines.
Racial categories, as they're actually used, are so broad they're meaningless. Based entirely on a casual glance at an eye-catching physical characteristic. That's why I keep comparing them to grouping people by hair colour or height.
Anyway, I think I'll join you in quoting Forrest Gump here. Again, absolutely no offence was taken, so apologies if I came off aggressive at any point. My exasperation is in no way to be confused with animosity.