Miles Jackson wrote:
>
> On Sun, 4 May 2003 BrownBingb at aol.com wrote:
>
> > > CB: Yes, but, but for the scientific refutations, how would we know that
> > > race is an invalid biological concept ?
> >
>
> There are many bases for the certainty of claims; science is only
> one of those bases, even in an industrialized society like the U.S.
> There is absolutely no scientific evidence that supports the
> claim that angels exist, but about 75% of adults in our society
> are certain they exist! Tradition, family, mass media, peer
> pressure all play significant roles in the social production
> of certainties like (for many Americans) race, homosexuality,
> and angels (to cite a strange trilogy).
>
> All I'm saying is this: there are many ways to skin the
> ideological cat. Science is one possible tool. But as the
> example of angels demonstrates, people can believe anything
> with certainty, as long as the idea is represented as an
> obvious certainty in a network of ongoing social relations.
> --And so with racial categories or the lack thereof.
In an after-class discussion some years ago I carefully pointed out to a student that race was an invalid biological concept. He agreed. But his last words as we left the classroom to go our separate ways was, but there are cultural differences, aren't there (or something like that).
In other words, he had accepted the scientific disproof, without it causing even the mildest disocrd in his racist thinking.
And of course, what would now appear to be "racist" oppression occurred for thousands of years before "race" or "racism" were invented. A number of ancient thinkers calmly take slavery for granted without there being any racist element in their thought. Oppression and exploitation have existed as long as (perhaps longer than) class society, while racism is really only a little over 2 centuries old.
It is bad history, bad politics, and bad science to try to jam everything one dislikes or opposes under some single label.
Carrol
>
> Miles
>
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