>what i mean by this oh so funny word selection, john, is that hopefully in a
>discussion about racial issues the writer will identify their perspective to
>the extent their race is equally apparent.
>
>as you've said yourself, in a discussion of racism, race tells us a lot
>about a person's point of view. and vice versa. for example, did you find
>it difficult to deduct dwayne, charles or my race from our postings
>discussing race?
>
>this would be irrelevant in any other context. maybe. perhaps you are one
>of the few who's ideas, beliefs, values, assumptions, etc., are never
>colored by your own racial heritage? and your racial and ethnic heritage
>never betrayed by anything you say or do, ever?
>
>R
Then the error is mine. I read your post as saying that it should be obvious what a persons race was by their posting, by the language, attitude, and ideas conveyed, rather than by their identifying their race. I did not find it difficult to discern the race of any person who has posted here but simply because it never occurred to me to try to do so. Some people have identified their race on this list but it isn't something I've attempted to figure out from peoples posts. Does a person of Japanese ancestry understand racism differently than someone of African or Mexican ancestry? Certainly, but unless they're commenting on something that pertains specifically to their identification with their race it does not matter. Everyone understands racism in subtly different ways. Not everyones opinions are worth reading or commenting on and their race has nothing to do with that. A person of Mexican ancestrys opinion doesn't have some inherent worth simply because they belong to that specific group. They can only speak to their own experiences with racism with greater authority. Incidentally I have no idea what racial ancestry you claim. If you posted it I missed it but I certainly cannot tell simply from your posts. Do you find it hard to deduce my race from my posts? I don't wear my racial composition on my sleeve as it were. I have been subject to racial discrimination from my own family members far more than from anyone outside my family. My experience is probably atypical.
John Thornton