Monday, May 5, 2008

Racism: The Arabs, the Jews and me




A note from Radarsite: Once again an article is born out of the comments thread. Sometimes, it seems that by attempting to respond to someone's statement we find that we have crystallized our own thoughts on the subject: in the process of explaining ourselves to someone else, we explain ourselves to ourself. Recently, a reader left the following comment to my Happy Anniversary Israel! article http://radarsite.blogspot.com/2008/05/happy-anniversary-israel.html
By reposting this comment and my (updated) response to it here again it is not my intention to try to embarrass one of my readers -- who has made several previous thoughtful comments on Radarsite -- but rather to address the subject of this particular comment, which is, I feel, important and worthy of further discussion. Ironically, the commenter is apparently in agreement with the general thrust of my article; however, it is their reasons for agreeing that I find myself at odds with.

I will be very interested in my other reader's responses to this discussion. And, of course, if the original commenter wishes to respond to this new article I will gladly post their comments.

Here, then, is the original comment and my reply:

Jews are the market dominant minority of the middle east. That is why they are hated so much. Instead of admitting that Jews are probably genetically smarter than other races, Muslims come up with strange conspiracies to rationalize their inability to build successful, modern societies.

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Thank you for your comment. Although, I have to say, I can only agree with your last statement. As to the rest --

I think that Jews are hated by Arabs because they are Jews; it's an integral part of their "religion" and their culture. To look for any other explanations is, to me, beside the point, and perhaps in an odd way lends a certain credence to their murderous lunacies.

Also, I cannot buy into the racially "genetically smarter" concept any more than I can buy into the "genetically dumber" theory that was proposed here earlier about blacks. To me, I'm sorry, but this is what racism is. Pure and simple. It is the attempt to bring people into line with some pseudo-scientific formula; and such attempts have almost invariably proved disastrous.

I believe that I am a wholly original mysterious creation, capable of almost anything, worth much more than my IQ, or any other test devised by man to circumscribe the essence of my being. I believe that I am not living a proscribed life, predetermined by my genetic make-up. I believe that I am a product of my mother's genes and my father's genes; but that I am also an absolutely unique creation, who has never before existed on this planet. I refuse to believe that I am a slave to my genetics, that I have no control over my own destiny. Where I am at this particular moment is, I firmly believe, due almost entirely to my own actions -- or lack of actions. This belief gives my life meaning and hope.

In my view, the differences between Arabs and Jews is cultural, not genetic. One culture upholds the importance of educational achievement above all else, the other one upholds the importance of generational revenge. Guess whose going to succeed in this life?

I find this whole discredited social/political construct of genetics unsavory and weirdly reminiscent of those loony but inevitably deadly Nazi (and pre-Nazi Germanic) racial theories.

There is such a thing as the individual human spirit which, though undefinable and intangible, can be the determinate factor in one's existence. To attempt to describe people by race or nationality or genetics is to ignore this fundamental element of one's character.

Racism, again in my view, is just another form of simplistic thinking, driven by personal insecurities. We are dealing with competing cultures, one is born to succeed, the other is born to hate. This is not a genetic problem, it is a societal problem; and, in the final analysis, it is a parental problem.

14 comments:

  1. If there's any genetic deficiency in this matrix, I might cite the Arab failure to generate sweat.
    Even the value of lands they so murderously plundered were developed by the 'sweat-equity' of others.

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  2. I afraid the that the myth of Jewish intelligence was started by American Jews.

    Let me explain before you get all hot and bothered.

    People ask me why I have a very Christian first name. The reason I give is the following:

    Up until the 1970's there was a quota system for the best American Universities. The quota for Jewish students was 13%. So only the best and brightest Jewish students would go. In some schools it was 3%.

    Can you imagine growing up and having your parents drum into your head: "You have to be smarter, better than all the other kids if you want to get into a good college." Can you imagine the pressure on the kid with that being taught to him or her?

    The second way to get in would be to sneak under the radar. You didn't put down your religion on the application. It helped if you had a Christian name or Christian sounding name. So many Jewish children were given Christian names (like I was).

    This was a sad chapter in the history of America, and thank God it has been corrected. But the myth is firmly in place.

    Today Jewish parents don't tell their kids that they have to be better than the other kids. They just tell them to do their best.

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  3. I'm sorry for bringing up the racial topic, it was distracting from an otherwise thoughtful post on Israel and the war.

    However, there is a tremendous amount of information online (rarely publicized by the liberal media) that has been posted as a result of James Watson's infamous comments last fall. It has been explored in a New York Times article here if anyone is interested.

    If anyone is curious as to why I chose the work "market dominant minority", here is the book summary.

    Anyway, to some degree I think the relative economic success of Israel is, to some degree, one of the reasons for it's unpopularity in the middle east.

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  4. Fascinating insight Findalis.
    unfortunate but true. And it's not just in American universities and colleges that Jews have found themselves in the oppressed minority and as a result have had to work harder than their Christian peers in order to succeed. This has been, as you well know, an historical truism. It is my contention that these unfair conditions inherent in the very nature of the Diaspora were one of the leading factors in the Jewish success story. Overcoming adversity makes us stronger.

    In the final analysis, whatever Jewish parents are telling their children, it sure as hell seems to be working, doesn't it?

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  5. Welcome back Johnson, and thank you for you intelligent and gentlemanly response. Actually, I think you did well by posting that original comment. It provided all of us with a chance to think about a contentious topic which deserves serious consideration.
    Your comments are welcome here on Radarsite at any time.
    rg

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  6. I wonder how true the Times article is. Studies have found that Intelligence is linked to the mother's genes (which explains Paris Hilton very well), so if a man wants smart kids, he better have a smart woman to father them with.

    But genetics can only go so far. The willingness of parents to sacrifice so their children have a better life is one. The willingness of parents to stand over their kids with a proverbial whip in hand and make them study is another.

    Too many parents skip the study part and let their kids run wild. Homework is something that can be glanced at, spelling doesn't matter in an age of spell check (yes it does, I thank God my parents made me learn how to spell), every child has some alphabet soup problem. My child isn't dumb, he has ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, his tired. Not that maybe Johnny is stupid. OH NO!

    Genetics will only get you so far (unless your name is Rockefeller or Kennedy). You skills that are learned in the classroom and home will take you the rest of the way!

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  7. Now you got me doing it Roger. Your article inspired me.

    http://findalismonkeyinthemiddle.blogspot.com/2008/05/judaism-and-education.html

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  8. I certainly agree with your answer. The differences between the two races, Jewish and Arab, do seem to increase exponentially each generation due to the Jewish cultural environment which promotes knowledge rather than the Islamic culture which would seem to promote destruction.

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  9. My friends,

    Not genetics, nor tradition, nor religion, nor culture; the word is "ENVY." Thus the hatred that may well one day end the world.

    Cheers,

    Charlie

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  10. Good point Ben. And worth remembering.

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  11. If that's true Katie, I'm glad, because you wrote a terrific article which I recommend to everyone.

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  12. Thank you and Hello Jungle Mom! Always great to hear from you. Hope all is well.

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  13. Anyone interested in this topic should take a look at Steve Sailer's blog here

    Also, the most mainstream media article on this subject was William Saletan's article in slate. Absolutely devastating plethora of evidence that supports the genetic role of IQ-race disparities.

    This article was fiercely denounced, but the evidence is hard to contradict.

    GNXP's Malloy wrote an even more convincing piece here

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  14. Johnson -- The more you comment here, the more I realize how far apart we are. I don't think you got the main point of my article -- I'm not interested in discussing genetic differences of race. If you could prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that there actually are genetic differences -- especially in terms of inherent intelligence -- between the different races, I still wouldn't be interested in getting involved in this discussion.
    By celebrating the invincibility of the human spirit, I am trying to prove that there are no inherent limitations forced upon us by race or gender or even by genetics -- all of these things and more can be overcome by the strength of our individual will. I am trying to prove that there is hope for us all regardless of our backgrounds.
    What are you trying to prove?

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