Skip to content

John Derbyshire

Political Discussion
87 10 2.3k
  • Anyone care to comment on his firing?

    Here's the column that got him canned from the National Review.

    Is that racist?

    @heckofajobbrownie said:

    Anyone care to comment on his firing?

    Here's the column that got him canned from the National Review.

    Is that racist?

    What's your take Heck?

    What parts of that article do you find to be objectionable, if any?

    Does he state that any of the characteristics mentioned are due soley to race?

    If not, per our definition, the answer would be no.

    WSS

  • @heckofajobbrownie said:

    Anyone care to comment on his firing?

    Here's the column that got him canned from the National Review.

    Is that racist?

    What's your take Heck?

    What parts of that article do you find to be objectionable, if any?

    Does he state that any of the characteristics mentioned are due soley to race?

    If not, per our definition, the answer would be no.

    WSS

    @westside-steve said:

    What's your take Heck?

    What parts of that article do you find to be objectionable, if any?

    Does he state that any of the characteristics mentioned are due soley to race?

    If not, per our definition, the answer would be no.

    WSS

    How about everything Cysko quoted? These are racist practices whether or not you agree with them. The reason this guy got canned is because he chose to speak only about blacks; a bunch of what he said can also be attributed to ANY large group of people who would think you are different than them, whites included.

    Agent K said:

    A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it.

    Fifteen hundred years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was flat. And fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.

    He'd have been better off saying it as a general statement than a message against blacks. I don't know who, here, would admit that they'd be okay with walking around Harlem at night, if you're white you stick out like a sore thumb, and sticking out like a sore thumb in an area like that makes you a target. On the same note, I don't think it's safe for whites to walk around Hawaii at night either. Apparently, it's not safe to carry skittles through an upper class whitebred community if you happen to be black. He could have just said to stay away from large groups of people who think you're different, as there are safety issues that may arise. Unfortunately for him, he went on about how blacks are untrustworthy, stupid, and incapable of doing the same jobs as whites. This guy is a racist and an idiot.

  • So basically you agree with those things but don't like the way they were stated?

    Stay away from large group who perceive you as different?

    Are you okay with stay out of neighborhoods inhabited mostly by people that don't look like you?

    In other words this is a style issue for you.

    WSS

  • Also it's not racist to warn white people to stay out of Hawaii after dark, right?

    Just wanted to be politically correct you know.

    😉

    WSS

  • You don't find anything wrong with this column, Steve? Really?

    I think it's the most overtly - and strangely - racist thing I've ever seen written by a major media figure. Just about everyone at the National Review agreed.

    I can't remember anything like it. You'd have to go back to Jimmy the Greek, and even that wasn't this odd.

  • So if you speak facts, that makes you a racist. I see.

    @diehardbrownsfan said:

    So if you speak facts, that makes you a racist. I see.

    How is 'avoid large groups of blacks not personally known to you' or 'see if the beach is likely to be swamped with blacks' a fact? That's the part that's racist.

  • @westside-steve said:

    What's your take Heck?

    What parts of that article do you find to be objectionable, if any?

    Does he state that any of the characteristics mentioned are due soley to race?

    If not, per our definition, the answer would be no.

    WSS

    How about everything Cysko quoted? These are racist practices whether or not you agree with them. The reason this guy got canned is because he chose to speak only about blacks; a bunch of what he said can also be attributed to ANY large group of people who would think you are different than them, whites included.

    Agent K said:

    A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it.

    Fifteen hundred years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was flat. And fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.

    He'd have been better off saying it as a general statement than a message against blacks. I don't know who, here, would admit that they'd be okay with walking around Harlem at night, if you're white you stick out like a sore thumb, and sticking out like a sore thumb in an area like that makes you a target. On the same note, I don't think it's safe for whites to walk around Hawaii at night either. Apparently, it's not safe to carry skittles through an upper class whitebred community if you happen to be black. He could have just said to stay away from large groups of people who think you're different, as there are safety issues that may arise. Unfortunately for him, he went on about how blacks are untrustworthy, stupid, and incapable of doing the same jobs as whites. This guy is a racist and an idiot.

    @vaportrail said:

    How about everything Cysko quoted? These are racist practices whether or not you agree with them. The reason this guy got canned is because he chose to speak only about blacks; a bunch of what he said can also be attributed to ANY large group of people who would think you are different than them, whites included.

    He'd have been better off saying it as a general statement than a message against blacks. I don't know who, here, would admit that they'd be okay with walking around Harlem at night, if you're white you stick out like a sore thumb, and sticking out like a sore thumb in an area like that makes you a target. On the same note, I don't think it's safe for whites to walk around Hawaii at night either. Apparently, it's not safe to carry skittles through an upper class whitebred community if you happen to be black. He could have just said to stay away from large groups of people who think you're different, as there are safety issues that may arise. Unfortunately for him, he went on about how blacks are untrustworthy, stupid, and incapable of doing the same jobs as whites. This guy is a racist and an idiot.

    I lived in Bedford stuyvesant area, Brooklyn and walked around alone and with my wife at night all the time. We were like token whites there and I am still alive.

    Billy Joel even wrote it into the lyrics of "I may be crazy" 'I was stranded in the combat zone, I walked through Bedford stuy alone' granted there was ubdoubtably a difference between 82 and 2005 but its not like they went away.

    Would I do it now, seven years older with kids? Hell no, but just being white isn't enough to get you killed. You also have to be seen as a good victim.

  • >>I can't remember anything like it. You'd have to go back to Jimmy the Greek, and even that wasn't this odd.>>

    For the sake of conversation, Heck, help me remember what Jimmy 'The Greek' Snyder said that got him in such hot water. It's been a while.

    Was what he said true or untrue?

    Was it the time, context, contnet, etc.?

    Between he and Al Campanis, I'd advise you to stay away from drunk Greeks.

  • I can't. Their food is too good. And I like drunks.

  • @heckofajobbrownie said:

    Anyone care to comment on his firing?

    Here's the column that got him canned from the National Review.

    Is that racist?

    What's your take Heck?

    What parts of that article do you find to be objectionable, if any?

    Does he state that any of the characteristics mentioned are due soley to race?

    If not, per our definition, the answer would be no.

    WSS

    @westside-steve said:

    Does he state that any of the characteristics mentioned are due soley to race?

    If not, per our definition, the answer would be no.

    WSS

    ...Ah, did you read the whole column? Maybe you need to read it again.

  • >> I can't. Their food is too good. And I like drunks.>>

    I'm a member of both clubs, LOL

  • Might be my favorite cuisine. Plus, I love a people who end a meal with a shot.

  • I believe the Greeks sin was speaking of the slavery days when the largest male and the largest females were bred for a large strong offspring. The exact same thing Ali and joe Frazier discussed on a panel.

    WSS

  • The point wasn't that what he was saying wasn't true to some extent - owners did find strong partners to breed stronger slave offspring - but that he used that to explain why he thought black athletes are superior to whites, and saying it was because of slavery.

    It was old man racism - not necessarily ill-intentioned, but not exactly the type of thing you want to be opining on if it's not exactly your field.

    Derbyshire's column is far, far worse than what Jimmy the Greek said, and far less defensible.

  • >>I believe the Greeks sin was speaking of the slavery days when the largest male and the largest females were bred for a large strong offspring. The exact same thing Ali and joe Frazier discussed on a panel.>>

    That's why I asked if what Snyder said was true or not?

    Kind of like the scene in Mandingo when Ken Norton was 'measured for success'.

    Ali called Smokin' Joe a 'gorilla' and lots and lots of people thought it was hillarious. Of course, his Contientious Objector status washed him of all his sins in many eyes.

  • The point wasn't that what he was saying wasn't true to some extent - owners did find strong partners to breed stronger slave offspring - but that he used that to explain why he thought black athletes are superior to whites, and saying it was because of slavery.

    It was old man racism - not necessarily ill-intentioned, but not exactly the type of thing you want to be opining on if it's not exactly your field.

    Derbyshire's column is far, far worse than what Jimmy the Greek said, and far less defensible.

    @heckofajobbrownie said:

    The point wasn't that what he was saying wasn't true to some extent - owners did find strong partners to breed stronger slave offspring - but that he used that to explain why he thought black athletes are superior to whites, and saying it was because of slavery.

    It was old man racism - not necessarily ill-intentioned, but not exactly the type of thing you want to be opining on if it's not exactly your field.

    Derbyshire's column is far, far worse than what Jimmy the Greek said, and far less defensible.

    So Ali is a racist too. Great.

    Seems like everybody is except you huh?

    WSS

  • @heckofajobbrownie said:

    The point wasn't that what he was saying wasn't true to some extent - owners did find strong partners to breed stronger slave offspring - but that he used that to explain why he thought black athletes are superior to whites, and saying it was because of slavery.

    It was old man racism - not necessarily ill-intentioned, but not exactly the type of thing you want to be opining on if it's not exactly your field.

    Derbyshire's column is far, far worse than what Jimmy the Greek said, and far less defensible.

    So Ali is a racist too. Great.

    Seems like everybody is except you huh?

    WSS

    @westside-steve said:

    So Ali is a racist too. Great.

    Seems like everybody is except you huh?

    WSS

    You've finally understood my point!

    Delightful.

  • Here is something I would take issue with.

    If we are using IQ as a basis of intelligence I would not say vastly.

    I recal a study years ago that found slight differences among the races.

    WSS

  • Any time something good happens to black people because they are black, that's racist

    Any time something bad happens to black people because they are black, that's not racist

    Any time a white person gets in trouble for talking about blacks, they are not racist but everyone else is

    I agree with the elderly on this board. BLACK PEOPLE ARE SCARY!

  • Steve, do you think the Derbyshire column espouses racist beliefs?