Can someone explain to me how it is that the Church can create the Polynesian Culture Centre with which to preserve a culture, yet also institute the Indian Student Placement Program, which contributed to the erosion of another culture (or several cultures as it may be)?
Culture
Kim: I’m sure accusations of racism aren’t disrespectful, right?
I don’t know. Are you?
I’m just trying to see if there is such a thing as an accusation that rises to the level of disrespect, in your opinion. Obviously hypocrisy doesn’t cut it. I thought maybe racism–the ugly accusation that’s being made by directly and by implication by Rick and by you–might.
First of all, there is a difference between calling the actions or words of someone racist or hypocritical. It’s quite another to say label that individual as a racist or a hypocrite.
I can see how the latter could be disrespectful (based on what was said and the tone in which it was said), but I have a hard time believing that the former is disrespectful in every instance.
Given that we live in a society where people are defined by their actions (i.e. a baby is “good” if she sleeps through the night, a boy is “bad” if he wet his pants, etc), it doesn’t surprise me that some people do not differentiate between a person’s character and a person’s actions.
I have never in this post or my comments accused President Kimball as being either hypocritical or racist.
“Not only could that statement be interpreted to mean that participation in the programme has made them lighter, but it could also be interpreted to mean they only picked the whiter ones to participate.”
True enough, but if you look at the context of the article it’s plain to see that Kimall believed it was their activity that was lightening their skin.
I thought I had a link to the full article, but I can’t seem to find it. When I find it I’ll post it (or a link).
As far as the question,”Was he promoting members to do something evil?”
I don’t know. How do you define evil? I don’t think it’s particularly good to discriminate based on skin colour. Perhaps you feel differently. I also personally don’t believe in discriminating based on sexual orientation either, but I’d bet most members don’t have a problem with it.
Does someone really have to be doing evil to be wrong? It just seems too black and white for me.
Kim, I’m going to bow out of this conversation–maybe for a while but probably for good. The reason for this is that I again see my ugly side appearing. The side that is more interested in arguing than in edifying. The side that, not long after I had sincerely stated my desire not to attack you, attacked you. The side that stooped to snideness. I hope I can be more consistent in treating you as a friend, and offering a greater amount of conciliation and respect.
I think when others post we ought to give them a chance to convince us, and look first for where we agree. Instead there seems to be an attitude of looking only for what can be contradicted. I’m falling prey to that in myself, and I respectfully suggest that others are too. So I’d better leave, at least for now.