
It's a very clever thing that some people do: saying there is no difference between race and culture.
Race:
A race is a distinct population of humans distinguished in some way from other humans. The most widely observed races are those based on skin color, facial features, ancestry, genetics
Culture:
The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work.
Racism:
Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics.
The debate was basically this - if I had been beaten up by Maoris in school (have been) and assaulted and robbed by them on the street (have been), then I would begin to think "Every Maori with brown skin (who appears Maori) is violent and dangerous". Now, this could be mistrued as racism, as one could say "How can you say every Maori looking person (flat nose, brown skin, tattoos etc) is actually adhereing to the Maori Culture?" The fact is, I dont know that - but what I do know is that a Race breeds a Culture: historically and geographically that is correct. When I see an indian, chances are he is of indian culture. Chances are when you see a Maori he is of Maori culture. Although you can say that "Wait a minute, I know some Muslim Maoris, and a few German Maoris" that may well be so, but on a whole, a persons race will determine his culture.
That said, the numbers of Kiwis that are muslim, or Germans that are Sikhs, I would say is minimal. You would be scrambling in the dark with numbers there. The reason that Race is seen on an equal level as Culture is because it is a Race that (from a specific country or region) breeds and makes that culture, and all of those people generally look the same.
So when a Maori looking person is walking towards me on the street I will automatically say to myself "Shit, change sides". Although that Maori may a bible basher or devout priest, I dare say it. I tend to believe more in facts and figures. Although Maori make up only 14% of the population, they make up almost 50% of the prison population. So I judge people because most of the time, Ill get their culture and race right and it gives me a better chance to run if I am used to violence from that Culture. Is it really the culture that sets Maori off they way they do? Is it their race/ biological make-up?
I deal with Black Power all day so I suppose Im a tad corrupt in this field. Any comments?