We have all seen on the news the terrible scene that played out in the streets in Minnesota when George Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old black male, was arrested by the Minnesota Police for attempted forgery at a convenience store. The action was caught on video as George Floyd, handcuffed and pinned to the ground face down by an officer who pressed with his full weight with his knee on Mr. Floyd's neck for more than 8 minutes. We watched and heard George Floyd crying out that he couldn't breathe. We heard him calling for "Mama". We watched as his body went limp with the officer still holding him down. This will be a scene I shall never forget.
As nurses, we see the horrific effects of racism in our hospitals and community every day. We cannot remain silent as yet another black man has died at the hands of police...
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George Floyd's last words were "I can't breathe.” George Floyd died shortly after arriving at the hospital."
Nurses jump into action when they hear someone say "I can't breathe", instead of standing there watching them die. Their goal is to save lives, not kill people
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In the case of George Floyd, Minneapolis Police took no care or life-saving measures. Instead, they left him pinned down to the ground until paramedics arrived. Police ignored the pleas of George Floyd and he died.
Nurses care for all patients, regardless of their gender, race, religion or other status. We expect the same from the police. Unfortunately, nurses continue to see the devastating effects of systematic racism and oppression targeting people of color in our communities. We demand justice for George Floyd and a stop to the unnecessary death of black men at the hands of those who should protect them.
As a nurse, or as a compassionate human, how has this horrific event affected you? We have seen protests (some peaceful and some that have erupted into riots), vandalism, looting, and more. What is going on in your community? What actions can nurses take?
Let us stand together and let our voices be heard. Post your comments below.
B. I'm not racist because YOU're trying to pull a bait and switch for being called out for racist behavior.
C. No one knows what anyone's race is on this forum until threads/subjects like these come along and you all expose yourselves spouting racist BS.
D. You can't request someone read something while predicting it on calling them a racist, being loudly wrong in doing so at that, followed by some twisted projection of your own behavior.
E. I'll mute you now because it's evident you're clearly FOS.
Thanks for doubling down on your ignorance. I see you and the other one are piggybacking off each other's trash behavior/mindset. Y'all play together and I'll just keep ignoring your existence.
By definition, anyone can be racist.
Racism is bias views or behavior based on someone's race, although at least some portion of what get's classified as racism is more accurately described as multifactorial bias, with racism being a component of that bias. When police treat people with bias, for instance, perceived socio-economic status often plays a role either compounding racism or completely independent of racism.
When you assume that police officer murdered someone, rather than employing an appropriate use of force, solely because the officer is white, that's racist.
When you state that whether someone can take part in a conversation or express their views is dependent on their race, that's racism.
Racism and all forms of prejudiced bias are bad things, it doesn't matter who is on which side of it.
Racism is bias views or behavior based on someone's race, although at least some portion of what get's classified as racism is more accurately described as multifactorial bias, with racism being a component of that bias. When police treat people with bias, for instance, perceived socio-economic status often plays a role either compounding racism or completely independent of racism.
When you assume that police officer murdered someone, rather than employing an appropriate use of force, solely because the officer is white, that's racist.
When you state that whether someone can take part in a conversation or express their views is dependent on their race, that's racism.
Racism and all forms of prejudiced bias are bad things, it doesn't matter who is on which side of it.
You've pretty well shown that, like all of us, you are capable of bias.
How do you define who isn't capable of bias, or is that everyone is capable of bias but it doesn't count as bias when done by certain people. Who are these people that can never be accused of bias? Is it just you that can't be accused of bias or is it certain groups of people?
We ALL have biases whether we want to acknowledge or even know about them or not. It's not good or bad or right or wrong.
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Psychologists at Harvard, the University of Virginia and the University of Washington created "Project Implicit" to develop Hidden Bias Tests—called Implicit Association Tests, or IATs, in the academic world—to measure unconscious bias.
About Stereotypes and Prejudices
Hidden Bias Tests measure unconscious, or automatic, biases. Your willingness to examine your own possible biases is an important step in understanding the roots of stereotypes and prejudice in our society.
The ability to distinguish friend from foe helped early humans survive, and the ability to quickly and automatically categorize people is a fundamental quality of the human mind. Categories give order to life, and every day, we group other people into categories based on social and other characteristics.
This is the foundation of stereotypes, prejudice and, ultimately, discrimination.
The ex-cop was found guilty on MULTIPLE counts. He's in prison. He tortured and murdered George Floyd. It's OVER. This thread needs to be CLOSED for good. It's visceral for me personally.....coming here and seeing additional hateful comments. Sure I don't have to look at this thread, but is this really what AN wants as it's headlined thread or topic. Give me a freakin break. This is NOT what nursing is about.
Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.
33 minutes ago, MunoRN said:
How do you define who isn't capable of bias, or is that everyone is capable of bias but it doesn't count as bias when done by certain people.
Bias is different than racism. Anyone of any race can have biases. Black people can't be "racist" to white people because they don't hold racial power over them. They can't use race to their advantage or look down on white people for their race. For example, there were "whites only" spaces in the south but no "blacks only" spaces. White people could sit anywhere on the bus, black people had to sit in the back. A white person could get a black person in trouble with a simple complaint, but not vice versa. Etc, etc. So there is no way for black people to be "racist" against white people. Even if a black person claimed to dislike all white people simply for being white, it wouldn't be racist. It would be biased.
You've pretty well shown that, like all of us, you are capable of bias.
How do you define who isn't capable of bias, or is that everyone is capable of bias but it doesn't count as bias when done by certain people. Who are these people that can never be accused of bias? Is it just you that can't be accused of bias or is it certain groups of people?
Why do you keep asking me questions you know I'm not answering? I don't care to have to keep explaining racism to people who clearly already have their minds made up while having the audacity to try to lecture me on bias and racism. The patheticness of it all.
Bias is different than racism. Anyone of any race can have biases. Black people can't be "racist" to white people because they don't hold racial power over them. They can't use race to their advantage or look down on white people for their race. For example, there were "whites only" spaces in the south but no "blacks only" spaces. White people could sit anywhere on the bus, black people had to sit in the back. A white person could get a black person in trouble with a simple complaint, but not vice versa. Etc, etc. So there is no way for black people to be "racist" against white people. Even if a black person claimed to dislike all white people simply for being white, it wouldn't be racist. It would be biased.
No, bias and racism are not two different things, racism is a subtype of bias.
Bias based on someone's race is racism, bias based on someone's sex is sexism, bias based on someone's class is classism, etc.
To suggest that treating others with bias is bad, but not when I do it, is a straightforward example of bias, specifically racism; you're determining whether an act or view is good or bad depending on the race of those involved.
In your example, if a black person claimed to dislike all white people simply for being white, you're correct it would be biased, and since it's racial bias it would more specifically be racism. Racism is a synonym of racial bias, it's not a different thing.
19 minutes ago, NurseBlaq said:
Why do you keep asking me questions you know I'm not answering? I don't care to have to keep explaining racism to people who clearly already have their minds made up while having the audacity to try to lecture me on bias and racism. The patheticness of it all.
I don't expect to keep answer the same question repeatedly, but if you answered it once that would be helpful.
No, bias and racism are not two different things, racism is a subtype of bias.
Bias based on someone's race is racism, bias based on someone's sex is sexism, bias based on someone's class is classism, etc.
To suggest that treating others with bias is bad, but not when I do it, is a straightforward example of bias, specifically racism; you're determining whether an act or view is good or bad depending on the race of those involved.
In your example, if a black person claimed to dislike all white people simply for being white, you're correct it would be biased, and since it's racial bias it would more specifically be racism. Racism is a synonym of racial bias, it's not a different thing.
I don't expect to keep answer the same question repeatedly, but if you answered it once that would be helpful.
I answered, you just didn't like the answer and chose not to accept it. That's YOUR problem, not mine. I refuse to go down this rabbit hole with you. Stop playing games with me. Read the thread and stop asking me stupid BS. Better yet, every time you ask me a dumb-*** question or make a stupid comment I'll just ignore you. Typical nonsense from folks who don't want to accept the fact that racism exists. And NO bias and racism are different and you will deal.
Read this, understand it, and read it again if you don't. But DO NOT continue to ask me questions predicated on BS!
I answered, you just didn't like the answer and chose not to accept it. That's YOUR problem, not mine. I refuse to go down this rabbit hole with you. Stop playing games with me. Read the thread and stop asking me stupid BS. Better yet, every time you ask me a dumb-*** question or make a stupid comment I'll just ignore you. Typical nonsense from folks who don't want to accept the fact that racism exists. And NO bias and racism are different and you will deal.
Read this, understand it, and read it again if you don't. But DO NOT continue to ask me questions predicated on BS!
Your article describes implicit bias as being a form of racism, it's subconscious racism as opposed to over racism, so I'm not sure how the supports the claim that racism isn't a form of bias.
But semantics aside, your point seems to be that by definition you can't have racist views (still not sure what definition you're referring to), but that instead you have racially biased views. Ignoring that "racially biased" is a synonym for racism, how is that better than having views you would define as racist?
I've pointed out repeatedly that racism not only exists but it's a significant problem, if you're going to accuse me of claiming racism doesn't exist maybe you could reference where I made that claim.
If you disagree with what I'm saying then feel free to explain why you think I'm wrong, but responding with name calling rather than debating the issue isn't how reasonable adults interact.
Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.
Racism is a system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on physical properties such as skin color and hair texture. This “system” unfairly disadvantages some individuals and groups and damages their health and mental health.
Its effects range from daily interpersonal interactions shaped by race to race-based opportunities for good education, housing, employment, etc. It is reflected in disparities in, but not limited to health, wealth, income, justice, and voting. It also unfairly advantages individuals belonging to socially and politically dominant racial groups.
Racism is structural, institutional, interpersonal, and internalized.
That is a description from the American Psychological Association. I know it seems like semantics and I didn't get it at first, but bias is different than racism. A black person really can't be racist toward a white person, but they can be biased. Because, a black person being biased against a white person does not affect that person's ability to get a job, housing, education, etc. Black people have never lynched white people. Racism is much more than disliking someone for their race, it has to do with the power white people who have those dislikes hold.
If a black person dislikes a white person for being white, that sucks, but it doesn't much harm that white person. If a white person dislikes black people for being black, it can cause major consequences for black people. An example would be when a white woman falsely accused a black man in Tulsa of assaulting her (later recanted), and a white mob burned down Black Wall Street. Police did nothing because they were racist and said it was justified. If a black woman falsely accused a white man of rape, I don't think NYC Wall Street would be burned down with no consequences or reparations. I am not trying to be argumentative, just explaining some things I've learned = )
Racism is a system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on physical properties such as skin color and hair texture. This “system” unfairly disadvantages some individuals and groups and damages their health and mental health.
Its effects range from daily interpersonal interactions shaped by race to race-based opportunities for good education, housing, employment, etc. It is reflected in disparities in, but not limited to health, wealth, income, justice, and voting. It also unfairly advantages individuals belonging to socially and politically dominant racial groups.
Racism is structural, institutional, interpersonal, and internalized.
That is a description from the American Psychological Association. I know it seems like semantics and I didn't get it at first, but bias is different than racism. A black person really can't be racist toward a white person, but they can be biased. Because, a black person being biased against a white person does not affect that person's ability to get a job, housing, education, etc. Black people have never lynched white people. Racism is much more than disliking someone for their race, it has to do with the power white people who have those dislikes hold.
If a black person dislikes a white person for being white, that sucks, but it doesn't much harm that white person. If a white person dislikes black people for being black, it can cause major consequences for black people. An example would be when a white woman falsely accused a black man in Tulsa of assaulting her (later recanted), and a white mob burned down Black Wall Street. Police did nothing because they were racist and said it was justified. If a black woman falsely accused a white man of rape, I don't think NYC Wall Street would be burned down with no consequences or reparations. I am not trying to be argumentative, just explaining some things I've learned = )
This is only assuming that the white person in question has some sort of authority or is in a position to create harm for the blk person. If a blk person falsely claims that a white person did something to them the same harm could happen. You are making assumptions here that may not be true. Bias and prejudice are different and bias sounds too meek. The term prejudice fits better. Many blk people are prejudiced against whites and from the news, it looks like against Asians also because the attacks seem to be perpetrated by blks. Prejudiced is the best term to use for any of these issues though racism is the term that is in vogue. Yesterday a student accused a teacher of being racist because she came in late and was told to get a tardy slip. Every student has to get a tardy slip. It is insane., Throwing this term around like it is being thrown will diminish it in time. It should be saved for important issues.
MunoRN, RN
8,058 Posts
By definition, anyone can be racist.
Racism is bias views or behavior based on someone's race, although at least some portion of what get's classified as racism is more accurately described as multifactorial bias, with racism being a component of that bias. When police treat people with bias, for instance, perceived socio-economic status often plays a role either compounding racism or completely independent of racism.
When you assume that police officer murdered someone, rather than employing an appropriate use of force, solely because the officer is white, that's racist.
When you state that whether someone can take part in a conversation or express their views is dependent on their race, that's racism.
Racism and all forms of prejudiced bias are bad things, it doesn't matter who is on which side of it.