Race, a real issue or simply a diversion?

Question

Race, a real issue or simply a diversion?

Answer 1

Both. It's a real issue because it's a diversion. The study of race takes attention, time, and resources away from more productive anthropological studies.

Answer 2

Depends on the discussion.  Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people who judge others by the color of their skin and/or the physical appearance.  Until this can be changed, there will always be racism.

Answer 3

It is a real issue because it is being used as a diversion.  There are not significant differences in race that require any sort of special treatment. It is unfortunate that one of the political parties is made of coalitions and tries to divide people based on race.  If anyone can't figure out which party looks at someone and sees race first, then your judgment may be clouded by wishful thinking which would make you a likely prospect for that party.  They like to pervert science if it helps them politically. How someone in the modern world could think the amount of melanin in the skin is what determines race is beyond me.  I suppose that is what happens when you need to divide up people and lie to them to get their votes.

Answer 4

Not all hard scientists consider race to have an empirical basis - in fact most do not.  

In the social sciences, most people consider race a social construct.  

HOWEVER, the fact that something is a social construct does not diminish its power and significance.  And, in fact, to deny that something exists because it is socially constructed is ridiculous.  Religion, society, and culture are all social constructs.  We can't make them go away simply by calling them social constructs.  

As long as racial discrimination exists, race will continue to be an issue. As long as ignorance and intolerance are the choice of a small but loud-mouthed, weak-minded, minority, we will continue to deal with this.  If you are asking about the current political campaign in the USA, then the obvious answer is - yes, for some people - perhaps most - it remains an issue.

Answer 5

It is a real issue.

Answer 6

The hard sciences see race as a reality, while the social sciences view this as a social construct.  Skin color is a very flawed method of determining race but geographical origin is somewhat more reliable.  The medical & biological fields tend to view race as important when defining methods of diagnosis & treatment of illnesses.  Social & politically correct views would lead  to treating all illnesses as if the person were a white male (done until recently).

While a complete genetic sequencing of a person's genome would be the most accurate method of determining one's race, location of ancestry (Asia, Africa or Europe) can offer significant clues as to which medicine might offer the best chance for recovery.  A person should always tell their M.D. as much as possible about their family & background if they want an accurate diagnoses & treatment of their problem.

Answer 7

Its a real issue only in the sense of the history of race relations. For a long time, race was a decisive issue in terms of what you could do or where you could do it. We like to think of ourselves an enlightened society, but we are not far enough removed from these times for it to be a non-issue. There is still social fall out from chattel slavery and the ensuing Jim Crow laws.

As a society, so much emphasis was put on race and how that related to intellectual capacity and virtue that it still has residual effects today on how people think about and react to race.

If America is not ready to confront its ugly history of race relations then it will never overcome them and advance. You can not simply sweep it under the rug and pretend it never happened, or pretend that everything is fine now.