So having been publicly called a racist on this forum and then publicly told that it’s not OK to respond publicly, here’s a public response anyway:
Racism is believing that race or ethnicity determine human traits and that differences in these traits produce inherent superiority or inferiority in people. I think I have a pretty reasonable handle on what racism is and what it isn’t. I’m damned sure I’m not a racist.
Lampooning the social mores and fadism of inner-suburban subculture isn’t racism, it’s satire. Especially when the writer is on the inside - that’s the whole point of Christian Lander’s blog “What white people like” and the companion book. What Lander does is not unlike the kind of thing that goes on over at BikesnobNYC, which gets a lot of traction on this forum (only Lander doesn’t have the same vitriolic edge).
There was no racist intent or subtext in my threads and I’m a bit cross about the accusation that there is. I’m also a bit bemused about my threads being locked for it. Shutting down a public discussion because you misunderstand the topic or take umbrage at it for some reason isn’t moderation, it’s censorship.
If it was, it wouldn’t be such a big seller in Carlton. I don’t find it particularly humorous, but (as a non-white, Australian) it’s not racist.
Moderation yes, censorship no.
Firstly I’d like to thank you for the PM about your moderation issue. What I don’t like so much is the creation of yet another thread about this issue after being asked not to, please
If you are a fan of either Christian Lander’s work or BikesnobNYC, feel free to discuss it on their site. I personally don’t agree with the author’s work in this case, and I’m not the only one on this site who thinks so. So being off-topic and offensive, if only to a few people, gives it grounds for removal in my eyes. I’m as anti-censorship as much as the next guy, but this was not censorship, merely moderation.
I’m not sure anyone here called you a racist.
Now, cause im running out of padlocks, i’ll put one on this thread and we can all get back to talking about our fixties.