PC-ness has replaced logic & reasoning.

[miketurner]

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"Today, I find myself wondering “what is even a little racist about that comment?"

To me it shows what is likely a lack of understanding about "race" in general, and a lot of the reasons why blacks are generally superior athletes than white. All black people don't live in "the jungle", and very large populations have been isolated from that environment for as long as white europeans have been. The lumping of all blacks together and attributing them all the same charicteristics is racist- or at least is the basis of racism for a fair number of people.

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I know all black people don’t live in the jungle. I personally don’t know *any* who live in the jungle. But *ancestrally* they are from Africa. It is an entirely different environment there than Europe for example. It takes a different set of skills to survive there, historically. I’m sure that over time, as the world continues to be more global, (hundreds or thousands of generations of blacks living here for example) it will make a difference. Remember, blacks have only lived in the US for a few hundred years. That is hardly enough time to see a huge change in evolution or adaptation. You do already see some change however... Why do you think Kenyan’s always win the big marathons?
So, anyway... Please give me an alternate explanation as to why blacks are typically more athletic than whites. Or do you think it's racist to even acknowledge that? If so... why? All you have to do is look at results of athletic contests and compare the percentages.

[joel2006]

Blacks aren't more athletic, this has already been covered in several books. There are some events that people of various african descents dominate, like Blacks of west african descent dominate sprint events and east africans dominate very long distance running, but that is only a small part of all sports. BTW, there can be no connection between black athletic prowess and "living in the jungle" since there is very little jungle in Africa, Africa is mostly Savannah (grasslands) and desert. Most of Africa's jungles are lightly inhabited and none of the people who live in most of it (the Twa, also known as Pygmies) dominate any sports. Your mother's statement is at best extremely ignorant and at worst racially prejudiced, since it relies on demeaning stereotypes to pre-judge people of a differnt race. There is nothing PC about any of this. The list of sports that people of african descent DON'T dominate is much longer than the list of ones that they do. Like swimming (all events and distances), volleyball, soccer, table tennis, lacrosse, hockey, badminton, field hockey, handball, tennis, motor sports, golf, triathalon, etc. The problem is that peolpe believe what they want to, not what the facts state.

so is the statment blacks on average are faster runners true?

If so is that racist?

[joel2006]

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so is the statment blacks on average are faster runners true?

If so is that racist?

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no, there is no evidence to support the first statement. There is however ample evidence to show that the fastest of blacks descended from West Africans are slightly faster at sprint distances than the fastest runners of other groups. WA descended blacks tend to run slower than average at distances longer than 800m. Likewise a few ethnic groups from Kenya and Ethiopia (East Africa) tend to dominate very long distance races, and do poorly at sprint distances, but this has nothing to do with blacks in general. If you lump all african blacks into one group, then the differences cancel each other out.

[miketurner]

“Ignorant” is a word I can possibly accept. - Possibly. The definition of “jungle” is not necessarily the same as “rainforest.” It can be grasslands (I looked it up to be sure). Maybe not desert. - I’ll give you that. Maybe we are both ignorant of the exact terrain of Africa. But I’m pretty sure that my sister-in-law would be just as ignorant of the precise landscape. I don’t think that was the motivation for her comment.

Please explain to me how saying “blacks are BETTER at something than whites” is a “ demeaning stereotype” for blacks.

I understand that blacks don’t dominate every sport. I don’t mean to make that the emphases of what I’m saying at all. And I’m not “lumping” them all together. I still think that *generally* blacks are more naturally athletic. Maybe that IS ignorant... but it is certainly NOT racist.

[joel2006]

Dude there isn't much "jungle' in Africa, jungle is usually defined as thick tropical vegetation, must of Africa is either desert (Sahara, Kalahari) or wide-open grasslands usually known as 'bush country'. There are large jungles in Central Africa (Zaire, Uganda), where gorillas live and where the King Kong story is set, which has lead many people to think that this is typical of all of the continent, but it isn't true. Anyway most american 'blacks' are of West African descent and their ancestors aren't from any jungles. blacks of West African descent are faster at sprint distances (less than 400m) than other groups, that is why they currently dominate the NFL at running back, WR and CB positions, but speed over short distances is only one type of athletic ability. Many people think that events like the Triathalon or decathalon are a better measure of overall athletic ability and blacks definitely don't dominate at those events.

[Darryl_P]

OK, but the real question is: which racial group is the best at swinging from trees? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Athletic ability in the 21st century? Overrated, seeing as there is little need to run down you prey or escape from predators. It is much better to be endowed with intellect in these modern times. Just take a look at the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world; you don't see any football or basketball players in that list do you? And if you want to talk about intellect and race, well, that should be and easy argument. Look at your great minds of antiquity, Einstein, Newton, Franklin, Kepler, Galileo, Archimedes, etc. Where was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution? Which is the least developed continent on Earth? What continent lacks a single industrialized nation? What continent has the most industrialized nations? What is the least educated continent on Earth? What continent has the lowest life expectancy rate? In Forbes 500, Oprah Winfrey is the only black person listed and she is near the bottom of the 500 person list. There is no industrialized nation in the world with a black majority population. Even in the U.S. the gap between black graduation rates in high school and in college is significantly lower than that of their white counterparts. Pretty obvious to me.

[bocablkr]

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The list of sports that people of african descent DON'T dominate is much longer than the list of ones that they do. Like swimming (all events and distances), volleyball, soccer, table tennis, lacrosse, hockey, badminton, field hockey, handball, tennis, motor sports, golf, triathalon, etc. The problem is that peolpe believe what they want to, not what the facts state.



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I had to laugh when I read this list - how many blacks have even tried out for those 'sports'. Most of those require a lot of money or access to water. Not very popular in the inner city neighborhoods. How many of you who have answered would consider yourself true athletes? I doubt many. I have met very few athletes who would argue with the statement that 'blacks tend to be better athletes than whites'. You have to be judged by your peers so if you are not an athlete you shouldn't respond to this question. I am an athlete and I agree with the statement.

[daryn]

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BTW, there can be no connection between black athletic prowess and "living in the jungle" since there is very little jungle in Africa, Africa is mostly Savannah (grasslands) and desert.

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so what are you saying? that it's because they spent so much time running from lions in the grasslands?