“Roger’s doing a great job” - Lawsuit alleges NFL explicitly discriminates against black players in concussion settlements

[patman12]

Exactly my question. I know there are cultures that could be considered racist, but how did they get that way?

Just my simplified opinion here on a very complex topic that includes way more than I'll mention.

Long, long, long stretches of tribalism may have started racist views. One group attempting to overtake another for whatever reason and using misinformation (e.g., Indians are savages) to generate support to justify brutal actions. Then, mix in using the captured to serve as cheap labor. For example, enslavement of Africans was mainly driven by economic reasons and the humans that were trafficked were only viewed as property. Eventually, the inherent racism of slavery (perceived superiority of the owner's race over the slave's race) morphed into what we see as modern racist views. When the dominant group started to lose power, it accelerated, deepened and cemented racist views. And once something is engrained into a belief system. it is really difficult to erase.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Exactly. Since there were no tests from years/decades ago for all these players as they started their careers, they are retroactively assigning lower scores to the black players as a starting basis. If the allegations are correct, black players literally have to fall lower than white players to qualify for an equal share.

A system that automatically makes it harder for people of one race seems to be the very definition of “systemic racism” (which is not something I am prone to accept more broadly).

 

[Nikolai]

While we are working to end systemic racism can we end systemic stupidity as well?

Seems, as a society, we're cultivating it these days...

 

[RobertWeathers]

Seems, as a society, we're cultivating it these days...

No question.

 

[1960Pats]

Seems, as a society, we're cultivating it these days...

And they call it an education.

 

[1960Pats]

Just my simplified opinion here on a very complex topic that includes way more than I'll mention.

Long, long, long stretches of tribalism may have started racist views. One group attempting to overtake another for whatever reason and using misinformation (e.g., Indians are savages) to generate support to justify brutal actions. Then, mix in using the captured to serve as cheap labor. For example, enslavement of Africans was mainly driven by economic reasons and the humans that were trafficked were only viewed as property. Eventually, the inherent racism of slavery (perceived superiority of the owner's race over the slave's race) morphed into what we see as modern racist views. When the dominant group started to lose power, it accelerated, deepened and cemented racist views. And once something is engrained into a belief system. it is really difficult to erase.

I read an interesting (to me) book titled Sapiens that explores the reasons why only one human species survived out of many and touches on the tribalism that you mention.

I think the treatment of the Indians in America is the perfect example of what you're describing, and there are many who claim that the Nazis used the same tactics to try and eliminate the Jews.

As for modern racism, especially here in America, a lot has to do with the makeup of our country. It's easy to be considered more racist if you have many diverse members in your society and more race baiting. We have an abundance of both here.