Are You a Racist?

[ChristineM]

This is a very good thread.

If I think of the word racist...and then I compare it with the equivalent word in my language...well...I think Americans use that word much more often than us.

We use it less frequently...and when we do...that word does not have that disastrous connotation that Americans attribute to it.
If a person is called racist...it is not that big of a deal.

I have noticed the lax attitude towards racism in italy. I've seen hotel clerks opening discriminating against black and chinese guests. When mentioned it was a case of - what!!!

 

[Revoltingest]

I am Socialist to the bone.

Then it's war!

 

[viole]

If so, what qualifies you as one?

If not, what do you feel disqualifies you?

Bonus question: What do you think qualifies someone else as a racist or non-racist?

Since there are no human races, racism is inherently irrational.

ciao

- viole

 

[Estro Felino]

I have noticed the lax attitude towards racism in italy. I've seen hotel clerks opening discriminating against black and chinese guests. When mentioned it was a case of - what!!!

I grew up in a small town. There were practically no foreigners. And it was the nineties.
In the Rome of the 21st century I experienced the multicultural society for the first time in my life...and I have never seen racism.
I have seen people of any skin color, speak in Roman dialect. Go figure...

 

[viole]

I am Socialist to the bone.

Hitler was socialist, too. Like Craxi, Mussolini and Lenin.
Socialist does not mean a lot.

ciao

- viole

 

[SalixIncendium]

According to some people, I'm racist because I'm white.

I've honestly never been referred to as a racist because if my skin color.

 

[Ella S.]

I don't think so.

To me, racism has always seemed a little strange and illogical. Even at its most "rational" it tends to be a form of the Accident Fallacy (where a rule of thumb is taken to be universally true) or the Fallacy of Division (where facts about a whole group are assumed to apply to individuals within that group.) That's probably being far more generous to racism than anyone should be, ethically speaking.

I simply don't think that race is a reliable indicator of a person's abilities or character. In fact, I tend to have a hard time telling what race most people are unless it's pointed out to me. People say that you can tell by their skin color but I have seen a lot of overlap in skin color between supposedly distinct races. At most, I can tell that people with really dark skin are black but that's about it. To me, they're just a person with dark skin, though, not an entirely new subcategory of human.

 

[Gargovic Malkav]

I've honestly never been referred to as a racist because if my skin color.

I haven't personally met such people either.
But I've seen on the internet they do exist.

 

[ChristineM]

I grew up in a small town. There were practically no foreigners. And it was the nineties.
In the Rome of the 21st century I experienced the multicultural society for the first time in my life...and I have never seen racism.
I have seen people of any skin color, speak in Roman dialect. Go figure...

Were those "foreigners" treated differently?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I've honestly never been referred to as a racist because if my skin color.

I've met one person who did. We didn't get along.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

and I have never seen racism.

Far more likely you saw it and didnt recognize it.

 

[Harel13]

I'm a racist. In fact, I'm going to watch some NASCAR on YouTube here in a few minutes.

Beat me to making a joke about races.

 

[Stevicus]

If so, what qualifies you as one?

If not, what do you feel disqualifies you?

Bonus question: What do you think qualifies someone else as a racist or non-racist?

The definition might help in questions like this: "a person who is prejudiced against or antagonistic toward people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized."

Based on this definition, my answer would be no.

To me, to qualify someone as a racist would require actually making a clear, definitive statement of antagonism towards other races or supporting policies which would be considered discriminatory on the basis of race.

A person is qualified as a non-racist in the absence of any direct, overt, and obvious evidence of hostility towards other races.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It depends. I live in the suburbs...this is the kind of people I hang out with (the lady).

Yeah, it's more likely you have seen it and just didn't recognize it.

 

[Heyo]

I'm a racist. I took the test.

The definition might help in questions like this: "a person who is prejudiced against or antagonistic toward people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized."

Based on this definition, my answer would be no.

To me, to qualify someone as a racist would require actually making a clear, definitive statement of antagonism towards other races or supporting policies which would be considered discriminatory on the basis of race.

A person is qualified as a non-racist in the absence of any direct, overt, and obvious evidence of hostility towards other races.

Well, by that definition I'm not a racist.

 

[Stevicus]

Well, by that definition I'm not a racist.

I didn't take the test.

 

[Heyo]

If so, what qualifies you as one?

If not, what do you feel disqualifies you?

Bonus question: What do you think qualifies someone else as a racist or non-racist?

It's pretty meaningless to be a racist on the interwebs. I don't know your age, sex or race from your avatar. I only have your words to judge you by.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

My adopted dad used to say the N word a lot while I was growing up. I remember him calling The Crosby Show "that N show," and he complained about how much money the actors were paid. We had to move when I was a senior, and he was calling around to find a house to rent. He told my mom, "beggars can't be choosers." Right after he said that, he called a number, and when he hung up, he said, "We don't want that place because the guy on the phone sounds like a black man." My parents had a few chose words for other minorities too. I've done my best in my life not let their racism take root in me, and I've kept it from my own kids too.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I'm a racist. In fact, I'm going to watch some NASCAR on YouTube here in a few minutes.

Bring the Confederate flag and make sure you whistle Dixie! Ain't Nascar without the stars and bars!

That should make me really racist.

 

[Twilight Hue]

My adopted dad used to say the N word a lot while I was growing up. I remember him calling The Crosby Show "that N show," and he complained about how much money the actors were paid. We had to move when I was a senior, and he was calling around to find a house to rent. He told my mom, "beggars can't be choosers." Right after he said that, he called a number, and when he hung up, he said, "We don't want that place because the guy on the phone sounds like a black man." My parents had a few chose words for other minorities too. I've done my best in my life not let their racism take root in me, and I've kept it from my own kids too.

I read a lot of Mark twain. The n word was second nature but that was the dialog of that era.