You're a racist! No, you are!
"...For someone who says that your not liking Obama has nothing to do with Racism, you sure made a lot of racist sounding remarks on your quotes page about him. And whenever someone says that they are not being racist, it sounds racist..."
Blah, blah blah.
Let's settle this damn racism question once and for all. Racism is, like it or not, in the eye of the beholder. What's racist to me may not be racist to you. And, what's racist to you, may very well not be the least bit racist to me. It just depends on your own perception of what the word means.
We all think that racists are pretty cut and dry. They wear white hoods and burn crosses at night in clearings out in the country. They eat grits and kick shit. Of course they carry guns and vote for Republicans. They all flat foot and play banjo's. They're evil little suckers and if you meet one on the street, alone, at night, you are soooo screwed.
And naturally, the people who choose not to vote for Obama are ALL racists. It doesn't matter what their reason is, if a white person refuses to vote for Obama, he is a racist. So tell me, what does that make black people who don't vote for McCain...Mormon? And, what does it say about the 18 million democrats who voted for Hillary in the primary? Certainly they didn't vote for Obama and since those who don't vote for Obama are racist, the democrats should really work on the 18 million racists in their own party before they bother with people who use freedom of thought to think differently than do the self appointed racism police.
I know that racism exists in America...I see it all the time. But we are now in a time when racism is not practiced by whites alone. Racists come in all colors. There's nothing in any definition of racism that says it can only be committed by people in the majority. Perhaps oppression would take a majority rule, but simple racism exists in the smallest of groups.
So, what if we really COULD tell by looking at someone that they were racist? What would we do? If racism gave people hideous rashes on their faces, would be lock up every red faced person we saw?
No. And that's because it isn't illegal to be a racist. It isn't even against all religions. Racists have always been around and they always will be around. Racism may be ignorant, immoral and short-sighted, but it isn't illegal. In our country, every single one of us has the right to be a racist. We even have the right to our own definition of racism.
So, how do we stay free of being accused of racism? It's impossible. We can't do it because with SO many people judging others based on their own definition of racism, we surely would fit SOMEBODIES idea of a racist. Maybe according to the yahoo who wrote that comment, I AM a racist.
But I'm using my own definition and I say that this fool definititely fits MY definition of a racist. He IS "judging others based on they're own beliefs or cultural heritage". That's a racist to me.
Snap.
Blah, blah blah.
Let's settle this damn racism question once and for all. Racism is, like it or not, in the eye of the beholder. What's racist to me may not be racist to you. And, what's racist to you, may very well not be the least bit racist to me. It just depends on your own perception of what the word means.
We all think that racists are pretty cut and dry. They wear white hoods and burn crosses at night in clearings out in the country. They eat grits and kick shit. Of course they carry guns and vote for Republicans. They all flat foot and play banjo's. They're evil little suckers and if you meet one on the street, alone, at night, you are soooo screwed.
And naturally, the people who choose not to vote for Obama are ALL racists. It doesn't matter what their reason is, if a white person refuses to vote for Obama, he is a racist. So tell me, what does that make black people who don't vote for McCain...Mormon? And, what does it say about the 18 million democrats who voted for Hillary in the primary? Certainly they didn't vote for Obama and since those who don't vote for Obama are racist, the democrats should really work on the 18 million racists in their own party before they bother with people who use freedom of thought to think differently than do the self appointed racism police.
I know that racism exists in America...I see it all the time. But we are now in a time when racism is not practiced by whites alone. Racists come in all colors. There's nothing in any definition of racism that says it can only be committed by people in the majority. Perhaps oppression would take a majority rule, but simple racism exists in the smallest of groups.
So, what if we really COULD tell by looking at someone that they were racist? What would we do? If racism gave people hideous rashes on their faces, would be lock up every red faced person we saw?
No. And that's because it isn't illegal to be a racist. It isn't even against all religions. Racists have always been around and they always will be around. Racism may be ignorant, immoral and short-sighted, but it isn't illegal. In our country, every single one of us has the right to be a racist. We even have the right to our own definition of racism.
So, how do we stay free of being accused of racism? It's impossible. We can't do it because with SO many people judging others based on their own definition of racism, we surely would fit SOMEBODIES idea of a racist. Maybe according to the yahoo who wrote that comment, I AM a racist.
But I'm using my own definition and I say that this fool definititely fits MY definition of a racist. He IS "judging others based on they're own beliefs or cultural heritage". That's a racist to me.
Snap.
posted by Meg Kelso | 7:22 AM
3 Comments:
I think you made my point, we all get to define what racism is to us. Period. It is what it is.
While I disagree with much of what you said, I agree that racism is not cut and dried. Being racist doesn't make you a bad person, like some hillbilly stereotype. Stereotypes are ususally crap, things we sometimes allow applying to others but resent when we see applied to ourselves. Nobody thinks they fit into a simple category. Relatively few people actually do. Psychologists could even see this as a schema, or a notion we use to simplify something complex for convenience.
I also can say I have met (growing up in Boston) racists who vote Democratic.
However, you cannot just come up with your own definitions. ["MY definition of a racist. He IS "judging others based on they're [sic]own beliefs or cultural heritage". That's a racist to me."']
That isn't racism. That is bias based on beliefs or cultural heritage. RACE must be a part of the definition of racism. Beliefs can change. Cultural heritage can be ignored (often at our peril). Race is more permanent.
And no, not everybody who votes against Barack Obama is racist. But some of them are. And being a racist doesn't make you a bad person; we all have a little racism in us, and we should fight it to make a more just world.
Of course there's only one definition of racism. But, there are so many people defining it on their own terms and using the word so haphazardly that I wrote this. It was pretty much tongue in cheek.
Tha you for taking the time to write!
Meg
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