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[Relativ9]

So I see a lot of discussions on GAF lately eventually becoming about race. Some start out being about it, others naturally progress into discussions about race, and some threads seem to almost be doomed to the narrative despite the OP having much broader intentions for topics (political leanings). Certainly there’s a trend in our culture lately to focus on this topic with terms like “political correctness” and “regressive left” taking centre stage along with “alt-right” and of course “nazi”; as one of the least popular and most vitriolic presidents in US history sits in the oval office (which effects the discourse throughout the whole world, not just the US).

And from all the discussions I’ve seen over the last week or so (some I’ve taken part in, some I’ve just observed) there’s one thing I’ve noticed, apparently everything is racist. It’s either racist or reverse-racist (Grammy thread). Everyone throws around the word racism as if it’s a catch all term for treating people differently based on their ethnicity. I don’t like this…I might be alone in this and I might be super anal, but words matter to me.

To me (and to the dictionary) someone being racist means they hate another ethnicity and believe themselves fundamentally superior to them. It means they wish suffering upon them or at least wish to actively oppress them. Racists don’t see this behaviour as wrong or unethical because they don’t even view the other group as people. If you ever talk to a true racist (the KKK/neo-nazi types) they use language that puts whichever race their referring to (whether it be Jews or blacks or arabs) into the same category as vermin and parasites. These people are racists.

It’s something totally different to do or say something that is discriminatory or prejudice in nature, but not necessarily motivated by a racist doctrine. These things are still wrong, should still be discouraged, and should still be something we actively try to fight against in society. But today racism basically implies that the guilty person is a monster, while someone having a prejudice or voting for a politician which supports discriminatory policies isn’t a necessarily monster. They might be confused, misinformed, plain dumb, or they might simply not prioritize it to the same level you do and agree with other policies the politician fronts, or they might not agree that it’s actually inherently discriminatory.

The same goes for the cries over “reverse racism” by the way, even if it was the case that no white people were nominated for the Grammies to make a political statement as opposed to because they didn’t happen to be good enough this year, would at best be discriminatory. And by the way, this is ridiculous, would you say the same thing if no black artists were nominated? Or would you simply conclude that probably no black artists happened to be good enough this year in the subjective opinion of the judges?

I brought this up in the political leanings thread but was more or less dismissed. To be fair I didn’t word myself as clearly as I could have and later clarified my position, at which point I was told I was overthinking it, which is fair enough since I do that a lot and am probably guilty of presently. But since then this is still popping up all over the forum so I feel like this might deserve its own thread so it doesn’t distract from the others.

To bring it all home I’d like to use this example: A lot of people probably have/had grandparents with very prejudiced opinions about immigrants, especially those of us from Europe where diversity is a comparatively new thing. Ask yourself; does your grandmother have hate and in her heart when she says those things you consider racist?

If we’re going to keep using the term racist so loosely we need some sort of new word to give weight to the people who are actually properly racist, otherwise we reduce the seriousness of the descriptor and remove a lot of the taboo from it.

Am I alone in caring this much about the distinction between racism and prejudice?

 

[Alx]

Am I alone in caring this much about the distinction between racism and prejudice?

Well it is important to label the issues appropriately. Although there can be overlap between prejudice and racism. If a prejudice is based on "racial"/ethnic considerations, then it's racism.
Also most racism leads to some sort of prejudice : because you think category A is better than category B, you'll act differently towards people depending on whether you consider they belong to A or B. As a matter of fact racism without prejudice is almost acceptable, you can believe any theoretical superiority in your mind, as long as you treat everyone equally it doesn't matter much (the main issue would be that you would keep that belief alive and potentially transfer it to other people, who would use it for prejudice).

 

[Relativ9]

Well it is important to label the issues appropriately. Although there can be overlap between prejudice and racism. If a prejudice is based on "racial"/ethnic considerations, then it's racism.
Also most racism leads to some sort of prejudice : because you think category A is better than category B, you'll act differently towards people depending on whether you consider they belong to A or B. As a matter of fact racism without prejudice is almost acceptable, you can believe any theoretical superiority in your mind, as long as you treat everyone equally it doesn't matter much (the main issue would be that you would keep that belief alive and potentially transfer it to other people, who would use it for prejudice).

Yeah definitely, I think everyone can agree that basically everyone racist is bound to have prejudices. But I don't agree that if you have prejudices based on race that makes you a racist. A prejudice based on race is for example: "Asians are more likely to be good at math". Nothing about that implies that you believe white people are a superior race and Asians should be treated with contempt and oppressed. For that matter neither does a negative prejudice: "Black people are more likely to commit crime". Those things are simply pre-judging an individual or group based on stereotypes and/or past experiences with other individuals from said group, they don't necessarily imply hatred or superiority towards that group.

 

[Alx]

I can see where you're coming from with your examples. In the end it depends on how people explain their belief that "Asians are good at math", some may think it's an inherent feature of being Asian, and others just considering it as a statistical observation (which may or may not be founded).
The border line is thin though, and acting on a racial-based prejudice can quickly turn into plain old racism. Thinking "I'd better ask an Asian guy for my math problem" isn't far from thinking "Asians are naturally superior (in the field of mathematics)".

 

[Dodecagon]

racist
NOUN

A person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another.

You’re overthinking this

 

[Relativ9]

You’re overthinking this

But then:

Racism

noun
1.
a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.
2.
a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3.
hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

I'd argue that the classic definition and understanding of racism is that someone believes that one or more ethnicities other than their own are racially inferior.

 

[Rocket Number 22]

Because they want a win on any argument they have, doubly so on the internet.

I mean, look at America these days, enforcing border security is being called racist.

 

[Xenobureido]

The important thing to accept is that racism in the USA is a very different topic from what some might call racism in Europe.

In the USA you have this really loaded climate where black people fight white people and vice versa. There is a real problem and it needs to be adressed. That is different in Europe.

While there certainly exist racist people, too, it's more of a general xenophobia - people are scared of what -or who- they don't know. Which stems from monolithic societies - black people are still a rarity in Germany and the risen number of black people due to the refugee situation isn't exactly doing public perception any favor. And that's worse in eastern countries. The standout is France, where black people, at least in my own perception, have long since been established as part of the country's culture.

The point is, racism is, when it's discussed in online forums, a predominantly American issue. This becomes obvious again and again when it's time for zwarte piet in Holland and Americans are outraged over the blackface - something that's not a thing of European history, not in the same way it exists in the USA.

I agree with you, OP, that calling everybody and everything racist these days isn't helping anything. The same is true for all those sexual assault or sexual harassment accusations, often for stuff that have me think 'wow, half my colleagues would be locked up by those standards'. I also think that drunk sex shouldn't be called rape, nor should 'statutory rape' include the word 'rape', if it happens consensual (a 16 yo having sex with a 30 yo might be illegal, but if they both agreed, there's nothing violent about it, and rape imo is something inherently violent abd thus traumatic).

A friend of mine often makes cringeworthy statements about Turkish people, but he's never *done* something bad towards them, treats them perfectly normal. And that's how I recognize if someone is truly racist: by his behavior. Too many people take online trash talk as 'serious' and go complain about 'death threats'. Instead of realizing that it's just mostly innocuous 'pwning'. Makes you wonder how we survived the internet during the 2000s.

 

[Alx]

A friend of mine often makes cringeworthy statements about Turkish people, but he's never *done* something bad towards them, treats them perfectly normal. And that's how I recognize if someone is truly racist: by his behavior. Too many people take online trash talk as 'serious' and go complain about 'death threats'. Instead of realizing that it's just mostly innocuous 'pwning'. Makes you wonder how we survived the internet during the 2000s.

I was with you until that part. Like I said earlier not acting on one's (potentially) racist belief is the most important part. But trash talk and death threats are precisely acting on those (or on other intolerant beliefs).
Insulting people or threatening them shouldn't be brushed away as "just talk", it is an agression. A lesser one than a physical agression, but still it shouldn't go unpunished. It's meant to hurt people or spread hateful ideologies, and it often does.

 

[deadscreensky]

I'd argue that the classic definition and understanding of racism is that someone believes that one or more ethnicities other than their own are racially inferior.

But you don't seem to be offering any sort of viable counter-examples where this isn't happening. Your theoretical grandma who feels she's superior to immigrants absolutely fits the definitions we're working with here.

You're too focused on hatred as an emotion. (I actually think it's a lot more common than you think, but regardless...) Racists aren't always some mustache-twirling villains stomping around in Nazi uniforms. And racism itself is extremely common, probably most of us feature it to some degree or another. It's somewhat normal, maybe even understandable, and as members of a multicultural society we need to work to deal with that just like we deal with more individual illnesses and the like. It's kind of like a matter of cultural hygiene.

I know you're trying to approach this as keeping the charge of racism serious and powerful, but if anything that's actually the problem. To use an obvious US example, you have millions of people who voted for Trump and don't consider his platform as racist, basically because he's not Hitler. Suggesting Obama wasn't American isn't racist, Trump wasn't saying we need to kill all the blacks, it's just "asking questions." But obviously this sort of thing is racist, and by presenting racism as some enormous taboo you just end up masking the totally normal, garden-variety racism we see every day. That makes it harder to acknowledge and fight against. If there's some type of sickness you're trying to cure, nobody benefits from refusing to say its name.

(This needs to be coupled with a spirit of forgiveness that is all too lacking among many young progressives -- they don't seem to recognize what progress means in a longer view, that we are all 'bad' for some periods of time, and progress among a large population will move at very different rates -- but that's not an issue with the charge of racism itself. We shouldn't destroy language because of a bunch of uncompromising zealots.)

We also have stronger terms when necessary, like Nazi, white supremacist, "deeply racist", and so on. I just don't see what you're talking about as being any sort of actual problem.

 

[aaronsan]

*tl;dr snipped*

1. An action can be racist even if the person swears they're not racist
2. You can't be certain someone making a racist action isn't racist, and I judge people by what they say and do, not some hopeful optimism
3. People will lie about their intentions and inner feelings to avoid being "able to be called racist".
4. Hint on #3: you can't avoid it that way. You avoid it by not acting racist.

 

[aaronsan]

Yeah definitely, I think everyone can agree that basically everyone racist is bound to have prejudices. But I don't agree that if you have prejudices based on race that makes you a racist. A prejudice based on race is for example: "Asians are more likely to be good at math". Nothing about that implies that you believe white people are a superior race and Asians should be treated with contempt and oppressed. For that matter neither does a negative prejudice: "Black people are more likely to commit crime". Those things are simply pre-judging an individual or group based on stereotypes and/or past experiences with other individuals from said group, they don't necessarily imply hatred or superiority towards that group.

You don't feel superior to those you view are more likely to commit crime? Bullshit you don't. How fucking disingenuous.

And if you say Asians, AS A RACE, are more likely to be good at math, you're viewing THEM as superior, so that is still racist.

You people who think saying "Black men have big dicks" isn't racist because you'd love to have a big dick.... SMH

 

[Blood Borne]

You don't feel superior to those you view are more likely to commit crime? Bullshit you don't. How fucking disingenuous.

And if you say Asians, AS A RACE, are more likely to be good at math, you're viewing THEM as superior, so that is still racist.

You people who think saying "Black men have big dicks" isn't racist because you'd love to have a big dick.... SMH

I disagree.
Maybe people are articulating themselves properly but it's mostly a statistical observation.

Saying "Japanese makes the best sushi" isn't racist. Because Japanese as a group/culture have an affinity for sushi than other groups/culture, hence the probability of Japanese being the best sushi is quite high.

Also, saying "on average, men are physically stronger than women" isn't sexist but lots of people will find it sexist. It is the whole equality agenda that's creates political correctness. These days, facts are offensive.

 

[Xenobureido]

I was with you until that part. Like I said earlier not acting on one's (potentially) racist belief is the most important part. But trash talk and death threats are precisely acting on those (or on other intolerant beliefs).
Insulting people or threatening them shouldn't be brushed away as "just talk", it is an agression. A lesser one than a physical agression, but still it shouldn't go unpunished. It's meant to hurt people or spread hateful ideologies, and it often does.

I apologize, 'innocuous' was the wrong choice of word here, I realized that myself when I wrote it but was in a hurry.

I agree that such trash talk is already, say, center between believes and actions (you'd put it straight to 'actions', which I can also understand). What I don't like, however, is the over-the-top outrage over such trashtalk. Yeah, it's not nice and yeah, it makes anyone sound dumber. But I also find it hilarious when gaming journalists tell everybody how there receiving death threats and how brave they are to keep on going - it's online trashtalk. If there was a statistics for the ratio of online death threats resulting in real murder, it'd be 1:1000000000000 or less (number pullee ooma because it's irrelevant). Taking it as anything more than an insult is ridiculous.

My second issue specifically relating to this thread is how racist slurs online aren't used by racists. Not necessarily. People don't call someone 'nigger' in an online game because they hate black people. They call someone that word because they know how easily the word riles some people up. Same reason why women are called 'cunt' or 'bitch', not because of a greater underlying misogyny, but because these slurs are effective. That's why they're used. Now, doing the whole trashtalk surely is dumb, but in the vein of this thread: it's not proof of racism.

Then again, I've never witnessed overly crass insults during my more active time plaing Counterstrike or UT2k4. In general, I haven't witnessed it in German online-groups. Seems more like an American issue again - maybe the English language just lends itself well to insults

 

[Nere]

Agreed same with the word Nazi.

 

[Relativ9]

1. An action can be racist even if the person swears they're not racist
2. You can't be certain someone making a racist action isn't racist, and I judge people by what they say and do, not some hopeful optimism
3. People will lie about their intentions and inner feelings to avoid being "able to be called racist".
4. Hint on #3: you can't avoid it that way. You avoid it by not acting racist.

1. For an action to be racist it has to be motivated by racism, otherwise it's discriminatory or prejudicial. If a racist does something racist but denies that he's a racist that's still racist yes...if that's what you mean. But that doesn't mean that all discriminatory or prejudicial actions are done by racists.

2. That's your prerogative, it's not just that I like hopeful optimism (though I do), it's that I believe you'll kill more flies with honey than stones (flies being prejudicial or discriminatory opinions), and if you use all your stones on the flies, what happens when the bear comes?

3. Sure they will, but you know...innocent until proven guilty?

4. If you're referring to me here I think you should re-read all my posts.

You don't feel superior to those you view are more likely to commit crime? Bullshit you don't. How fucking disingenuous.

And if you say Asians, AS A RACE, are more likely to be good at math, you're viewing THEM as superior, so that is still racist.

You people who think saying "Black men have big dicks" isn't racist because you'd love to have a big dick.... SMH

Again, re-read all my posts. I used those as hypothetical examples because they're so pervasive when it comes to prejudicial opinions. I in no way indicated that I myself thought that way, and I don't. And if those things are racist then why do we even have a separate word for prejudice. And don't even get me started about the irony of you using the phrase "you people" here while miss-attributing beliefs to me.

But you don't seem to be offering any sort of viable counter-examples where this isn't happening. Your theoretical grandma who feels she's superior to immigrants absolutely fits the definitions we're working with here.

You're too focused on hatred as an emotion. (I actually think it's a lot more common than you think, but regardless...) Racists aren't always some mustache-twirling villains stomping around in Nazi uniforms. And racism itself is extremely common, probably most of us feature it to some degree or another. It's somewhat normal, maybe even understandable, and as members of a multicultural society we need to work to deal with that just like we deal with more individual illnesses and the like. It's kind of like a matter of cultural hygiene.

I know you're trying to approach this as keeping the charge of racism serious and powerful, but if anything that's actually the problem. To use an obvious US example, you have millions of people who voted for Trump and don't consider his platform as racist, basically because he's not Hitler. Suggesting Obama wasn't American isn't racist, Trump wasn't saying we need to kill all the blacks, it's just "asking questions." But obviously this sort of thing is racist, and by presenting racism as some enormous taboo you just end up masking the totally normal, garden-variety racism we see every day. That makes it harder to acknowledge and fight against. If there's some type of sickness you're trying to cure, nobody benefits from refusing to say its name.

(This needs to be coupled with a spirit of forgiveness that is all too lacking among many young progressives -- they don't seem to recognize what progress means in a longer view, that we are all 'bad' for some periods of time, and progress among a large population will move at very different rates -- but that's not an issue with the charge of racism itself. We shouldn't destroy language because of a bunch of uncompromising zealots.)

We also have stronger terms when necessary, like Nazi, white supremacist, "deeply racist", and so on. I just don't see what you're talking about as being any sort of actual problem.

Some good points, well argued. I especially agree with your call for people to be more forgiving and less zealous. To the rest, i think I can go back to my point about motivation, in that just because an act is racist in itself it is the motive behind that act that determines if a person is a racist. Which is why I think using the descriptors of discriminatory and prejudicial is useful to separate the incidents of the "garden variety" racism you referred to and what I regard as true, hatred motivated racism.

And in regards to my example of the grandmother, I think most of the "old people are racists" stuff found in grandmothers of the world can usually be boiled down to xenophobia and confusion. Not a sense of racial superiority or hatred.

 

[Taco_Human]

It's the very definition of racism. Wow at this thread.

 

[JordanN]

My rule is generally discard "racist" as thrown around by far left and far right circles.

Far Right thinks if you don't blame everything on jews, oppose race mixing, find all blacks to be dangerous, oppose non-white immigration, and other races are crafty, terrorists or submissive, then you're anti-white.

Far Left thinks if you don't blame all your problems on white people, you don't support affirmative action (I still believe in choosing the best person for the job), or don't take huge offense to something slightly inappropriate, you are literally Hitler.

Don't got time for either absurd fragmentation. I judge individual people and treat those who treat me with respect with the same courtesy.

 

[RastaMentality]

Racism has never and will never be about individual interactions. It has always been about systemic forces that reduce life outcomes for people or color.

If the only negatives to being a person of color were being called slurs, then life would be pretty damn great LOL

It’s time to drop the “big bad racist” mode of thinking. All it allows is for subtler actions of racism to fly under the radar because they aren’t committed by someone wearing a Klan uniform.

 

[nemoral]

Ah, it's the "it's not racist unless you're wearing a hood" brigade. Not fooling anyone.

 

[Rocket Number 22]

Racism has never and will never be about individual interactions. It has always been about systemic forces that reduce life outcomes for people or color.

If the only negatives to being a person of color were being called slurs, then life would be pretty damn great LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr9_EIQU9I4

 

[RastaMentality]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr9_EIQU9I4

“Slavery was a long time ago”

[x]

The way you thought a Japanese man born and raised in Japan would somehow have special insight on racism in the United States because he’s non-white LOL

Log off

 

[highrider]

Racism is one of those things where it really comes down to how much you choose to acknowledge its existence, and how often in life you are forced to acknowledge its existence. Racism can inform everything, it can be intrinsic to a world view. You can grow up with the unshakable belief that racism will be there to hold you down and keep you down at every turn. And there are usually legitimate reasons to feel that way.

You could also essentially ignore it, until you are directly confronted with it. Imagine what it must have felt like to be Jackie Robinson. How strong he had to be against entrenched racism and white supremacy. Racist people are slick now, it’s not a grimacing red neck so much anymore but likely to be anyone from any walk of life. White people also have to step up and police ourselves better. You have to be willing to confront racism. You have to be willing to say, dad, grandma, that’s fucked up and backwards thinking. This shit has no place in the modern world, engage with reality.

I don’t envy what poc are facing in America. But these are wounds that have never healed. I’m a white dude, but my 14 year old son is mixed race, his mom is of African descent. I hope as he continues to mature and become more politically and socially aware that I can be a force to help him overcome any barriers he faces. I’m lucky to live an a very liberal, multicultural area ( DMV ) so he hasn’t had to deal with it in the way someone from Alabama might.

 

[7echnicolor]

“Positive” racism is still racism and still hurts people.

 

[Rocket Number 22]

”Slavery was a long time ago"

[x]

The way you thought a Japanese man born and raised in Japan would somehow have special insight on racism in the United States because he's non-white LOL

Log off

Are you american or danish today Lime?

 

[RastaMentality]

Are you american or danish today Lime?

Take the tin foil hat off and put your thinking cap 🧢 on

 

[OniBarubary]

Are you american or danish today Lime?

Are you an asian girl today or just a cunt?

 

[daniell]

I disagree.
Maybe people are articulating themselves properly but it's mostly a statistical observation.

Saying "Japanese makes the best sushi" isn't racist. Because Japanese as a group/culture have an affinity for sushi than other groups/culture, hence the probability of Japanese being the best sushi is quite high.

Also, saying "on average, men are physically stronger than women" isn't sexist but lots of people will find it sexist. It is the whole equality agenda that's creates political correctness. These days, facts are offensive.

Also called common sense at least it was in the past lol

 

[RastaMentality]

Are you an asian girl today or just a cunt?

Do you think they’re lying about who they are?

 

[themagicalkitsune]

Do you think they’re lying about who they are?

Anyone can be anyone on the internet and we only have their word for it. More importantly, why are you all feeding obvious trolls?

 

[Rocket Number 22]

Are you an asian girl today or just a cunt?

Asian every day but I would love to be a natural strawberry blonde though on occasion

 

[kingbean]

Race has been redefined recently as a social construct and not scientific. As we are all apart of the human race.

The word racism has more than one meaning so it's possible that its being used properly and maybe it's using an alternate definition.
That's an interesting thing about language; it's pretty fluid.

As far as people using the word too often... I don't know. Some people find very simple or harmless observations very offensive. I think it's best to be as neutral and noncommital as possible on gaf so you don't end up on a side.

 

[RefigeKru]

It’s something totally different to do or say something that is discriminatory or prejudice in nature, but not necessarily motivated by a racist doctrine.

So much gymnastics it's unreal - entire OP is a lot of words without actually saying anything.

Give me an example of being discriminatory and prejudiced by race that isn't racist.

 

[sans_pants]

I disagree.
Maybe people are articulating themselves properly but it's mostly a statistical observation.

Saying "Japanese makes the best sushi" isn't racist. Because Japanese as a group/culture have an affinity for sushi than other groups/culture, hence the probability of Japanese being the best sushi is quite high.

Also, saying "on average, men are physically stronger than women" isn't sexist but lots of people will find it sexist. It is the whole equality agenda that's creates political correctness. These days, facts are offensive.

japanese are to sushi as blacks are to crime


glad we finally solved that one

 

[kingbean]

So much gymnastics it's unreal - entire OP is a lot of words without actually saying anything.

Give me an example of being discriminatory and prejudiced by race that isn't racist.

"Fucking Canadians thinking they're so great with their socialist commie bullshit."

It's not racist but it is discriminatory and prejudiced. I know you weren't asking me, and I'm not saying the OP is right it w/e. But I figured I'd chime in.

Btw I love you, Canadians.

 

[Vicetrailia]

"Fucking Canadians thinking they're so great with their socialist commie bullshit."

It's not racist but it is discriminatory and prejudiced. I know you weren't asking me, and I'm not saying the OP is right it w/e. But I figured I'd chime in.

Btw I love you, Canadians.

Canada is a nation, not a race.

Try to single a group out by their race, that is prejudice or discriminatory, but not racist. That's very difficult to do today.

 

[appaws]

It's becoming less relevant every day because of overuse by the left. If everything is racist, then nothing is racist.

Like the example of Obamacare and people calling opposition to it "racist." As if Republicans would have loved that bill had it been "Clintoncare."

Oh wait, then they would have been misogynists.

 

[kingbean]

Canada is a nation, not a race.

Try to single a group out by their race, that is prejudice or discriminatory, but not racist. That's very difficult to do today.

Yeah, he did ask that though.

But I 'spose I could give it a try.

"..."

Yeah, you got me there. But like I said earlier in the thread to some people anything is racist. The only point I was trying to prove is that people can say shitty things regardless if motivation. And that even saying something positive like "I love dark skinned women" is considered racist by some fringe weirdos.

 

[7echnicolor]

Yeah, he did ask that though.

But I 'spose I could give it a try.

"..."

Yeah, you got me there. But like I said earlier in the thread to some people anything is racist. The only point I was trying to prove is that people can say shitty things regardless if motivation. And that even saying something positive like "I love dark skinned women" is considered racist by some fringe weirdos.

yeah because fetishizing people for their race is weird and creepy

see: 'yellow fever'

 

[kingbean]

yeah because fetishizing people for their race is weird and creepy

see: 'yellow fever'

Uh... What?

It's possible to have a preference or to like aspects about people without making it weird.

So I'm weird and creepy because as a white man I've dated more black women?

Excuse the rudeness but uh fuck off.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Yeah, he did ask that though.

But I 'spose I could give it a try.

"..."

Yeah, you got me there. But like I said earlier in the thread to some people anything is racist. The only point I was trying to prove is that people can say shitty things regardless if motivation. And that even saying something positive like "I love dark skinned women" is considered racist by some fringe weirdos.

People will accept that though, but if I say "dark skinned women are unattractive", I will be met with harshness because it's so negative, and due to the history of racism. Saying that you like dark skinned women is like a breadth of fresh air.

 

[RastaMentality]

Uh... What?

It's possible to have a preference or to like aspects about people without making it weird.

So I'm weird and creepy because as a white man I've dated more black women?

Excuse the rudeness but uh fuck off.

He’s trying to explain how expressing that kind of sentiment can come off as fetishizing and you just go off the rails by making it personal

 

[kingbean]

People will accept that though, but if I say "dark skinned women are unattractive", I will be met with harshness because it's so negative, and due to the history of racism. Saying that you like dark skinned women is like a breadth of fresh air.

Hey thanks.

I think the idea that ignoring the small differences that exist between races is silly.
I get called out all the time for my red beard. It's not offensive, but they do find it odd when I tell them I'm a quarter inuit.

The day that saying "Hey that Asian guy has brown eyes." is seen as a harmful racist statement is the day I truly give up on Internet forums.

The other option being Reddit and God forbid 4chan... I think I'd rather just be lonely.

He’s trying to explain how expressing that kind of sentiment can come off as fetishizing and you just go off the rails by making it personal

Maybe you're right. And maybe I'm used to gaf being a place full of sanctimonious people decrying anyone that slightly deviates from the way they think, so I acted like an ass.

 

[RefigeKru]

Hey thanks.

I think the idea that ignoring the small differences that exist between races is silly.
I get called out all the time for my red beard. It's not offensive, but they do find it odd when I tell them I'm a quarter inuit.

The day that saying "Hey that Asian guy has brown eyes." is seen as a harmful racist statement is the day I truly give up on Internet forums.

The other option being Reddit and God forbid 4chan... I think I'd rather just be lonely.

You have more options.

 

[Dunki]

Here is the problem. The word racist has lost a ton of actualy power for normal people because these days everything is called racist

White Yoga Teacher teaching disabled people Yoga and and Idian culture? RACIST

Sushi cheff who is white? RACIST

White people getting photographed in a Kimono in front of a Monet Painting? Racist

Non black people wearing Braids which even went as far as a little teenager got deaththreats becuse she posted a picture of her in braids on the internet. Raist

PS; First evidence of braids by the way were found in Greece

I just wish people esepcially on the Internet would actually try to understand these kind of words and how they actually weaken these words and real victims of racism by this shit....

 

[Blood Borne]

japanese are to sushi as blacks are to crime


glad we finally solved that one

Yes. Black Americans commit more crime than any other race in USA. That is a fact.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Yes. Black Americans commit more crime than any other race in USA. That is a fact.

Irrelevant. Sushi is a Japanese originated (or taken over, whatever) dish, and crime is driven by poverty and other conflict based issues. Skin color does not cause/originate/whatever crime.

 

[sans_pants]

Yes. Black Americans commit more crime than any other race in USA. That is a fact.

you know its really easy to twist "facts" like statistics for anything, right?


you know when white people actually get stopped they are MORE likely to have committed a crime, yes?

 

[Major Williams]

If a prejudice is based on "racial"/ethnic considerations, then it's racism.

Racism is believing your race is superior.

When someone says 'oh you're asian you must be good at math', that is a prejudice based on racial considerations. However, it is believing that race (asian) to be superior than the person saying the phrase.

Is this racist? If it's not, your statement is not absolutely accurate. If it is racist, please tell me how it's superior, without using assumptions? It's a genuine appeal, not meaning to sound patronizing.

 

[Meh3D]

Irrelevant. Sushi is a Japanese originated (or taken over, whatever) dish, and crime is driven by poverty and other conflict based issues. Skin color does not cause/originate/whatever crime.

I would also like to add that "crime" is not inherently evil. We commit crimes everyday without even knowing it going by the dictionary's definition. Just this country has track record of going after certain groups of people more so than others. This country also has a track record of creating laws to specifically target other groups too. Which in turn fucks with the statistics even more.

"Look at these crime statistics. These people are evil"


I think racism is more complex than people even realize and I think there is a need for more dialogue. Take the job hiring situations I've been in. The people hiring aren't assholes; they have an easier time hiring someone they can see themselves in. Or perhaps just people they feel comfortable trusting because they've been around those type of people most of their life.

What makes it more complicated, some don't realize they're doing it.