Is being a racist really a big deal?

[zorkuus]

Wait. But what if he's right. What if, per capita, black people are more likely to use drugs, commit violent act, and disturb the peace.

I have no idea if that's factual, but assuming it is for the sake of argument, is it racist to point it out?

The answer is no.

Yes it's fucking wrong and racist to point that out because the argument is skewed (and likely very biased). Black people (or whatever) aren't more prone to crime statistically because they're black, it's because of sociological, economical and cultural reasons. If white people were put into that situation for centuries the results would be no different.

But you are being racist towards racist people because you just generalized and judged people you don't even know and have no idea what is their reason for being a racist, which pretty much makes you an idiot yourself.

There are no good reasons for being a racist, only excuses based on irrational fears and ignorance. Not tolerating the intolerant isn't something I'm going to feel ashemed of tyvm.

[LilSaihah]

You can't be serious...

Yes I can! I just choose not to. Most of the time.

"Switch black with asian in terms of history and you'd have the same result."

I really cannot dumb it down any more than that.

Define: black
Define: asian

[RoKPaNda]

It really means at what level, and form of racism you take.

Personally I define racism as: You loathe another person because of their nationality or skin colour.

To me, if you find a Black Women (For example) not as a attractive as a White Women, that to me isn't racism, nor is the preference to be treated by someone who is the same colour as you. I think it is extremely stupid, closed minded and ignorant, but not racist.

Having no physical attraction to people of a certain race is extremely stupid, closed minded, and ignorant? What a person finds attractive is something they have 0 control over.

[Management]

"Races more prone to violence and drugs" listen to you. It couldnt possibly have anything to do with the society they live in or are forced into.

They may be forced into the society because of economical issues, however they can still choose to use violence/drugs or instead be productive and get somewhere.

---------- Post added 2013-01-27 at 05:09 PM ----------

Having no physical attraction to people of a certain race is extremely stupid, closed minded, and ignorant? What a person finds attractive is something they have 0 control over.

This.
ten chars

[Deleted]

I have been called a racist but i dont think i am. I love my country i live in and dont want ppl from other country's get here and do what they want. They get educations before we that live in this country because of integration. Goverment say that unemployment is dropping among immigrants but still our own ppl dont get any jobs. That is because immigrants get faster help, but if we got the same help we would have a job too. Seeing ppl that abuse the system to get money and drive around in cars that i couldnt even afford when i worked is bad.

So racist is something that ppl dont understand the meaning of. Am i a racist because i think that we shouldnt let anymore immigrants to my country? We have ppl that live on the street, even that our goverment say that we dont. Shouldnt we help our own ppl first?

[Sevyvia]

"Is being racist really a big deal?"

No. If, like you describe, you don't make a big deal of it in daily life and just have your own opinions that you mostly keep to yourself, it's not a big deal. I'm in that same category myself. Some (Mostly left-wing) people refuse to look at facts and statistics regarding middle eastern immigrants to Europe, and rather resort to copout name-calling, but whatever. I'm not a politician, I don't have to care about what people think of me.

[Deleted]

I'm not too keen on immigrants from ME/NA in Sweden, only bad experiences with them. Nevermind the fact they're overrepresented in sex crimes. Pointing that out gets me called a racist though..

I don't know anyone in my personal life that's in favor of those kind of immigrants. I'm not sure this falls under "racist" as it's not a race but a culture that comes with it that i don't approve of. Can't say i'm ashamed or scared to admit it irl either.

[Deadvolcanoes]

because a statement of X gender is per capita more inclined to commit Y act. by it's very nature is implying Race as the Causality of the act.

This is absolutely, 100% false. I mean let's put aside the fact that you're mixing up race and gender in the same example. Pointing out facts does not, and never will, imply causality. Period.

Just because men are more likely to commit rape, does not imply that being a male is the cause of the rape. That doesn't make any sense.

if you make a historical statement

When talking about crimes per capita, which is what I did, we are making historical statements.

And if you have enough years of empirical data, you could even make scientific predictive statements without being racists.

e.g. based on 100 years of data, white people are more likely to be pedophiles.

Observations are not causations.

[Spectral]

It's only a big deal if you're trying not to be a terrible person.

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

Not really, no. If you don't allow your racism to influence your decisions, then it doesn't really matter.

[Kolo]

You started a thread about how people think you are racist to prove you aren't racist while proving you are racist. Then you declare you aren't racist and that's the end of the discussion. This thread really went places.

[Deleted]

K I think I got what I needed from this thread. (that I'm not racist just dislike certain cultures and aware of the differences) Thanks for the input guys.

If you honestly believe this: "I guess what it stems down to is being a realist that acknowledges some races are prone to violence, drugs, and general mayhem.", you are a racist, no matter what you call yourself. If you were talking about socio-economic groups, or perhaps even cultures (though I'd argue that this is borderline) that'd be a different matter.

[Deadvolcanoes]

Yes it's fucking wrong and racist to point that out because the argument is skewed (and likely very biased). Black people (or whatever) aren't more prone to crime statistically because they're black, it's because of sociological, economical and cultural reasons.

If you get on a bus, and you see 10 white people, is it racists to say "there are ten white people on the bus."

If, per capita, black people commit more crime than white people, is it racist to say "black people commit more crime per capita than white people."

When the fuck did it become racist to point out facts? This mindset actually perpetuates racism.

[RoKPaNda]

Also I'll add this ... If you just have racist feelings and you don't act on them, if they don't impact your job and your professional interactions with the race(s) that you have those feelings about ... It's not really a big deal. It's not good by any means though. It happens. Racism happens, it happens everywhere .. I was pretty shocked at the amount of racism in Australia for example. Everyone in my home country tends to think of Australia as being pretty laid back and cool, and for the most part they are and as far as civil liberties go they're leaps and bounds ahead of my home country, but there is a staggering amount of racism in Australia .. Both directed at the Indigenous Australians as well as the Middle Eastern immigrants. I was really surprised.

Racism sucks, but we're kind of stuck with it. At least for now. :/

Edit: Something of note, it's important for people to realize that the people of X group that they've met are not really a good representation of the whole of their people. I for example have had almost nothing but bad experiences with people from Sweden, but that doesn't change my feeling that overall the people from Sweden are probably alright and that I've just met the complete asshats. Assuming that all/most of a people are exactly like the handful that you've interacted with is pretty silly.

[Benomatic]

That doesnt sound manic at all, maybe change your named to depressedwrath

Hey I'm not depressed at all. I just hate people. Trust me, I've met them!

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

This is absolutely, 100% false. I mean let's put aside the fact that you're mixing up race and gender in the same example. Pointing out facts does not, and never will, imply causality. Period.

To elaborate on this:


How many statements can you get out of that graph that would be worded exactly the same?

If you get on a bus, and you see 10 white people, is it racists to say "there are ten white people on the bus."

If, per capita, black people commit more crime than white people, is it racist to say "black people commit more crime per capita than white people."

When the fuck did it become racist to point out facts? This mindset actually perpetuates racism.

The racism comes from the context it is being used in. Just about the only reason to point out such statistics would be to try to support a racist argument.

[oxymoronic]

You started a thread about how people think you are racist to prove you aren't racist while proving you are racist. Then you declare you aren't racist and that's the end of the discussion. This thread really went places.

Would a true racist person have a filipino wife? I think you mark anybody that has anything negative to say about another race as a racist. Life must be fun painting with such broad strokes.

[j46ebucemag]

I have been called a racist but i dont think i am. I love my country i live in and dont want ppl from other country's get here and do what they want. They get educations before we that live in this country because of integration. Goverment say that unemployment is dropping among immigrants but still our own ppl dont get any jobs. That is because immigrants get faster help, but if we got the same help we would have a job too. Seeing ppl that abuse the system to get money and drive around in cars that i couldnt even afford when i worked is bad.

So racist is something that ppl dont understand the meaning of. Am i a racist because i think that we shouldnt let anymore immigrants to my country? We have ppl that live on the street, even that our goverment say that we dont. Shouldnt we help our own ppl first?

While I don't totally support your position, I don't think it's racist. Racism, as others have defined, involves making generalizations about a race and judging strangers based on that generalization. A lot of racists who state things such as "certain races are just more prone to violence and drug use" deny rather obvious facts, such as external influences on these people, almost subconsciously in an effort to cover up their racist attitude.

@OP, Yes, racism is a huge deal. Put yourself in the shoes of someone of another race, African American for example. Would you like be judged for the actions of some other random person, when all you are doing is trying to live a normal, fun life? Furthermore, wouldn't you be frustrated that the very actions racists accuse you of are sometimes a DIRECT result of racism itself (violence caused by continual harsh judgement)? If you're honest with yourself I'm pretty sure we all know how you or anyone else would answer. If you wouldn't like being judged then multiply that by the number of every single person who has been treated with a racist attitude and then you'll realize why racism is a problem.

[Wikiy]

So basically, 9 of 10 people are not actually real humans.

And I think that genghis khan number is something like 1/400, not 1/4.

I don't find the Genghis Khan 1/4 statistic that unlikely. For example, every single European is a descendent of King Charlamagne (arguably the most important European leader ever), while every single human is a descendant of a female known as Mitochondrial Eve that lived around 200 000 years ago and of a male known as Y-chromosome Adam that lived 142 000 years ago.

[DJKalteraphine]

please don't lump all of us together and dismiss an individual

This is the most hilarious thing a racist has ever said. You are rich with irony.