Poll: Does being racist instantly make you a bad person?

[Sparrow]

This is just something I've been thinking of recently, and I wanted to know the Escapist's view toward this. I'll keep my opinion out of it so I don't affect anyone else.

So, imagine you have a friend of the same colour and sex as you. This person is a good friend, you like them alot. They donate to charity, they make jokes you find funny and they're always there for you in a pinch. They've done alot for you.

Then say, one day, you and your friend see someone of a different colour and start a conversation about them. Your friend is quite racist toward them, specifically stating that they don't like people of that person's colour.

I'm just curious as to how you, the Escapist public, would respond to this. Would you instantly call them out on it? Would you respect their opinion even if you don't agree with it, or alternatively, if you do agree with it? Would you try and change them? And ultimately, would it affect your friendship to the point where you would consider no longer being friends with them?

Disclaimer: Just so everyone knows, I am NOT trying to justify racism. I just don't want to put my own opinion in here incase it affects anyone's answer.

Edit: I'm not entirely sure where this use of the word "evil" has come from here. If that's what you think of when I said a "bad person", that's perfectly fine, but I'm not specifically asking if they're evil or not.

 

[spectrenihlus]

This is just something I've been thinking of recently, and I wanted to know the Escapist's view toward this. I'll keep my opinion out of it so I don't affect anyone else.

So, imagine you have a friend of the same colour and sex as you. This person is a good friend, you like them alot. They donate to charity, they make jokes you find funny and they're always there for you in a pinch. They've done alot for you.

Then say, one day, you and your friend see someone of the opposite colour and start a conversation about them. Your friend is quite racist toward them, specifically stating that they don't like people of that person's colour.

I'm just curious as to how you, the Escapist public, would respond to this. Would you instantly call them out on it? Would you respect their opinion even if you don't agree with it, or alternatively, if you do agree with it? Would you try and change them? And ultimately, would it affect your friendship to the point where you would consider no longer being friends with them?

Are they evil? no. I would say they are ignorant either that or stupid.

 

[Rainboq]

No, just ignorant.

 

[Outright Villainy]

I'd have a big problem with them being racist, yes. Not evil, but enough to make me reconsider being friends with them.

 

[crimsonshrouds]

ignorant yes, evil no,

 

[Worgen]

not a bad person but certainly stupid

hating someone for the color of their skin is stupid when if you just get to know them a little bit you can find so many better reasons to hate them

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

I'd give a strange raising of the eyebrows because of the fact i never knew that about said person then I would ignore them.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

They aren't evil by the definition. But they are close-minded. That being said, he simply states that he or she does not like them. He never says that they are of an inferior race then ours. It's that ideology that tends to start most genocides then simply not liking them.

 

[Deofuta]

Not bad people, just ignorant.

I have quite a few relatives that are just blatantly racists. Do I love them? Yes! Does it make conversation really, really awkward at times, YES!

 

[Legion]

It depends on if it is just thought, speech or actions. Thoughts cannot always be helped, the other two can.

If they dislike other races then they are just ignorant or close minded. If they discriminate against them through speech or actions then they are bad.

 

[reg42]

Not bad, just ignorant. I can't understand racism myself, but I have a lot of racist friends.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

Only if you dont realize that it is *you* with the problem.

 

[oppp7]

It's natural/instinctual for people to discriminate. So as long as they don't let it affect their actions(although that's hard to do) they'll be good people.

 

[junkmanuk]

I don't think the poll question really asks what your post was asking... but anyway no - not necessarily a bad person.

It's an upbringing thing for some cultures. I've seen this myself with an Indian colleague. I can't recall the exact details but he was usually very polite to people but was extremely unpleasant about another person because of their cultural differences.

Sad - yes, backward - probably, does it make them a 'bad person'? Not by itself I don't think..

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

Racism implies a mixture of willful ignorance and irrational hatred.

So yeah, I guess that qualifies one as a "bad person".

 

[Oomii]

No one is a "bad person". They are just misinformed or ignorant. They need to open their minds, but are the evil, no.

 

[SlowShootinPete]

Everyone has prejudices. I, for example, feel a slight twinge of revulsion (I guess you could call it that) when I see a black person, especially if they look like a rapper or something. I can't help it.

But I try as hard as I can to be aware of it and not let it affect my behavior towards that person. If I did, and treated the person like shit, that would make me an asshole.

So basically it depends.