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

[joshuaayt]

I probably wouldn't call them out on it- which doesn't mean I'd forget it.

I would NOT respect their opinion- "All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others."? Douglas Adams

I would certainly attempt to alter their mindset, and, failing that, I would cease communication.

Remember, this friend is *not* just secretly harbouring ill feelings. With what would seem to be zero provocation, they made their racism known. And so I leave.

 

[Willwillwritehiswill]

It's impossible to be someone with no prejudices. Everyone hates someone, no exception. It's only if people discriminate based on those prejudices that it becomes a problem.

 

[Dimbo_Sama]

Yes, he is a bad person. There is absolutely no excuse for Racsisim in any form. I suppose if you're really good friends a bit of light hearted banter is always allowed, the same way I take the piss out of my friends for everything. But if you genuinely hate someone because of the colour of their skin, then you are a dispiciple person, and I would not only stop being friends with the guy in the example, but probably punch him in the face as well.

 

[Phoenixlight]

Yes, pretty much always.

 

[garfoldsomeoneelse]

Nah, knew a lot of damned decent guys back when I worked in construction. I'd go so far as to say that a few of them might've burned a cross or two in their time, but if you're the lucky color, they'd give you the shirt off their back. I'd say that qualifies them as "good"; they're not universal altruists, but they do good and aid people who they designate as worthy according to their insular and ignorant mindset.

I'd say that as long as they don't do anything negative to counter-balance the good that they do, I'd say there's nothing wrong with them. Everybody has their prejudices about everything, and those grow on you in one way or another, you can't really help it. I don't support inter-species discrimination, but if one feels that way and keeps it as a pet peeve rather than making it into an extermination rally, I won't hold it against them.

 

[Withall]

Well, the difference between an ignorant racist and a "real" nazist is the rhetoric they use. Generally, the louder the person, they less they know, and therefore the less judgement they have.

This principle can be applied to most "shouted" politics out there.

 

[CheeseSandwichCake]

To be honest, I don't care about people being racist until people start fights specifically because somebody is from a different country.

I'm Australian so I'm just allowed to be racist. Or it's not really racism, it's more like "Look at all them stupid immigrants who don't know how to tie their shoelaces."

 

[Nazulu]

No, it's like a misunderstanding. It usually comes through the up-bringing, growing up with people that share their racist thoughts and those people got it back from ignorant views of the government, alienating those with a different culture in their own community.

It's also fear driven, and when people are scared then they don't think irrationally, it's not always the case but a lot of the time it's something close to it.

 

[jultub]

I'd say that they are wrong, but I see religious people, or people who smoke as being wrong as well. I do not see any of them as necessarily bad. As long as they keep these beliefs away from me, and don't try to push any of it on me. I don't think it's my right to judge them for their opinions.

 

[Treblaine]

Well there is a range of racism, those who grumble about "this race does this" and "this race does that" but holding no particular superiority complex, and can reasonably well get on with other races if given enough time. You know, old-people racism your grandad says sometimes.

Then there is the extreme end of the spectrum, the KKK and Nazis, also the Rwandan genocide-iers, they see people of even slightly different race as sub-human, and have unending hate and contempt for them. Now that is evil.

I think we need to accept that almost everyone holds some sort of racial prejudice but the important think is that they can accept other humans essential rights, to be treated right and like any human beings, and to be given a fair chance.

We mustn't let attitudes against racism itself lead to a form of prejudice, especially when they defy all reasonable response, though I can understand a "zero tolerance" attitude to racism if we are to function as a society we can't be demonising people.

 

[FallenJellyDoughnut]

Does that make 90% of Australia bad people? Seriously, all white Australians don't like Aboriginals, don't say you do, I know you don't, unless you live in Canberra and have never seen an Aboriginal person. I will admit to being a little racist myself (I've never met an aboriginal person that I've liked, except for about 3, one of which is my friend, who is also racist against his own race)

Excellent point. I learned racism against Aborigines due to living near them. The ones I have seen are abusive towards their children. On several occasions I have been assaulted by Aboriginals. Is it racist for me to have an immediate distrust of them?

I still can't get over how selfish they are. They get $50 a day to go to school, free house, free car and I think they don't get taxes either, and still they complain about how us white folk treated them so wrong 100 years ago! (I'm serious, I've been cut in line at maccas by an aboriginal man who complained about his rights, and he got a free meal! IS THERE NO END?!

 

[heartshooter]

being racist is basically showing people that you judge a book by it's cover

 

[Estocavio]

People are free to think whatever they choose to - And if that happens to be a negative opinion towards racists, then doesn't that technically make them discriminatory towards said racists, operating from the same generalisation?

I myself am indifferent to judgementalism, but I just fail to see the difference between the two...?

 

[A BigCup of Tea]

I dont think so, everyone is entitled to an opinion although i think my respect for them would drop a little.

 

[zhoominator]

Nah, knew a lot of damned decent guys back when I worked in construction. I'd go so far as to say that a few of them might've burned a cross or two in their time, but if you're the lucky color, they'd give you the shirt off their back. I'd say that qualifies them as "good"; they're not universal altruists, but they do good and aid people who they designate as worthy according to their insular and ignorant mindset.

I'd respectfully disagree. If you believe any person should be treated better than another purely because of the way they look or the culture they come from then you aren't a good person. In fact, I think the better you are to your "own race" compared to any other, the worse a person you are. At least dickheads who are racists treat most people in a similar way...

Since there is no excuse for this kind of ignorance in the 21st century with all of our technology (with the internet etc.), anybody who displays it is not a good person. Not always evil (though in many cases racists are), but certainly not good people.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Gah, see Racism is tricky. I was in a debate with my friends about the morality of alcohol, and she brought up "It destroys Australian's lives" ... and I said "I destroys ALCOHOLIC's lives o.o much like gambling destroys GAMBLER's lives" ... and she said "Well look at the social problems of Alcoholism in Aboriginal communities" .... and then there was an awkward silence as if we were checking our general surroundings to make sure nobody heard us discussing the matter like we were discussing the heist of a bank.

Alcohol abuse is huge in Aboriginal communities, and I think bringing it to attention in the wrong audience can lead to the big ol' 'Racist stamp' that everybody and their dog likes to pass around as liberally as a pack of Tim Tams.

But of course theres that interior critic inside your brain that says 'Now you're racist if you consider that a good cxounter-argument cos not all Aboriginals are alcoholics' at the same time you realise that alcohol abuse is a big problem in Aborigina;l communities but the PC-ness factor hit you across the face and you feel like you should stifle that social commentary for fear of offending someone.

See I'm all for treating everybody as a genderless, amorphous blob when it comes to skills, abilities and acceptance. But at the same time there are significant social problems that effect 'racial' groups more than others and although they are REAL problems you feel yourself getting that niggling feeling in your stomach communicating them to another for fear that you might be an actual racist and not know it.

So what *is* racism? I really don;'t know anymore ... and I feel the reason why I don't know is because [people throw it around so much (and falsely whilst at it) that the social definition of Racism is kinda hard to describe.

My uncle once said something pretty enigmatic on the situation to me. "Racism wasn't a problem till people started talking about 'Multiculturalism', and then everybody started looking at eachother as 'different'".

 

[afaceforradio]

I know someone who really hates Indiana/Pakistani people for no reason other than 'just cos' but on all other levels he's a really decent bloke who'd really put himself out for others. However, his racism is a character flaw and a massively ignorant side of him. Doesn't make him (as some have said) 'evil' like a paedo or anything.

I'm interested as to why you went straight for paedo being the ultimate level of evil. I'm not saying your wrong, not at all. I'm just curious as to why that's your knee jerk reaction. I mean, if a person is attracted to kids but doesn't act on their feelings, does that make them as bad as a racist person that doesn't act on their feelings either?

I suppose it depends which you think is worse.

A fair point!

However (the way I look at it) racism, although heavily frowned upon, isn't actually an illegal action (I don't mean hate crime here, I mean a dislike of other colours etc - speaking about it in conversation won't get you in trouble, just disliked or argued with) whereas so much as flirting with a minor (or saying 'ooh that little girl over there is something I'd like to blah blah' in a public forum could get you into legal trouble.

I guess it just popped into my head because it's one of the most sick things I can think of that would make me tar someone as 'evil', if that makes sense?

 

[Camembert]

They're not bad, just ignorant.

I'm interested as to why you went straight for paedo being the ultimate level of evil. I'm not saying your wrong, not at all. I'm just curious as to why that's your knee jerk reaction. I mean, if a person is attracted to kids but doesn't act on their feelings, does that make them as bad as a racist person that doesn't act on their feelings either?

I suppose it depends which you think is worse.

I've often wondered that... I mean, no one can help who/what they're attracted to, so in cases like that I have to wonder whether we should sympathise with the paedophile. Can you imagine how awful it must be? Feeling that way, yet knowing you must never act upon it, and having the strength not to. It's kind of admirable, really.