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

[Fidelias]

No, being racist doesn't make you a bad person. Within reason, of course. But just thinking that you're superior to another group doesn't. Hell, everyone is racist in at least a small way. I know I'm a little, though I'm trying to be a little more open-minded.

 

[dementis]

I wouldn't say bad, there's different levels to racism anyway, for example i have plenty of Asian friends (indian, chinese etc) yet I can't really connect with any black person I meet, from the frequent occurance of them using it as a weapon as it were, i've met some i can get on with but a fair few conform to the black stereotye of the loud mouth "gansta". just think of it this way there's no good or bad, just different shades of grey.

 

[That's Funny]

Not sure that they're a bad person because of that, but if you don't agree with them, you just say you don't agree and let them be.

They're probably ignorant anyway, it can be difficult to change a persons view on this particular subject.

 

[tobytobetobe]

not nessesarily a bad person as they may have been brought up in a quite rascist environment like south africa had a prejudice towards blacks and beacuse the people at top tried to make everyone obey meaning that they could be reascist just because of compliance which then again means they arent rascist inside however they could internalise into beleiveing it. Also som religions are prejudice towards other religions and hence they are rascist but that is just because of their religion so if everyone rascist is a bad person that means some people of some religions are evil. it all depends on circumstances

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

and what deos that mean exactly if its sac=rcastic i cant tell over the internet

I was just wondering about a few things, really. Like, as a genuine Nazi, do you support the annexation of Austria to Germany? And do you believe that The Aryan people (people born in Germany) are superior to other nations (such as people born in America)?

What's your stance on The Stalin Hitler Pact?

i'm not a
aryan nazi i'm a reformist nazi i believe in the discipline of the regime and the order that follows
hitler and stalin were stupid evil bastards that deserved to die and get stabbed in the back
no the aryans did not exist it was made up by that foul evil minded arsehole who everyone associates us with.
it would be like me asking a american what do you think of southern take on slavery in such a such time period he proberly wont no or care
just because i believ in order amognst chaos and peace among mewn under a certain name does not make me a bad person

Erm i hate to put a fly in your neo nazi ointment but erm, isnt nazism without the anti semitism murder and war basically just plain ol' faschism? You could just call yourself that rather than a neo nazi. Are we BNP outlook or just faschism here because i honestly cant tell.
Neo nazi means people who agree with hitler, its what everyone interprets the word to mean so that basically defines its meaning. Saying you interpret the word differently than basically everyone else is going to lead to a lot of confusion.

 

[Dexiro]

It makes you a bad person if you act on your racism, but I'm not entirely sure you could be racist without acting on it.

I've heard it said that even though most people aren't openly racist these days they still treat other races differently without realizing, and some people even find that more offensive than blatant racism.

I think the whole "racism is natural" argument is bullshit too. Usually i think "human instinct" arguments make sense, but there's no way civilized people are still using that mentality >.<
It doesn't make racism acceptable, it still boils down to people being ignorant.

 

[RatRace123]

I think a bit, it certainly makes the person an idiot. Hating someone because of race is a stupid basis for hate to form, you should develop hate after you get to know the person, or you hear their voice and it sounds like Gilbert Godfried and Fran Drescher's love child. That's a perfectly good basis for hate to form, not race or sexual preference. But personality quirks that annoy the hell out of you.

 

[Burst6]

well i see no reason to! im a very logical person and there's absolutely no logic in judging someone based on their origin and skin colour

I think that way too, but that annoying part of my subconscious still causes me to separate people by skin color and origin. Even if it's for something insignificant.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I think a bit, it certainly makes the person an idiot. Hating someone because of race is a stupid basis for hate to form, you should develop hate after you get to know the person, or you hear their voice and it sounds like Gilbert Godfried and Fran Drescher's love child. That's a perfectly good basis for hate to form, not race or sexual preference. But personality quirks that annoy the hell out of you.

To quote a reformed racist mate of mine when he finally got it:

"Don't hate people because they're black or gay or whatever. Hate them because they're shit."

He built this understanding on my theory that if you can't find something personal to hate about someone within 30 seconds of meeting them then it's probably not worth the effort of hating them anyway unless/until they do something monumentally fucked up.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I think the whole "racism is natural" argument is bullshit too. Usually i think "human instinct" arguments make sense, but there's no way civilized people are still using that mentality >.<

Racism isn't natural per se because Race is a social construct based on grouping people together based on similarities of observable physical features (ie, skin pigmentation) within the group and differences without.

The 'human instinct' is comfort with the familiar and unease at the different but that's the beginning and end of it. Beyond that it's just an excuse.

 

[Hawgh]

Well, it is difficult to objectively classify something as wrong. If the person in questions feels it is quite alright for everyone to hate each other on a basis of race, then he would not be morally challenged by his opinion.

However, that standpoint is tough to defend as he would need to believe, for example the two statements "It is alright for me to dislike Y people, as I believe they are inferior and I am superior. Since I am superior, I am right." and "It is alright for Y to dislike me, as they believe I am inferior and they are superior. Since they are superior, they are right.".

Problems with each statement aside(believing something does not make it so, for instance) the statements conflict with each other, and I find it quite unlikely that someone would be able to believe both of them at the same time. Perhaps someone well-versed in Doublethink could.

As such, I would judge the person as following an internally inconsistent morality, which would make him immoral. Or, as you say, a bad person.

If someone I knew started suddenly started spewing racism, I'd call them on it, starting with a resounding "What the hell?!?".

 

[springheeljack]

no it would not necessarily make you a bad person
but it would certainly lead to a end to a friendship or relationship

 

[Mikri Shogun]

We learn to be racists, therefore, we can learn not to be racists.It has everything to do with fear,ignorance,power,religious fundamentalism and other ways of appealing to the masses.It doesn't have any relation with good or evil,but with the choices of a society makes,deep within her culture.

 

[MrSpunkSponge]

I think it is impossible to be completely non-racist, we are all racist to a certain extent, Its uncontrollable, but unless you are frequently making bad remarks, I don't think it makes us bad or evil.

 

[Danpascooch]

Yes, they are a "bad person"

If someone judges a person based on the color of their skin negatively, I can't imagine they are a good person in many other basic aspects.

 

[Withard]

Dear Escapists,

GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE.

Everyone here has either made a joke, made a snap judgment, or been made otherwise uncomfortable at least once in their lives because of your inherent racism (fear of the different).

YOU ARE ALL A LITTLE BIT RACIST.

That doesn't necessarily mean you put on sheets and swastika tattoos and live in Arizona. I just means that you have a bias that (at least initially) colors the way you feel about people you don't know. Since you don't know them, you assume things because the brain doesn't like to be in the dark about anything. So you pretend you know what those people are all about.

But I digress. My real point is GET OVER YOURSELVES.

How dare you. Outside now I need to tell you that were not friends anymore. I agree with all you said.

 

[Spacelord]

I've actually been in a situation like that. We didn't remain friends for long. Then again he wasn't exactly my best friend evarr. I guess if it were the case I guess I'd start figuring out where the prejudice comes from, maybe expose them to people of that particular race a bit more, and/or ask them to play devil's advocate and say something in favor of people of that race. (those two interventions have been proven to incur attitude change). If nothing works I guess the friendship would be over.

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

I'm so sorry I quoted you dude since what I have to say bears little relevance, but I just have to say this: I love your avatar just so damn much.

 

[nofear220]

Racist jokes are completely fine, a joke doesnt mean anything. Although if its not a joke, it depends what racist stereotype holding against the other person. For instance, (this is just an example) if it was a black male wearing his pants on his knees and a backwards baseball cap it would be fine for your friend to say he doenst like people like that, because most likely that guy would rob you in a dark alley way. Now he was dressed like a normal person and not trying to be a "gangster" and your friend was still being racist for the same reason, then Id distance myself from that friend

 

[clipse15]

so misguided you poor soul. So I guess you figure that white people always lived in America eh?