Do racists realize they are racist?

Question

A fellow Yahoo Answers member contacted me via personal email and made all kinds of accusations about my heritage and how my "caucasian" ancestors were slave traders. As far as I know my family has never been involved with slavery in any way, shape or form. This got me to thinking. When a racist is racist.... do they realize it or are they oblivious to their own attitudes?
Here's the question that spawned her unwarranted attack along with my answer which was voted as best.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjN8JR9nMkEkHBNR5KT7Q3Dsy6IX?qid=20060719092317AAvShfO

I tried to give some possitive influence and encourage her to become more than she is but all I got was flack. If she didn't want to hear any answers she shouldn't have asked the question in the first place and if she didn't like some of the answers she got she should have picked her own best answer rather than putting it to a public vote. Am or was I wrong?

Answer 1

You sir were not wrong, and to answer your question about racists realizing they are racist. Let us take the example of Aisha J's question for which you posted a link in your question. In my opinion she knows she is a racist and flaunts it, she doesn't want racial equality, she wants... well just look in her profile:
http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt=AirlsUY75to2DOUTS5EfZ30ezKIX?show=0be40883cda87908f53a4d31aa8c04c9aa
you will see that she wishes-- "For My forty acres and my mule
(the equivalent in the 21st Century)"-- I guess what she is saying is that African Americans who were slaves were "promised forty acres and a mule". Which makes me think, does she think that every African American who is born in the U.S. should automatically receive forty acres and a mule? I think she is very racist and is more for Black Power than racial equality.

Answer 2

Some do but some don't. I read the entire thing and you are by no means racist. It is a complete joke that she attacked you so. You are completly right on your answer and keep that kind of work up because I still see so many people complaining about that. If anything these days, white people are discriminated against.
I just graduated high school. While I was applying for scholarships for college, my choices were very limited because HALF of the scholarships I found were based on race or gender. Since I am white and male I could not apply to any of these. WTF!!!!!!!! That is messed up, since now I am not even sure if I can pay for school my first year even though I still managed 2 scholarships. I was even 2nd in my class. From what I can tell people are still dwelling on the past like you said, and this is hurting everyone to this day. People need to remember the past and instead of re-living it

Answer 3

Yes. I know when I was younger I said things that were racist that I had picked up from both my parents and my grandparents. Later on I realized I was making insulting remarks with no point of reference but instead parroting phases I had learned from my family. I think once you realize that and then you continue to use racist remarks you are a true racist. I am not proud but ashamed I said the things I said but once I realized that I changed my ways. I think if a young person of twelve years old can figure that out there is no excuse for an adult to use that as an excuse. The golden rule as simple as it is applies here, because of its beautiful simplicity..

Answer 4

Well some people are born and raised in a household that is different than yours and has different beliefs. So what may seem racist to you may seem normal to her. I am not commending what she said because it was wrong though. Some times people do know what they are saying is wrong and some times they dont but more times than not when you try to help them they refuse or dont want to hear it. My advice is to know that you are a good person and just try to ignore her accusations. I know it is hard but some times you cant change people.

Answer 5

I think someone is just yanking your chain to get a rise out of you. A lot of people say stuff here that they would not say in public, thats for sure! I don't think racist remarks are made after careful thought, they just come out. Most of us reflect our parents attitudes, especially while younger.

Answer 6

i do not forget that a white President and white troops fought to save southern states from leaving the union i do not forget that all and sundry white human beings were no longer slave vendors yet an excellent purchase of white human beings dealt with black human beings as a lot less then human i do not forget that no slave vendors are alive in the present day yet a range of of each and every man or woman is alive that fought hard lengthy against the civil rights circulate

Answer 7

No. I do not think that racists realize that they are racist. And racists do come in all colors. Most people think of whites as being racists. There are just as many black racists. Yellow, red and brown racists also.

Answer 8

Me and my friends discuss this issue often.

It is very often that people who accuse others of being racist, through their arguments become racist themselves (but obviously don't realize it i guess).

I think everybody is racist, whether they like to admit it or not.

Answer 9

To some degree, I think we are all racist.... White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Muslim, the list goes on. Some know it and some don't, I think it depends on the extreme.

Answer 10

Sadly, I recognize that person. She's got quite a chip on her shoulder.

To answer your question, usually no, they do not know. If they do know, they don't care.