Why is it a crime to be racist?

Question

I mean, people say things that hurt other people ALL THE TIME, but they are not punished. But when a person generalizes about a collective group of people, they are. Why is it so much worse to badmouth people collectively than individually?

Answer 1

Well technically and strictly, racism is not exactly a CRIME unless it is the motive for hate crimes against other people, such as violence and vandalism towards them. THEN it's of course a crime. But when it boils down to personal emotions within individuals, it's not a "crime" but it is harmful, unfair, and could turn dangerous.

Look at men throughout history like Adolf Hitler and the men who organized the Ku Klux Klan. Racism started as them feeling malice in their hearts towards different ethnicities of people, then turned into "badmouthing" of these groups, and finally ended in slaughter, bloodbaths, and terrorism of innocent people. Racism like it has proven to be DANGEROUS throughout history. It's not so simple as a person "bad-mouthing" another. And attacking another person for something as petty as the skin complexion they were born in is the height of foolishness. How would you like it if people attacked you for nothing more than being white? It would make you angry, hurt, and you'd feel it was an unfair hatred of something you had nothing to do with.

Well, why should people of various cultures, ethnicities, and races be attacked for being what they are? Last time I checked, White people were only one of MANY ethnicities, tribes, and races on the globe. Nobody has a "monopoly" on goodness based on something as trivial as their racial background.

And regardless of some people's delusions there is nothing better about being "white" then there is about being black, chinese, puerto rican, mixed-race, iranian, etc. It's only one of MANY types of people. It shouldn't be viewed as the only acceptable race on the planet and the rest of us as just dirt because we happened to be born something different. That's ridiculous.

And to answer your question, if a person has done nothing wrong, they should NOT be "badmouthed" whether it is collectively or individually. Personal attacks are harmful and damaging to innocent people who do not deserve them.

Answer 2

Because you dont know everyone in a group to badmouth them. You are just generalizing and that creates stereotypes. Also, hate crimes are about more than just race, they include sexual preference, religion and pretty much anything else that you can discriminate against a person for. If I couldnt stand brunettes just because of the color of there hair, I'm stupid but its not a crime. Its when I commit another crime against someone because they are a brunette that it becomes an issue. You can think whatever you want to think, but when it gets to the point of hurting other people then it is bad.

Answer 3

Intensity of crime is the level it hurts people. The damage is when its hurt your feelings. The worst is when its hurts multiple people's opinion

Racism directly plunges into a person's heart as if someone gets stabbed. And for something he/she is not responsible.

When you badmouth an individual its between his thoughts & your opinion, but a race is when many heads agree on one opinion & bad mouthing that opinion means you have agitated many heads not one.

The world really is funny in birds eye view. I have seen siblings swearing "Son of a B$tC$h", But gets offended when some else swears at him :)

The only place where unity is shown is in race, maybe the law wants the unity & hence is punishable.
We don't say 'Its ok so many people hit each other so hitting my car is not a big thing ' when someone bangs on our car by accident
Generally bad mouthing anything is not fair, the excuse of pointing fingers at other things does not solve the current mistake.

Think about this, when you bad mouth one person & if it invokes anger its a street fight, but when you bad mouth a group & if it instigates anger - its war. Hence to avoid the more destructive one , its defined as crime

Answer 4

we all live on this planet, and we all have our own burdens to bear, why should one group of people be better or worse than anyone else? there is good and bad of every "race". I say we are all humans. Im as white as you can get, but there are a lot of white people I want nothing to do with! Just because of the screwed up way their minds work, not because of their skin color. that has nothing to do with anything, except how long you can stay in the sun. And these days, even that doesnt matter, everybody should be careful in the sun. Each person is an individual. how can you group everyone together? I know good people of lots of races, and bad people too. I judge people on how they treat me individualy.

Answer 5

It's not a crime to be racist, because we all are at some level or another. The crime part comes in when the racism is so extreme, that a violent act occurs. I've never heard of anyone going to jail or getting fined for telling groups of people racist remarks. I don't know where you live, but where I'm from, even the most brassed balled racist won't call a group of Negroes the 'n' word for fear of being skinned alive. Don't forget there is power in numbers.

Answer 6

Because only the individual cares about the individual, and because your criticism of that individual may be warranted; whereas criticizing someone on the sole basis of their skin color holds no merit. When you stereotype you offend that person, every person on the planet of similar race, everyone that was ever born of that race, and everyone that ever will be born of that race, so you can understand why it yields much stronger reactions.So in answer to your question (from my point of view) it's not worse, but it draws attention from the masses, as opposed to the individual. I'd just as soon do away with both types of hate.

Answer 7

because individuals do not define a group. you won't necessarily be punished as with crime, just maybe looked down upon by everyone else and in some cases jumped. but you're not going to jail for it. the worst part is that a lot of people will think you're ignorant.

Answer 8

... ahhh.. we meet again. If you don't understand WHY it's more hurtful to generalize about a certain group... okay, if you told someone to "f*ck off," that's fine. Rude, but fine because it's broad and applicable to anyone. You can say that to a freaking goat, and it wouldn't hurt as much as targeting a minority group. You don't just go up to an African American and call him/her the N word, do you? If you can't tell the difference between the level of insult, then there's something wrong with you. Otherwise, you're white... meaning you're part of the majority group who has NOT been discriminated against and oppressed as much as the minority groups.

Answer 9

Sorry, it's not a crime to be racist. It is frowned upon however.

To answer your question specifically, though, if you say something about an individual, it is entirely possible that what you are saying is entirely true. For example, if you say "Joan can't drive", it's entirely possible that Joan is a lousy driver and that you are being honest.

However, when you try to make generalizations about a race consisting of hundreds of millions of people, it is nearly impossible that what you say is true for every member of that race. If you said "Asians can't drive", for example, it would certainly be true for some Asians, but it would also certainly be false for some Asians.

That's why people who say things are true for this race or that race are generally considered less than intelligent and bigoted.

Answer 10

Someone that I have known for several months was shocked when he found out that I was Jewish and said. "You're Jewish BUT you are so nice." It was a stupid reply and showed little intellect. It is just what you are talking about She in essence said That all Jews are NOT nice. Dumb and to badmouth collectively shows ignorance to badmouth some person singularily shows you have a gripe with him.