Do you think it is racist?

Question

To call a white man, white. Or a black man black, when solely refering to thier physical appearance in niether a negative or posative manner?

If it's not racist then why does eveyone freak out when race or color is mentioned? And I mean in a way that isn't insulting. Are people just hypersensative or what?

Answer 1

I don't think it's racist if you're just describing someone and it's relevant (for example, there's a group of people, and there's a black girl or a black guy, and you say: "You know John? The black guy standing over there?" works for white/Chinese/etc). Or if you're talking in general (then, it will depends on what follows, obviously).

I'm French and lived in a French tropical island (Reunion Island, in case you know it) when I was a teen (that's where my dad was from). There, the population is mixed: white (straight from metropolitan France or from Reunion itself), creoles, black (and then, there are different types of black people depending on where they come from: Madagascar and the Comores, usually), Indians, Chinese, Arabs (who are from Pakistan),... I think I got it all covered! Anyway. We often said things like: "you know, the white guy..." or "the Chinese girl...".

It's not racist: it's just easier than saying:
"The girl with the blue skirt and the white shoes..."
"Can't remember.."
"The Chinese girl"
"Ah! Ok."

Answer 2

I don't think it's 'racist' per se.
It can become an issue depending on 'how' it's said... when someone says, 'Yeah, there's this white boy at my job...' (when referring to a man) or 'This black that lives near me...' (using it as a noun not adjective) it has more of a negative connotation. Also 'black' can be offensive because of the roots of the 'mental' oppression. With the black face actors and movies where the darkest, most African looking guy was always the bad guy etc. Black was meant to be bad before.
So I think some people want to reduce the use of it as a way to get away from the historical negativity of it.
Plus... to the people that say it refers to the physical appearance (being 'descriptive'), I don't agree... it may seem anal but if that's really what we were doing 'blacks' would be be browns, 'whites' would be pinks or beiges b/c I think itd be rare to meet an ink black man, or a paper white woman.
JMO

Answer 3

Unless you say black or white in a negative tone of voice, then the offense is just the result of PCism (*cough* liberalism *cough*) run amok.

There is nothing wrong with saying, "I saw a black man at the store today" or even "That Arab kid at school stole my money!" As long as you are not saying it in a way that implies that the fact that the black man was at the store offended you or that the reason the kid stole your money was that he was an Arab, then it's fine.

If this PCism keeps up, it'll eventually get to the point where, in order to avoid pressing someone's buttons, you'll have to say things like "I saw this person go here and do this" or "This person met that person and they went to this place and did this."

Answer 4

interesting question. the easy answer is no. if you're "refering to their physcial appearance in neither a negative or positive manner" but how realistic is this really?

I don't think its racist but i also don't think people "freak out" when race is mentioned. The thing is you can't just say "why can't we all just get along" or "everyone should just be nice to each other" b/c its more complicated than that. Its not just a matter of being oversensitive.

don't know if its directly related but check this out:

http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~mcisaac/emc598ge/Unpacking.html

especially the section titled "Daily Effects of White Privilege"


Its gives a really interesting perspective on being white.


i'm white btw

Answer 5

I don't think it is, I know what you mean though. Sometimes when you are trying to describe someone...."you know John, you know, the guy who was in our english class, you know, he had a lisp........he wore a blue sweater......John, the black guy remember?"
Sometimes you feel that this is innapropriate, but if someone described me as the redhead I wouldn't be offended, but I might think 'hey, is that the most distinguishable characteristic? that I have red hair? you can't describe me as the girl who teaches preschool or the girl we went to the bar with and had a good time?'
Its tough. I don't think its racist though, but some people might think isn't there another way I can be thought of instead of just being the token black guy or redhead?

Answer 6

Well look at it this way, Why does one need to refer to any person by color? You can't just say that man? Is it important or significant to tell one the race? Yes, I think it is a racist type of comment.

Answer 7

I don't consider it racism but it kills me because African-Americans aren't the color black and Anglo-Saxons are not the color white. Is Western Society SO stupid that they can't see colors? We have been conditioned to think like this because the world is controlled by idiots. Imagine being the friend of the first person who called an African "Black". I would've been embarrased...

Answer 8

Oh people are just idiots now-a-days aren't they? What do black people expect to be called? Whities? It's no different than calling me a red-head, or green eyed, or white, or thin. It's just a description. Some people hate redheads. So? They don't have to look do they? No, it's not racist. And don't tiptoe around anybody. It's not fair to you.

Answer 9

I personally don't consider it racist at all. However, I make a point of avoiding race/skin color as a descriptive term simply because, unfortunately, many other people do get offended by it.

Answer 10

I don't think it is. I refer to african-americans as black sometimes, and I don't get offended when people call me white. But at the same time, some "black" people do get offended when you call them that. Which confuses me. What are we supposed to say. Well, anyway, I say what I want, because I'm not rude. So, if I get my a$$ kicked over it, so be it.