How do you determine who is racist?

Question

Consider, a person can and they do, point out say for example 80% of blacks go to prison (a fact due to discrimination maybe). Then another person may state "Nearly every black goes to prison". Now either maybe seen as racist and either maybe a real, genuine comment (based on the avaliable government figures). My friend is mixed (white and black) and these days cops in UK are taught they cannot say half cast must say bi-racial. He feels more offended by the messing around of silly political correctness since it distinguishes you more (what happened to being just a "person") and also no matter what colour it is a clear, prominent feature of your being and no silly name labels can stop that. I think we should stop messing around with those silly labels, political correctness etc... And really focus on DOING SOMETHING! Without infringing peoples right to free speech as long as it is within the confindes of the law and peaceful. Sweeping problems under the mat is not right Dont you agree?

Answer 1

I think there is a lot of bs talked about racism. There are things that can be said that would appear of the surface racist,but in fact are not. A good example of this is that people in India sometimes remark that white people smell of death. We all exude a natural odour, and whites mainly smell of the sweat of a meat eater, whereas large tracts of Asia, and in particular the Indian sub-continent, are vegetarian. The smell is different............maybe it's not expressed in the nicest way possible, but it is not a racist remark.

Similarly some in the UK think that Pakistanis are dirty. If you think this is a racist statement, visit Karachi or Dacca and then return and tell me if it's still racist.

There is a tendency to confuse racism with prejudice and generalisation. I would draw the line thus....

"That man is black therefore he is a criminal" is clearly racist, but "That man is black, therefore there is a greater chance of him being involved in criminal activity than a white person from a similar environment" is simply making a statement based on the available information. Although the second statement certainly shows elements of pre-judging, i.e. prejudice, it is not racist. Whereas someone who said that proportionally the skin colour of an individual has no bearing on the likelihood of being involved in crime, is simply blinded by their own limited preconceptions.

Answer 2

I agree 100% with you that changing the language often shows a delay in the solution of the real problem.

One example: handicapped people were called crippled a long time ago. It is not a correct term (linguistically I mean) but everybody could use it. Then they became invalids, handicapped, less able, or differently able. The main problem is still there: these people are not supported enough to have an full and happy life up to their abilities.

If people think you are a second rate citizen because you have a dark skin, they are racists. A change in terminology will have no effect.

From Collins Cobuild Dictionary, I give you this simple but very exact definition:

Racist
Adj. Disapproval:
If you describe people, things, or behaviour as racist, you mean that they are influenced by the belief that some people are inferior because they belong to a particular race.

N-Count
A racist is someone who is racist.

have a nice day.

Answer 3

IMO it depends on the context where you say things. If you are a newscaster and you mention that thing of "80% of blacks go to prison" (putting aside the fact that that is not a true statement, of course), it doesn't matter what color you are when you say that, as you simply say it as a fact on the news, not as a personal comment.

But if you are at a private party where people of different races gathered together to have a good time, and you are any race other than black (or even black!, there are black people who are racist against their own race mates), your comment WILL SOUND RACIST no matter how you try to embellish it, because, what is the point of mentioning a bad thing about a whole race, when you are among friends and some of them happen to be of that race?

Now, if they ask you about that statistical info, that's a different thing. But to just say it right off the bat will always sound like the one saying it is a racist, because it is a direct uncalled for criticism of a whole race.

The same thing goes when somebody outside formal media (the news on TV, newspapers, radio, etc.), says to his/her friends: Hey, 80% of white males have sexual organs much smaller than those of blacks, so blacks are better equipped sexually than whites! If a black person says that to a white one, it sounds like the black guy is a racist, even if that information were a known fact and you heard it on the news.

Answer 4

yes i agree with you that the whole political correctness thing is retarded, if people get offended by what they are then they have problems of their own to deal with, but as far as the racist thing goes i think everybody is a little racist to some degree, even if its just the smallest littlest bit, i personally have no problems with any one based on race or religion but based on them as a person, and a lot of what a person is happens to be what group of people they were raised around, and i hate to admit it but every racial and religious group does have their stereo type that at least some of the people from that group fit into and that reflects on the entire group, so yes some groups of people do irritate me more than others but only if they behave in an irritating way. basically im saying that i personally could be friends with the world if they behaved respectfully

Answer 5

Some body who consciously or unconsciously, who by word or deed unfairly discriminates against a person of another race.
Whilst I agree that every body is prejudice to a degree that is not the kind of racism I often see on yahoo answers where many questions are in fact loaded and just propaganda.
It could by chance apply to you because many of your so called facts are raciest propaganda

Are you actually saying that 80% of blacks go to prison or alternativly most blacks go to prison if so the statement is rubbish. It might be true that a majoity of the prison population is black but for centuries most of the prison poulation have come from the poorest members of society and most blacks in the world are poor so whats new?
Interestingly similer statments were made about the Irish in the Forties and Fifties.

Answer 6

every one is a racist to some small degree some just more than others

Answer 7

are you in pain?

you look like youre in pain

Answer 8

every one is even if they don't know it

Answer 9

When he spout at you who knowing your are niger.
jtm