Does racism only apply to race or does it also apply to groups, clubs, nationalities, gender, and preference?

Question

I ask because it seems as though many times someone expresses an opinion someone else doesn't care for they're labeled a "racist" regardless of whether it actually pertains to race.

For example...the poster below "Cotterall Adams" sounds like the type guy who would cry "racism" if someone expressed dissatisfaction with illegal immigration.

Answer 1

Racism only applies to prejudice or discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity. But of course if you speak out against Muslim terrorists or illegal immigrants, there's going to be a couple of people who will say that you're racist against Muslims or illegal immigrants.

Answer 2

There are specific names for the other "isms" you mentioned, but perhaps people are just trying to take a shortcut and convey their meaning this way.

Predudice is a more general term, that often underlies racism, sexism and the other isms. It's not the same thing, it's more of a belief that is based on the quickly observable characteristics of a group and its members, vs an in depth knowledge of traits and tendencies.

There are many assumptions and generalizations that we make in every day life that give efficiency at the expense of precision. To assume that every member of a certain group has certain tendencies is often wrong, certainly unfair when it is wrong, but it can be efficient. and that is why it persists in reasonably intelligent populations. Its simply more efficient to act as if everyone in that group has those tendencies than it is to keep an open mind and wait to find out which members of a group actually do behave according to the sterotype.

But efficiency is not the only important thing in life. And people who adopt racist views or hold predjudice are part of a problem in our country, that widens the chasm between its people.

Answer 3

those other things are not racism but other types of predjudice

you can dislike people for more things than race, yes

like size, yes gender, nationality, sexual orientation, skin color (believe it or not different from race), and yes because people belong to certain organizations

as far as hating others is concerned, the possibilities are endless and anyone can be guilty of it

as a tiny person i often feel that people are making assumptions about me

i am 4'10" and people talk to me like a little girl because i look very young

they over explain things and ask me if i need help, particularly physical stuff

growing up i often wished i was a 8' 9" tall man, who was green, and had broad shoulders and huge fists

i said i would walk around and just knock people out

lol

Answer 4

Racism, unfortunately.. the same as anti semitism.. is used too often. Sometimes someone can just express an opinion about something that another does not agree with.. and the next thing you know they are called racist or anti semetic...

Whatever happened to free speech in this country.. everything is taken too seriously. People need to stop and think that once in a while we don't like someone just because we don't like them.. not because they are black, white or purple.. or Jewish or Muslim or Christian. you just don't like them because they are unlikable.. gee!

Answer 5

Racism and ethnocentrism are forms of discrimination against people. I worry about the people who reject multiculturalism, bilingual education and immigration. I also support compensation for certain injustices. I do not support affirmative action, however, or group interests circumventing individual interests at college. There is no room for racist sentiment in our society and that kind of rhetoric should be banned if it is in the form of hate literature, systematic harassment, a hate crime or targeting.

It's ironic that you can censor a debate on the nature of terrorism, affirmative action and illegal immigration but you can't ban racial profiling or stop Bush from illegal wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. I'll get in trouble for this, but to me, the treatment of Arab-Americans seems far worse than that of African-Americans, but they complain far less about it.

Their treatment is sad but not surprising, given the stereotypes surrounding their religion, languages, nationalities and their cultures, and this is coming from someone who is not against Israel as a country.

Answer 6

Racism is based on race, but there are many types of discrimination that are based on things such as gender, nationalities, sexual preference, religion, social class, etc. Good luck. 2D

Answer 7

Just by the name racism it is only applied to race. Of course certain nationalities are all of the same race, but the more accurate description of someone who hates people of other nationalities is a xenophobe. I consider myself to be a bit culturally biased as certain things certain races to collectively bothers the piss out of me, but I consider it absolutely retarded to hate someone strictly for the color of their skin.

Answer 8

Only race. Those other group aren't races as the term is generally used. I guess it all falls under the general umbrella of bias or prejudice.

Answer 9

NO, only to race,

for all the other ones it would be some other type of PREJUDICE, like for gender, it would be sexism, etc., but not racism.

Answer 10

Race.

Hence the "rac" part of the "ism".

Discrimination would apply to the other things you listed.