Isn't everyone somewhat racist?

[HerDotness]

I know that I am.

I have no problem hanging out with people of any skin color. Having grown up during the 1960's, I fully support the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement. It's wonderful that people of all races can eat in restaurants or stay in whatever motel or hotel they can afford. I couldn't understand as a child when encountering a sign that said "Whites Only" while vacationing in the South how that made sense.

And yet...when I was looking for housing in a city I wasn't very familiar with, one of about 300,000, I was pressed for time to find a place to live and took my realtor's advice when she said that there were some integrated areas that she wouldn't advise my looking into because they wouldn't be safe for a woman living alone. I'd have preferred to take the time to investigate for myself but had to start my new job too soon to be able to do that and still get moved and settled in. Whether or not an area is safe isn't always easily determined by a drive-through, and one can hardly knock on strangers' doors and ask, "Do you think your neighborhood is safe?"

Finding a house I liked that I could afford in a peaceful neighborhood were higher priorities for me than whether or not the area was one of intermingled races.

So, am I a racist? I think so...especially since I'm white and would hesitate to move into a predominantly black or Asian or Hispanic area if I didn't know someone who lived there to enable me to get an insider's sense of what it was like.

How about you? Are you a racist?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I would not say I was racist.
I do not categorise my friends by skin colour or race.
However I do chose them by how we relate to each other. By the way we live and how we respect each others space. This is probably an ...ist of some sort, and in some peoples eyes but not racist.

 

[JacobEzra.]

Yeahhh. I am pretty racist.

Boy do I hate them coneheads!

 

[Revoltingest]

There are 2 kinds of people:
1) Smart people
2) People who think they aren't racists.

 

[JacobEzra.]

There are 2 kinds of people:
1) Smart people
2) People who think they aren't racists.

I feel you have it mixed up a bit there.

You mean.

There are 2 kinds of people.
1)Smart people who are not racist.
2) People who feel the way to defend their prejudice is by claiming only stupid people believe they are not racist.

Smashing :yes:

 

[Kerr]

I know that I am.

I have no problem hanging out with people of any skin color. Having grown up during the 1960's, I fully support the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement. It's wonderful that people of all races can eat in restaurants or stay in whatever motel or hotel they can afford. I couldn't understand as a child when encountering a sign that said "Whites Only" while vacationing in the South how that made sense.

And yet...when I was looking for housing in a city I wasn't very familiar with, one of about 300,000, I was pressed for time to find a place to live and took my realtor's advice when she said that there were some integrated areas that she wouldn't advise my looking into because they wouldn't be safe for a woman living alone. I'd have preferred to take the time to investigate for myself but had to start my new job too soon to be able to do that and still get moved and settled in. Whether or not an area is safe isn't always easily determined by a drive-through, and one can hardly knock on strangers' doors and ask, "Do you think your neighborhood is safe?"

Finding a house I liked that I could afford in a peaceful neighborhood were higher priorities for me than whether or not the area was one of intermingled races.

So, am I a racist? I think so...especially since I'm white and would hesitate to move into a predominantly black or Asian or Hispanic area if I didn't know someone who lived there to enable me to get an insider's sense of what it was like.

How about you? Are you a racist?

Unfortunately I am not innocent. Was in Africa two years and if I remember correctly I felt a bit on edge because I didnt feel safe or something. Not sure if it was racist, though, since I lived with a family there and they where not exactly white. Maybe it was just that I came to an enviroment I was not used to. In any case, it was a little prejudice of me I guess and I dont like how I reacted.

 

[Quintessence]

According to tests like these - which are rather difficult to fool - no, I'm not racist.

 

[Revoltingest]

I feel you have it mixed up a bit there.
You mean.
There are 2 kinds of people.
1)Smart people who are not racist.
2) People who feel the way to defend their prejudice is by claiming only stupid people believe they are not racist.
Smashing :yes:

To believe that one is entirely without prejudice bespeaks the sin of hubris.
I needn't defend my prejudices, any more than I must defend my other frailties & inadequacies.
But if you want to believe that you're God's gift to mankind, setting a shining example to us ordinary schlubs, I'll play along.
I'm here to help.

 

[Revoltingest]

For your viewing pleasure....
[youtube]aHKIMOgoJoU[/youtube]
Everyone's A Little Bit Racist - Avenue Q - Original Broadway Cast - YouTube

 

[JacobEzra.]

To believe that one is entirely without prejudice bespeaks the sin of hubris.
I needn't defend my prejudices, any more than I must defend my other frailties & inadequacies.
But if you want to believe that you're God's gift to mankind, setting a shining example to us ordinary schlubs, I'll play along.
I'm here to help.

Of course we all have our prejudices. But they really shouldn't be against a whole group of people on the basis of their skin.

I am just as prejudiced against a thug of black or white or asian variation.

 

[Revoltingest]

Of course we all have our prejudices. But they really shouldn't be against a whole group of people on the basis of their skin.
I am just as prejudiced against a thug of black or white or asian variation.

To be racist doesn't necessarily mean to be "against a whole group".
It can be as mild as presuming differences that aren't always there,
eg, white men can't jump, black mothers are single, Revoltifarians are all cuddly.

 

[JacobEzra.]

To be racist doesn't necessarily mean to be "against a whole group".
It can be as mild as presuming differences that aren't always there,
eg, white men can't jump, black mothers are single, Revoltifarians are all cuddly.

I don't ever think such.

Well no. Maybe I am racist a bit. I always presume black women all have weaves.

But that is because its the big trend among black women.

 

[Badran]

First, in my view, there is a difference between recognizing a reality; that you might be unwelcome or unsafe in certain neighborhoods, due to the exclusive behavior that some people might adhere to, and between preferring to live with white people for example, even if you know that there would be no problems in living in an area heavily populated by a 'different' race.

Second, i don't think its necessary that just because we all have prejudices that we are all also racists. That it is, i don't think it follows that one has to have prejudices based on skin color, just because generally, we all have prejudices.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't ever think such.
Well no. Maybe I am racist a bit. I always presume black women all have weaves.
But that is because its the big trend among black women.

We needn't be perfect in order to treat others fairly.
To know & rise above one's faults is good.

 

[HerDotness]

To be racist doesn't necessarily mean to be "against a whole group".
It can be as mild as presuming differences that aren't always there,
eg, white men can't jump, black mothers are single, Revoltifarians are all cuddly.

It's "mild racism" or "unconscious racism" that I was getting at when I posed the question. Thanks for adding this, Revoltingest.


I didn't think of myself as a racist until I realized that I'd actually feel uncomfortable living in an area of mostly darkskinned people, that it wasn't just whether or not my doing so would be safe. That was a shock to me to reach that realization since I'd long believed myself ever so openminded.

And isn't feeling unwelcome in a neighborhood where most everyone's skin color is darker or lighter than yours an indication of racist attitudes--your own or possibly those of people you encounter? Shouldn't we examine that uneasiness about being welcomed to determine why we feel that way?

 

[Badran]

To add and clarify something to what i said above, as it is, i do think that most of us, and possibly all of us might end up with some illogical prejudices regarding a couple of minor issues, based on skin color, but that is mainly in my view due to the difficulty of addressing all one's own prejudices. Which are caused, or are influenced by many things beyond our power. That said, i don't think its impossible in other words to not have prejudices based on skin color, as i can see scenarios where someone would be raised in an environment where skin color is literally a non-issue. And as such, i think its possible.

So i wouldn't necessarily say that we're all somewhat racist, despite recognizing how difficult it is to rid one's self of all prejudices, especially when they are small and don't push you in any way to change or transcend them.

 

[Badran]

I didn't think of myself as a racist until I realized that I'd actually feel uncomfortable living in an area of mostly darkskinned people, that it wasn't just whether or not my doing so would be safe. That was a shock to me to reach that realization since I'd long believed myself ever so openminded.

Well, that is somewhat racist, or at least arguably so, if you would not mind living in an area of mostly light-skinned people. This is not what i first got from your OP.

And isn't feeling unwelcome in a neighborhood where most everyone's skin color is darker or lighter than yours an indication of racist attitudes--your own or possibly those of people you encounter? Shouldn't we examine that uneasiness about being welcomed to determine why we feel that way?

This exclusive behavior is racist, or at least i wouldn't mind labeling it as such. However, recognizing it is not, which is what i was referring to. Recognizing that you wouldn't be welcome in certain areas, that is.

 

[Vinayaka]

Its natural for the mind to generalize, and predict based on previous experiences, like Pavlov's dog. So I agree that because of those two mental tendencies and probably more, we're all a bit racist, a bit sexist, a bit heightish, a bit ageish, and more.

 

[nnmartin]

everyone is naturally and instinctively xenophobic to some degree.

It is perfectly normal to be like this , but this is of course not the same as racism.

 

[zenzero]

Friends,
Can only state that we humans perceive as per the colour of our glasses meaning the mind conditioning. Yes it is also true that Racism what it was earlier is not so much now and we as humans are evolving every moment and a day will come when the skin colour itself will be so much mixed that it will be neither white or black but shades in between and so will the minds.

Love & rgds