Thoughts on 'Racism'

[Bragallot]

As George Carlin said, 'I can't stand people's stupid bullshit!' Most of the time I don't care, but one in a while I would take it out on people who are talking bullshit and tell them exactly why the stuff they're saying is bullshit.

Today was such a day: there was this picture on Facebook of a black guy posing with a white-ish girlfriend of his that had the caption 'thumbs up if you can see him' 'cos it was really dark and you could only see his eyes and teeth. Of course, a lot of people were acting shocked and giving each other likes for the effort of complaining senselessly about racism. I thought I'd share what I said to them 'cos it got me thinking about the concept of racism as it is imbedded in people's heads now by the government and how this is very inefficient to getting rid of racism and in fact even has a negative effect. I thought I'd post it here 'cos I hate it when things I put time and effort in get deleted (even though it only took me like 3 minutes to write), and this likely will be deleted because of the language I used / the fact the majority of people are scared of anything that for ces them to think.

You stupid fuckfags who are complaining this shit is racist should grow a fucking brain... I see two people of different skin colours standing side by side, holding each other and smiling, and above all looking like equals. Need I say more? That's the exact opposite of racism right there. You're all just too concerned with being politically correct so that you'll automatically spout the word 'racism' at any given opportunity and place a taboo on anything that has to do with 'racial' aspects', which, my friends, is the exact worst way of preventing racism. Indeed, placing a taboo on anything related to 'racial' aspects only pushes people from different cultures father away from each other. Only when we're able to tolerate non-offensive or hurtful (the fact you can't see him in the dark is simply kinda funny) jokes about our cultures and appearances can we truly live together, because that is TRUE tolerance, as opposed to squirming ourselves into some politically correct paradigma that leaves everything unsaid and unresolved. So next time think twice before using the word racism inappropriately, because you're only making things worse.

Must say this trail of thought was new to me as well, at least, I'd never voiced it like this before. Thoughts?

[OneEye589]

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm not racist, but I make jokes with my friends sometimes that others might think are racist.

I grew up in a really small town. There were literally only 3 or 4 kids who were non-Caucasian, and they were adopted. A large number of people around here are racist, and my father's very racist.

The difference between racism and just making a harmless joke is that racist people actually see others as inferior. I have a friend I hang out with often who's the only one with any ancestry besides European. He's a whole slew of things, and he becomes kind of the blunt of the joke a lot of the time, but he knows we aren't feeling superior or anything, so it's all good.

As for those "When you see it, you'll " pictures, I don't think they're bad. Maybe it's because I'm not black, but if there were a bunch of black people in a picture and one white person was there, that would be funny, too. Some people just don't know when things are a joke and automatically place everything in poor taste.

[Silent-sigfig]

You have friends?

[IVhorseman]

As for those "When you see it, you'll " pictures, I don't think they're bad. Maybe it's because I'm not black, but if there were a bunch of black people in a picture and one white person was there, that would be funny, too. Some people just don't know when things are a joke and automatically place everything in poor taste.

I also take this standpoint. I'm all for pointing out culturally assimilated racism (like the Thin Mints box), but the joke in those pictures tends to be the fact that, well, dark people are dark. Yes, they reflect fewer light particles than white people, and are hard to detect in low light settings. Is pointing out that distinction racist, or is it just an observation? I'd like to live in a world where pointing out our differences doesn't mean that we find ourselves superior to our differences. Pretending that we're not different at all completely throws cultural values in the trash can.

[OneEye589]

No, I made that part up.

[gaunt]

Some very good points here. I myself have made some jokes regarding certain races, but in the end I have the utmost respect for all people, since we're all humans. This over-sensitive politically correct BS just annoys me, like you guys said.

[Silverdream]

I walk this line everyday. My little brother crosses it. The difference is whenever I say something racist, it's sarcastic(and I try to make it obvious to avoid confusion). When he says something racist, he doesn't know what's racist about it. He's 16 btw.

I mainly see racists say things like, "I hate how all French Canadians think they're better than us". My Mother is pretty biased against French Canadians, and my Father is somewhat biased against East Indians.

[stubby]

This thread is a yawn-fest, bunch of MLIAs waving your privilege around and expounding on how racist you aren't. Somebody should provide a better example and post something less boring.

[501stCadians]

I only hate two things in this world.

Racists and Belgians.

[Cakeman]

And here I thought this thread was to be about peaches and yellows... but do carry on.

[Zupponn]

[BrikSaber]

The people who think that EVERY SINGLE THING is racist are almost as bad as the actual racists.
EDIT: I've just reached my breaking point. They're worse now.

[RunsWithLegos]

what happend?

[stubby]

The people who think that EVERY SINGLE THING is racist are almost as bad as the actual racists.
EDIT: I've just reached my breaking point. They're worse now.

Yes, because the fear of having to defend yourself from accusations of discrimination is equivalent to the fear of being beaten up, tied to the back of a truck, and dragged to death over twenty miles of gravel road

[Bragallot]