According to online dictionaries, the definition of racism is such that black folks cannot be racist. However, if you go to a print dictionary (usually before 2010), you will find a broader, apolitical definition that's allows all people to be racist.
under freedom of speech, any person can be say whatever they want to say, but some people think that's incorrect and if your racist, sexist or any other form of ist, your doing something illegal. the ironic part is, their being illegal.
You'll find that many definitions in dictionaries have been changed to coincide with current political agendas (a la 1984).
I find it amusing/scary that these changes often coincide with liberal political positions, but online you will find liberals accusing conservatives of using 1984 as a guide. (Also ask yourself which part wants to prosecute "thought crimes", silence dissenting opinions at universities ect.)
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2 ups, 4y,
1 reply
If you're racist, doesn't that just mean you're against another race? If a black person were to call a Mexican something offensive (I don't know any derogitory terms off the top of my head that could be used for a Mexican lol), wouldn't said black person's comment be just as racist as if it were used by a white person? I'm genuinely confused as to why a black person couldn't be racist tbh
The new definition insists that that only those in positions of power can be racist, because racism is an institutionalized pattern of behavior that discriminates against those not in power, typically minorities. In your example, the black person would be considered to be "merely" discriminating against the Mexican person.
In my opinion this is a cognitive rationalization, in the form of "it's only ok when _I_ do it." It is a justification for those who are not white to behave badly towards white people while demonizing white people.
If you've ever seen videos by Judge Of Character, or MTV's DECODED on face book, you'd know just how openly racist some of the black community has become.
The only thing that is racist is racism itself. Anything else is a product of racism. To which, technically if a black person where to say something that sounds mean, based on race, It can't be racist, because racism is an institution. Other words, it is a sociological custom that is ingrained in many repeated cultural behavioral sets of our country. In particular, cities where white people were historically in power, but an influx of minorities occurred,(do to the mass exodus of ex-slaves, for example). In these areas, the poor, black and white alike, heavily completed for wages.(Bosses favoring whites people, obviously). You could understand the rest anyways.
To be honest, I don't remember writing this. But if you want a summery, I guess it would go like:
Racism isn't entirely a man-to-man kind of thing, it is rather a confusing blend of history, culture, government, and what else we can think of. Being said, we can't judge what is and isn't racist just on what "feels" racist, and especially if someone tries one of those
"if he was black instead of white, then the situation would be way different, gotcha!"
Being said, nothing specifically wrong with the original post, I AM critical of the narrative that often comes with it, though.
To be honest, I don't remember writing this. But if you want a summery, I guess it would go like:
Racism isn't entirely a man-to-man kind of thing, it is rather a confusing blend of history, culture, government, and what else we can think of. Being said, we can't judge what is and isn't racist just on what "feels" racist, and especially if someone tries one of those
"if he was black instead of white, then the situation would be way different, gotcha!"
Being said, nothing specifically wrong with the original post, I AM critical of the narrative that often comes with it, though.
My first experience with racism (that I'm aware of as such) was in the 1970s when I was 8.
We had moved, and at the public school I started in, I was one of 3 'white' kids in my class, something the rest - which was 'black' - harrassed us for constantly.
By week's end having found out my mother was from Puerto Rico, those same white-hating kids said I was alright, because suddenly I wasn't 'white.'
The whole thing made no sense, and the atmosphere in the school was such that after 2 weeks of begging, out father transferred me and my sister to the local Catholic school.
It took me till the 4th grade next year to learn what "Spic" meant when the Italian kids (nearly the whole class) called me that. Took a few years till that cooled out and I was accepted, but Spics weren't exactly popular in this neighborhood. Hell, if it wasn't for what father did for a living they would have literally run us out of there.
Now previous to moving, we lived in mixed neighborhoods, and I never heard or seen such vitriol and hatred from anyone. All I knew is some kids had parents that spoke Spanish like my ma, otherwise we were all the same.
Now if you want to build a time machine and tell me what I went thorough them 1st 2 weeks wasn't racism, go ahead. Or was it not racism the rest of those years, because Italians got much flack from 'real' whites when they landed upon these shores before so therefore that wasn't racism I got from them either coming from them being an oppressed minority?
Skip off with your racist bullshit justifications. Racism is racism.
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