How does a white person in North America prove that they aren't racist? (serious)
07-15-2013, 08:03 PM
I get annoyed with race trolling, but I wanted to present a more serious discussion about one of the issues that has arisen from the Zimmerman trial, and countless others in the past. I really hope this doesn't devolve into ad hominems, meltdowns, or more arguments about the trial (we have another thread for that).
I also think this discussion is necessary for our generation of men, since PC culture is only becoming more ingrained.
With hyper sensitive HR policies already in place, it doesn't help that academic departments increasingly make straight, white, Christian males out to be the worst possible individuals (don't even get me started with that cisgender garbage).
I used white in the title since I believe that as a majority, that's the hardest position to defend from, though obviously this could apply to any group. We've seen how extreme people like Adria Richards can be with her tweets like "Black people CANNOT be racist against White people. Racism is a position of the oppressor who has the power"
I think the same way we discuss defense against false rape charges, accusations of sexism and racism will also become more detrimental in the future, even if they are later proven false or have no merit in the first place. I think we do a good service to men here when people share tips on protecting yourself.
I can understand why some people would consider this a tired cliche, as certainly individuals can hold negative general views on race, ethnicity, etc. and make exceptions for those close to them.
I am white, and I have close friends from all different backgrounds. I'm fortunate that my parents raised me in a very open and accepting household. I have also dated girls from a variety of backgrounds.
But there's a bigger question here...
How does a white person in North America prove that they are not racist?
At what point do you have enough evidence? Friends, relatives, relationships, charitable donations, support of minority businesses, festivals, etc. where does it end?
We all know it's easy to play the race card, and certainly sometimes it's warranted, but it's an asymmetric attack since defending yourself from charges of racism is next to impossible.
It seems like it's easier to defend against sexism and other "isms" compared to race, but I could have just as easily put in a different one. Along those same lines, feminists are working to make "misogynist' the new race card, since they see how effective it is in stirring up feelings in place of facts.
I'm talking philosophically here, but also asking for practical examples or suggestions.
I've never had a problem with this, so I can't speak from experience, but obviously it's important to break down these types of issues.
I also think this discussion is necessary for our generation of men, since PC culture is only becoming more ingrained.
With hyper sensitive HR policies already in place, it doesn't help that academic departments increasingly make straight, white, Christian males out to be the worst possible individuals (don't even get me started with that cisgender garbage).
I used white in the title since I believe that as a majority, that's the hardest position to defend from, though obviously this could apply to any group. We've seen how extreme people like Adria Richards can be with her tweets like "Black people CANNOT be racist against White people. Racism is a position of the oppressor who has the power"
I think the same way we discuss defense against false rape charges, accusations of sexism and racism will also become more detrimental in the future, even if they are later proven false or have no merit in the first place. I think we do a good service to men here when people share tips on protecting yourself.
Quote: (07-15-2013 04:10 PM)PrimeTime Wrote:
Having a black friend doesn't mean you're not racist. One of the reasons Terrance Howard divorced his white wife was because she called him a n***er. There's been plenty of reports of black women married to white men who still call them n***er. Using a I'm not racist because "I have a black friend" excuse is a tired cliche at this point. Shout out to Paula Deen, one of her "most trusted people" was a black dude still doesn't stop her from wanting to dress black people as slaves and calling them n***ers.
I can understand why some people would consider this a tired cliche, as certainly individuals can hold negative general views on race, ethnicity, etc. and make exceptions for those close to them.
I am white, and I have close friends from all different backgrounds. I'm fortunate that my parents raised me in a very open and accepting household. I have also dated girls from a variety of backgrounds.
But there's a bigger question here...
How does a white person in North America prove that they are not racist?
At what point do you have enough evidence? Friends, relatives, relationships, charitable donations, support of minority businesses, festivals, etc. where does it end?
We all know it's easy to play the race card, and certainly sometimes it's warranted, but it's an asymmetric attack since defending yourself from charges of racism is next to impossible.
It seems like it's easier to defend against sexism and other "isms" compared to race, but I could have just as easily put in a different one. Along those same lines, feminists are working to make "misogynist' the new race card, since they see how effective it is in stirring up feelings in place of facts.
I'm talking philosophically here, but also asking for practical examples or suggestions.
I've never had a problem with this, so I can't speak from experience, but obviously it's important to break down these types of issues.