WDTIPT: When someone says "I am not a racist..."

[fussbucket]

... Do you ever believe them?

Because I feel like it's inevitably one of those "lady doth protest too much" kinds of things. By the time you've felt the need to try to explain yourself in such terms you've probably already self-inflicted some moral damage...

WDTIPT?

[sparksfly]

I think it depends on the situation. The person who I replaced at work had the laptop before me, and all his old emails were left on the laptop. I was scrolling back through sent emails looking for something that I sent to my boss, and accidently stumbled across an email he had sent to a friend of his (outside of the company) calling me a racist because I didn't want to listen to "Ghetto Superstar" but listened to the original version of the song "Islands in the Stream". One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to music is the weird sampling/remixing(I hate it when Kid Rock does it). I personally don't think listening to one song over another is grounds to call someone a racist, so I would argue that point.

[bullygirl979]

I think when someone says "I'm not a racist but (insert racist saying here)" you're a racist.

It is funny that you brought this up today. I was reading the CNN article about the dude who slapped the baby on the plane. Apparently he called the baby the N word. His lawyer is trying to say that even though he called the baby a n----- that he isn't racist. Wait, whut?

[Deleted]

I agree w/ bully. If you have to say that before you tell a joke or something else that is totally inappropriate, it doesn't absolve you from actually being a racist. Like when people say they aren't against gay people, but they don't believe in them having the same rights. Well then you are against them.

I generally don't go around saying what I am to people (hopefully they know by my actions and the way I treat people) and the people that I know that aren't judgmental against other races, religion, sexual preferences usually don't have to add disclaimers to their statements.

[fussbucket]

Actually, bully, reading about the guy in that story is EXACTLY what made me think of this!

I'm sorry, pal, but apparently you have confused "living in Idaho where there are no black people" with "not being a racist." Try again!

[smock]

Yes, if you're saying "I'm not a racist" to try to convince people that your racist joke, slur, actions, etc. are NOT racist, you have a problem.

I've been called sexist before for completely invalid reasons, though, that have nothing to do with my actions. So in that case, "I'm not sexist" should be sufficient.

[starrieskies]

I think that in most cases if you have to tell someone that you're not racist there's an issue. People should be able to tell by your actions, you shouldn't need to inform them of the fact.

I saw that story about the baby on the plane last night and it made me so angry!!

[smock]

Here's the real question: Is it okay to slap racist babies?

[Muddled]

I thought this would be about Alec Baldwin. I didn't realize the baby slapper was a racist too.

[So_Fetch]

You guys are too smart because you are referencing CNN as to why you thought of this. It reminded me of an episode of People's Court I watched yesterday.

[partiallysunny]

He doth protest too much.

Everytime that story comes on the news, I wonder why no one punched that man. I would have a hard time not hitting someone who slapped my baby.

Not that two wrongs make a right or anything.

[cuddlyevil]

I was watching the overnight news on abc the other day and the female anchor recently got back from maternity leave. She said "They are better people than I am because I would have started beating the guy until they pulled me off him. See this pen? *holds up her co-anchors pen* It'd go right in his eye. Nobody hits my baby.".

I would have an extremely hard time not hitting the person back too. I am glad they're pressing charges.

I am of the mind that if you have to say "I'm not a racist/homophobe/etc BUT..." then you probably are but don't want people to think you are.

[starrieskies]

I told H last night that I'd probably be in jail if any stranger ever slapped my child. I'd be in jail and the dude would be on a stretcher!

[meshaliuknits]

Feb 19, 2013 12:22:03 GMT -5 So_Fetch said:

You guys are too smart because you are referencing CNN as to why you thought of this. It reminded me of an episode of People's Court I watched yesterday.

I saw that one! "Apologize to my balif!"

[motzie]

Feb 19, 2013 13:19:06 GMT -5 partiallysunny said:

Everytime that story comes on the news, I wonder why no one punched that man. I would have a hard time not hitting someone who slapped my baby.

This is where I am. Not even just my baby. I think if I saw someone hit someone else's baby I'd go nuts. I can't even imagine. 

[statlerwaldorf]

I think there are many racists out there that honestly believe they are not racist. So when someone says they are not racist, I don't automatically think they are, but it doesn't hold much weight.

[Deleted]

I think it really depends on the circumstance, like others have said. 

If the person saying it is saying it in order to justify a statement that is back-up-able, well, that's one thing.  After all, there are differences between the races - to say that there aren't is naive, I believe.  Statistically speaking, there are differences among the races in regards to levels of incarceration, to levels of high school graduation, to levels of attending psychotherapy, to all kinds of things.  Pointing out those differences doesn't make a person racist - it makes them fact-based.  I think that in our "everyone gets offended easily" society, the tendency is to issue disclaimers to dissuade others from making snap judgements.  However, sometimes those disclaimers can come right back and bite you in the butt. 

However, saying, "I'm not a racist, but boy that (insert racist epithet here) is an idiot..." Yeah, that makes you a racist.

[Deleted]

If you make comments that you have to clarify that you aren't a racist then you are one.