I often find it that many people are being racist without knowing they're being racist. Whenever I observe this, I think to myself, "Do they realize what they just said? I'm guessing not..." Here are just a few such examples (told from a white person's perspective, who grew up around mostly whites in Nebraska):
I'll start with the definition of racist: "a person who believes in racism, the doctrine that one's own racial group is superior or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others."
1) "He speaks so well!"
Ever heard someone listen to another speak and whisper to you, "He (or She) speaks so well!"? From my own personal experience with this, I'd say there's approximately a 90% chance the speaker has a darker skin tone than myself (most likely black) and the commentator is white. On the surface, it may sound complimentary. However, I've never heard a white friend or family member make such a comment about a fellow white person. That's because, in their mind, it's to be expected that white people will speak eloquently and black people will speak like they were reciting Snoop Dogg lyrics. Looking at our past two presidents, I find this to be somewhat amusing, for Barack Obama is considered to be one of the greatest speakers we've had running the Oval Office, while George W. Bush is commonly seen on the opposite end of that spectrum.
I'll start with the definition of racist: "a person who believes in racism, the doctrine that one's own racial group is superior or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others."
1) "He speaks so well!"
Ever heard someone listen to another speak and whisper to you, "He (or She) speaks so well!"? From my own personal experience with this, I'd say there's approximately a 90% chance the speaker has a darker skin tone than myself (most likely black) and the commentator is white. On the surface, it may sound complimentary. However, I've never heard a white friend or family member make such a comment about a fellow white person. That's because, in their mind, it's to be expected that white people will speak eloquently and black people will speak like they were reciting Snoop Dogg lyrics. Looking at our past two presidents, I find this to be somewhat amusing, for Barack Obama is considered to be one of the greatest speakers we've had running the Oval Office, while George W. Bush is commonly seen on the opposite end of that spectrum.
2) "I'm not a racist, but..."
Notice that just about every time a person begins their sentence with, "I'm not a racist, but...," they follow that with a racist comment? It's as if they feel by saying they're not a racist, that will excuse them of racism. I'd like for them to attempt that strategy in marriage sometime: "Honey, I'm not an adulterer, but... I did screw your best friend Tracy while you were at work yesterday. Oh, by the way, Happy Birthday, sweetie!"
Notice that just about every time a person begins their sentence with, "I'm not a racist, but...," they follow that with a racist comment? It's as if they feel by saying they're not a racist, that will excuse them of racism. I'd like for them to attempt that strategy in marriage sometime: "Honey, I'm not an adulterer, but... I did screw your best friend Tracy while you were at work yesterday. Oh, by the way, Happy Birthday, sweetie!"
3) "That's why these stereotypes exist in the first place!"
Sure, comedians often times resort to stereotypes in their acts. However, a lot of the time, this is due to them being so over-the-top or outdated, it's become comical to believe them. In other arenas, though, stereotypes are more often than not used in a different manner, and instead of laughing at the ridiculousness of them, they're used to justify one's prejudices. During the protests in Ferguson and Baltimore, I can't count the number of times I heard fellow white people watching the news coverage and say, "Do they think this does them any good? Do they think this is the way to end stereotypes about them and earn our respect?" In response, I just wanted to say, "I'm sorry, but were you enslaved in this country at one time? Pulled over due to the color of your skin? No? Okay then..."
Sure, comedians often times resort to stereotypes in their acts. However, a lot of the time, this is due to them being so over-the-top or outdated, it's become comical to believe them. In other arenas, though, stereotypes are more often than not used in a different manner, and instead of laughing at the ridiculousness of them, they're used to justify one's prejudices. During the protests in Ferguson and Baltimore, I can't count the number of times I heard fellow white people watching the news coverage and say, "Do they think this does them any good? Do they think this is the way to end stereotypes about them and earn our respect?" In response, I just wanted to say, "I'm sorry, but were you enslaved in this country at one time? Pulled over due to the color of your skin? No? Okay then..."
4) You can just tell they're guilty!
Is it just me or does it seem like many whites in the media (and generally speaking) tend to paint whites charged with crimes in a more innocent light than minorities (blacks, Hispanics, and Muslims in particular)? When I heard the coverage and commentary regarding Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, etc., I heard a lot of white people say, "What did they do to provoke that? What was their criminal history? I bet he had it coming to him!" It's almost as if they're seen as guilty until proven innocent. They also kind of see it as a trend, as fairly normal for that particular demographic. On the flip-side, however, when I hear about mass shootings by whites at schools, malls, or movie theaters, these same individuals tend to say, "Well, they must have had mental health problems. That's just not normal." In other words, they're seen as an individual, as an aberration, and not as representative of their demographic.
Is it just me or does it seem like many whites in the media (and generally speaking) tend to paint whites charged with crimes in a more innocent light than minorities (blacks, Hispanics, and Muslims in particular)? When I heard the coverage and commentary regarding Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, etc., I heard a lot of white people say, "What did they do to provoke that? What was their criminal history? I bet he had it coming to him!" It's almost as if they're seen as guilty until proven innocent. They also kind of see it as a trend, as fairly normal for that particular demographic. On the flip-side, however, when I hear about mass shootings by whites at schools, malls, or movie theaters, these same individuals tend to say, "Well, they must have had mental health problems. That's just not normal." In other words, they're seen as an individual, as an aberration, and not as representative of their demographic.
5) "One of my best friends is black!"
Another way many racists like to prove they're not is by making mention of a minority friend. While this might be true of many such individuals, it's not always the case. It can sometimes take on the opposite line of thinking as in #4 in this list. The minority friend in this case is seen as the aberration, not like the rest in his or her demographic, and therefore perfectly acceptable as a friend. Granted, I find this to be quite rare, but if a person has to keep on shouting to another, "I'm not racist! I have a black friend!," in order to prove he or she isn't racist, then chances are it might be the case.
Another way many racists like to prove they're not is by making mention of a minority friend. While this might be true of many such individuals, it's not always the case. It can sometimes take on the opposite line of thinking as in #4 in this list. The minority friend in this case is seen as the aberration, not like the rest in his or her demographic, and therefore perfectly acceptable as a friend. Granted, I find this to be quite rare, but if a person has to keep on shouting to another, "I'm not racist! I have a black friend!," in order to prove he or she isn't racist, then chances are it might be the case.
6) "Whoa, look at them!"
Some people I've known have treated those with darker skin tones as foreign. These individuals don't seem to see African-Americans, Latino-Americans, Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans, or even ironically enough, Native Americans as truly American. With this kind of mentality, they see those with darker skin tones as not really "belonging here," as not "one of us." This mindset was used by some conservatives in the run-up to the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, when they attempted to strike fear into some people's minds about Barack Obama, due to his skin color, his name (including his middle name of Hussein), and his background. He was painted as foreign by several talk show hosts and conservative commentators as not being genuinely American. There are still some who believe the president was born in Kenya and not the United States (Hawaii to be exact). As I mentioned earlier, though, it's quite ironic some Caucasians have this viewpoint since Native Americans came to this country before we did, so perhaps they don't really see us as Americans either.
Some people I've known have treated those with darker skin tones as foreign. These individuals don't seem to see African-Americans, Latino-Americans, Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans, or even ironically enough, Native Americans as truly American. With this kind of mentality, they see those with darker skin tones as not really "belonging here," as not "one of us." This mindset was used by some conservatives in the run-up to the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, when they attempted to strike fear into some people's minds about Barack Obama, due to his skin color, his name (including his middle name of Hussein), and his background. He was painted as foreign by several talk show hosts and conservative commentators as not being genuinely American. There are still some who believe the president was born in Kenya and not the United States (Hawaii to be exact). As I mentioned earlier, though, it's quite ironic some Caucasians have this viewpoint since Native Americans came to this country before we did, so perhaps they don't really see us as Americans either.
7) "They only did that because of affirmative action!"
No, some don't like to give credit where credit is due. I even heard some conservative talk show hosts and talking heads make such comments about President Barack Obama, saying, "Well, he only made it this far because of the help he got for being black!" This is typically a pretty strong sign of racism, for these individuals tend to like to believe that they worked hard for everything they got, yet minorities, blacks in particular, only earned their place by receiving help from the government, due to their (intellectual) inferiority. They may deny this and say, "I was only complimenting him/her. They made it this far, right? That counts for something." That's a back-handed compliment if I ever heard one. That'd be like saying, "Wow! You got this mansion using all your dad's money? Very cool! Congratulations!" Uh huh...
No, some don't like to give credit where credit is due. I even heard some conservative talk show hosts and talking heads make such comments about President Barack Obama, saying, "Well, he only made it this far because of the help he got for being black!" This is typically a pretty strong sign of racism, for these individuals tend to like to believe that they worked hard for everything they got, yet minorities, blacks in particular, only earned their place by receiving help from the government, due to their (intellectual) inferiority. They may deny this and say, "I was only complimenting him/her. They made it this far, right? That counts for something." That's a back-handed compliment if I ever heard one. That'd be like saying, "Wow! You got this mansion using all your dad's money? Very cool! Congratulations!" Uh huh...
8) "I wonder if they stole it..."
Rarely do I ever hear a fellow white person look at another white person driving a nice car or owning a nice house, and say, "I wonder how they could afford that." I do hear that when it comes to minorities, though: "I wonder how they could afford that. Maybe they stole it." Again, this showcases a mentality of superiority (whites) vs. inferiority (minorities), and is a pretty good indicator that a person is racist on some level. Now, if a person of any ethnicity sees me driving around in a Ferrari or Lamborghini, you have my full permission to mumble to yourself, "I wonder how he could afford that. Maybe he stole it." No, I can guarantee I didn't steal it, but how I could afford it, I'm not quite certain. I'll have to get back to you on that...
Rarely do I ever hear a fellow white person look at another white person driving a nice car or owning a nice house, and say, "I wonder how they could afford that." I do hear that when it comes to minorities, though: "I wonder how they could afford that. Maybe they stole it." Again, this showcases a mentality of superiority (whites) vs. inferiority (minorities), and is a pretty good indicator that a person is racist on some level. Now, if a person of any ethnicity sees me driving around in a Ferrari or Lamborghini, you have my full permission to mumble to yourself, "I wonder how he could afford that. Maybe he stole it." No, I can guarantee I didn't steal it, but how I could afford it, I'm not quite certain. I'll have to get back to you on that...
9) "Stop playing the race card!"
Yes, once in a while a minority may use what's known as the race card to take advantage of a particular situation. However, I find this to be much rarer than a lot of other people would like to believe. Anymore, it seems that whenever a minority (or even a white progressive such as myself) talks about race or racism, we're pulling out the race card. When black men are targeted, shot, and killed by police at a far greater rate than whites and we bring this fact up, we're suddenly playing the race card. These accusers seem to believe that the only way to stop racism is by ignoring it exists, and by talking about it, we're only escalating the problem. In my mind, however, many of these accusers simply want to ignore their own prejudices by pretending they don't exist in the first place. If they were truly serious on ending racism, they'd be all in favor of talking about the matter, attempting to empathize with people of different ethnicities, and trying to get to know them as individuals and not as a generalized group which they may have been taught since an early age. How can one fully move past a problem if he or she doesn't believe it to exist in the first place? As a side note, I do find it kind of funny that I don't hear about this kind of "card" anywhere else. Why is there the race card but not the woman card, the Muslim card, the gay card, or the get-out-of-jail-free card? Hopefully that question doesn't prompt Monopoly to form a new version of their game... (UPDATE: Okay, so, as Donald Trump has recently illustrated, the "woman card" does exist after all, as does the "as*hole card," as The Donald has showcased time and time again.)
Yes, once in a while a minority may use what's known as the race card to take advantage of a particular situation. However, I find this to be much rarer than a lot of other people would like to believe. Anymore, it seems that whenever a minority (or even a white progressive such as myself) talks about race or racism, we're pulling out the race card. When black men are targeted, shot, and killed by police at a far greater rate than whites and we bring this fact up, we're suddenly playing the race card. These accusers seem to believe that the only way to stop racism is by ignoring it exists, and by talking about it, we're only escalating the problem. In my mind, however, many of these accusers simply want to ignore their own prejudices by pretending they don't exist in the first place. If they were truly serious on ending racism, they'd be all in favor of talking about the matter, attempting to empathize with people of different ethnicities, and trying to get to know them as individuals and not as a generalized group which they may have been taught since an early age. How can one fully move past a problem if he or she doesn't believe it to exist in the first place? As a side note, I do find it kind of funny that I don't hear about this kind of "card" anywhere else. Why is there the race card but not the woman card, the Muslim card, the gay card, or the get-out-of-jail-free card? Hopefully that question doesn't prompt Monopoly to form a new version of their game... (UPDATE: Okay, so, as Donald Trump has recently illustrated, the "woman card" does exist after all, as does the "as*hole card," as The Donald has showcased time and time again.)
10) "Hold on to your purse!"
Lastly, while this may be partially due to biased media coverage of crime and it's alleged link to race (no, there is no such link; it's a link with poverty, as studies and common sense would somehow dictate), when I see or hear fellow whites get frightened at the sight of minorities, it's usually a pretty good sign they possess some racism. I've seen some women hold on to their purses more tightly as black men walk by. I've heard of some people asking, "Is it okay for me to be scared since a man on the plane is wearing a turban and has a really thick beard?" Whenever I hear that, I want to respond, "Is it okay for me to be frightened at this movie theater, church, school, or mall because I see a white person?" No, because hardly any white people are mass shooters, hardly any Muslims are terrorists, and hardly any black people are thieves. Oh, and hardly any racists make logical sense...
Those are just ten examples of racism I've stumbled across through my years. There are many others. As a white person who grew up in mostly white neighborhoods throughout my childhood and young adult years, I observed these occurrences rather regularly. This isn't to say there aren't racists among each and every demographic (there are) or to say that there aren't some bad eggs among all demographics (there are), however, as the country is still nearly 78% white, we still experience far less racism than the other 22%. We should therefore try to be more welcoming, more respectful, more empathetic, and attempt to fight for equal rights across the board. If we truly believe America to be the land of the free, home of the brave, to be the land of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all, we should fight for each and every person's rights, regardless of age, gender, race, creed, orientation, etc. Whether a person is white, black, male, female, gay, straight, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, young, or old, we're all Americans, and deserve to be treated equally under the law and by one another. Until we reach that point, the American dream is all but an illusion.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racist?s=t
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
Lastly, while this may be partially due to biased media coverage of crime and it's alleged link to race (no, there is no such link; it's a link with poverty, as studies and common sense would somehow dictate), when I see or hear fellow whites get frightened at the sight of minorities, it's usually a pretty good sign they possess some racism. I've seen some women hold on to their purses more tightly as black men walk by. I've heard of some people asking, "Is it okay for me to be scared since a man on the plane is wearing a turban and has a really thick beard?" Whenever I hear that, I want to respond, "Is it okay for me to be frightened at this movie theater, church, school, or mall because I see a white person?" No, because hardly any white people are mass shooters, hardly any Muslims are terrorists, and hardly any black people are thieves. Oh, and hardly any racists make logical sense...
Those are just ten examples of racism I've stumbled across through my years. There are many others. As a white person who grew up in mostly white neighborhoods throughout my childhood and young adult years, I observed these occurrences rather regularly. This isn't to say there aren't racists among each and every demographic (there are) or to say that there aren't some bad eggs among all demographics (there are), however, as the country is still nearly 78% white, we still experience far less racism than the other 22%. We should therefore try to be more welcoming, more respectful, more empathetic, and attempt to fight for equal rights across the board. If we truly believe America to be the land of the free, home of the brave, to be the land of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all, we should fight for each and every person's rights, regardless of age, gender, race, creed, orientation, etc. Whether a person is white, black, male, female, gay, straight, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, young, or old, we're all Americans, and deserve to be treated equally under the law and by one another. Until we reach that point, the American dream is all but an illusion.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racist?s=t
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
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