I think so. There are certainly degrees of prejudice, with some being much worse offenders than others, but I believe that in all of us there are racial prejudices that are capable of coming to light in certain situations. The Don Imus controversy had me thinking about racial attitudes and just how sensitive we are to these kinda things. Just reading through some of the posts in the Imus thread you can sense racial division and bias. As a young man who grew up in a small SE KY town which has a terrible reputation on race relations, I can honestly say that I respect people from all races, have friends of different races, and socialize with people of different races. Am I , however, completely void of any racial bias? I don't think so. And I don't think anyone is, no matter what race you are. Is Imus a racist? Is Micheal Richards? How about Mel Gibson? Was Jimmy the Greek racist? How about Howard Cosell? Jesse Jackson? Sharpton? I think you have to look at it on a scale, say 1 to 100. All of us falls on that scale somewhere. Are there things about another race of people that irritate you, that get under your skin a bit? Does your life experiences make you totally exempt from racial prejudices? I don't think so. In fact, I think because of our life experiences, we are certain to lie somewhere above zero on the scale of racial prejudice. I think if we are completely and totally honest with ourselves, we would have to admit, like it or not, that we are all , even if just in some small degree, a racist.

 

Thoughts?

While that is a rational thought process and I largely agree with it no one could ever publicly admit to that. :thumb:

I wouldn't say that everyone is racist, but I would say that every person is prejudiced against some other group of people who are different from then. It could be orientation, race, culture, religion, hair color, gender, body size/shape, etc.

I wouldn't say that everyone is racist, but I would say that every person is prejudiced against some other group of people who are different from then. It could be orientation, race, culture, religion, hair color, gender, body size/shape, etc.

 

 

In that case it is a matter of semantics really.

I believe everyone has atleast a small amount of racism in them. Wether it be not liking people strictly because of the color of their skin, preferring the company of a certian race or feeling uncomfortable around people of a certian race.

 

It would be very hard for someone to claim that they were in no way a little racist in one way or another.

Everyone is racist to some degree. Getting people to admit that will never happen.

Maybe "Racist" isn't the right term. Being from Alabama I could share some things, but I'd rather not.

I absolutely, honestly, 100% beyond a shadow of doubt have no problem whatsoever with the color of another person's skin, hair, eyes, gender or other external features. I would admit it if I did. We are all of the same essence, race and spark of life in my opinion.

 

What I do have a sincere problem with, is people possessing seemingly functional brains and healthy I.Q.s who choose to behave as idiots. I have a problem with cultural values that teach people not to achieve all they can with the gifts and talents God has given them. I have a problem with people who think the rest of the world owes them something. I have a problem with people who cannot take responsibility for their own actions or bad decisions and always want to blame someone else for their problems. I have a problem with knuckleheads that can’t obey the basic laws of our land. I have a problem with people who constantly seek to escape reality by popping pills, shooting up, snorting, smoking, drinking or otherwise self-medicating to the point of destruction of themselves and those around them. I have a sincere problem with power hungry, greedy, lustful selfish individuals who think the universe revolves around them. I have a problem with people whose priority is to take care of number one… to the exclusion of everyone else.

 

I could go on, but I think I’ve pretty well covered enough societal, cultural and human flaws to spread my bigotry against stupidity across the entire hue of humanity. I’m not racist. I’m an equal opportunity bigot. :thumb:

I think you raise a valid point. Who here has never told an ethnic joke? Even if you havent', have you ever laughed at one? Does that make you a racist. From the purest definition of the term, probably.

I think you raise a valid point. Who here has never told an ethnic joke? Even if you havent', have you ever laughed at one? Does that make you a racist. From the purest definition of the term, probably.

Yeah, and since I'm not gay that makes me homophobic too...

Yeah, and since I'm not gay that makes me homophobic too...

 

 

And from some of the blonde joke threads on here, apparently there are a lot of misogynist on BGP.

 

 

I wasn't suggesting that laughing at an ethnic joke makes one a racist, but I sure wouldn't want to let Jesse Jackson catch me doing so.

I wasn't suggesting that laughing at an ethnic joke makes one a racist, but I sure wouldn't want to let Jesse Jackson catch me doing so.

Now that I'll agree with... :lol:

 

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does that make me a racist too? :sssh:

Wow, math man, what a bold topic but one that opens peoples minds to the world. I grew up in a world (my own home) with five different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Talk about a melting pot, so I was not sheltered to the thought of prejudism, I lived it. I therefore learned at a very early age being the youngest child of seven that (as I stated in an earlier post on Imus) people are people not races or ethnicities.

 

However, like you say, most have a prejudice about a certain type of people that they dont not accept and that is ok I think, its healthy to a degree, its just when you pull an Imus and voice your opinion on a national stage. Keep that stuff to yourself fella! Get a clue.

Fastbreaks post kinda made me think. I wouldn't say I'm at all racist, but there are certain groups; not races. Which act as though it's their job to play the roll they've been stereotyped, whether it's "always right", "always clueless", or "always loud", every race has some trate that others dispise when they witness it. Yet if you point it out, it's because you're racist, or you think you're better than them.

 

I personally think it's bc you view it as annoying or can't understand how they can or feel they need to, act like that. and I can think of that for just about every race, hair color and sex. That type of person that just annoys me, but due to our society, often get's thrown towards race, or gender discrimination. I'm sure women could even say the same about "pig headed" males, "They know the type" sort of thing.

 

This is an interesting topic indeed.

I think everyone has a prejudice, but not everyone is racist.

 

For instance, I'm prejudiced against stupid people. Not the people who lack mental accumen, but the people who are bone-headed and ignorant by their own choice.