# Are you a racist? Warning signs **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 7, 2014, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519 "2014-07-07T08:12:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![chicagowhitesox1173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@chicagowhitesox1173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicagowhitesox1173)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/261 "2014-07-08T21:42:47Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Problem is that the “I was joking” routine is almost as bad … Lighten the blank up. Everything is going to be bad to you. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/262 "2014-07-08T21:43:49Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > I don’t really have any black friends. When I was working, I would go out with a lot of the guys from work and there would be some black guys in the group. We would always talk about race and we would kid around with each other. I got along with them. But I’m not gonna call them up to hang out. See and we would usually end up talking about over sensitive people like you guys. We’ll never know, but I have a feeling your friends would remember it differently. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/263 "2014-07-08T21:44:37Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > Lighten the blank up. Everything is going to be bad to you. You are monumentally bad at reading. Have you made a single accurate assumption in this entire thread? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/264 "2014-07-08T21:46:43Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > I’m not trying to persuade anyone to hate another race. I do think people nowdays are way to sensitive when it comes to race though. You people are very sensitive about it. “You people” again. It might do you some good to stop thinking on terms like that. > [@](#): > > I try to make a few points and then I’m David Duke. No one said that. But just because you’re not David Duke doesn’t mean you should let yourself off the hook. That’s the point that people are trying to make here. Nobody’s perfect, but you don’t get to hide behind that. You need to be harder on yourself. > [@](#): > > I’m gonna tell you again, I don’t hate any race and I don’t think any race is smarter than another either. Most racists don’t think they’re racists. You’re letting yourself off the hook too easily again. > [@](#): > > Every race is racist too, not just white people. This is a meaningless statement, and again you are racializing the issue. The whole point is to drop pointless classifications. > [@](#): > > I do think it’s getting to the point where other races feel it’s ok to pick on every white person though. Of all the things you’ve said, this is probably the worst. White people as a group are not the victims of racism in this country; they’re the beneficiaries. You have the potential go get over racism, the same as anyone else, but playing the white victim card is going to get in your way. > [@](#): > > I can get on the train or any bus and I’ll hear “whiteboy” way more than i’ll hear racial terms for blacks or Mexicans. I don’t like being called whiteboy and I don’t call anyone anyone racist names because I do know it’s wrong. But if I did, it would be a million times worse than if somebody of another race called me a racial slur. And there’s a very good reason for that. If you don’t know what it js, then ask. People here will tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/265 "2014-07-08T21:47:02Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > I don’t really have any black friends. When I was working, I would go out with a lot of the guys from work and there would be some black guys in the group. We would always talk about race and we would kid around with each other. I got along with them. But I’m not gonna call them up to hang out. See and we would usually end up talking about over sensitive people like you guys. Maybe you _should_ go hang out with them. Maybe you should call them now. Sounds like it’s been a while. I bet you’d have a lot of fun, talking about us over sensitives. You know what? Don’t even call. Just head on over to their place and hang out for a while. It’ll be fun! Just like old times! I bet they miss you. I bet they’re sitting around right now saying, “Man, I wonder what **chicagoswhitesox1137** is doing? I wish he was here. I would love to talk to him and maybe exchange thoughts about racial sensitivity.” You should totally go there. ---
**Author:** ![chicagowhitesox1173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@chicagowhitesox1173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicagowhitesox1173)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/266 "2014-07-08T21:49:38Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > We’ll never know, but I have a feeling your friends would remember it differently. yeah the guy who called me Goerge. That was at a temp job to fill in some hours. All I can say about that place is, I’m glad they laid us off. Yeah I was subjected to a lot of racism along with every other white guy there. I was the only one who didn’t quit. ---
**Author:** ![chicagowhitesox1173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@chicagowhitesox1173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicagowhitesox1173)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/267 "2014-07-08T21:55:25Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Maybe you _should_ go hang out with them. Maybe you should call them now. Sounds like it’s been a while. I bet you’d have a lot of fun, talking about us over sensitives. You know what? Don’t even call. Just head on over to their place and hang out for a while. It’ll be fun! Just like old times! I bet they miss you. I bet they’re sitting around right now saying, “Man, I wonder what **chicagoswhitesox1137** is doing? I wish he was here. I would love to talk to him and maybe exchange thoughts about racial sensitivity.” > > You should totally go there. Honestly I do miss those guy’s. I was at that place for over 10 years. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were wondering where I was at. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/268 "2014-07-08T21:58:31Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > Lighten the blank up. Everything is going to be bad to you. That’s true. I’m so self-righteously anti-racist that when I even sniff out the slightest whiff of racism I launch into full-bore kamikaze mode. Sure, people tell me to lighten up about this, but I think that itself is a highly racist phrase, so it only gets me even more worked up. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/269 "2014-07-08T22:00:49Z")
Turns out there _is_ something dumber than **Fotheringay-Phipps** pretending to be clever. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/270 "2014-07-08T22:02:19Z")
Actually we’ve known about you all along. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/271 "2014-07-08T22:06:02Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > yeah the guy who called me Goerge. That was at a temp job to fill in some hours. All I can say about that place is, I’m glad they laid us off. Yeah I was subjected to a lot of racism along with every other white guy there. I was the only one who didn’t quit. > [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > Honestly I do miss those guy’s. I was at that place for over 10 years. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were wondering where I was at. So, you liked your racist friends? I’m not sure if I’m making the connection between the bottom post and others you made about your work experience. You said that they weren’t racist, and that you would all talk about how people were overly sensitive about race, and then you claim that you were subject to racism, and finally you talk about missing your “black friends.” Are these two separate jobs? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/272 "2014-07-08T22:08:35Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Actually we’ve known about you all along. I knew it: it takes a team of highly paid comedy writers to come up with these gems, right? ---
**Author:** ![chicagowhitesox1173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@chicagowhitesox1173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicagowhitesox1173)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/273 "2014-07-08T22:10:13Z")
> [@Calatin](#): > > So, you liked your racist friends? I’m not sure if I’m making the connection between the bottom post and others you made about your work experience. > > You said that they weren’t racist, and that you would all talk about how people were overly sensitive about race, and then you claim that you were subject to racism, and finally you talk about missing your “black friends.” > > Are these two separate jobs? Yeah they were separate jobs. To be fair the job where I claim I was racially harassed was a horrible job where it probably did make people worse than what they were. It was temp job working at a meat packing company called Butterball. I’ve never seen anything like that place. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/274 "2014-07-08T22:10:46Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Actually we’ve known about you all along. All this thread needs is dougie\_monty and the comedy routine will be complete. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/275 "2014-07-08T22:12:02Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I knew it: it takes a team of highly paid comedy writers to come up with these gems, right? You mean as opposed to this original and witty line from you? ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/276 "2014-07-09T02:28:19Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > I’m not offended by it but as sensitive as Marley is, some people might be. Are you going to apologize for calling her a racist, seeing as how you were wrong about the definition of the phrase? Or are you just going to skip right past that part? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/277 "2014-07-09T03:01:59Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > Are you going to apologize for calling her a racist, seeing as how you were wrong about the definition of the phrase? Or are you just going to skip right past that part? Marley’s a he. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/278 "2014-07-09T03:21:06Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Actually that proves that you’re a racist. The old “some of my best friends are black” routine. Those are the worst ones. Ask anyone. > [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Problem is that the “I was joking” routine is almost as bad … Bullshit. People don’t get called racist because they say things like _“some of my best friends are black”_ or _“I was joking”_. People get called racist because they’re racists. Their racism is perfectly obvious to everyone around them. Then when a racist is caught being a racist, they try to weasel out of it. That’s when they say things like _“some of my best friends are black”_ or _“I was joking”_. Or maybe _“everybody thinks that kind of thing”_ or _“how come black people can say it?”_ or _“but I meant it as a compliment”_ or _“if you lived where I lived, you’d know what I’m talking about”_ or _“Why are people so sensitive?”_ or _“it depends on how you define racism”_. It never works. Racists didn’t get accused of being racist for saying any of those things. They’re accused of being a racist because of something they said before that. These were just sad attempts to excuse their racism and they don’t work. Nobody can’t explain their way out of being a racist because there is no excuse for it. Here’s what works: _“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was a racist. I’ll try not to be in the future.”_ ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/279 "2014-07-09T04:22:16Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Marley’s a he. I know. I should have elaborated with where I was going with that, so lemme try now… **Kimstu** said something about being “lily-livered.” In turn, **cws** said she must be racist too [for using that terminology. She then came back and explained the etymology. He replied to that post with the one he quoted, naming **Marley** in it, but not taking responsibility or apologizing for accusing **Kimstu** of being a racist. I took a short-cut and used that exchange as my jumping off part, forgetting that the Dope doesn’t do the ‘stream of conversation’ quotes like other boards do. Hope that helps explain why I had a brain fart. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/280 "2014-07-09T04:49:11Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > How about: Have you ever complained the black people can use the word “Nigga” with impunity while you can’t?" What if this is the only item that applies out of the entire list? Am I a racist because inequality of this kind concerns me? I don’t like damn near any form inequality. That’s what 60’s style civil rights battles were all about. Equal access to swimming pools, drinking fountains, lunch counters. The idea that a black comedian can say, it but I can’t is…well, it’s pretty damn minor, really, but it is a form of inequality. I’m a racist if this is all I got? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519.md?page=15)