# 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:** 3
**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 7, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/41 "2014-07-07T19:46:32Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > Have you ever done any of these things? I would think every person in every race has done stuff like this. When you hear people calling somebody else racist, do you find yourself thinking that you’ve said or done the same thing that other person did? ---
**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 7, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/42 "2014-07-07T19:49:14Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > Cmon, this stuff does get old. Oh, here is one of the prime examples of “Everyone does it!” and “I hold these same opinions therefore they can’t be so bad!” on this board. You’re right. It does get old. There is something wrong with you, but you don’t want to see that. You want to defend racists like Donald Sterling and Anthony Wossname because by doing so you defend yourself. ---
**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 7, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/43 "2014-07-07T19:55:19Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > Have you ever done any of these things? I would think every person in every race has done stuff like this. You’re wrong. > [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > Cmon, this stuff does get old. Sure, it gets old—for people who don’t have to live with the burdens of racism. If you benefit from racism, then it’s perfectly understandable why you don’t want to hear about it. It also gets boring for people who near the burdens of racism, for a different reason. However, shutting up about it is just going to help perpetuate it. Encourage people to stop being racist and you won’t have to deal with this oh-so-boring topic. ---
**Author:** ![chicagowhitesox1173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@chicagowhitesox1173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicagowhitesox1173)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/44 "2014-07-07T19:56:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > When you hear people calling somebody else racist, do you find yourself thinking that you’ve said or done the same thing that other person did? You didn’t answer my question. You must be a saint if none of these goofy questions you asked has never applied 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 7, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/45 "2014-07-07T19:57:50Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > I would think every person in every race has done stuff like this. No, not at all. That’s kind of a bad sign for you. ---
**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 7, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/46 "2014-07-07T19:57:54Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > You didn’t answer my question. You must be a saint if none of these goofy questions you asked has never applied to you. I can see how you can think that. But, no, it’s surprisingly easy to go through life without running into any if that. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/47 "2014-07-07T20:01:20Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Do you base these arguments on unusual definitions of terms like race, racism, racist, or other words? In discussing things I do sometimes seek to define those terms with whom I’m speaking. The same way I seek to define “atheist” in discussions about belief, spirituality and God. I think that words have meaning, ofttimes multiple meanings, and sometimes very similar words mean similar things, but not the exact same thing, so it helps to make sure we agree on definitions before a discussion can happen. Of course, there is an alternative: to use words fast and loose and not have to define anything and conflate things massively. After all, “We all know what we mean, right?” And other pitfalls of circle-jerks on the SDMB and elsewhere. So, I take it you’re for doing the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/48 "2014-07-07T20:04:32Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > Have you ever done any of these things? I would think every person in every race has done stuff like this. And, really, who _hasn’t_ smacked their GF around a bit, right fellas? ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/49 "2014-07-07T20:05:57Z")
Thing is people will always find one way or another to group themselves and be different from others. Racism wont go away because of the obvious physical characteristics that we cant help but notice. Plus we cannot forget the sins of the past. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/50 "2014-07-07T20:09:16Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > I think that words have meaning, ofttimes multiple meanings, and sometimes very similar words mean similar things, but not the exact same thing, so it helps to make sure we agree on definitions before a discussion can happen. It’s one thing to agree on a definition that meshes somewhat with popular usage. It’s a different thing to require an extremely specific definition that many users will not identify. If you can only be described as non-racist by carving up the definition within a whisker of it’s life… you’re just kidding yourself. ---
**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 7, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/51 "2014-07-07T20:09:34Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Thing is people will always find one way or another to group themselves and be different from others. Racism wont go away because of the obvious physical characteristics that we cant help but notice. Plus we cannot forget the sins of the past. And therefore we should… ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/52 "2014-07-07T20:11:48Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > It’s one thing to agree on a definition that meshes somewhat with popular usage. It’s a different thing to require an extremely specific definition that many users will not identify. > > If you can only be described as non-racist by carving up the definition within a whisker of it’s life… you’re just kidding yourself. Oh, I agree with that. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I do think people have a responsibility to be accurate with their definitions. But what I was primarily alluding to is the conflation between “racist” and “racial”. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/53 "2014-07-07T20:12:48Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > And therefore we should… …chill out? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/54 "2014-07-07T20:13:55Z")
If you don’t want people to call you a racist, **magellan01** , just stop saying racist shit. It’s a lot easier than this mixture of begging and nitpicking you try to execute in thread after 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 7, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/55 "2014-07-07T20:15:07Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Thing is people will always find one way or another to group themselves and be different from others. Racism wont go away because of the obvious physical characteristics that we cant help but notice. Plus we cannot forget the sins of the past. It’s nice that you are so considerate of yourself to give yourself such a break. ---
**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 7, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/56 "2014-07-07T20:17:24Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > It’s nice that you are so considerate of yourself to give yourself such a break. Selfless, really. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/57 "2014-07-07T20:17:41Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > …chill out? Why? Even if it’s true that racism’s never going to entirely go away, I don’t see why that should be considered a reason to downplay or ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/58 "2014-07-07T20:21:26Z")
You only date/marry inside your race. All your friends outside of work are your race. Your neighborhood is overwhelmingly your race. And the school you send your kids to. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/59 "2014-07-07T20:24:33Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Who exactly has claimed that racism is defunct because of Obama’s election? I was speaking of a relative of mine, but I see from the link **Really Not All That Bright** provided once again people can’t help but look stupid in public too. As to if any of these apply to me . . . at one time yes. Many years ago when I was younger and lived at home I . . . was a young republican. I got all my political thoughts and opinions from my parents. Then I went to high school and college and started thinking for my self. Sorry, Mom and Dad. ---
**Author:** ![chicagowhitesox1173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@chicagowhitesox1173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicagowhitesox1173)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519/60 "2014-07-07T20:25:45Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > You only date/marry inside your race. > > All your friends outside of work are your race. > > **Your neighborhood is overwhelmingly your race.** > > And the school you send your kids to. So if you live in a mixed neighborhood, your less likely to be racist? cmon have you ever lived in such a neighborhood because if you have then you would think differently. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-racist-warning-signs/692519.md?page=4)