# I'm no racist but... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 4, 2019, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177 "2019-08-04T15:37:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/21 "2019-08-06T04:06:18Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > IIRC there was a “good guy with a gun”, an actual member of the US military, said good guy with a concealed carry permit, at the El Paso shooting. He did not stop the carnage, although the reports I heard said he did save some. The one I saw interviewed (who, BTW, also happened to be black) knew that drawing his weapon was not a good idea, so that’s why he grabbed a small child and ran as fast as possible in the opposite direction. The parents followed. The police officer killed in that nightclub shooting a couple months ago died from “friendly fire” - i.e. he was accidentally shot by another officer. ☹ I just couldn’t imagine having to live with that. What really bothers me about crime demographics is when women pooh-pooh male crime victims, because wimmin. I don’t get it either. Wrong is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/22 "2019-08-06T10:01:41Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > crime victims, because wimmin. I don’t get it either. Wrong is wrong. Can you provide a specific example of this phenomenon? A blog, a tweet, or a message board post? Because I’ve never seen it before. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/23 "2019-08-06T12:27:15Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > I’m not going to be shy about it: White people, esp white _men_ as the white wimmins don’t tend to do public violence, need to get their shit together and police their own before a government happens that might actually react to these shenanigans. Get their shit together? I’d just as soon see white guys all go back to where they came from. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/24 "2019-08-06T12:31:13Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Trump gave a “God Bless” to each city. Problem solved. Toledo, not Dayton. It’s not far from Bowling Green. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/25 "2019-08-06T13:02:53Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > When black dysfunction is the topic of discussion, conservatives are frequently chock full of suggestions for black people. “Knock the chips off your shoulder and stop blaming the Man for your problems.” “Stop having out-of-wedlock babies.” “Stop glorifying thug life and listening to gangsta rape.” “Stop speaking Ebonics and assimilate”. And those of us who aren’t guilty of these sins are expected to rein in those who do. So in essence, all black people are told to “get our acts together”. Even though most of us already do. > > I don’t know if white guys need to do more than anyone else to fix the mass shooter problem, to be honest. But what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. So we ban guns _ **and** _ out-of-wedlock births/gangsta rap? To be consistent. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/26 "2019-08-06T13:39:20Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So we ban guns _ **and** _ out-of-wedlock births/gangsta rap? To be consistent. > > Regards, > Shodan An aggressive opening demand, but I can work with it. Marriage is overrated these days and really has nothing to do with love or babies. So let’s not worry about out-of-wedlock spawn. We should eliminate gangsta rap, but also country music (Western is fine–that’s all about keeping oneself to oneself, but that jingoistic, hypermasculine hillbilly shit is toxic). On the guns let’s just ban automatic & semiautomatic rifles and see how that works. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/27 "2019-08-06T14:06:57Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So we ban guns _ **and** _ out-of-wedlock births/gangsta rap? To be consistent. > > Regards, > Shodan You’d have to also ban right-wing hate media as well to make it fair. ---
**Author:** ![Rayks\_Marcial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e47c2d/32.png) [@Rayks\_Marcial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayks_Marcial)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/28 "2019-08-06T23:46:14Z")
Will top guns like Gerry Miculek need to be registered? Miculek can probably kill more people with a six-shot revolver than your usual loony with an AR-15. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/29 "2019-08-07T12:42:13Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > An aggressive opening demand, but I can work with it. Marriage is overrated these days and really has nothing to do with love or babies. Marriage or the lack of it has a great deal to do with negative social outcomes of various sorts, since children raised by single parents (usually the mother) drop out of high school more, have lower educational outcomes in general, are more likely to commit a crime, are at greater risk of emotional disturbance, are more likely to be poor, if they are male are more likely to commit rape, and are at increased risk of abuse, including sexual abuse. So you need to work a little harder with it, because you are mistaken. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/30 "2019-08-07T12:44:11Z")
Am not. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/31 "2019-08-07T14:27:28Z")
Most right wing race terrorists come from suburban homes with heterosexual, married parents. True fact, you can look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/32 "2019-08-07T14:35:08Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Marriage or the lack of it has a great deal to do with negative social outcomes of various sorts, since children raised by single parents (usually the mother) drop out of high school more, have lower educational outcomes in general, are more likely to commit a crime, are at greater risk of emotional disturbance, are more likely to be poor, if they are male are more likely to commit rape, and are at increased risk of abuse, including sexual abuse. Unmarried != single. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/33 "2019-08-07T14:43:25Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Unmarried != single. This. The two couples I know who have been together the longest and seem the happiest have never been married. Also I’m in a committed relationship and although we’ve considered getting married, other than the party there doesn’t seem to be a good reason. ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/34 "2019-08-07T15:11:38Z")
[![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/98/e1/91/98e191b54ffa450fba77e0e8d5d318a7.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/98/e1/91/98e191b54ffa450fba77e0e8d5d318a7.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/35 "2019-08-07T17:04:25Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > When black dysfunction is the topic of discussion, conservatives are frequently chock full of suggestions for black people. “Knock the chips off your shoulder and stop blaming the Man for your problems.” “Stop having out-of-wedlock babies.” “Stop glorifying thug life and listening to gangsta rape.” “Stop speaking Ebonics and assimilate”. And those of us who aren’t guilty of these sins are expected to rein in those who do. So in essence, all black people are told to “get our acts together”. Even though most of us already do. > > I don’t know if white guys need to do more than anyone else to fix the mass shooter problem, to be honest. But what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. If minority subcultures are expected to take responsibility for their problem children (black folk and Muslims being two that come to mind), then it is fair to hold white American males responsible for theirs. If it’s not fair to make rando white guys accountable for rando white mass shooters, then it’s also not fair to make rando brown and black people responsible for their shitty randos. As a progressive, you probably intuitively understand this. But lots of conservatives don’t see the contradiction. Same kind of response is applied to issues of Islamic religious terrorism. Comfortable Americans suggest that followers of Islam should rein in the terrorists who assert they are doing Allah’s will. But they are not at all comfortable if that question is turned on them. I once called out The Washington Post, hoary old liberal institution that it was, for using the term “Islamic terror” but not calling equivalent Irish troubles “Catholic terror” or abortion-clinic bombings “Baptist terror.” They published my letter (mysteriously changing “Islamic” to “Muslim” terror), but roundly failed to call out Western religiously-inspired terror (or terror _claiming_ to be religious.) Most of us “white” people are far too comfortable calling on perceived others to police their own demographic but entirely blind to the idea that we should do the same – _because we don’t think we have a demographic_. Other people belong to this or that ethnic group and are responsible for that group’s reputation; we’re just _people_, not an ethnic group. This is one of the things activists call “privilege.” ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/36 "2019-08-07T23:13:16Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Most right wing race terrorists come from suburban homes with heterosexual, married parents. True fact, you can look it up. So what? That could be said of practically half the U.S. population. Heck–one could say that most right wing race terrorists also went to elementary school when they were children, celebrated birthdays and holidays, had access to computers and the internet, and had popcorn and soda at the movie theater at some point in their life. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/37 "2019-08-08T16:09:29Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Interesting. So we are glad he was there, right? It would have been worse without him? > > [snip] > > So if it is an armed citizen who is lessening the impact of a shooting, we need them everywhere. Depends on what he did to “save some”. In this case, it appears he didn’t use his gun at all, so no, that doesn’t count any more than the hundreds of other people who ran as fast as they could helping someone next to them. Having a gun played no role. > [@nearwildheaven](#): > > The one I saw interviewed (who, BTW, also happened to be black) knew that drawing his weapon was not a good idea, so that’s why he grabbed a small child and ran as fast as possible in the opposite direction. The parents followed. > > The police officer killed in that nightclub shooting a couple months ago died from “friendly fire” - i.e. he was accidentally shot by another officer. ☹ I just couldn’t imagine having to live with that. That’s the stray bullet problem: all the bullets fired by any armed “responders” (police or civilian) go somewhere. If they don’t hit the shooter, where do they go? Do they hit someone else? Then there’s the case of the black man in Florida who pulled his gun in response to a shooter and was helping other people get out, he was shot by a security guard who mistakenly thought he was one of the shooters. OOPS! That’s the problem with being an armed civilian in the zone. How does anyone tell the good from the bad? You pull your gun in case you see the shooter you can shoot back, someone else does the same, then you see each other and think “there’s the shooter”. Or law enforcement does. > [@Shodan](#): > > Marriage or the lack of it has a great deal to do with negative social outcomes of various sorts, since children raised by single parents (usually the mother) drop out of high school more, have lower educational outcomes in general, are more likely to commit a crime, are at greater risk of emotional disturbance, are more likely to be poor, if they are male are more likely to commit rape, and are at increased risk of abuse, including sexual abuse. > > So you need to work a little harder with it, because you are mistaken. You addressed a different point than the one **Inigo Montoya** was making. People can love each other and have a long-term relationship without getting married. People can have babies and raise them in a two-parent home without getting married. Marriages don’t mean permanent or even stable relationships - consider the divorce rate and consider people who live miserable family lives but are married. It is true that marriage is a socially sanctioned way to establish a stable basis for a family. It’s not the only one, and doesn’t work as well as people might like. Also, your assumptions are showing when you mention “drop out of high school”. High school kids having babies is it’s own problem. In most cases, marriage at that age wouldn’t help, and would arguably hurt both the parents and the baby. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/38 "2019-08-08T16:11:08Z")
> [@TheCuse](#): > > So what? That could be said of practically half the U.S. population. It’s a valid response to the claim that marriage is important in reducing crime. We’re talking about a specific type of crime here, and the facts don’t support that claim. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177/39 "2019-08-08T16:56:57Z")
> [@TheCuse](#): > > So what? That could be said of practically half the U.S. population. > > Heck–one could say that most right wing race terrorists also went to elementary school when they were children, celebrated birthdays and holidays, had access to computers and the internet, and had popcorn and soda at the movie theater at some point in their life. The signs are obvious, and everywhere. I’m with ya! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-no-racist-but/838177.md?page=1)