# Is this actually racist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 30, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174 "2015-10-30T13:34:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/401 "2015-11-04T20:28:07Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Clearly it offended. Clearly it attacked. Nope. > [@](#): > > Clearly it was intended to do both. Nope. This exchange reminds me of this: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/11/04/racism-by-whom-this-video-of-tex-cops-stopping-a-black-professor-is-a-racial-rorschach-test/?hpid=hp\_rhp-top-table-main\_no-name%3Ahomepage%2Fstory](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/11/04/racism-by-whom-this-video-of-tex-cops-stopping-a-black-professor-is-a-racial-rorschach-test/?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-main_no-name%3Ahomepage%2Fstory) I wonder what you think. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/402 "2015-11-04T21:07:00Z")
There is not a malicious intent requirement for racism to exist. heck, there isn’t even an intent requirement. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/403 "2015-11-04T21:10:24Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Nope. _You posted the article_ which illustrated the ways in which people reacted _as a result of being offended_. Yet here, to the statement “clearly it offended,” you reply “nope.” There was another place in this thread where something was literally right there in front of your eyes and you continually denied it. As someone else above has said, many of your comments here come of as deeply unserious. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/404 "2015-11-04T22:45:04Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > There is not a malicious intent requirement for racism to exist. heck, there isn’t even an intent requirement. How convenient. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/405 "2015-11-04T22:46:41Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > _You posted the article_ which illustrated the ways in which people reacted _as a result of being offended_. Yet here, to the statement “clearly it offended,” you reply “nope.” I wasn’t saying nope to that part. Sure, people were offended. Doesn’t mean they had a right to be. > [@](#): > > There was another place in this thread where something was literally right there in front of your eyes and you continually denied it. No, I DISAGREED WITH IT. I can do that. > [@](#): > > As someone else above has said, many of your comments here come of as deeply unserious. Then don’t respond to them. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/406 "2015-11-04T22:48:03Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > There is not a malicious intent requirement for racism to exist. heck, there isn’t even an intent requirement. So if a baby is just babbling words and accidentally says something like “nigger,” it’s racism? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/407 "2015-11-04T22:49:48Z")
> **[Fight over Confederate flag decal could be investigated as hate crime,...](https://www.fox13now.com/2015/11/02/fight-over-confederate-flag-decal-could-be-investigated-as-hate-crime-police-say)** > > WARNING: Video above may be violent for some viewers. Watch with discretion. SALT LAKE CITY — A fight outside a Salt Lake City hotel early Sunday morning could possibly be investigated as a hate crime, authorities said Monday. Cell phone video... Free speech exercised. “Consequences” delivered. Of course it’s not unexpected in a climate that promotes “consequences” and “risks” for expression. ---
**Author:** ![Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inbred_Mm_domesticus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/408 "2015-11-05T00:25:33Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > [http://fox13now.com/2015/11/02/fight-over-confederate-flag-decal-could-be-investigated-as-hate-crime-police-say/](http://fox13now.com/2015/11/02/fight-over-confederate-flag-decal-could-be-investigated-as-hate-crime-police-say/) > > Free speech exercised. “Consequences” delivered. Of course it’s not unexpected in a climate that promotes “consequences” and “risks” for expression. So a guy sees some African Americans by his truck, assumes a potential robbery, goes out there, behaves rudely and gets beat up. What if he had said to himself, “Oh look, some fellow Americans are near my truck. They have a right to stand where they are standing. After all, that’s what the Confederate flag means: Rights!”? Maybe there wouldn’t have been words exchanged or a fight at all. But unfortunately for him, ‘African Americans near his welding equipment’ was the way he decided to interpret what he saw. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/409 "2015-11-05T00:35:37Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > So a guy sees some African Americans by his truck, assumes a potential robbery, goes out there, behaves rudely and gets beat up. What if he had said to himself, “Oh look, some fellow Americans are near my truck. They have a right to stand where they are standing. After all, that’s what the Confederate flag means: Rights!”? Maybe there wouldn’t have been words exchanged or a fight at all. But unfortunately for him, ‘African Americans near his welding equipment’ was the way he decided to interpret what he saw. Rex Cramer! Thrill Seeker!!! (Is there anybody left who remembers where that comes from?) ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/410 "2015-11-05T10:33:11Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > Rex Cramer! Thrill Seeker!!! > > (Is there anybody left who remembers where that comes from?) Kentucky Fried movie. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/411 "2015-11-05T12:00:22Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > So a guy sees some African Americans by his truck, assumes a potential robbery, goes out there, behaves rudely and gets beat up. What if he had said to himself, “Oh look, some fellow Americans are near my truck. They have a right to stand where they are standing. After all, that’s what the Confederate flag means: Rights!”? Maybe there wouldn’t have been words exchanged or a fight at all. But unfortunately for him, ‘African Americans near his welding equipment’ was the way he decided to interpret what he saw. Seems like you being quick to interpret things. Do you have more information that is available in the video to conclude that what you wrote is an accurate summation of what happened? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/412 "2015-11-05T14:22:25Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > [http://fox13now.com/2015/11/02/fight-over-confederate-flag-decal-could-be-investigated-as-hate-crime-police-say/](http://fox13now.com/2015/11/02/fight-over-confederate-flag-decal-could-be-investigated-as-hate-crime-police-say/) > > Free speech exercised. “Consequences” delivered. Of course it’s not unexpected in a climate that promotes “consequences” and “risks” for expression. What the fuck are you talking about? Nobody here thinks physical violence should be a consequence of free expression. ---
**Author:** ![Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inbred_Mm_domesticus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/413 "2015-11-05T15:12:43Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Seems like you being quick to interpret things. Do you have more information that is available in the video to conclude that what you wrote is an accurate summation of what happened? I read the article. Which statements of fact did I make that are not there? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/414 "2015-11-05T15:44:11Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > I read the article. Which statements of fact did I make that are not there? “behaves rudely” I’m not saying that might not have been the case, but the video starts too late to determine that. And I doubt that two guys would walk into a a crowd and start acting rudely. ---
**Author:** ![Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inbred_Mm_domesticus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/415 "2015-11-05T16:00:19Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > “behaves rudely” > > I’m not saying that might not have been the case, but the video starts too late to determine that. And I doubt that two guys would walk into a a crowd and start acting rudely. The article says they exchanged racial epithets. Rude. They confronted guys who were freely hanging out in a parking lot. Rude. They have a confederate flag on their truck. Rude. How about you tell me whether you think any of this would have occurred if he didn’t assume that 6 African Americans were potentially a problem near his buddy’s $50K in welding equipment. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/416 "2015-11-05T16:09:50Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > The article says they exchanged racial epithets. Rude. Yes, rude on the part of both groups. > [@](#): > > They confronted guys who were freely hanging out in a parking lot. Rude. According to the truck owners, they were worried that their welding equipment or truck was about to be stolen. Which could have been a function of race. Or not. > [@](#): > > They have a confederate flag on their truck. Rude. Most definitely rude. > [@](#): > > How about you tell me whether you think any of this would have occurred if he didn’t assume that 6 African Americans were potentially a problem near his buddy’s $50K in welding equipment. He didn’t necessarily assume it - he may have observed suspicious behavior. Or maybe they really were after his equipment. You can’t presume racist intent. Like so many human confrontations, we probably could never sort it out and declare who is the good guy or the bad guy. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/417 "2015-11-05T16:21:42Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > The article says they exchanged racial epithets. Rude. > > They confronted guys who were freely hanging out in a parking lot. Rude. > > They have a confederate flag on their truck. Rude. > > How about you tell me whether you think any of this would have occurred if he didn’t assume that 6 African Americans were potentially a problem near his buddy’s $50K in welding equipment. Yes, they exchanged racial epithets. But in your view the white guys went out there spewing them. How do you know that the rudeness wasn’t started by the larger crowd? How do you know they “confronted” them? What do you mean by that? How do you know what their intent was by login out to the truck, other than to make sure that a bunch of guys weren’t tempted by the valuables in the back? How do you know they wouldn’t have done the exact same thing if it was a bunch of white guys? Ah, this is the crux of it, the confederate flag. :rolleyes: My guess is that the larger crowd, the black guys, probably started mouthing off to the white guys due to the flag. Because of the immense pain it caused there delicate psyches. I admit I could be wrong and things transpired exactly how you envision them. In which case, I’d be glad that the two white guys got the taste of a little anti-jerkish justice. My point is that, from what we know now, not only is their no evidence for the leaps you make, it runs counter to common sense. Two white guys are going to walk into a large group of black guys and start mouthing off? I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inbred_Mm_domesticus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/418 "2015-11-05T16:22:21Z")
I didn’t say anything about him being a racist. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/419 "2015-11-05T16:27:32Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What the fuck are you talking about? Nobody here thinks physical violence should be a consequence of free expression. Since language apparently depends on the interpretation by multiple parties “consequences” and “risks” are obviously dog whistle terms advocating assault and destruction as appropriate response for “rudeness” and “hurt my feels!” So while you can claim and you may be right that “nobody here” may believe that, many others do. And the tepid support for free speech from the left and in many cases hostility to free speech from the left has created an environment where people feel empowered to act in a criminal manner over a word or symbol. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-actually-racist/736174/420 "2015-11-05T16:28:09Z")
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