# It's upsetting when other whites reveal their racism to me. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 20, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307 "2012-03-20T13:41:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/81 "2012-03-20T23:49:23Z")
Lonesome Polecat is a self-avowed racist, though, so it’s not ad hominem to mention that. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/82 "2012-03-20T23:53:57Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > Lonesome Polecat is a self-avowed racist, though, so it’s not ad hominem to mention that. OK, whatever. I’m not familiar with his posting history. But I still don’t know what I said that has gotten **davidm** in such a tizzy. I just called a spade a spade. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/83 "2012-03-20T23:58:03Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Right, and that’s what some posters were doing upthread to **LonesomePolecat** when he first made a dissenting post, which is what I was referencing. But let’s set this discussion aside, because I’m still curious what, specifically, **davidm** finds so awe-inspiring about my statements. Sorry, [this is abuse.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?f=5) Argument is [down the hall.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?f=7) ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/84 "2012-03-21T00:19:21Z")
> [@](#): > > I just called a spade a spade. [Good choice of terms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs#S). Anyway, you have a bunch of threads to visit. Some people are pissed off at Santorum for insulting Puerto Ricans and they’re not from Puerto Rico, some people are pissed off at a judge for forcing a rape victim to marry her rapists and they’re not even rapists and some people are pissed off with Rush Limbaugh and they’re not even sluts. Basic human empathy: fucking cunts, eh? Anyway, I have a friend that’s a Polish immigrant to the country that used to support the BNP. I have another that’s an Asian Anarchocapitalist that supports repealing employment discrimination laws (and I politely have to inform both of the former people that I am an immigrant to England too and on that basis alone couldn’t support either proposal). Oh, I had another Asian friend that lived on the outskirts of an Asian majority town near where we went to school together and mocked me for living in the centre of it, because apparently it was “dirty”. I have a Jewish friend that tried convincing me that Hitler was a socialist because of the name of his party and he also shouted “tell those niggers to shut up” at me when I was walking over to his flat past a group of ten black people that were having some sort of dispute. That was fun. I have a Russian friend that told a story about how I apparently wanted to shout something about fried chicken and watermelon in front of some black people lunch hall in Sixth Form to his black girlfriend, which was equally awkward. I think I told him that it was unfortunate that our lunch hall was segregated, noticeably into black and white sections and that somehow became corrupted. He then went on to say “well, they pretty much deserved it” when watching a show about how some woman’s daughter was raped after attending a metal gig. I also did a work placement with the CPS and one of the barristers I was with asked me if I minded hearing an Irish joke. He told a joke about how Irish people were stupid, at which point I revealed I was born in Ireland. I’m pretty tolerant of intolerance, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/85 "2012-03-21T00:20:51Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I’m always amazed at this shit. Why do people think that because I’m white I must have the same prejudices they do? And what really kills me is that when I object to people spouting this crap at me, they almost invariably say “Oh I’m sorry, are you part (whatever)?” Um, no. I’m not “part” anything. I’m 100% fucking disgusted. It’s like one time when I said “I live in Gary, Indiana” and someone said “Why? You aren’t black?” Like, no one would ever have a reason to go there unless they were black (yes, it is majority black, but at the time that jackass said that Gary’s mayor happened to be white so I guess I wasn’t the only non-African-descent resident there.) Yeah, prejudice is all about assumptions. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/86 "2012-03-21T00:29:24Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > Anyway, I have a friend that’s a Polish immigrant to the country that used to support the BNP. I have another that’s an Asian Anarchocapitalist that supports repealing employment discrimination laws (and I politely have to inform both of the former people that I am an immigrant to England too and on that basis alone couldn’t support either proposal). Oh, I had another Asian friend that lived on the outskirts of an Asian majority town near where we went to school together and mocked me for living in the centre of it, because apparently it was “dirty”. I have a Jewish friend that tried convincing me that Hitler was a socialist because of the name of his party and he also shouted “tell those niggers to shut up” at me when I was walking over to his flat past a group of ten black people that were having some sort of dispute. That was fun. I have a Russian friend that told a story about how I apparently wanted to shout something about fried chicken and watermelon in front of some black people lunch hall in Sixth Form to his black girlfriend, which was equally awkward. I think I told him that it was unfortunate that our lunch hall was segregated, noticeably into black and white sections and that somehow became corrupted. He then went on to say “well, they pretty much deserved it” when watching a show about how some woman’s daughter was raped after attending a metal gig. I also did a work placement with the CPS and one of the barristers I was with asked me if I minded hearing an Irish joke. He told a joke about how Irish people were stupid, at which point I revealed I was born in Ireland. Seems to me you could stand to hang out with a somewhat classier bunch of folks. I congratulate you on finding us. ---
**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:** [March 21, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/87 "2012-03-21T00:43:33Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Uh huh. Then why seek validation from your peers by posting about how wrong and disgusting it is? Or chime in to the discussion with “me too! I hate racists too! Probably even more than you.”? > > Does it really personally offend you that some people have negative attitudes towards groups you aren’t a part of and have no association with? Let me guess - I bet some of your best friends are black. Why do people say racist things in public? Well, probably because they’re idiots. But responding to them let’s them know they’re perceived as being idiots by normal people. And it has nothing to do with me associating with being black. It’s that I don’t want to be associated with being racist. Your racist remark isn’t just insulting to black people. It’s insulting to me personally that you think I’m stupid enough to be a racist. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/88 "2012-03-21T00:55:41Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > I can not stand “invisible immigrants”. I literally don’t know where they stand, what with them lording their superpowers over us God fearing Americans. When I’m in the shower, I may think I’m alone, but how do I know one of those invisible bastards isn’t right behind me peeking at my butt? It just ain’t right. > > My God, you two are with me in this room right now, aren’t you? Go back to Invisiblania you bastards! > [@tomndebb](#): > > _psssst: They’re both in Canada._ Well, technically Canada is in North America too, just like the US. “The Canadian Provinces of America, eh?” 🙂 (Nice butt, by the way.) ---
**Author:** ![mister\_nyx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/89 "2012-03-21T01:00:26Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Wow. Unbelievable response. I guess I should have expected it knowing this place. Yes, it appears that you should have. ---
**Author:** ![mister\_nyx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/90 "2012-03-21T01:19:37Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It’s not necessarily an indication of racism. We have a (stupid) “stand your ground” law that creates a strong presumption that a killing allegedly in self-defense was legal. So, a known racist chases, attacks, and murders an unarmed black kid in cold blood – but that’s not necessarily racism, let’s explore every option before we leap to brand this murderer a racist. [QUOTE=Rigamarole] Seriously, nobody else does this shit but white people. And you brush off allegations of moral posturing, but that’s exactly what this is and you know it. [/QUOTE] Yeah, how dare a white person find racism upsetting. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/91 "2012-03-21T01:48:31Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > Ha! Me too - I am also an invisible immigrant to Canada, and I do the same thing whenever anybody starts to go off on immigrants. Where you from? If it’s the American South we need go out for a beer. Scotland. We’ve been known to enjoy beer in Scotland. Hell, I’ll go for a beer with anyone! ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/92 "2012-03-21T02:02:14Z")
My wife gets this all the time at work. Seriously, it’s like they specifically look for her. At her last job this one guy would always go to her when he wanted to rail against the Muslim president, Obama, and how he was _just_ like Hitler and all other sorts of nonesense. And the most recent place this one guy went on a rant about how minorities don’t know how to work hard and that’s why there isn’t as many of them in college and they shouldn’t even go to college because they’ll just waste it (think about that for a second). They usually stop when she mentions that she has a black husband. The former guy went out of his way to avoid her but she could tell he instantly became her enemy. The latter guy quickly backpedaled. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/93 "2012-03-21T02:37:37Z")
Meh. Come on, guys. LonseomePolecat was a little strong, but I think s/he’s essentially right. The OP here is looking for a pat on the head and a cookie for being a good non-racist white guy.\* We’ve had other threads on here with white people doing essentially the same thing and they got the LonseomePolecat treatment from the crowd (I remember one where MeanOldLady got on someone’s ass). \*Reminds me of a Chris Rock routine–the OP here is bragging about something that you’re supposed to do. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/94 "2012-03-21T02:44:58Z")
Maybe he’d be less lonesome if he weren’t such a douchebag. ---
**Author:** ![Stelios](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Stelios](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stelios)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/95 "2012-03-21T02:48:31Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Wow. Unbelievable response. I guess I should have expected it knowing this place. Nah, that’s just Lonesome Polecat. He fancies himself as a cock-sure, laconic gadfly whose straight-from-the-hip style makes him the scourge of the chattering classes. In reality, he’s just a dick with a chip on his shoulder. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/96 "2012-03-21T03:02:10Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Meh. Come on, guys. LonseomePolecat was a little strong, but I think s/he’s essentially right. The OP here is looking for a pat on the head and a cookie for being a good non-racist white guy.\* > > \*Reminds me of a Chris Rock routine–the OP here is bragging about something that you’re supposed to do. Maybe he genuinely is uncomfortable when white people say stupid racist shit. I know it would make me embarrassed. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/97 "2012-03-21T03:06:00Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Maybe he genuinely is uncomfortable when white people say stupid racist shit. I know it would make me embarrassed. But it’s the posting about it on the SDMB that’s :rolleyes:-worthy. He’s just trying to prove his bona fides and get an attaboy for not being a racist. That’s rather silly to me, but YMMV of course. ---
**Author:** ![mister\_nyx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/98 "2012-03-21T03:08:24Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Meh. Come on, guys. LonseomePolecat was a little strong, but I think s/he’s essentially right. The OP here is looking for a pat on the head and a cookie for being a good non-racist white guy.\* We’ve had other threads on here with white people doing essentially the same thing and they got the LonseomePolecat treatment from the crowd (I remember one where MeanOldLady got on someone’s ass). > \*Reminds me of a Chris Rock routine–the OP here is bragging about something that you’re supposed to do. I see there’s a significant population of posters here who want to find fault with someone for not being racist. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/99 "2012-03-21T03:09:38Z")
> [@mister\_nyx](#): > > I see there’s a significant population of posters here who want to find fault with someone for not being racist. I’m not sure I completely understand your post. It is not the case that I’m finding fault with the OP for not being a racist. I’m finding fault with the OP for wanting to get a pat on the head for not being a racist. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307/100 "2012-03-21T03:11:11Z")
How do you know that is what he is doing? I can think of other reasons. Why would you question his motives? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-upsetting-when-other-whites-reveal-their-racism-to-me/616307.md?page=6)