# Racist is not an insult when a person is a racist. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 11, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241 "2015-10-11T05:19:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/222 "2015-10-13T11:00:20Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > I was out of line making this post and I a apologize. Good for you for admitting the error. Wait, “a apologize”? Does that mean that your statement id devoid of an actual apology. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/223 "2015-10-13T12:03:01Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > That can happen on all sides, and does. What we are discussing is what should be done if and when your polite rejoinder does not shut down the discussion. IMO, at that point I should not get hung up on not letting the other side have the last word, if someone feels that saying “I’m done here with you” is surrender to their point there is nothing I can really do about it. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/224 "2015-10-13T12:22:24Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > IMO, at that point I should not get hung up on not letting the other side have the last word, if someone feels that saying “I’m done here with you” is surrender to their point there is nothing I can really do about it. I can’t argue with this. But ISTM that not a few Dopers can’t do this, and want to use “racist” instead. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/225 "2015-10-13T12:22:42Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > I was out of line making this post and I a apologize. Good on you. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/226 "2015-10-13T12:38:16Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > it seems clear enough. > > Fenris is simply saying that he sees a great effective gap that can be practically identified between the use of the word racist to apply to differences in ideas about a policy like immigration and someone who is saying all blacks are dumb because of “science.” > > It is not hard to understand. Thank you. That’s precisely what I was trying to say. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/227 "2015-10-13T15:57:18Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > **Moderator Note** > > This is to all the participants in this thread. I’ve singled out a couple of posts, but there are many others that I am not going to take the time to quote and list individually that are either over the line for what is acceptable in this forum or are at least pushing towards the line. > > I understand that this is a hot button issue for a lot of you, so I’m going to cut you all some slack, but please try to keep the discussion civil. This is so nice of you. Thank you so much for not handing out warnings to people who made the same type of posts as a mod did. You are such a nice mod for not giving warnings to people who made the same type of posts that a mod, in this very thread, in ATMB, had made, that was somehow completely missed by all the other mods who posted after the mod made that post. That was very nice of you. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/228 "2015-10-13T17:10:17Z")
So what term do I use to describe a person who believes that the explanation for African-Americans’ worse performance on standardized tests when compared to whites or East Asians is their genes? I thought ‘racist’ was accurate but many people in this thread see the term ‘racist’ as only an insult. So what are my alternatives? ---
**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:** [October 13, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/229 "2015-10-13T17:11:56Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > So what term do I use to describe a person who believes that the explanation for African-Americans’ worse performance on standardized tests when compared to whites or East Asians is their genes? > > I thought ‘racist’ was accurate but many people in this thread see the term ‘racist’ as only an insult. So what are my alternatives? I’ve been calling them “the ‘blacks are dumber’ crowd”, or some variation, for quite a while now. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/230 "2015-10-13T17:15:18Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > So what term do I use to describe a person who believes that the explanation for African-Americans’ worse performance on standardized tests when compared to whites or East Asians is their genes? > > I thought ‘racist’ was accurate but many people in this thread see the term ‘racist’ as only an insult. So what are my alternatives? One phrase people have used that I think works pretty well is _racialist_. It conveys that they think race is important but does so in a way that is not insulting, preserving _racist_ for KKK types and others. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/231 "2015-10-13T17:25:09Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > One phrase people have used that I think works pretty well is _racialist_. It conveys that they think race is important but does so in a way that is not insulting, preserving _racist_ for KKK types and others. I disagree. I’ve never met or heard of anyone who called themselves a “racialist” who didn’t say racist things. To me, it seems like “racialist” is just a term that some racists want to use so they aren’t called “racist”. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/232 "2015-10-13T17:27:12Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I’ve been calling them “the ‘blacks are dumber’ crowd”, or some variation, for quite a while now. I can do that, but it just feels like there is this standard English term that encapsulates “blacks are dumber crowd” efficiently and in a way we all understand. What I really want to see is for some of those “who-view-the-term-racist-only-as-an-insult-when-applied-to-an-exuberant-defender-of-the-idea-blacks-are-genetically-dumber” to just fill in the blank on the sentence: Chief Pedant’s strongly held belief that blacks are congenitally dumber is because he is a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ . Didn’t see his response while I was writing: Thanks **magellan01** , I guess it is only polite to use the term racialists apply to themselves. Its an honor I extend to any group. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/233 "2015-10-13T17:31:10Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I disagree. I’ve never met or heard of anyone who called themselves a “racialist” who didn’t say racist things. To me, it seems like “racialist” is just a term that some racists want to use so they aren’t called “racist”. Let’s say this is true. What do you lose by referring to someone as a racialist as opposed to a racist? ---
**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:** [October 13, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/234 "2015-10-13T17:34:39Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Let’s say this is true. What do you lose by referring to someone as a racialist as opposed to a racist? I generally don’t call people (posters on this board, anyway) either one. I call certain assertions racist – I wouldn’t use “racialist” because I don’t know what it means and I don’t think most others do either. I think “racist” describes assertions like “blacks are inherently less intelligent on average due to genetics” just fine. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/235 "2015-10-13T17:36:51Z")
IMO people who use racist as a neutral label that is only meant to convey “the facts and only the facts mam” as perhaps a Vulcan would happens about as often as somebody who uses “niggardly” is such a fashion. Its in the dictionary. Look it up! ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/236 "2015-10-13T17:37:59Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I generally don’t call people (posters on this board, anyway) either one. I call certain assertions racist – I wouldn’t use “racialist” because I don’t know what it means and I don’t think most others do either. I think “racist” describes assertions like “blacks are inherently less intelligent on average due to genetics” just fine. Why not “racial”? It does what your word does without the insult. What’s the cost to you, other than not being able to be insulting to someone you disagree with? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/237 "2015-10-13T17:39:04Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > One phrase people have used that I think works pretty well is _racialist_. It conveys that they think race is important but does so in a way that is not insulting, preserving _racist_ for KKK types and others. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I disagree. I’ve never met or heard of anyone who called themselves a “racialist” who didn’t say racist things. To me, it seems like “racialist” is just a term that some racists want to use so they aren’t called “racist”. Not only have I never seen an argument described as “racialist” that couldn’t also be described as “racist,” I’ve never seen an argument described as “racialist” that wasn’t also hugely insulting to at least one of the groups being described by the argument. > [@magellan01](#): > > Let’s say this is true. What do you lose by referring to someone as a racialist as opposed to a racist? Well, the chief one would be that, by using “racialist,” I’d be implying that I agree that there’s a meaningful distinction between “racist” and “racialist,” and that being one is in some way better than being the other. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/238 "2015-10-13T17:45:27Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Why not “racial”? It does what your word does without the insult. What’s the cost to you, other than not being able to be insulting to someone you disagree with? I don’t know what “racial” means either, and I don’t think others do. If I think someone said something racist, I might say “what you just said is racist, in my view”. What’s the problem with that? ---
**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:** [October 13, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/239 "2015-10-13T17:51:14Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > IMO people who use racist as a neutral label that is only meant to convey “the facts and only the facts mam” as perhaps a Vulcan would happens about as often as somebody who uses “niggardly” is such a fashion. > > Its in the dictionary. Look it up! Unfortunately for those who propose that one race is inherently inferior to another race the unpleasant term “racist” is the most efficient term for their beliefs and behavior. If you have a better one, then just let me know. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/240 "2015-10-13T19:28:01Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > So what term do I use to describe a person who believes that the explanation for African-Americans’ worse performance on standardized tests when compared to whites or East Asians is their genes? > > I thought ‘racist’ was accurate but many people in this thread see the term ‘racist’ as only an insult. So what are my alternatives? I always say “scientific racist” which is an academic term used pretty regularly in university settings. I don’t know how Tom or JC feel about it. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241/241 "2015-10-13T19:30:30Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Let’s say this is true. What do you lose by referring to someone as a racialist as opposed to a racist? Agreed. Why do we keep referring to people as “Holocaust Deniers” instead of “Holocaust Revisionists” which is the term they prefer? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-is-not-an-insult-when-a-person-is-a-racist/734241.md?page=13)