# Should nursing homes honor patients' racist requests?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-nursing-homes-honor-patients-racist-requests/551586>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 26, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-nursing-homes-honor-patients-racist-requests/551586 "2010-08-26T20:56:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-nursing-homes-honor-patients-racist-requests/551586/101 "2010-08-28T23:58:58Z")

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**Ruby Slippers** , you eloquently said what I was trying to compose earlier but then gave up on. Thank you.

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**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-nursing-homes-honor-patients-racist-requests/551586/102 "2010-08-29T02:28:02Z")

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The only reason I can think of for allowing this rule would be a “hostile work environment” – could you make a case that having someone work with a person who repeatedly made nasty racial slurs constitutes that? I can also see a nurse not wanting constant abuse from a racist patient. I’m not in favor of this rule, mind you, but I could see how it would work in the nurse’s favor.

But that’s the only reason I can possibly see for it – and considering that the staff probably take abuse for other reasons, it’s a pretty weak one. (I pity the people who have to deal with my grandfather!)

> [@Superhal](#):
>
> Sigh. People are allowed to be racist. That’s a right given by the First Amendment. You cannot take that away without weakening it. The government and certain businesses cannot, and that’s the limit it should have. Allowing laws to enter people’s minds is the very definition of “slippery slope.”
> 
> As sad as it may be, we must protect the First Amendment: no law may dictate what people think.

Who said they weren’t? Of course people are “allowed to be racist.” However, the First Amendment also allows ME to say they’re a bunch of fuckwads for being so. It goes both ways, sweetie.

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**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-nursing-homes-honor-patients-racist-requests/551586/103 "2010-09-01T07:12:19Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> > [@Superhal](#):
> >
> > Sigh. People are allowed to be racist. That’s a right given by the First Amendment. You cannot take that away without weakening it. The government and certain businesses cannot, and that’s the limit it should have. Allowing laws to enter people’s minds is the very definition of “slippery slope.”
> > 
> > As sad as it may be, we must protect the First Amendment: no law may dictate what people think.
> 
> Do you actually know what the First Amendment is?

Apparently, more than you.

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**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-nursing-homes-honor-patients-racist-requests/551586/104 "2010-09-01T07:31:20Z")

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Apparently not, since you think it has anything to do with the topic of this thread.

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