# Stop responding to the racists. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 2, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041 "2012-07-02T23:25:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/1 "2012-07-02T23:25:41Z")
I’m going to make three requests: 1. Please don’t merge this into the other thread. I would like this message to be short and sweet and not lost in the interminable garbage of that thread. 2. If you agree with the message of this thread, do not respond to it. If some racist asshole responds here, do not respond to him or her here. Because… 3. I’d like us to try an experiment in shunning. It appears that the racist assholes won’t get banned for being jerks, for reasons I pretty vociferously disagree with. But, as **Miller** says: > [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/623976/186): > > The various Pit Threads about NDD have run to over seventy pages, now, and it’s not just the racists participating. There are a number of posters who seem to be getting some sort of value out of participating with these people. I’m not sure what, exactly, but I’m not a fan of moderating to save posters from themselves. If people don’t want to interact with racists, they should stop interacting with racists. So instead of responding to the racist assholes, I’d like to ask folks, when they post, to respond once with “[relevant pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15231549#post15231549),” and link to this OP. (as that last link does). Here’s why. These guys are jerks; there’s no question in my mind that **New Deal Democrat** and his ilk are jerks. But they’re not going to get banned for their jerkitude, as mentioned above. The next best thing would be for them not to get any traction with their idiotic racist bullshit. If we stop responding to them, then maybe they’ll stop posting racist bullshit. I think a major objection to this plan is the old saw about “silence=consent.” People–myself included–are worried that if nobody refutes their racist bullshit, onlookers will think there must be something to it. And that’s a legitimate worry. My counter is that [there’s plenty of response already](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=653465) to their racist bullshit (and if you’ve been redirected to this thread and are unsure whether the racists have been adequately refuted, take a gander at that thread). At this point, all we’re doing is feeding their trollery–or, worse, feeding their genuinely racist martyrdom complexes. And that means we’re encouraging them to say even more hateful things, hateful things they’re allowed to get away with. And those hateful things are hurting folks on this board that I respect and like. So let’s stop feeding them. Don’t respond to this thread, and only respond to their racist bullshit with a link to this thread that encourages others not to respond. Who’s with me? No, don’t say. If you really want to discuss it, perhaps [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15231366#post15231366) would be the place to do so. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/2 "2012-07-03T00:40:37Z")
I think all the Martin/Zimmerman threads attracted them. And you’re right, engaging them gives their positions validation, but for some reason DNFTT never seems to work. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/3 "2012-07-03T00:48:58Z")
So we just had something like 6 threads combined into one abomination of a thread in order to clean up the Pit (I know the Pit is a festering cesspool but there are standards) and you feel the need to open yet another thread just to point out the thread that is still there for everyone to see? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/4 "2012-07-03T01:14:38Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > So we just had something like 6 threads combined into one abomination of a thread in order to clean up the Pit (I know the Pit is a festering cesspool but there are standards) and you feel the need to open yet another thread just to point out the thread that is still there for everyone to see? I’m going to express my outrage at this! Writing a new OP now… ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/5 "2012-07-03T01:21:20Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > …but for some reason DNFTT never seems to work. That’s because DNFTT **is** troll food! ---
**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:** [July 3, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/6 "2012-07-03T01:30:19Z")
Yes, let’s aim for achieving the only instance in the history of the Internet when “don’t feed the troll” has ever worked. Rather than getting rid of the problem, the logical idea is to place the onus on every single other poster to avoid engaging with them, even when they do things like accuse others of being rapists because of what country they’re from. If the folks in charge refuse to deal with the problem enough times, surely it’ll solve itself. After all, if doing something (like letting these idiots continue to use your community to spew their garbage) doesn’t have the desired results the first time, the best idea is to double down on that failed strategy. If you do the same thing over and over for long enough, surely you’ll get different results eventually! > [@BlankSlate](#): > > but for some reason DNFTT never seems to work. And that’s why it’s imperative to continue with this strategy! If you stop using a strategy because it fails time after time after time, it’ll never get a chance to work! ---
**Author:** ![New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Deal_Democrat)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/7 "2012-07-03T01:37:34Z")
If the guardians of political correctness stop flaming me for telling the truth I will stop telling it. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/8 "2012-07-03T01:41:04Z")
> [@mister\_nyx](#): > > And that’s why it’s imperative to continue with this strategy! If you stop using a strategy because it fails time after time after time, it’ll never get a chance to work! **Tax cuts for the rich!** ---
**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:** [July 3, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/9 "2012-07-03T01:47:50Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > **Tax cuts for the rich!** Okay, I loled. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/10 "2012-07-03T01:58:33Z")
> [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](#): > > If the guardians of political correctness stop flaming me for telling the truth I will stop telling it. Is it possible for someone who isn’t a guardian of political correctness to conclude you are not telling the truth? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/11 "2012-07-03T02:01:05Z")
misposted ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/12 "2012-07-03T02:04:01Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > 1. If you agree with the message of this thread, do not respond to it. While we’re at it, if you too believe that Rhythmdvl is the coolest motherfucker to ever hit the message boards, post a reply to this thread. For added irony, make an ironical comment. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/13 "2012-07-03T02:24:06Z")
How about in the form of verse? \*Rhythmdvl has an edge that is beveled On an angle that’s rarely seen Gives a perspective that’s rarely defective Even in this chat about genes But to choke off the spigots that are drowning us in bigots Will take a big load of luck, or A whole lot of threading, more than for gay wedding Or one cool motherfucker.\* ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/14 "2012-07-03T02:25:21Z")
Rhythmwho? ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/15 "2012-07-03T03:00:24Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > While we’re at it, if you too believe that Rhythmdvl is the coolest motherfucker to ever hit the message boards, post a reply to this thread. For added irony, make an ironical comment. Fe? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/16 "2012-07-03T03:00:49Z")
Yngwie fucking Malmsteen, that’s who 🙂 ETA Kidchamelion, that was comedy Au! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/17 "2012-07-03T03:01:00Z")
No. Not until the mods do something about it. If the mods want the racists to be left here, then we have to fight them. The only thing worse than letting them spew their filth is letting them spew their filth unchallenged. If we shut up, then we are actually encouraging ignorance. No one else is going to know about our previous debunkings. Plus I’m not in the habit of caring about whether I’ve hurt the feelings of racists. They have martyr complexes? Fine. Martyrs have this habit of shutting up when it’s all over. I’d comment on **Miller** ’s comment, but there’s really no place I can say what I actually think of it, since he was speaking as a mod. All I can really do is point out that ignoring racism has never made it go away once in our history. I, unfortunately, cannot speculate on why he would believe something so obviously false, nor why he decided to impugn the motives of the people actually fighting. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/18 "2012-07-03T03:09:26Z")
I think most of the “racists” on this Board are trolls who are sitting back having a laugh at the responses, then they keep spewing forth to get more of the same. Each one I put on Ignore and don’t understand why most other posters don’t do the same. The one or two who may actually not be doing it for a laugh and really are rcists you can never reason with at all, as I learned growing up in West Texas. Be they troll or real, Ignore is your friend. ---
**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:** [July 3, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/19 "2012-07-03T03:09:43Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I, unfortunately, cannot speculate on why he would believe something so obviously false, nor why he decided to impugn the motives of the people actually fighting. It’s quite simple. Miller is so fucking dumb he makes you look like Einstein by comparison. That is the explanation for his actions here. ---
**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:** [July 3, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041/20 "2012-07-03T03:26:22Z")
I remember once in college one well-meaning but rather foolish girl wondering why black people couldn’t just ignore it when someone called them “nigger”. A friend just stared at her and said, “that’s very easy for you to say.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-responding-to-the-racists/627041.md?page=2)