# Study says Republican voters more likely to be racist **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 30, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254 "2006-01-30T20:33:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/41 "2006-01-30T23:18:15Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I don’t think we can know We can’t? We really don’t have any convincing reason to think that members of a socially dominant racial group are extremely unlikely to be psychologically prejudiced or “implicitly biased” against that same group? Really? Sure, we can retreat into claiming that we can’t know **for sure** about the implicit bias of any given individual, unless we give them a psychological test. But ISTM that it’s perfectly fair to say that such implicit bias is so **unlikely** that it’s statistically insignificant. > [@Jackmannii](#): > > Can you think of any ideologues in history who have confidently asserted that a particular ethnic or racial group has had an evil impact on society? I don’t see how comparing Sontag to Hitler has anything to do with the question of whether white people are likely to feel any significant implicit bias against whites. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/42 "2006-01-30T23:26:02Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > But ISTM that it’s perfectly fair to say that such implicit bias is so **unlikely** that it’s statistically insignificant. And it seems to me that making dogmatic statements on the basis of personal impression rather than statistically valid research greatly increases the possibility of error. > [@](#): > > I don’t see how comparing Sontag to Hitler has anything to do with the question of whether white people are likely to feel any significant implicit bias against whites. I did not compare Sontag to Hitler. I asked a question about ideology overlapping with prejudice and whether there were historical examples. If Hitler is the only such example you can come up with, you need a more complete understanding of history. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/43 "2006-01-30T23:36:15Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I asked a question about ideology overlapping with prejudice and whether there were historical examples. Nope. You asked if I could think of examples of “any ideologues in history who have confidently asserted that a particular ethnic or racial group has had an evil impact on society”. You didn’t specify that they had to be examples of “ideology overlapping with prejudice”. > [@Jackmannii](#): > > If Hitler is the only such example you can come up with, you need a more complete understanding of history. But we don’t even know whether Hitler **was** an example of “ideology overlapping with prejudice”. We definitely know what his racial ideology was, but AFAIK nobody ever gave him a psychological test for implicit bias or prejudice. And frankly, I’m still pretty confused as to why you’re asking for “historical examples” of racial ideologues. Could you please explain? ---
**Author:** ![AFAIKnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@AFAIKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AFAIKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/44 "2006-01-30T23:55:00Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > How about coughing up a cite there, Sparky. Why don’t you produce some evidence for a single white liberal being “racist towards white men” (and why only men? If they’re really so racist then why don’t they hate white women too?) My first inclination is to link to your oft-used “waaah, poor white man, you’re so abused”, anytime someone points out an obvious racial remark towards whites. My dictrionary doesn’t say anywhere that racism has to be directed to non-whites to be racism. And those like you then go on to say that it may be racism, “but it’s not as bad as doing the same against blacks”. Who gives a fuck. It is still racism. And it is racist to say it doesn’t matter if it is directed at whites because of history. \*rac·ism; Discrimination or prejudice based on race. \* You don’t have to hate a race, or wish them less opportunity to be racist. You just have to discriminate based on only color of skin. ---
**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:** [January 31, 2006, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/45 "2006-01-31T00:05:24Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > That was one of the stupidenst test I’ve ever taken. It was so easy it was ridiculous. And I love the questionaire afterwards (I did the light skin/dark skin test). There was no option for “I don’t prefer either light or dark skin people”. Utter BS. 😕 The test is measuring your response time. It’s not a pass-fail situation. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/46 "2006-01-31T00:08:34Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > But we don’t even know whether Hitler **was** an example of “ideology overlapping with prejudice”. We definitely know what his racial ideology was, but AFAIK nobody ever gave him a psychological test for implicit bias or prejudice. More fascination with Hitler (is he really your only point of historic reference when it comes to political leaders exploiting racial/ethnic prejudice?), plus linguistic game-playing in an attempt to derail discussion. Regrettable, but I suppose there are few other options when one’s arguments are grounded solely in “ISTM”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/47 "2006-01-31T00:26:54Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > 😕 The test is measuring your response time. It’s not a pass-fail situation. > > Daniel I meant “stupid” as in ridiculously easy to not make mistakes. Also, I suspect that whichever side they put up first was the quickest response time for me. I had to “unthink” the association I had made earlier when they switched sides, which made it much harder to do the second phase. I don’t buy this methodology. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/48 "2006-01-31T00:39:00Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > More fascination with Hitler (is he really your only point of historic reference when it comes to political leaders exploiting racial/ethnic prejudice?), Huh??? I was responding to **your own** comment about Hitler allegedly being “an example” of “ideology overlapping with prejudice”. Yes, I was the first one to mention Hitler’s name, but I didn’t realize I wasn’t supposed to continue the conversation about him when you responded. > [@Jackmannii](#): > > plus linguistic game-playing in an attempt to derail discussion. Dude, you said that you said one thing, and I simply pointed out that in fact you said something different. Sorry if I embarrassed you. > [@Jackmannii](#): > > Regrettable, but I suppose there are few other options when one’s arguments are grounded solely in “ISTM”. :dubious: Says the guy whose arguments are grounded solely in “I don’t think we can know”. Yes, we’re debating opinions here; so what? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/49 "2006-01-31T00:43:30Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > So… if you figured out the 1% of Americans who were most racist against blacks, and asked those people who they voted for in the past election, do you think that it would be pretty evenly split between Bush and Kerry? Or do you think (as this study, and common knowledge, suggest) that the preponderence of them voted for Bush? > > Isn’t it just possible that, regardless of what (if any) deeper meaning it implies, this study is basically correct? But your hypothesis overlooks the 1% of Americans who are most racist against whites. Who do you think _they_ voted for in the last election? Caucasians don’t have a monopoly on irrational hatred. The study may be superficially correct, but it’s telling less-than-half of the story, race-wise, about race relations in the USA and their impact on politics, and instead just jumps on the “Let’s Bash Whitey!” bandwagon. To me, it proves nothing beyond the fact that in a two-party system, a lot of people who otherwise wouldn’t vote for either of the bums tossed up by Our Two Parties just hold their nose and pick the lesser of two evils (from their POV) come election day. That means both parties get tarnished with the flotsam and jetsam of radical politics, be it religion, abortion, gun control, or racism. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/50 "2006-01-31T00:53:08Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > [This may be the online survey site they’re talking about](https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/). It’s a pretty interesting site to play around on. > > Daniel “Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for African American compared to European American.” I’ve taken a similar test before and gotten this same result. It’s a little weird, considering that I do consider myself slightly racist. For example, I’ll become more nervous if I’m alone in, say, an elevator with a black man than a white man. It’s not a lot of nervousness, but I can feel it. Of course, some of my nervousness is an attempt not to look nervous, so I overcompensate and probably terrify average black persons who are so unlucky as to be trapped in an elevator with me. Can that sort of overcompensation become so ingrained that I manage to turn it into a strong automatic preference when completing an online test? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/51 "2006-01-31T00:57:50Z")
Sounds like an artifact of their definition of “racism” (whites prejudiced against blacks count; blacks prejudiced against whites don’t) combined with the well-known strong tendency of blacks to align with the Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/52 "2006-01-31T01:13:57Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > But your hypothesis overlooks the 1% of Americans who are most racist against whites. Who do you think _they_ voted for in the last election? Caucasians don’t have a monopoly on irrational hatred. The study may be superficially correct, but it’s telling less-than-half of the story, race-wise, about race relations in the USA and their impact on politics, and instead just jumps on the “Let’s Bash Whitey!” bandwagon. It is interesting that the study focused only on Whites. They didn’t solicit Blacks to see if they were less likely to associate possitive words with White faces than with Black faces. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/53 "2006-01-31T01:26:39Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > :dubious: Says the guy whose arguments are grounded solely in “I don’t think we can know”. Yes, we’re debating opinions here; so what? Let’s refresh your memory. You started out questioning the validity of a survey that purports to show that Republican voters are more likely to be racist, though you indicate that the underlying assumption is likely to be correct. However, when it comes to a notorious racist comment made by a well-known leftist author directed against whites, suddenly you think it’s “perfectly fair” to _dismiss_ the possibility that a statistically significant number of white liberals/radicals share that viewpoint, based only on “it seems to me”. Whatever happened to your concern for rigorous standards in social science research? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/54 "2006-01-31T02:12:49Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > though you indicate that the underlying assumption is likely to be correct. Careful; I said that the assumption **seems plausible to me** (specifically because of the residual effect of a deliberate policy by Republican leadership several decades ago to attract ex-Democrat anti-civil-rights voters, not because I think Republicans are intrinsically racist). I didn’t make any factual claims about the correctness of the assumption. > [@Jackmannii](#): > > However, when it comes to a notorious racist comment made by a well-known leftist author directed against whites, suddenly you think it’s “perfectly fair” to dismiss the possibility that a statistically significant number of white liberals/radicals share that viewpoint I certainly don’t dismiss the possibility that a statistically significant number of white liberals/radicals would “share that viewpoint” in the sense of **stating similar ideological opinions denigrating white people**. What I think is extremely implausible is that a statistically significant number of white liberals/radicals would display **psychological prejudice or implicit bias against white people on the sort of psychological test described in the OP**. AFAICT, the whole point of the study under discussion is precisely to distinguish between “ideology” and “prejudice” in this way. The goal is to try to assess respondents’ **implicit bias** , irrespective of what they **say** they think about whites or blacks. It ain’t about your **stated opinions** that white people are evil oppressors or black people are lazy thugs or vice versa or whatever. It’s about whether your brain **inadvertently associates** good words with pictures of white faces and bad words with pictures of black faces, or vice versa or whatever. And my point is that **it seems extremely unlikely to me** that any statistically significant group of white people in this white-dominated society, no matter how liberal/radical they may be, would develop that kind of **implicit bias** or psychological prejudice against white people. I simply don’t see how white people would be able to develop that kind of **inadvertent, unconscious** fear/hostility **towards their own group**. Which is what I figured **Lonesome Polecat** was talking about when he suggested that “these researchers” ought to study anti-white racism among white liberals and radicals. I seriously doubt that such racism exists in significant amounts—not of the instinctive, implicit-bias kind, that is. And I said so. If that’s not what **LP** meant—if he simply meant, as you seem to mean, that there are numerous white liberals/radicals who are **ideologically** critical of white people, like Sontag when she calls them a “cancer of human history”—well, duh. Of course there are. Here’s another one: Michael Moore. And maybe Howard Zinn. And plenty others, I’m sure. But that’s not the kind of “anti-white racism” that **I** was talking about. Clear now? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/55 "2006-01-31T03:02:13Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > …though you indicate that the underlying assumption is likely to be correct. > [@Kimstu](#): > > Careful; I said that the assumption **seems plausible to me** … Sheesh, what with all this frenzied nit-picking one would think you are in need of Lice-Rid. > [@](#): > > What I think is extremely implausible is that a statistically significant number of white liberals/radicals would display **psychological prejudice or implicit bias against white people on the sort of psychological test described in the OP** …it seems extremely unlikely to me…I seriously doubt… Yes, we realize your thoughts and impressions are what count, not actual evidence. And if we cut through the clouds of jargon, what your impressions boil down to is that racism is a construct that may well apply to your political adversaries, but those on _your_ side of the political fence are excused on the grounds that any racist views they espouse are actually _ideology_. Got it, thanks. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![AFAIKnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@AFAIKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AFAIKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/56 "2006-01-31T03:07:43Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > And my point is that **it seems extremely unlikely to me** that any statistically significant group of white people in this white-dominated society, no matter how liberal/radical they may be, would develop that kind of **implicit bias** or psychological prejudice against white people. I simply don’t see how white people would be able to develop that kind of **inadvertent, unconscious** fear/hostility **towards their own group**. Did you read [Post 50](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7051138&postcount=50)? Maybe its part of the guilt package? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/57 "2006-01-31T03:11:21Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Which is what I figured **Lonesome Polecat** was talking about when he suggested that “these researchers” ought to study anti-white racism among white liberals and radicals. I seriously doubt that such racism exists in significant amounts—not of the instinctive, implicit-bias kind, that is. And I said so. Am I an anti-white racist, based on my test scores? If we would judge a white person an implicit racist for demonstrating strong preference for the European American faces, then I am an implicit racist for demonstrating strong preference for the African American faces. As it stands, I think I’m the only person who has posted scores in this thread, so I can’t say how prevalent my racism is, even amongst those here. But it appears to exist. How, I can’t say. I don’t think I’m anti-white. I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/58 "2006-01-31T12:53:58Z")
On the one hand, I view the results with no small degree of skepticism, for reasons alread expressed. On the other hand, I can’t help but think of the Willie Horton ad run against Dukakis. Even its creator, Lee Atwater repented for doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/59 "2006-01-31T14:33:07Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Did they say “I hate white people?” Did they say “I regret being born?” > > I find these kinds of projections to be demeaning and hostile and not exactly scientific. Well, that’s okay. But yours are the same way. Your assertive dismissiveness alone is demeaning and hostile. Not to mention random. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254/60 "2006-01-31T15:31:08Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > Well, if that’s the case, he really fucked up, because I was specifically talking about anti-white racism _among white liberals and radicals_, not among the general white population. And only a fool would deny that there’s a lot of anti-white racism on the left. Good point. I lynched myself just this morning. Had to be done, I was getting uppity. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-says-republican-voters-more-likely-to-be-racist/342254.md?page=4)