# The Benevolent Racist **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 12, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984 "2018-06-12T18:25:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/41 "2018-06-13T15:44:27Z")
> [@Delicious](#): > > You got an invitation to tea meant for someone else but he doesn’t want to seem rude by cancelling. I would never accept an invitation for tea with an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/42 "2018-06-13T15:44:37Z")
> [@wonky](#): > > He says that black people are intellectually inferior. In practice, he says that. He is admitting racism, and he’s going to make racism seem a-ok to some people. That is the practice that he’s engaging in. Motives are more important than results? I’m sure the people in an impoverished 3rd world nation that need clean water don’t care that much. The idea that it’s more important to make sure everyone believes the right things than to accept their generosity scare the bejeebers out of me. The fact that some people can’t see how that leads to reeducation camps is scarier. sorry for the duplicate line, but it wouldn’t post my edit. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/43 "2018-06-13T15:57:45Z")
I can’t imagine a scenario in which someone that entrenched in their racism would be swayed by anything I could say, so might as well leave him to hand out his money. If black people don’t want to take money from an overt racist, that is entirely their prerogative and I won’t think ill of them for either refusing it or taking it. But insisting that people “not be racist” does not lead to re-education camps. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/44 "2018-06-13T16:10:42Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Of course. Racism is wrong. It’s not less wrong because this guy is doing some good deeds. If I have a chance to stop racism and I refuse to take it, then I clearly don’t actually think racism is wrong, since our beliefs are proven by our actions. > > The hypothetical says that I have a chance, so I do. Hypotheticals are not tethered to reality. In reality, this would never happen. That’s what makes hypotheticals so much easier to answer than real life issues. > [@Mangetout](#): > > This statement is worthy of debate in a thread all of its own, I reckon. If you believe something is wrong, are you obliged to try to correct it? I’m not sure my answer to this is absolutely ‘yes’. > [@monstro](#): > > I am not sure either. I’m all about picking battles and prioritizing my own safety and comfort. > > Since I am a black and I have a special place in my heart for black people issues, I feel like I have a vested interest in getting the hypothetical philanthropist to see the light. But I’m not gonna front like I’d feel the same motivation to defend another group he’s racist against. I’d like to think I would, but I also know I’m not brave and virtuous all the time. > > I’ve befriended people through the years who have later shown themselves to be prejudiced in some way. Sometimes I’ve tried to convince them they are wrong and sometimes I’ve just changed the subject. Often I have just let the relationship fade. That works for me as a “solution”, but it’s not really a solution. I guess I prefer to concentrate my fighting energy on battles I can actually win. To be fair to **BigT** , on re-reading, I take his second paragraph to mean there is some assured level of expected success in making the challenge. Although I think that’s still an interesting question: how sure of success do we need to be before we try? Should we try anyway, out of sheer principle, even when failure is guaranteed? Some would probably argue yes. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/45 "2018-06-13T16:39:40Z")
> [@Delicious](#): > > The presentation you have is really persuasive, the charts are in colour and 3D and by the finale of the puppet show, there won’t be a dry eye in the house. Okay, but saying this doesn’t address the paradox that the educated philantropist will somehow now believe black people merit zero charity. To be persuasive, the presentation you’re hypothesizing would need to explain why the low socioeconomic status of black Americans is not a product of their innate abilities. Belief in this idea is what leads racists to conclude blacks are inferior, so if your arguments don’t directly counter this, then what could you possibly say that will suddenly change his mind? It would have to be some argument I’ve never heard of, let alone be capable of distilling into charts and puppet shows, as you’ve put it. If your presentation actually does explain that the low socioeconomic status of black Americans isn’t a reflection of their innate abilities, then it logically follows you will then argue it’s the result of environmental factors. Why wouldn’t a philanthropist be motivated to mitigate those factors? Your scenario is kind of like saying you’ve successfully convinced an anti-abortionist to accept a pro-choice position, but in doing so, they now don’t believe in subsiding contraception for the poor. It just doesn’t add up. ---
**Author:** ![Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delicious)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/46 "2018-06-13T17:42:50Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Okay, but saying this doesn’t address the paradox that the educated philantropist will somehow now believe black people merit zero charity. > > To be persuasive, the presentation you’re hypothesizing would need to explain why the low socioeconomic status of black Americans is not a product of their innate abilities. Belief in this idea is what leads racists to conclude blacks are inferior, so if your arguments don’t directly counter this, then what could you possibly say that will suddenly change his mind? It would have to be some argument I’ve never heard of, let alone be capable of distilling into charts and puppet shows, as you’ve put it. > > If your presentation actually does explain that the low socioeconomic status of black Americans isn’t a reflection of their innate abilities, then it logically follows you will then argue it’s the result of environmental factors. Why wouldn’t a philanthropist be motivated to mitigate those factors? > > Your scenario is kind of like saying you’ve successfully convinced an anti-abortionist to accept a pro-choice position, but in doing so, they now don’t believe in subsiding contraception for the poor. It just doesn’t add up. Whitey O’Richpants is eccentric? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/47 "2018-06-13T21:50:10Z")
So he’s sort of a latter-day [John McDonogh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McDonogh) then. I guess maybe if the guy was really doing a lot of good, and convincing him not to be racist might actually cause him to quit doing this good, then I’d leave him alone. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him, but may well hurt someone else in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/48 "2018-06-13T21:50:14Z")
I wouldn’t see it as my job to de-racist him. He’s doing more as a racist than most people who claim they aren’t racist. Why would I want to take funds away from education for people who need it just because it’s for trades? There’s nothing wrong with learning trades. Once you learn it you can go on to higher education. Even as a racist he’s helping people move up in the world financially, not holding them back. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/49 "2018-06-13T23:08:49Z")
Overt confirmed racists don’t get convinced otherwise. You might get him to concede in the moment, and then he’d go back to racism. The only way to convince them is to show them how much it’s going to hurt them if they continue. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/50 "2018-06-14T16:47:18Z")
I can’t accept the premise. I can accept the part about a racist guy engaging in racism-based philanthropy, but I can’t accept the notion that I’ll actually be able to convince him of anything. If I’m meeting with him anyway, and if the topic comes up, I might still try, but I’m under no illusions about my chances. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/51 "2018-06-14T16:52:34Z")
So, almost 60% of us believe that what’s right has a price tag. Gee, that really cheers me up. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/52 "2018-06-14T16:58:09Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > So, almost 60% of us believe that what’s right has a price tag. Gee, that really cheers me up. ☹ As the punchline to the joke goes, we already know that - now we’re just dickering. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Textual\_Innuendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@Textual\_Innuendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Innuendo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/53 "2018-06-16T13:09:01Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > So, almost 60% of us believe that what’s right has a price tag. Gee, that really cheers me up. ☹ Or 60% believe that actions speak louder and matter more than words / attitudes. If somebody offered to give you $100 every day, but only on the condition that they would fondly call you an incompetent lackwit as they handed it to you, do you take it? Why or why not? If you WOULD take it, why would you then forbid a whole group of people of a different skin-hue than you to take it? Don’t you think they can make that choice themselves? The actual actions of greatly helping many people have better lives far outweighs any non-hateful (as directly specified by OP) words / attitudes expressed. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984/54 "2018-06-16T14:12:19Z")
I’d try to persuade him to open up his scholarships to people of all races. Anglos, Asians, Indians, native Americans, etc all need trade schools too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benevolent-racist/815984.md?page=2)