# Why is Some of my best friends are..." considered an invalid bigot defense? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 16, 2001, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-some-of-my-best-friends-are-considered-an-invalid-bigot-defense/50286 "2001-01-16T05:40:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-some-of-my-best-friends-are-considered-an-invalid-bigot-defense/50286/41 "2001-01-18T23:55:07Z")
> [@](#): > > The point is, a person who is not a bigot can easily defend himself against a baseless charge of bigotry without resorting to hackneyed, self-parodying straight lines. For this to be a person’s first choice of defensive “arguments” tends to suggest that the charge is neither easily defended, nor baseless. In all seriousness, what are some of the ways to defend against the bigotry charge without resorting to those lines. It is basically an charge that cannot be argued against. The only hope is counter-examples that are all going to be along the lines of my (best friend/boss/nephew/favorite stripper) is an X. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-some-of-my-best-friends-are-considered-an-invalid-bigot-defense/50286/42 "2001-01-19T02:59:18Z")
In all seriousness, one might begin by inviting the accuser to present some evidence in support of the charge. If the charge is baseless, and made in bad faith, the invitation will not yield a response that contains any evidence. The accused simply points this out, and goes on his way. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-some-of-my-best-friends-are-considered-an-invalid-bigot-defense/50286/43 "2001-01-19T17:41:48Z")
Most bigoted people I’ve encountered are the luckiest people in the world. They’ve all managed to meet the few (minority) co-workers or friends who are different than the rest of them. :rolleyes: In my neighborhood growing up, there was one overtly racist family who, every Thursday night at 8, gathered to watch “Cosby”. :rolleyes: It’s an invalid defense because almost always there is something allegedly unique about the person’s minority friends that takes the friends out of “them”. Of course, the uniqueness doesn’t exist, but the bigot doesn’t recognize that. Sua ---
**Author:** ![PeeQueue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@PeeQueue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeeQueue)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-some-of-my-best-friends-are-considered-an-invalid-bigot-defense/50286/44 "2001-01-19T19:54:09Z")
Hey, what’s wrong with Cosby? PeeQueue ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-some-of-my-best-friends-are-considered-an-invalid-bigot-defense/50286/45 "2001-01-19T20:35:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hapaXL \* > **What white folks don’t seem to understand** Rather ironic that in a thread about racial issues, this kind of comment goes without comment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-some-of-my-best-friends-are-considered-an-invalid-bigot-defense/50286.md?page=2)