Implications of Racism

Jin

Canada439 Posts

March 26 2009 07:42 GMT

Poll: Is the statement 'I don't like dating Caucasian girls' racist?
(Vote): Yes
(Vote): No
(Vote):

Please give a reason.

My opinion is that this statement only implies personal preference whereas racism states something derogatory about a specific race.

ibutoss

Australia341 Posts

March 26 2009 07:49 GMT

no. it's personal preference. That said it's probably something a closet racist would decide/say.

Kuja900

United States3564 Posts

March 26 2009 07:50 GMT

It sounds better if you say something like "I dont find soandso girls attractive"

inlagdsil

Canada957 Posts

March 26 2009 07:55 GMT

It was to do with your taste and attractions. It is not descrimination because no one has the right to be liked by you. I don't see it as racism.

MoRe_mInErAls

Canada1210 Posts

March 26 2009 07:55 GMT

Poll: Is the statement, "I don't like making black friends" racist?
(Vote): Yes
(Vote): No

fight_or_flight

United States3988 Posts

March 26 2009 07:55 GMT

Define racist first.

In physics lab, we used a device called a "discriminator". It literally discriminated a voltage into either being true or false. Discrimination is not inherently a good thing or bad thing, its just literally distinguishing something.

Descent

1244 Posts

March 26 2009 07:59 GMT

I agree with Kuja900. The statement in the OP begs the question "Why don't you like dating Caucasian girls?" It could be due to personal preference, but it could also be for socioeconomic, racist, or other reasons. I think the latter statement implies more of a personal preference as to biological reasons, which may (or may not) be more clear of possible racist thoughts.

Edit: Added 'or.' The 'latter statement' refers to the one in Kuja900's post.

benjammin

United States2728 Posts

March 26 2009 08:07 GMT

imo, it's racist regardless of the scale

if you're setting ultimatums to something abstracted you are looking for excuses for being intolerant

SpiritoftheTunA

United States20903 Posts

March 26 2009 08:08 GMT

not by default, but it depends on the reasons really, that statement isnt specific enough to be racist or not racist

Grobyc

Canada18410 Posts

March 26 2009 08:08 GMT

#10

Can someone explain how this is racist,

But not this?

I mean of course whether it is preference or not it's not something you need to go around saying, because I don't find either of them racist.

If the original poll was 'Is the statement "I don't like dating Black girls' racist?', would you consider that racist? It's not any different than saying Caucasian girls in terms of racism. So assuming that the statement "I don't like dating Black girls" is NOT racist, then how is saying "I don't like making Black friends" any different than "I don't like dating Black girls"? Seriously... I don't get it. It doesn't make sense. It's like when the word "black" is mentioned everyone goes "omg i dun wanna be racist, i better agree that that is a racist statement". Can everyone please get the hell over the fact that saying someone is black is not racist??? No one thinks it is racist to call a Caucasian guy white, but so many people say it is racist to call an African-American guy black.

fuck

/rant.

fonger

United Kingdom1218 Posts

March 26 2009 08:14 GMT

#11

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism

So I'd say no.

TaP.Nuada

United States428 Posts

March 26 2009 08:17 GMT

#12

On March 26 2009 17:08 Grobyc wrote:

Can someone explain how this is racist,

My thoughts exactly... Seems some people are inconsistent.

Lucktar

United States526 Posts

March 26 2009 08:18 GMT

#13

Well, both statements are indicative a rather shallow view of ethnic groups as a whole, but neither is racist per se. The friend question seems more racist because we're used to friendship being based on intangible qualities, personality, and all that shit. Romantic relationships, on the other hand, are allowed to be more shallow. Or we're under less of an expectation to overcome personal quirks just to date someone. Or something.

To Grobyc's point, I honestly didn't even notice that one was referring to black people, and one to caucasians, whiteys, whatever, until I read your post. I think the discrepancy is due to the relationship rather than anybody's innate fear of appearing racist by not liking black people.

hymn

Bulgaria832 Posts

March 26 2009 08:20 GMT

#14

I don't think both of those statements are racist because none of them implies that the person saying them prefers the opposite ONLY because of race. And besides Caucasian is not a race.

If I say: I don't like being friend with black people in my case if would mean that I don't like their culture. Not that I think they are all retarded or bad people because their skin color is black/brown/purple whatever it actually is.

TaP.Nuada

United States428 Posts

March 26 2009 08:25 GMT

#15

On March 26 2009 17:20 hymn wrote:
I don't think both of those statements are racist because none of them implies that the person saying them prefers the opposite ONLY because of race. And besides Caucasian is not a race.

I think you're off on this a bit.

"none of them implies that the person saying them prefers the opposite ONLY because of race"

Then what does the generalization "caucasians" mean? They're referring to them by race, meaning they feel something about the race itself is inadequate.

Saying that I don't want to date white girls, but really meaning white girls who are brunettes, then I wouldn't just say "white girls" I'd say "white brunettes"

The statement mentions only race, so thinking it's anything but race seems silly and illogical to me.

---
Also, about the idea that one is geared towards a romantic relationship, while the other just friendship, I think is a good point, and a possible explanation for the varied results.

Etherone

United States1898 Posts

March 26 2009 08:27 GMT

#16

yes. Both are racist.

one says i don't date white girls because they are white... racist
and the other said i don't make black friends because they're black... racist

you are generalizing a group of people by their "race" .

Edit:
also the following statement is racist: i would not have sex with a(n) ( insert race) (insert gender).
i have heard this phrase followed by : but i am not racist countless times, and it's laughable.

they are being racist . they might not be a cross burning racist, they might even think the other race deserves equal rights, but because of 'X" individual's race they wouldn't involve yourself with them, that is racist.

freelander

Hungary4707 Posts

March 26 2009 08:39 GMT

#17

On March 26 2009 17:27 Etherone wrote:
yes. Both are racist.

one says i don't date white girls because they are white... racist
and the other said i don't make black friends because they're black... racist

you are generalizing a group of people by their "race" .

Edit:
also the following statement is racist: i would not have sex with a(n) ( insert race) (insert gender).
i have heard this phrase followed by : but i am not racist countless times, and it's laughable.

they are being racist . they might not be a cross burning racist, they might even think the other race deserves equal rights, but because of 'X" individual's race they wouldn't involve yourself with them, that is racist.

if I don't get attracted to black women, am I racist?

man, this is ridiculous

you don't decide who you get attracted to

hymn

Bulgaria832 Posts

March 26 2009 08:40 GMT

#18

@TaP.Nuada: I see your point. But as far as I know: People referred to as Caucasian are those of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, West Asia, Central Asia and South Asia. So if someone actually says that he doesn't like dating women from this type I can't find anything racist based only on that statement. I mean if he elaborates and explains that he finds all the Caucasian women dumb and dirty and stupid and thinks they are thieves and sub-human - ok, that's racist...

Like I would never actually date an Asian looking girl. That's because I don't find their face structure attractive. I don't think they're ugly or stupid or not fun people to interact with, don't get me wrong, they're just not my type. Does that make me a racist? I don't think it does.

So if someone says he doesn't like Caucasian women and wouldn't date one cause of perfectly normal reasons I can't find that racist, only this statement is not enough to claim him as a racist.

deathgod6

United States5064 Posts

March 26 2009 08:43 GMT

#19

On March 26 2009 16:55 MoRe_mInErAls wrote:

Poll: Is the statement, "I don't like making black friends" racist?
(Vote): Yes
(Vote): No

lol, nice response to OP.

I suppose dating is more of a personal choice, but being friends with someone or at least acting cordially should be between everyone. That is why one is racist and the other may not be seen as racist.

Railz

United States1449 Posts

March 26 2009 08:43 GMT

#20

On March 26 2009 17:27 Etherone wrote:

you are generalizing a group of people by their "race" .

Edit:
also the following statement is racist: i would not have sex with a(n) ( insert race) (insert gender).
i have heard this phrase followed by : but i am not racist countless times, and it's laughable.
.

To say all races look the same on the outside(and lets be honest, what we're implicating here is based off looks) is not smart, it is political correctness gone horrible wrong. If you're going to sit here and tell me Caucasian girls look the same as Ebony girls, you're loony.
If the person in question says they're not having sex with them because they think they're beneath them, then that is racist.

Example.
I'd have sex with an Asian girl.
I would not have sex with a Hispanic girl.

Is that racist? No, I'm making a broad statement without knowing a girl in question based off personal background of just not finding Hispanic girls attractive at all.
It is no different then if someone said, oh well, I prefer blondes rather then brunettes.

That person might pre-judge a person based off personal background first, but I doubt it is going to run their life forever if it is in fact an appearance based choice.

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