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Then again, who's dad isn't. JKJK
But seriously, my dad is Racist to a point where I feel the need to confront him about it. Now he is not the average stereotyped racist (redneck, patriotic beyond need, etc), but sometimes he just makes me shake my head at things he says. Now hes lived in Canada for his entire life, and as far as I know there has been nothing big in his life to make him racist.
For example, yesterday evening when I was at the grocery store with my dad picking up things for dinner, he saw a few people in arabic clothing (long robes, woman had her face covered). My dad then said quietly to me "Hey, I should go over there and say 'So, how about that Osama?'." Of course I was upset that he would even think of saying such an offensive thing. He constantly makes sarcastic pokes at people who are not white (there are other people he doesn't make fun of as often, but still). He says "When I am at an airport and I see someone in a turban I get a little nervous" and "Theres too many immigrants taking the jobs that Canadians should get" among other things. The most often racist thing I hear from him though is his imitation of the call-center employees that have heavy Arabic/Indian/Asian accents. I know they can get annoying, but there is no need for racism.
This is simply appalling to me. Even though every person in this world is a little racist, there is no proper reason to be this bad. I want to confront my dad about this racism, and tell him how he should not say or even think some of these things, but I have a very hard time confronting people who have authority over me. I wish there was something I could do to stop him from being so racist, but every time I try to talk to him about it, he just argues in favour of racism and we get nowhere.
Sigh.
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Seems to me like he's the kind of guy who makes jokes under the banner of, "It's funny because it's racist!"
Are you sure he's not joking? Some people are pretty good at dead-panning, and if he doesn't ever actually go out and act on the jokes, what's the problem?
You're his family, so he likely feels comfortable to share his idle thoughts with you, regardless of how good or bad they are.
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what i dont get is why you don't just let him be the way he is. the idea of being "racist' is fucking retarded. people just have stereotypes is all, and trying ot "correct it" as as about as productive as talking to a wall.
its people that look at others and condescend about something that he or she does that ends up causing problems today.
for instance i am the biggest racist in the entire world. i routinely flip off people of a different race and refer to caucasian people as a word commonly used to refer to things you eat with cheese. Come at me bro. Will it do anything except just get everybody pissed off? Highly unlikely. Do something more productive and get on with your lives and everybody will be happier, instead of making problems.
Now, if your dad is actually going up and being a disturbance to people, thats an issue, but that doesn't seem to be the problem here so theres nothing to worry about.
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Sounds like he's just trying to be funny
If it really offends you that much then maybe you should talk to him about it.
My dad, and pretty much every dad I know makes jokes like this all the time >.>
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Just say: "Shut up Dad" every time he says something like that. He'll eventually stop doing it; around you at least.
It's extremely hard to change someone's mind away from racism, it's a long term siege/persistence fight, rather than giving that person a major one time epiphany and they're cured of it magically.
My grandfather said the n-word once, that was a neat experience. Was the original limerick of: Catch a tiger by the toe, if he hollers let him go - replace the modern tiger with...well you know. He didn't mean it offensively, that's just how that song was way back when.
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On May 03 2011 22:33 Caller wrote: what i dont get is why you don't just let him be the way he is. the idea of being "racist' is fucking retarded. people just have stereotypes is all, and trying ot "correct it" as as about as productive as talking to a wall.
its people that look at others and condescend about something that he or she does that ends up causing problems today.
for instance i am the biggest racist in the entire world. i routinely flip off people of a different race and refer to caucasian people as a word commonly used to refer to things you eat with cheese. Come at me bro. Will it do anything except just get everybody pissed off? Highly unlikely. Do something more productive and get on with your lives and everybody will be happier, instead of making problems.
Now, if your dad is actually going up and being a disturbance to people, thats an issue, but that doesn't seem to be the problem here so theres nothing to worry about.
As much as I disagree with the majority of this post (moreso the approach than the content, I guess), the last line that I bolded is dead on. I'm with him on this one.
I agree that your dad's behavior is quite inappropriate and racist, and based on the Osama remark, uninformed too. Obviously just because someone is Muslim doesn't mean they have any affiliation to Osama (Duh). While all this may be true, in the end, as long as he's not harming anyone, I don't feel it's too bad to just let him be.
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I just don't see the need to make fun of another person just because they have a different skin colour/accent/clothing style. There is no point to racism, and that is why it makes me upset. People make fun of different people just because they want to, and while people have the freedom to think what they want, Racism should not be something you even joke about.
Off topic: It seems whenever I try to predict replies to my post, i get the exact opposite of what I predicted.
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sorry, but... your dad is an asshole.
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I agree with you, OP, but it's just not a battle you can win. Taking someone who has racist tendencies for years and years (I'm assuming your dad is like at least 35 or something older) and talking to them about it for 5 minutes isn't going to change that. The best you can hope for is that it becomes less and less apparent as future generations grow up.
So yeah, although you're totally 100% making sense in terms of it being stupid and wrong, it's as Caller was saying, like talking to a wall. The best you can do is to ask him to not say such things around you, or simply call him out on things he says that aren't factual. Calling him out on his OPINION is going to get you nowhere.
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On May 03 2011 22:44 57 Corvette wrote: I just don't see the need to make fun of another person just because they have a different skin colour/accent/clothing style. There is no point to racism, and that is why it makes me upset. People make fun of different people just because they want to, and while people have the freedom to think what they want, Racism should not be something you even joke about.
Off topic: It seems whenever I try to predict replies to my post, i get the exact opposite of what I predicted.
Well you're being too fucking sensitive.
Your dad is joking around with his son (?) Get over it.
EDIT: LOL @ Being banned from the blog for being blunt and honest.
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On May 03 2011 22:50 XenOsky- wrote: sorry, but... your dad is an asshole.
No need to say sorry, i agree with you. My dad is a rasict asshole, and I just don't want his beliefs to transfer to me.
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On May 03 2011 22:44 57 Corvette wrote: I just don't see the need to make fun of another person just because they have a different skin colour/accent/clothing style. There is no point to racism, and that is why it makes me upset. People make fun of different people just because they want to, and while people have the freedom to think what they want, Racism should not be something you even joke about.
Off topic: It seems whenever I try to predict replies to my post, i get the exact opposite of what I predicted.
Lighten up man, it seems you have a chronic case of, "I'm going to feel offended /for/ these people, whether they care or not!" entrenched in your bones. Everyone jokes, makes offhand comments, and yes, makes fun of one another - is it really worth the portion of your life it requires to go out of your way to be offended for someone else?
Now, if they're genuinely upset I can understand taking the defensive stance. The problem arises in that you only address comments shared in private, between family members.
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"When I am at an airport and I see someone in a turban I get a little nervous"
Who the fuck doesn't?
Most things we fear are exaggerated yet most would be (a little) nervous from seeing Arabs boarding a plane just like a lot of people worry about turbulence once airborne even though it's extremely unlikely to cause a crash.
"Theres too many immigrants taking the jobs that Canadians should get" was imo the only racist comment made by your dad that you told us about.
EDIT: Still, that last one did paint him as a nationalistic racist douche whom I hope you won't turn out as.
EDIT2: I guess my point was that being an honest dick who makes racist, sexist and anti-semitic jokes doesn't make you a racist
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Haven't you said this same thing couple times before already? (Japan Tsunami case? or smthn)
Too bad tho. Should be pretty embarrassing to go to the town with him if he shoots comments like that.
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You said he was sarcastic? Thus making him not a racist. If he was genuine about it, then yes, he is a racist. But if he's just fooling around, you know, being "sarcastic", you need to re-attach your balls and harden up.
Btw, how do the blog ratings work?
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No one hijacks a plane while wearing a turban, ever. The guy wearing the turban is probably the least likely guy to do anything at all.
Anyway, his beliefs can never transfer to you, because you understand what it means and want no part of it.
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On May 03 2011 22:54 Gigaudas wrote:"When I am at an airport and I see someone in a turban I get a little nervous"
Who the fuck doesn't?
Most things we fear are exaggerated yet most would be (a little) nervous from seeing Arabs boarding a plane just like a lot of people worry about turbulence once airborne even though it's extremely unlikely to cause a crash. "Theres too many immigrants taking the jobs that Canadians should get" was imo the only racist comment made by your dad that you told us about. EDIT: Still, that last one did paint him as a nationalistic racist douche whom I hope you won't turn out as. EDIT2: I guess my point was that being an honest dick who makes racist, sexist and anti-semitic jokes doesn't make you a racist
SERIOUSLY?.... so you got to get a little nervous when you see : Spanish ppl on an airpot (you know, they would be ETA's members), or people from central america, they might be involved in maras, or Italians or japaneses they are probably members of a maffia. South american are drugs dealears...
this "war against terrorism" shit pisses me off so much, is just the american excuse for invading a country for no reason, and most ppl belive this shit, and end up making stupid comments about Arabs like "When I am at an airport and I see someone in a turban I get a little nervous"...
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On May 03 2011 22:52 TadH wrote:Show nested quote +On May 03 2011 22:44 57 Corvette wrote: I just don't see the need to make fun of another person just because they have a different skin colour/accent/clothing style. There is no point to racism, and that is why it makes me upset. People make fun of different people just because they want to, and while people have the freedom to think what they want, Racism should not be something you even joke about.
Off topic: It seems whenever I try to predict replies to my post, i get the exact opposite of what I predicted. Well you're being too fucking sensitive. Your dad is joking around with his son (?) Get over it.
Yup, gotta agree with this. Lighten up.
The idea that your dad's behavior is quite inappropriate and racist is fucking stupid. People seriously have no idea what racism is anymore. derp I need to be politically correct all the time because the tv says so!
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My dad believes in chemtrails and a bunch of other shit. Gotta deal with it.
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Those are such mild instances of racism and it seems like he is half joking about the Osama thing which was easily the most severe of all the examples you gave. The other 3 examples are not that big of a deal
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