To think there's no such thing as 'borderline' racist. You either are or you aren't.

[RedHareWithBlondeHair]

I've been following the press wrt May's new government. Timmermans - the EU's first VP/hotshot of the European elite has written a scathing review of Boris Johnson referring to his comments about Obama's alleged dislike of the UK due to Obama's Kenyan heritage. Other than this, the very pertinent role given to BoJo of Foreign Secretary, he has managed to piss off a great deal of the world with his so-called buffoonery. It's like putting a snail in charge of Formula 1.

[milliemolliemou]

No, I think there are gradations of racism between all races and tribes and don't even encompass religious intolerance between the same races or sects (catholic/protestant, shia/shiite to say nothing of yazidi/christian, orthodox/reform/liberal Judaism). Holland, where Timmermans from, has had same-race intolerance with different TV stations for different religions and Belgium has a huge language divide which still causes major problems. some of the worst were the Hutu/Tutsi and the interests in former Yugoslavia.

None of it good, but a lot of it very hard to combat. Agree Johnson is a very bizarre choice. Blame it on the need to satisfy the 52% Brexiteers.

In my neck of the woods it tends to be fear of the unknown and it's disappearing slowly. If anything it's the gros fromages round here who are more racist.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

I agree with Millie, there's a very broad spectrum going from utterly tolerant and lacking in any prejudice through to KKK white supremacists. There's a huge difference between someone who uses an incorrect term - e.g. my MIL who used the expression "coloured people" the other day with not a hint if malice- and those who truly hate. But some would calm both racists.

[VestalVirgin]

Strictly speaking, racism is the mindset that people with different skin colours are a different race and as such fundamentally different from you. That's a mindset you either have, or have not.

Your MIL, who says "coloured people" may not be racist according to that definition.

Being intolerant towards people with other religions or cultures, or both, is not racism, either. Intolerance, but not racism. As long as you are of the opinion that they could convert to your religion or culture, and then be the same as you, hating people for having a different culture doesn't count as racism.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

I don't disagree but that was sort of my point - in day to day usage the definition is extremely broad and there are plenty of people who would call that racist.

But it is a misused term in many respects.

[5Foot5]

Am I the only person to think that the OP's OP doesn't quite go as far as asking the question in the thread title?

[Gaspard]

There is definitely such a thing as borderline racist...as long as it's possible to be 'a little bit pregnant'.