to think older age is no excuse for sexism, racism and misogyny?

Okay so can they ‘hold you to account’ if you have views then don’t believe in?

Maybe they are correct?

The whole point of the OP's thread was that some people use age to excuse racist/misogynist comments made by older people. As if they somehow can't help it because racism and misogyny are just the norm for their generation.

She stated that age should not be regarded as an excuse for offensive comments because many older people of the same age are NOT racist or misogynist.

There is nothing remotely ageist in saying that older people should be held to account for their racist and misogynist comments in exactly the same way that younger people should be held to account for the same. It IS ageist to suggest that being old automatically makes you racist or misogynist.

Depends how the poster ‘spoke up’.

The fact the cousin came ‘rushing in’ implies it wasn’t in a normal conversational tone. If anyone had a go at my mother even if she was in the wrong. I would have done the same

I have an aunt like that. You can’t change her.
My father would have been brought up close minded, making “jokes” non funny jokes, he grew out of it as we wouldn’t tolerate him being a twat once we became teenagers.
So many people have fell out with my aunt. I tell her she’s disgusting, she will knuckle down, it’s a badge of honour for her.
I usually tell her to zip it if she starts, debating with her will encourage her.

It seems that you have missed the entire point of the thread. Never mind.

What your cousin was actually saying is “I’m racist too”

So true!!

My Dad is getting on now, mid 80s. He worked in the community, would have dealt many newly arrived immigrants over the years. He also was very ambitious for his daughters. I have noticed he remains very open about different cultures and extremely intolerant of racism. However I've seen sexism creep in, the mask has slipped there. Little things like demeaning our jobs but talking up DH and BILs work. Assuming an upset woman is being irrational, saying when women talk they are having a gossip. That kind of thing.

Well then, she should just have said "some people."

You are absolutely bang on. They certainly laugh at being called far right.

there are racists in every age group

She's made s thread about people using age as an excuse. That's not agism

Op isn't saying all old people are racist/sexist, or that okly old people are racust/sexist. She's not saying its an age thing. She's specifically talking about her relatives who use age as an excuse to get away with bigotry

Didn't see many over 70s burning houses down at the recent riots.

Exactly, wasn't sure if the poster was waiting until everyone did an ageist pile on before pointing it out.
We can't help when we're born! One of the loveliest old women in our town, who used to be very welcoming to us-including gay members of our community- used terms that might now be called racist or homophobic, but that's because they were the polite, progressive terms then-it's no more something she should be judged for that still thinking everyone has landlines.
In my lifetime, terms such as "queer" have changed in meaning and acceptability, and if I live long enough to start showing signs of dementia, I might use terms deemed unacceptable today-and so will you,

OP’s whole point is that indeed it doesn’t excuse it or explain it. So people should stop using it. You’ll see it on here in the dozens whenever there’s a thread about an older person displaying these behaviours. They’re the ageist ones. Not OP.

Difficult to know how to vote, as obviously

YANBU in that using your age as an excuse to be downright rude, let alone racist is obviously wrong.

But YABU (and ageist!) to imply that being elderly explains where some of these attitudes came from . It's not 75 yr olds and their elders I'm seeing on the news standing outside hotels, threatening people.

There are - unfortunately - racists, misogynists, sexists, ageists, and homophobes in every age group.

And you sound like an apologist for racism, sexism and misogyny. Having 'life experience' doesn't justify those hideous attitudes.

I've never known a forum so obsessed with seeing racism and misogyny around every corner. The times I've seen hints at bots when all I see are more dodgy I am better than you threads over and over.

Of course she isn't. She is talking specifically about her own family members who are old and making unpleasant comments about women and non-white hospital staff.

If she had said that all old people are prejudiced, that would be ageist but she didn't say that.

How is it ageist?

Except OP didn’t generalise. In fact , she specifically said that she knows that not all older people speak and act like that , so age isn’t an excuse . That’s her whole point.

Who’s the dim one now?