How would you interpret this comment from a neighbour?

[sadpapercourtesan]

Invited for drinks by new neighbours. They're from South Africa, very cordial and friendly. There's a discussion (with other guests, also from SA) about how difficult things are in SA post-apartheid. Neighbour comments: "I'm not racist; I love white people" and people laugh.

What would you make of that?

Depends on the context.

I thought I'd provided the context

They were discussing how bad things are in SA post-apartheid. Crime, postal services not working, poor infrastructure etc. Neighbour made this comment and everyone (apart from me) laughed.

Are they white?

I don’t get it - do they mean they only love white people?

Presume it’s an ‘in joke’ from SA.

Would you like me to ask my relative who lives there?

I don’t get it either. Was the person speaking white? Trying to envisage the scene.

Context for me in this case would also mean if they’re white (Afrikaners or part of another group of white people), mixed, Asian or Black

Yes, they are white.

I mean I can't think of a context where that comment is not twatty but I've never been to or lived in SA. I'd be distancing myself from that person tbh.

Person makes joke. You either find it funny or you don’t.

If they're not white and are south African they are probably letting you know they don't hold the horrible racism that white people have committed over the years against you.

I'd assume they were inferring that white people are the ones being oppressed now rather than the other way round. I wouldn't have laughed either

If they are white, and make that comment, I’d find that racist.

@Comedycook

I'd assume they were inferring that white people are the ones being oppressed now rather than the other way round. I wouldn't have laughed either

That’s how I’d read it.

Though I probably would have feigned and confusion and asked.

@Roosk I probably should have done that. I'm afraid I just froze and said nothing.

Aargh, they live opposite me. I will have to cultivate the thousand-yard stare.

@Havilland

Person makes joke. You either find it funny or you don’t.

Person makes racist joke. You either find it racist or you don't.

So they’re kind of saying, I still like white people even though they fucked the country up?

(Disclaimer I do not know enough about apartheid)

Sounds like most of us on this thread would have been just as baffled as you OP I don’t think you’re the weird one in this party!

I would just assume that they’re racist and distance myself from them. I’m surprised you didn’t find the fact that they’re white relevant

I mean, I suppose it's possible the person said it as an 'edgy', self aware dig at white South Africans. However, it is a racist joke so you'd have to be bloody confident that your audience knew you well and would get the intended true meaning.

@WakeUpLockie

So they’re kind of saying, I still like white people even though they fucked the country up?

(Disclaimer I do not know enough about apartheid)

No, the opposite— they’re saying whites are the oppressed minority race in post-apartheid SA, therefore the modern non-racist declares him or herself to be a lover of white people.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

I mean, I suppose it's possible the person said it as an 'edgy', self aware dig at white South Africans. However, it is a racist joke so you'd have to be bloody confident that your audience knew you well and would get the intended true meaning.

Yes, that’s possible too, I suppose…?

Id assume they were racist and trying to be funny. Id note that I didnt want to pursue an actual friendship

They’re racists.

Without saying too much, I doubt it was the "edgy, self-aware" joke suggested by @JesusInTheCabbageVan. They don't seem like the brightest stars in the firmament tbh.

I did think it was racist, but wondered whether there was another interpretation peculiar to SA that I missed. It seems not.

Apologies for failing to specify that they are white! Brain fart