to wonder whether we should focus on the total idiocy of racism, rather than its offensiveness?

[ClockWatchingLady]

There are just no decent logical reasons that it's useful to divide people along the lines of their skin pigments. Even less so to favour different groups on this basis. It's basically ludicrous.

But I'm not sure we should be as hung up on causing offense as we all are (there are too many people to offend, over countless issues, in unpredictable ways). Do we even need this concept if we see the idiocy of racism as it is?

Jeremy Clarkson should be a hero in all our eyes for demonstrating this racism-prat link so delightfully.

To be honest I hear what your saying and I can agree with that and I'm not sure of your ethnicity but I'm white British and my partner isn't and I said something similar to him before and he said it's different when you are on the other end of racism. When you are the one being targeted or discriminated against for the pigments In your skin. It goes to far back in history and too deep into peoples feelings to not be offended and just mock racists for being idiots. Racism can occur in any race but obviously more so if you are the one in the minority wherever you are.