To think it's possible to be a bit racist....

[coconuttella]

I'm not saying it's right, just possible... From other threads on here it seems as though some don't believe it is, and that racism is simply a black or white issue (pardon the pun)...

For instance, if someone says "he's got a fiery temperament, but then he is Italian", it may be a lazy stereotype and therefore racist, but surely it's not in the same league as "I hate all n**rs".

Should both be regarded as equally unacceptable as racism is racism full-stop, or is it reasonable to shrug your shoulders about the former and not cut them out of your life on account of their prejudice?

I almost everyone is "a bit racist" if we define racism as "mentally generalising on the basis of race". I think as soon as we start categorising on the basis of race (which we do implicitly all the time) we apply mental generalisations. It's how minds/brains work. If you define racist as having a belief that some races are somehow "better" than others, then I don't think we are all racist. But by the broadest definitions, we probably all are.

There is a difference between being racist and acting on it. The latter is wrong and most people are able to refrain from committing such acts.

Being racist is a natural human condition. We have evolved to favour people who are similar to us, because we are safer around people who are similar to us. Some people are better at controlling their natural racism than others, and most people do not consciously discriminate. But if you are able to see that one person has white skin, another black skin, someone else has Asian origins then you are racist by definition. You noticed race, you are able to differentiate on race, therefore you are racist even though you do not actually discriminate.

It's like someone choosing to be vegetarian. It is unnatural, in the sense that humans are naturally omnivores - it is how we have evolved. When food is scarce, we eat whatever food is available, whether it is animal or vegetable. Humans can choose to ignore their natural instincts, but the natural instincts are still there. A vegetarian is not a herbivore and a meat-eater is not a carnivore.

It's the same with race, sex, age, disability and any other "difference" between us and other people. It is possible (and right) to treat people equally regardless of these differences, but it is impossible to train oneself to be unable to notice them.