To think that no racist ever admits they are a racist

[Sweetiedarling7]

“I’m not a racist but…”
I hear this so often. Does any racist ever come out and say they are a racist?
I don’t think so.

I agree with you. See also "I'm not being sexist, but..." "I'm not being homophobic, but..." or even "I'm not being rude but...".

The 'but' part completely compounds the opposite of the statement that follows!

Same with misogyny

"I'm not racist but.." is usually said by people talking about subjects that are adjacent to race issues, e.g. immigration that often attract accusations of racism.

The person saying it might be racist or might not.

...but they probably are.

I have a question. If you say something racist through ignorance, ie you didn't realise it was racist, are you actually a racist?

No they do. Many years ago, my new neighbour came over to introduce himself by telling us they were so pleased to see we’d moved in. I thought it was cos we were a young couple about to embark on a family etc. no it was because we were white. (And I won’t repeat what he said.)

we Nick named them Mr and Mrs Hitler…

I heard once that anything preceding the word “but” doesn’t count. Not infallible but fairly accurate I must say!

They hide it too my ex genuinely you couldn't tell he was racist the entire time we were together not once a remark that was even close to the edge nothing but then he got a girlfriend who was casually racist suddenly it crept in it struck me how easily he said it he must have been like it all along and just hid it because he knew I wouldn't accept it

By casually racist I mean it wasn't aggressive no threats of violence just n words and slurs popped out like it was nothing just a part of casual conversation she seemed genuinely surprised it wasn't acceptable when my autistic child was upset by it and she (unlike him) stopped doing it (around DS) because she didn't want to upset him....not because it was wrong in her eyes she just didn't want to upset a child

It was....odd

There's no settled definition of racism

But sure - plenty of people will admit to it

Depends where you live and the people you know. I have heard people openly say they are racist.

I think it's true they never admit it.

The whole crux of racism is they genuinely think that other races are inferior. That there are legitimate reasons why they feel that way.

So to them it's not racism, it's just that those people are genuinely shitter than 'us' because...cue spiels about migrants, Islam taking over, Small boats, grooming, benefits, etc etc. to try and justify it.

Yes, I think so. Because anything racist you say 'without realising' will be a comment you've made because you hold certain beliefs and opinions that are racist and you're voicing them without applying any critical thinking or taking into account information to the contrary.
I don't think it makes you a bad person, because we all have areas of ignorance and don't think things through in depth all the time. The important thing if you do this a lot is to be open to review your beliefs so you become less racist.

I fired a woman for making a joke with a racial slur about a customer. The week before, I'd discussed the more minor slurs and jokes she made to other staff with her manager, and said "if we hired someone of an ethnic minority she'd be gone in a week".

In the course of the investigation, it transpired that during her probation, she'd verbally assaulted a member of the public, whilst drunk, during a work event.

She insisted she wasn't racist, told us that she had been in tears telling her Asian neighbour about it (who was probably horrified).

But the thing is, her previous managers had written her off as "not racist" after the first event. Because these people always have someone confirming their "not racist" status.

Racism is about the impact it has on others not the way the person being racist feels.

Victims of racism feel the impact whether or not it's intentional.

The word racist is used to much. If your talking about illegal immigrants it's not racist to be concerned. In fact there's something wrong with you if your not concerned .

You'll hear people saying they're separatists not supremacists but I think that does count as racism

Yeah course it does. They just won't say it up front.

Well I think you sound racist.

I know the type, Im not rascist because I have one black friend. Here in Somerset People are always trying to drag me into rascist conversations because I am blond with blue eyes. They don't know that my sisters are mixed race black until I tell them to bugger off. Im sick of hearing it.
I love my family and hate hearing them spoken about as if they are nothing.

Well, I suppose the word "racist" implies an irrational or unjust prejudice against people of other races.

Unfortunately, the dumb cunts who hold these views generally believe them to be rational/justified. They don't think they are "racist", they think they have an intelligent and rational sense of their own ethnic superiority. Which makes it all the more terrifying.

If they knew their beliefs were irrational that would be a starting point, and could be worked with.....

For example, when I used to work with tape and abuse survivors I remember a couple of women who had developed an irrational fear of men of a particular ethnicity because their abusers happened to be of that ethnicity. Both women realised it was irrational and unfair, and wanted to work on it (among other aspects of their healing). I had every sympathy for them and hope it was something they were eventually able to move on from, as both women were upset by feeling like this.

If someone can say "I am a racist" I think that would be better, as they would be essentially admitting their views were wrong.

It’s because they’re all fundamentally cowards.

If you hold racist opinions, you’re a racist. Own it, don’t shy away from it.

They kind of are... ?

Careful what you wish for

"something wrong with you" ?

What's wrong with me?

Because there are many, many things in our society that concern me gravely - the monsters that hold.global power, grotesque inequalities between rich and poor, children growing up into abject poverty, the sexual exploitation of women and girls, etc etc - and this frankly just isn't one of them. Couldn't care less.