Not necessarily. It is a negative thing only if we make it something sinister, evil, or racist.
We all have stereotypical images in our heads that we have fun with re the Irish, Scots, Italians, Germans, Dutch, Russians, Eskimos, Jewish mothers, the historical American Indian, accountants, musicians, scientists, preachers, movie stars, etc. etc. etc. etc. And whichever of such groups we fall into, we can laugh at the stereotypical images of this group or that group that is all in fun. And anybody who has any intelligence, common sense, and sense of humor understands that it is fun and it is fun because there is a grain of truth to the stereotypes. It is because we know it is all in good fun, that it does not define any one individual, and that it is intended as good natured that renders it benign, harmless, and a positive way to socially interact.
It is high time American society stopped treating black people and a few other sub groups as if they were some kind of fragile beings who must be treated with a great deal of deference and kid gloves lest they be somehow harmed or damaged if they are offended in any way. It is high time we stopped seeing black people as different from everybody else and start allowing them to be treated like everybody else.l It is high time we started allowing black people to be full citizens subject to being teased about the good natured stereotypes like everybody else is.
Of course if we refuse to allow things to be racist, we take the power and profit out of racism, and there are many who will strongly resist that. But it is how we once and for all put racism as an issue behind us. Skin color should be of no more importance and require no different language, deference, or careful treatment than eye color or hair color. When we all can say that, then we are no longer racist.
