• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Can Racists be Good People?

Are racists good people?


  • Total voters
    44
Funny... I would agree. I think one of the first things a racist/prejudice person does and says when confronted is declare, "I am NOT a racist!" especially when it's a black person questioning, "what do you mean by...."

And to give Americans credit, at least we have the discussion and the debate...but this is normally not the case overseas. i remember seeing a sign on a bar in Pattaya, Thailand, that said, "No blacks or Arabs allowed."
 
I tend to worry more on how people act than what they say.

if some drunk says "I am going to kill you" and he is obviously unarmed and drunk, I don't worry much

if he says nothing and starts to pull a weapon, I will shoot him if I can

plenty of people claim they are not racist but treat other races poorly. and I know people who bad mouth blacks, jews, Asians etc but treat everyone well.

That's a point but I can't hardly tolerate spoken bigotry. I've left the room when it got uncomfortable and I didn't feel like a confrontation was appropriate. I quit a job once (not that big a deal, I sometimes worked for half a dozen contractors in a year) because my partner would bad-mouth to me the native guys hooking on and then be friendly to their faces. It almost seems like someone who talks and walks bigotry is at least honest.
Me, like I said elsewhere, I think everyone is bigoted but no-one has the right to express bigotry, walking or talking. Eventually that impediment to our evolution will slough off like a snakeskin.
 
Interesting post. I don't know many people my own age who I would consider racist.

It was actually your comment about how it was totally no big deal to call someone racist that inspired my question.
 
It was actually your comment about how it was totally no big deal to call someone racist that inspired my question.

I figured it was... but as always, you missed my point. I didn't argue it is NOT a big deal to call somebody racist, as if I go around calling everybody racist at every chase. You heard everything I said differently from what I actually said. I don't look for racism where it does not exist, and I have seen my fair share of that happening on this board. Somebody says something, and another person hears/sees the comment entirely differently than everybody else and screams racism.

I simply stated in the other thread that I took issue with a commentator on TV saying it's the worst thing you could say about somebody. Sometimes people are racist, and if it's true... it's true... and that's not my fault. I don't feel guilty for expressing my opinion, especially when it's a matter that is hurtful to me and people I care about. Being racist doesn't automatically make somebody a bad person. It makes my relationship that person complicated, as explained in that thread, specifically my Thanksgiving Day.



Your polling suggests most people agree with me. There is a difference being ignorant racism and hate. Being an ignorant racist doesn't make you bad person, it makes you an ignorant person who may otherwise be willing to die for you or the anybody else in the community, or help others out.
 
I simply stated in the other thread that I took issue with a commentator on TV saying it's the worst thing you could say about somebody.

But it is, its the modern day use of the word heretic. All for leftist divisive politics. Theres simply no excuse for this.
 
But it is, its the modern day use of the word heretic. All for leftist divisive politics. Theres simply no excuse for this.

When actual racism occurs, then calling it what it is is the truth, and nothing can change that. If you try to turn it into a debacle to even say racism, then that is just as bad as overusing the accusation of racism for political gain.

Overall, I think society and youth are getting less and less racist in comparison to the older generations, so that is a very positive sign.
 
When actual racism occurs, then calling it what it is is the truth, and nothing can change that. If you try to turn it into a debacle to even say racism, then that is just as bad as overusing the accusation of racism for political gain.

Overall, I think society and youth are getting less and less racist in comparison to the older generations, so that is a very positive sign.

I could show you many examples of conservatives calling out racism where it's clear it exists. Disagreeing with you that something is racism, especially given some of the silly things you all say is "dog whistle" racism does not actually mean someone is minimizing it or racist themselves. It means they disagree with you.
 
I figured it was... but as always, you missed my point. I didn't argue it is NOT a big deal to call somebody racist, as if I go around calling everybody racist at every chase. You heard everything I said differently from what I actually said. I don't look for racism where it does not exist, and I have seen my fair share of that happening on this board. Somebody says something, and another person hears/sees the comment entirely differently than everybody else and screams racism.

I simply stated in the other thread that I took issue with a commentator on TV saying it's the worst thing you could say about somebody. Sometimes people are racist, and if it's true... it's true... and that's not my fault. I don't feel guilty for expressing my opinion, especially when it's a matter that is hurtful to me and people I care about. Being racist doesn't automatically make somebody a bad person. It makes my relationship that person complicated, as explained in that thread, specifically my Thanksgiving Day.



Your polling suggests most people agree with me. There is a difference being ignorant racism and hate. Being an ignorant racist doesn't make you bad person, it makes you an ignorant person who may otherwise be willing to die for you or the anybody else in the community, or help others out.

So what kind of racist am I?
 
When actual racism occurs, then calling it what it is is the truth, and nothing can change that. If you try to turn it into a debacle to even say racism, then that is just as bad as overusing the accusation of racism for political gain.

Overall, I think society and youth are getting less and less racist in comparison to the older generations, so that is a very positive sign.

But actual racism is called out by all sides. Its the "boy who cried wolf" lefties shrieking racism anywhere and everywhere to silence their political opposition thats the issue. That includes the race hustling poverty pimps sharpton and jackson. Its a means to exert control on others-thats my issue with it.
 
I could show you many examples of conservatives calling out racism where it's clear it exists. Disagreeing with you that something is racism, especially given some of the silly things you all say is "dog whistle" racism does not actually mean someone is minimizing it or racist themselves. It means they disagree with you.

Her and her fellow leftists are the arbiters of race, they will TELL you whats racist or not. :doh
 
I could show you many examples of conservatives calling out racism where it's clear it exists. Disagreeing with you that something is racism, especially given some of the silly things you all say is "dog whistle" racism does not actually mean someone is minimizing it or racist themselves. It means they disagree with you.

I know many conservatives call out racism. I have seen it. I don't deny facts and truths. I still don't know why you continually lump me in with "you people" and "you all." I consider myself politically moderate person, and I am fast loosing interest in politics. I avoid network news and media like the plague.
 
So what kind of racist am I?

IDK... I don't think I have seen you say anything racist, but I don't automatically think you are racist because of your demographic either.

Neutral is not racist, I guess. I don't presume people are racist until proven wrong.


I honestly find it offensive of you to put me in the spot like this. I hope you have learned something and stop lumping people into groups and assuming the worst before you actually get to know them.
 
But actual racism is called out by all sides. Its the "boy who cried wolf" lefties shrieking racism anywhere and everywhere to silence their political opposition thats the issue. That includes the race hustling poverty pimps sharpton and jackson. Its a means to exert control on others-thats my issue with it.

Racism and politics should be kept separate, but everything in American is overly politicized. I know I am asking for too much right there, but I honestly don't care about the political atmosphere of racism. The stereotype is that the right accuses people of pulling the race card, the left screams racism. A discussion on race and racism through a political filter is not the real world.

To me, racism is about my personal life and interpersonal relationships.
 
IDK... I don't think I have seen you say anything racist, but I don't automatically think you are racist because of your demographic either.

Neutral is not racist, I guess. I don't presume people are racist until proven wrong.


I honestly find it offensive of you to put me in the spot like this. I hope you have learned something and stop lumping people into groups and assuming the worst before you actually get to know them.

I'm sorry, SheWolf. Speaking of getting to know someone, I feel like today has been all about fending off accusations of being racist, not because of anything I do or say, but in spite of all that. My whole thing is that I don't think "racism" or "racist "are things to be used casually or that it can be minimized by saying, "yeah but it doesn't make you a bad person. Where it's real, it should be called out, strongly and without mincing words, but it needs to be accurate.
 
Being racist is inherently contradictory with being a good person, imo, but a good person can have "bad" qualities. A casual racist could still be a good person, but someone who actively believes in racism probably is not a good person.

However, the more I think about it, the more it seems as though this debate depends on how you define "good person," which is totally arbitrary.
 
Coincidently, I just happened to watch "Gentlemen's Agreement" on TCM. The moral of the story seemed to be that when "good people" are complacent or apathetic then it's little different than being anti-Semitic, racist and/or bigoted.


"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke


Complacency is complicity. So to answer the question, yes 'good people' can be racists.
 
I haven't seen you say or do anything racist on this board, so IDK... maybe the person calling you that is unfair...

I think a lot of those posters are trollish, and I don't troll on calling people racist. Thunder was notorious for that, and to me, he was an obvious troll. Don't let people like that get to you.


I'm sorry, SheWolf. Speaking of getting to know someone, I feel like today has been all about fending off accusations of being racist, not because of anything I do or say, but in spite of all that. My whole thing is that I don't think "racism" or "racist "are things to be used casually or that it can be minimized by saying, "yeah but it doesn't make you a bad person. Where it's real, it should be called out, strongly and without mincing words, but it needs to be accurate.
 
I do believe one can be raised prejudice and then through education and experience become a good person dropping those notions. But no, I do not see a plausible method for one to be prejudice (racist) and a good person, the two involve notions that are incompatible. Namely the pre-judgement and exclusion of somoene exclusively upon a characteristic no one can change.
 
I haven't seen you say or do anything racist on this board, so IDK... maybe the person calling you that is unfair...

I think a lot of those posters are trollish, and I don't troll on calling people racist. Thunder was notorious for that, and to me, he was an obvious troll. Don't let people like that get to you.

Good advice and to be honest, the guy saying it isn't trying to call me a "bad" racist or even a bigot. To him I'm just a passive one, I guess. I still reject it because I don't think there is racism without bigotry. But sincerely, thank you for the nice post even after I took out some stuff on you that you didn't deserve. I think, now, you were genuine when you said you didn't think calling someone racist wasn't necessarily the worst thing ever to say about someone. I took it more as "it's no big deal to fling that accusation around", but you're right, I don't know that I've ever seen you do that here.
 
So why are you perplexed as to how some could subject themselves to a moral code that is potentially made in error?

what i guess i am perplexed about is how people throw words of criticism at other people, because they do not conform to there ideas.
 
Funny... I would agree. I think one of the first things a racist/prejudice person does and says when confronted is declare, "I am NOT a racist!" especially when it's a black person questioning, "what do you mean by...."

I compare it to a fish being unaware that he is wet.
 
Good advice and to be honest, the guy saying it isn't trying to call me a "bad" racist or even a bigot. To him I'm just a passive one, I guess. I still reject it because I don't think there is racism without bigotry. But sincerely, thank you for the nice post even after I took out some stuff on you that you didn't deserve. I think, now, you were genuine when you said you didn't think calling someone racist wasn't necessarily the worst thing ever to say about someone. I took it more as "it's no big deal to fling that accusation around", but you're right, I don't know that I've ever seen you do that here.

I don't think you are racist either (AFAIK). But consider this: If someone buys a product because it is cheaper and doesn't know that it is made by people enslaved due to their race, is that person unknowingly supporting racist practices? If they are aware that the product is made by those slaves, are they choosing to support racist slavery?
 
Last edited:
On the heels of reading how it's just totally ok and no big deal to accuse people of racism because, hey, it doesn't mean you're a bad person if you are, I'm wondering if most people agree. Are racists good people?

Racists can be good people in other aspects of their lives. No one is 100% good or bad.
 
Back
Top Bottom