Byakuya769
Member
What the girl said wasn't racist, though.
Black people can't be racist?
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Stop talking to this person if possible. You may find her an entertaining trainwreck at times, but unless you're intending to educate her on why she's wrong, walk away.
It's also racism and all the same nonsense. There's not really a clear definition of race.
Mmk?
Muppet of a Man
Member
I've heard the most racist shit coming from the mouths of people of many different ethnic backgrounds, including those of european, african, asian, and hispanic descent--i.e., all people have the capacity to be racist.
eso76
Member
If the person the OP spoke with has a habit of calling white people nerdy, or thinks most white guys are nerds, then it becomes a racist comment I think.
I have some sympathy for the notion that a member of a non privileged racial class can't be racist if you only use a narrow structural definition of racism. But that still doesn't mean a black person can't be racist. Power structures are variable at all levels of society, and not all countries are so white as America or Australia or have a powerful minority like South Africa.
Amibguous Cad
Member
In an academic context, I've heard it said that racism is prejudice + power. Black people therefore can't be racist because, while they might be prejudiced, their prejudice doesn't have the backing of a whole host of social systems designed to promote one race at the expense of another.
Mostly seems like a semantic thing to me, but I kinda like having a word to indicate prejudice + power, because it really is qualitatively a different thing from prejudice on its own.
Mostly seems like a semantic thing to me, but I kinda like having a word to indicate prejudice + power, because it really is qualitatively a different thing from prejudice on its own.
Hypemaster
Member
No, in reference to him quoting me and several others when we said anyone can be a racist.
n00bsauce87
Member
This is assuming that black people (or any other minority) believe they they ARE better than the other. A declaration of "nerdy white guy" doesn't say they are better than the person because of race. In fact, acknowledging that white privilege exists means any minority already knows they can't be better because solely of their race. Then what's the argument for a black person or any other minority (at least in America) can be racist?
I like that the idea is expressed, but they should not have co opted a word with a wider understood meaning and then deny those other meanings.
Most whites do not differentiate between what they call "racism" against other whites and racism against minorities.
After the Civil Rights Movement, racism no longer had the sort of legal backing that allowed it to openly thrive for generations. So, it went underground, and in doing so, became invisible to the vast majority of white people. Where racism was once highly visible, it is now well-hidden.
What we're left with is an America in which reasonable people of all colors recognize increasingly rare on-the-nose racism (Donald Sterling, Trayvon Martin, etc), but only minorities (mostly black people, to be honest) recognize and experience racism in its all-too-common hidden, institutionalized forms.
So, when a white person is the victim of prejudice or discrimination, their first inclination is to call it racist. But to minorities, that kind of discrimination pales in comparison to the sort of racism they deal with on a daily basis. A random pedestrian called you a white boy? That's definitely NOT okay, but it's also definitely NOT the same or as harmful as the sort of racism non-whites experience. When non-whites talk about racism, they're generally talking about the kind of stuff that keeps them from getting jobs, causes them to feel threatened by law enforcement, and prevents them from being able to accrue wealth and power in the ways equally capable whites can.
Whites set the tone of every cultural discourse in this nation because they are the majority. But if whites use "racism" to describe relatively minor occurrences like being called a "white boy," how will blacks and others be able to explain the already difficult to pin down and oft-denied varieties of institutionalized, hidden discrimination they've experienced for centuries?
After the Civil Rights Movement, racism no longer had the sort of legal backing that allowed it to openly thrive for generations. So, it went underground, and in doing so, became invisible to the vast majority of white people. Where racism was once highly visible, it is now well-hidden.
What we're left with is an America in which reasonable people of all colors recognize increasingly rare on-the-nose racism (Donald Sterling, Trayvon Martin, etc), but only minorities (mostly black people, to be honest) recognize and experience racism in its all-too-common hidden, institutionalized forms.
So, when a white person is the victim of prejudice or discrimination, their first inclination is to call it racist. But to minorities, that kind of discrimination pales in comparison to the sort of racism they deal with on a daily basis. A random pedestrian called you a white boy? That's definitely NOT okay, but it's also definitely NOT the same or as harmful as the sort of racism non-whites experience. When non-whites talk about racism, they're generally talking about the kind of stuff that keeps them from getting jobs, causes them to feel threatened by law enforcement, and prevents them from being able to accrue wealth and power in the ways equally capable whites can.
Whites set the tone of every cultural discourse in this nation because they are the majority. But if whites use "racism" to describe relatively minor occurrences like being called a "white boy," how will blacks and others be able to explain the already difficult to pin down and oft-denied varieties of institutionalized, hidden discrimination they've experienced for centuries?
Chie Satonaka
Member
UncleSporky
Member
Hmm. I can see how "nerdy white boy" could be racially charged. Not necessarily racist in the sense that it should be rage-inducing, but I see it as a statement that "this person is nerdy, but not just regular nerdy, nerdy in the way that only white people seem to embody."
And yeah, that could be reading into it way too much. It all depends on context.
It seems similar to the gifs of white people dancing with #WHITE PEOPLE plastered on it. "These people are dancing in an uncool way that only white people can truly accomplish."
And yeah, that could be reading into it way too much. It all depends on context.
It seems similar to the gifs of white people dancing with #WHITE PEOPLE plastered on it. "These people are dancing in an uncool way that only white people can truly accomplish."
n00bsauce87
Member
Made a well thought argument in a dicy thread.
Nominate to expedite his membership status.
I blame Weird Al. First the Amish, then his own subset. Bonafide race traitor.
Other minorities can be racist towards white people. But it's never held the same power nor will it ever. That doesn't mean it's not serious and should be ignored. Let's just stop pretending we're victims of something we're not.
On the topic of what she said, that's not racist at all. Trying to even play that as racist is weird.
On the topic of what she said, that's not racist at all. Trying to even play that as racist is weird.
Winterfang
Banned
Black People can be extremely racist.
Ha, I've been lurking for years, so I kind of know how things roll around these parts.
Being prejudice is not the same as racism.
Nerdy white is racist.
Have all of you, saying otherwise, forgot the phrase "stop acting white" ? That phrase is also used against people trying to make themselves more educated.
It's a very stupid viewpoint but it is still a negative derogatory view and the nerdy white boy joke is rooted in that same view.
Have all of you, saying otherwise, forgot the phrase "stop acting white" ? That phrase is also used against people trying to make themselves more educated.
It's a very stupid viewpoint but it is still a negative derogatory view and the nerdy white boy joke is rooted in that same view.
You need to grab a dictionary.
Black-Wind
Member
Well I apologize if I came across as insulting your intelligence, in hindsight I shoulda used different wording seeing as I was wrongfully going along the general line of thought on the first page and first few post stating that your friend's "an idiot".
But yes, I think you're seeing racism where "prejudiced" is.
IDK you're friend, but unless she thinks being wut people call "black" makes her better than other races then it's not racist. It's prejudiced to believe or assume that all or most of any group acts w/e way. But of course there's overlap and what not but people like to be lazy and muddy the difference up.
This post is a great look at how I see it..
It becomes a prejudiced comment.
It's a ridiculous point of view. The whole "power structure" or whatever argument also ignores the fact that minorities in America and the West aren't necessarily minorities elsewhere. By her logic, Asians in Asia can't be racist... and we all know that couldn't be further from the truth.
gutter_trash
Banned
isn't this even worse? the level hate towards people with different facial features to result in genocide?
No it isn't racist.
Even trying to associate the "nerdy white" stereotype coming from minorities is stupid. It's such an obvious joke white people have made about themsevles and everyones run with it for years.
In fact a stereotype just as common is "nerdy asians" so it's not exclusive to white people.
Racialism was coined as specifically meaning the belief in the superiority of a specific race around 1908
In the 1930s racism was coined as a synonym
Following WWII racism replaced racialism as the common word for the belief in racial superiority
The term came inti common use during the civil rights movement
The sociological definition has been the accepted one in academia (fun fact: the majority of which is, in fact, not anti-white black folk) for over two decades now. More than a quarter of the term's existence.
The most recent version of the three most cited English dictionaries definitions require a belief in superiority.
At no point, ever, has the colloquial definition as a synonym for prejudice ever been an official definition.
But this is all easily looked up. You don't want anything disproved, you just want to shove your fingers in your ears and play victim.
Thank you for this.
TatteredHat
Member
Sadly, I have seen people claiming that only white people can be racist because "racism = intitutional power + prejudice" or something stupid like that.
Luckily it's mostly been by crazy people on tumblr, but it makes it difficult to have a proper discussion on the subject without it devolving into "only white people can be racist"
No harm done. After reading that post thread I can see that prejudiced would have been a much beter choice of words.
You are aware that NO word has an official definition right? A colloquial definition is a definition.
Does this mean Sammy Sosa can be racist? The man has been bleached to high heaven for his pale complexion.
TatteredHat
Member
I'm sure they'd call him white passing and claim that he therefor can be racist. Sadly, the "only white people can be racist" is often used to spout the most racist and hateful shit imaginable under the guise of "I'm not white so it's harmless, I'm just venting".
You should make it a habit to actually read the conversations you interject yourself into for context
http://m.neogaf.com/showpost.php?p=123212822
http://m.neogaf.com/showpost.php?p=123207107
I can't recall the last time I saw a minority discriminate against a white person. I can recall the last time I saw a white person discriminate against a minority. The former happens far, far less often than he latter and has very different repercussions, so a different word (prejudice/discrimination) should be used for the former.
Angry Puppy
Member
People need to understand that racism is not just institutionalized racism and that anyone can be racist.
This seems very America/Western-centric. What happens if your frame of reference is a place where white people aren't the majority?
This whole argument seems nothing short of ridiculous where I live, for instance.
I get what you're saying, but you're de-railing. We're clearly talking about racism in the context of western, white dominant countries.
Yeah this is kind of how I feel. Does institutionalized racism exist in the U.S., and does it largely target black people? Yeah, definitely.
However, I think that the term "racism," in its simplest form, means the simple hatred of a person, or group of people of another race, just because of their race. So, anyone who says that this can't exist in ANY race, is just plain nuts, or dumb, or just likes to argue for the sake of arguing.
This.
Wait, so a black person who hates white people is only prejudiced? Is a white person who hates black people also only prejudiced? Or are they racist, because they're white?
Sounds a little racist.
No, we just think you're wrong, speaking from a position of privilege and ignorance, and likely don't understand what it's like to experience racism every day of your life. When whites talk about racism, they're almost always talking about hypothetical situations. They don't have the authority to argue their views on racial issues are right because race isn't something they live, it's something they talk about.
Zeus Molecules
illegal immigrants are stealing our air
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TUROK
Member
I saw white kids getting picked on by blacks and Hispanics a lot at my middle and high schools simply for being "white boys" or "gueros."
You may not see it, but it exists.
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