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CNN: Go ahead, admit you're a racist


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http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/02/us/admitting-racism/index.html

 

 

 

(CNN)A group of women were chatting and laughing together like old friends when the subject turned to race.

One of them said she was amazed that Donald Trump, while running for president, could get away with describing Mexican immigrants as "rapists" and "killers."

"If you kick every Latino out of this country," another chimed in, "then who is going to be cleaning your toilet, Donald Trump?"

Someone gasped and there was an awkward pause. One of the group was of Puerto Rican descent and two others were African-American. They were all panelists on the ABC show, "The View," and their conversation before a studio audience was being broadcast live.

The woman whose comment derailed the perky talk-show banter was reality TV star Kelly Osbourne, who is white. She later took to Twitter to "take responsibility for my poor choice of words," but added, "I will not apologize for being a racist as I am NOT."

No one is ever a racist, judging by the parade of apologies from celebrities, politicians and even police officers caught acting in apparently racially offensive ways. But here's a thought: What if a white person called out for such behavior instead said, "What I did was racist, and there's no other excuse. I was wrong."

Is the American public ready for that? Has any public figure ever successfully made such an admission?

 

*Click Link For More* 

 

 

 

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My immediate reaction is this: The first example given is a racist remark about Hispanics made by Kelly Osbourne.  The rest of the article seems to forget Hispanics entirely.  Maybe I missed it but everyone quoted in the article is black or white.  They couldn't find a Hispanic leader or academic with something to say?  I feel like this is a good representation of the inclusion of Hispanics in the race discussion in America.  We're trotted out to wave at the crowds and then pushed off the stage before the show starts.  

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I've been known to admit, here on ES, that I know that I'm racist.

I react differently, when black people are near me. If they're standing next to me in the checkout line, or some such.

I'm ashamed of the fact that I feel that way. I wish I didn't. I try not to let it affect my decisions. I try to fight it. But it's absolutely there.

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The dictionary definition of "racism" involves the belief that one race is superior to another, so entering a conversation with someone of a different race with the assumption of cultural differences isn't racism. "Not seeing color" is one path to avoiding racism, but acknowledging differences between races and cultures isn't racist at all. Thinking that someone is inherently inferior to another person because of the amount of melanin in their skin is where problems start.

 

That being said, if I thought I was racist, I would be the first to admit it. Instead, what I absolutely am is classist. Not until I moved to a city did I realize how poorly I think of homeless people. That's pretty awful of me and I want to feel more sympathy towards them. 

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The article itself is racist...

I didn't click it, but just from the quote it specifically mentions white people tweeting apologies and saying that their action was racist...

Kind of insinuates that only whites are racist...when we all know that every race has racist members...

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I've been known to admit, here on ES, that I know that I'm racist.

I react differently, when black people are near me. If they're standing next to me in the checkout line, or some such.

I'm ashamed of the fact that I feel that way. I wish I didn't. I try not to let it affect my decisions. I try to fight it. But it's absolutely there.

Are you sure about that?

I mean, if Ben Carson was behind you in the checkout line, you'd feel the same way as if it were a gang member?

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Are you sure about that?

I mean, if Ben Carson was behind you in the checkout line, you'd feel the same way as if it were a gang member?

Well, number one, I wouldn't have a clue who Ben Carson is.

But racist doesn't mean "reacts the same way to every member of Race X". It means "reacts differently towards the average member of Race X and Race Y".

Just because I would react differently towards, say, Samual Jackson than I would towards a gang member doesn't make me not racist. That's the classic "some of my best friends are black" dodge.

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Well, number one, I wouldn't have a clue who Ben Carson is.

But racist doesn't mean "reacts the same way to every member of Race X". It means "reacts differently towards the average member of Race X and Race Y".

Just because I would react differently towards, say, Samual Jackson than I would towards a gang member doesn't make me not racist. That's the classic "some of my best friends are black" dodge.

So if a hells angel was behind you, you'd act like any other white person was behind you?

I kinda doubt it, so I guess that makes you racist against whites too...

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Yeah, I don't think you are necessarily racist. You are prejudice just like everyone else in the world.

This.

 

Color may play a part in those who feel like Larry (my wife is the same way), but it isn't "I'm better" prejudice, but more of a "I'm scared they may harm me" prejudice. And it's coupled with how a person is dressed and acting. Like someone said, its more of a class/culture thing than race. Race just happens to often be associated.

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Was Kelly Osbourne's statement racist?  Or would it be a fair statement to say that most menial jobs in this country are performed by immigrants?

 

I think it would have been racist to say that they are incapable of doing anything else.  But that doesn't make for a good headline.

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My immediate reaction is this: The first example given is a racist remark about Hispanics made by Kelly Osbourne.  The rest of the article seems to forget Hispanics entirely.  Maybe I missed it but everyone quoted in the article is black or white.  They couldn't find a Hispanic leader or academic with something to say?  I feel like this is a good representation of the inclusion of Hispanics in the race discussion in America.  We're trotted out to wave at the crowds and then pushed off the stage before the show starts.  

It's probably for the best. You want no dog in this fight where everyone is a loser.

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I strongly agree with Destino. As a hispanic, especially a white hispanic, I often get told I don't have a "real" place at the race table, like I ought to be relegated to some kiddie table of less tragic racism. 

 

I'm not going to pretend I've ever been on the receiving end of a fire hose. But not all racism is that subtle and aggressive.  I've definitely had people who were nothing but friendly and kind until they learned my name.

 

But I also think that the above conversation highlights an important difference that the media doesn't want to get at. People who are NOT racist can say racist things, and that is okay. They will feel bad, they will apologize, and the offended should forgive them. Few of us think we are better than others based on our race, but many of us have said something offensive. That doesn't make us racist, it just means we made a racist comment.

 

Years ago, I outfitted men into tuxedos for weddings. An elder man came out of the dressing room, read my name tag, and asked if I was Peruvian. I said no, I was Mexican American, and he got saddened. He proceeded to tell me that "I was in Peru in the service ab out 25 years ago and I ****** a lot of spics; I just thought you might be my son".

 

I don't think the man was racist; I don't think he thought he was better than me. But in that moment, that comment was hella racist, and had to be restrained from whooping him.

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Was Kelly Osbourne's statement racist?  Or would it be a fair statement to say that most menial jobs in this country are performed by immigrants?

 

I think it would have been racist to say that they are incapable of doing anything else.  But that doesn't make for a good headline.

 

It definitely was not in good taste, but maybe not racist.  It's easier for outraged people to think in simple concepts.

 

I feel like the ladies on the View get told to say dumb ****.  They can't possibly be this stupid.  Remember, this is the venue where Rosie ODonnell said that fire can't melt steel, and Whoopi defended both Bill Cosby regarding his rape allegations and Roman Polanski's having sex with a 13 year old ("it wasn't rape-rape"), and Mike Vick for dogfighting.

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Yeah, I don't think you are necessarily racist. You are prejudice just like everyone else in the world.

Agree. And stereotypes exist for a reason. Truth hurts I guess. but if I see a young black dude with baggy pants and a hoody walking behind me at 6 AM when I walk to work when it's still dark, you better believe I'm paying close attention to make sure he doesn't **** with me.

If I see a Shady McCreepington walking towards me, black, white, purple...I'm gonna keep an eye out

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OP,

 

I do not believe in former education (having an MA),

 

but Kelly Osbourne speaks like a 10th grader and has a very shallow and limited though process.

 

She made a few mistake on that crass show "the view."

 

1. Latinos - many are US citizens. The issue is ILLegals. They put them all into one singe group - incorrect.

 

2. Deport them? That's not the way it works. Acts of Congress, laws, etc.

 

3. Do "Latinos" clean toilets? I've never met any that did, but perhaps some do.

 

4. Latinos are NOT race - the term is a geographical classification - period. 

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every single person on the planet is prejudiced.  Every one.  (we all are more comfortable with people "like us", however that is defined-- and race is one of the easiest ways to identify "like me".)

 

 I was raised in McLean, VA, with its legendary racial diversity---- moved to Southwest VA for College with its far more racially diverse population, and its greatly diminished tolerance for that diversity --- and then moved to Davis, CA --- which prided itself on its feelings of inclusion of diverse populations, but the reality from observing the ACTUAL population was that diversity only REALLY extended in the direction of Asia.  

 

At the end of the day, I'm most comfortable with people like me--- like the nerdy Ghanaian economist/statistician that has the office next to me.  But if i saw him on the Metro, chances are he wouldn't be wearing his economist nametag--- but it would be immediately apparent that he was a different race than i am.    

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I married a woman (white, like me) with Appalachian roots.  I gotta tell ya--- at first i was FAR more apprehensive and nervous meeting family members from deep in the hills than i would've been meeting a black family or Argentinian family from Arlington --- but they ended up being wonderful and welcoming people.   

 

I came face to face with gun-rack in the pickup truck prejudices, confronted them, and came out a stronger man :)

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Nice to know that if ever met any of you at a tailgate, some of you would be scared/nervous/whatever the **** passive aggressive word you wanna use when you saw me. Damn, I hope you never run into 80% of our players at any point

Holy ****.

I mean, ****, I'm sitting at work right now in a light blue checkered shirt, gray slacks, and sperrys. Does my skin really make that outfit scary???

My goodness...

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I mean, ****, I'm sitting at work right now in a light blue checkered shirt, gray slacks, and sperrys. Does my skin really make that outfit scary???

My goodness...

No... the light blue checkered shirt does! lol

 

I know people fear me. Big black dude that usually has a smirk on his face... I know people of all races are a little fearful of me at first.

 

Then they talk to me and find out I'm real chill... Then, it's all good. 

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