auswegian

This question always bugs me in a weird way, because I seem to be slightly obsessive over race, and people's ethnic background. I hate overt racism more than anyone, but I sometimes wonder if in my own thoughts and actions I am not racist in myself.

Here's the thing. I am a white male, and a large percentage of my friends are non-white, and a an even larger percentage of my closer friends are non-white (mostly Asians, Indians and Pacific Islanders). However, I make and laugh at racist comments and jokes quite often, as my friends don't really care.

Example: One of my friends is Jewish, so I called him Jewboy. Other people started wondering if he was getting offended, but when I asked him he said "Nah man, I fucking hate Jews" and laughed, so it was all good. Later I heard that in high school he had been a member of the "Racist Nazi club" which was a drinking club, so he's obviously not going to be offended.

I could give other examples, which more sensitive people would consider terribly racist. Sure, my friends use words like nigger and coon and jap and all that, but no one actually means it, and no one is going to vote for a racist party like One Nation. Though I am positive that no one I know is actually racist, does that necessarily excuse racist comments?

My question is basically this: What makes racism? Is it possible to be a "racist" in that you discriminate in terms of race in certain ways, and yet still be a light-hearted person who respects all people on a deeper level, regardless of skin colour or ethnic origin? I certainly don't consider myself a racist, but I sometimes wonder if in my actions I could be percieved by some as such.

On the other hand, I do tend to bitch about white people just as much, if not more. Especially Americans

And I do seem to make my most racist jokes when surrounded by people who are the target of the joke...and I don't tend to get killed too often.

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"Look, I'm pretty relaxed for a guy who just lost money on a rave. And who's currently speeding down the highway drunk off my tits. And I'm being chased by someone in a blue Corolla. Woohoo! I just ran a red light!"

TIO

I feel the same way sometimes. But I know that even though I sometimes let people fall into unpleasant stereotypes, I refuse to let those thoughts translate to actions, and I refuse to let my stereotypes persist after I've had a chance to talk to someone.

The thing is, we're all prejudiced. If I say 'biker,' you probably think of fortified headquarters or Chopper Read. But I used to live next to a biker who loved playing fetch with my dog, collected pig stuff (clocks, figurines, linen, you name it, he had it with a pig on it), and dreamed of opening a restaurant.
Likewise, if someone says 'aboriginal,' you probably think either of someone from the Tent Embassy or of the type of guy who hangs around at the end of Forrest Chase and eyeballs you as you walk past. And a lot of aboriginals fit either of those stereotypes. But I also know of Ernie Dingo and my calculus lecturers, who are both great blokes.

What I'm saying, is that we always stereotype people. We just have to be careful not to let that obscure our view of who they really are.

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Strewth

Torinn

It doesn't sound like your a racist, but you should be careful what you say regardless. Mainly, I'd make sure not to say anything around people who aren't aware that its a joke. My best friend is half asian - half white, and I myself will joke about him as a halfbreed or so on. Still, with that said, I think it is also important to remember that there are certain terms (Chink, Nigger, Towelhead, etc) that are offensive terms that I NEVER say just because of the history of the words and related persecutions. If someone said that around me, joking or not, I would comment that it is inappropriate and then move on. Just be careful that you don't mean anything by how you joke, and make sure you don't start to form opinions based on these comments.

empu

Racism is giving (or the desire to give) one group of people an advantage (or disadvantage) compared to another on the basis of race. It's not automatically racism to put down an individual who happens to be of a different race than you.

That said, I'd describe your (not uncommon) behavior as offensive and inappropriate in that it reinforces racist stereotypes and sets a bad example for the people around you.

auswegian

Even though I worry about what I say at times, it always interests me how stereotypes change with time. There's the obviously incorrect stereotype that black people are stupid, which is a pretty lame prejudice when you think about it but the stereotype still exists. Now, recently my younger brother made an accidentally racist comment, which was something along the lines of "black people are smarter than normal people". Now, his black friends quickly raised their eyebrows and went "Er...normal people?" It was just a slip of the tongue, but I find it interesting that there is a new stereotype (at least at my brothers school anyway) that black people are smarter than whites, just what they were saying about asians not too long ago. Now, I know its probably due to the fact that the black and asian kids parents are more strict about studying and such (being mostly recent immigrants to Australia) while white Australian parents are not. Or something like that. Just thought it was interesting.

I never really got the whole thing with taboo words. I call my Chinese friends chinks and they don't bat an eyelid. I call my Iranian friend a towelhead and he just calls me some other insulting term back. I tend to think that its ideas that fuel racism, not words. In my mind, the tacit racist whom acts patronizing and condescending without ever openly saying anything, is a lot worse than the idiot who says "nigger" because its funny (and taboo, think about it, you say fuck to someone these days and they just blink at you, but if you say nigger or kike or something then they're going to react).

But anyway, I'll try to watch what I say, and all should be OK. I've never alienated anyone of any race with my comments, so I guess I'm in the clear. Although I do reserve the right to make comments about aborigines...one of my great grandparents was one, according to my uncle anyway :P

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"Look, I'm pretty relaxed for a guy who just lost money on a rave. And who's currently speeding down the highway drunk off my tits. And I'm being chased by someone in a blue Corolla. Woohoo! I just ran a red light!"

Mantus

Racism is when you make a judgment of an individual based on a stereotype of his race instetead of their individual value.

For example if you have a Chinese friend it’s all in good fun if you make some remark about him being a bad driver (within limits of course). But if you are getting into a car and insist that he should not drive because he is Chinese then that would be racist, because you would be acting on a stereotype.

Racism can also be used in reverse. Where the individual accuses his critique of racism to cover up his own flaws.

For example lets say that your Chinese friend really was a bad driver. Yet when you state this he dodges the accusation by insisting that you are being a racist. This happens all too often when people who critique the Israeli government end up being classified as anti-Semitic or worse, nazis…even though they criticize the actions of a government body and not the people and especially not the race.

Nazggul

You may not be a racist, but you are certainly perpetuating the problem. You are reinforcing that it is ok to think of people in those terms.

Now, I have just as much of an issue with the folks who are ultra PC. Our language is ever changing. One year people are disabled, the next they are xyz challenged.

Personally I try not to apply nicknames to people I meet period. I try very hard not to evaluate them before I know them. 9 out of 10 times the judgement is innacurate.

On the other hand there are times when you really need to make pre judgements. Style of dress, how you walk, stand, or generally present yourself has a more to do with it than race though.

Say I had to walk home from work through the city. My path leads me by a low income development. It's late at night. I see down the path two young men dressed in baggy jeans, the latest Jordan shoes, and big baggy sports jackets. One is white and one is black. I would judge them equally based on their appearance and location. I see 2 men walking toward me dressed in suits one white and one black and I wouldn't think much of it.

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"If something has to give then it always will."

-- Editors

John Henry

I would say that your Jewish friend may have adopted his blazé attitude to anti-semitism as a reaction to discrimination against him, as this is a common reaction to bullying, so be careful with those sort of instances. Otherwise, no, you are not a racist in any sense that you or anyone else needs to worry about... Especially not by Australian standards

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"No one was behaving from very Buddhist motives. Then, thought Pigsy, he was hardly a Buddha, nor was he a monkey. Presently, he was a pig spirit changed into a little girl pretending to be a little boy to be offered to a water monster. It was all very simple to a pig spirit."

Conclamo Ludus

I don't think you are racist. Racism is hatred fueled by fear and ignorance. I think stereotypes should be laughed at. They are a natural way that human beings deal with classifying things that they don't understand. The more they understand a certain group, the more they see how unfounded their stereotypes were. Why be offended at stereotypes that aren't true? When encountered with stereotypes, I like to just prove them wrong with my actions. This is usually much more effective than arguing about the stereotypes, or telling somebody they are ignorant and racist. Then we can both laugh at the stereotype that they once thought was the truth.

The best way to take power out of a stereotype is to laugh at it, then prove it wrong.

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Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul
I wouldn't mistreat you baby, for my weight in gold.
-Son House, Death Letter Blues

MSD

I would say you seem to be more cautiously insensetive. you say things that you don't mean, and you're worried that you'll offend someone. Just because you don't mean it doesn't mean you can say it.

RemyLebeau97

I think it's ok to joke around with your friends as long as they know and you know that it's just a joke and no harm is meant by it. I had a weird situation happen to me once. My friend Alex (who is white) invited me and our friend Ty (who is black) to one of hiz fraturnity partys. There was atleast 30 people there just chillin and drinking. We walked into the party and everyone was just chillin out sitting around. Everyone pretty much stopped and looked at us cause noone really knew who we were. Most of the kids there were white and there was like 2 or 3 asians. My friend Alex came out of no where and gets everyones attention. He was clearly drunk. He introduces me and then he introduces Ty by saying " This is my Nigga Ty" Well, Ty turns to him and punches him right in the face and then walks out. I stood there shocked and then a few minutes later left myself. Til this day I didn't really know how to feel about what happened. Alex would always joke wit Ty when it was just us but I guess theres a right time and a wrong time to joke around racially.

tecoyah

from reading your starting post, one cannot make a true judgement with any accuracy. However if that was all I had to go by and was asked to make a comment(as indeed I have) my reply would be......Yes, you are racist.

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Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha

macro

I don't think you are racist by the fact that you call someone a name that has some kind of ethnic origin behind it. However,
it's something I'd not do unless the person themselves took the name themselves and found it endearing.

The danger isn't in getting your friend upset, but someone who might witness your friendly banter may take offence to it as it is a name that they would not want to be called and a name that their culture may have been trying to shrug off for years.

If you are using the name in a way that is meant to be demeaning or take something away from the person or their origins, then yes, it is racist. If it is meant to get some kind of rise out of the person, even a slight annoyance then it is racist. I think Mantus has it right about "Acting on stereotypes".

I think the 'cautiously insensitive' label given above is accurate. You have to remember context is everything, but not everyone will have the same context as yourself. People have different values and understandigs of this, and what may be a completely innocent statement may be read incorrectly by others.