Is Everyone A Little Bit Racist?
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
United States
March 4, 2008 10:41am CST
Thanks to my friend for giving me the idea for this discussion. You rock! And anyone familiar with the musical Avenue Q knows EXACTLY where this discussion is going.
Is it true that every single one of us is just a little bit racist?
Now I know there are a lot of you reading this discussion already saying NO! NOT ME! I'm not racist AT ALL.
Really, not at all? You've never told or laughed at an ethic joke?
You never looked at Hilary and Obama fighting over the seat for the democratic nomination and thought to yourself that neither one of them is going to get elected because of their race or gender?
I used to say I'm not racist, I hate everyone equally" and that is pretty much true. There are women I don't like. There are a LOT of men I don't like. There are black people, white people, Mexicans, Italians, Pollocks, Jews, Christians, gay people, straight people, and even some children and sweet little old grannies at the bingo parlor that I DON'T LIKE.
I tell off colored jokes, and I laugh when one is told to me. The funniest ones are when the person of origin is telling the joke.
Maybe this isn't your definition or racist. So that is why you can wrap yourself in your warm fuzzy blanket of morality.
By definition racist means :
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
So as long as I am not bombing a school building full of grade school students or dropping an A bomb on a 3rd world country, then I'm not racist, right?
Here is a test for all of you. Listen to the song, Everyone's A Little Bit racist by Avenue Q (you can find it at www.projectplaylist.com) and if you laugh at it even once...then you are racist. If you don't even snicker, then I guess just me and everyone else who did will be finding ourselves roasting marshmallows for an eternity over a roasting fire.
What do you guys thinks, is everyone just a little bit racist, if even just a tiny little bit?
6 people like this
9 responses
@fritz27 (1136)
• United States
5 Mar 08
What a great question.
Like everyone, I'd like to think I'm not a racist. I always say " I don't care what color a person is, I don't even care if they are purple ". But, like you said there are so many different types of racism. Mine ( don't tell anyone I said this! ), well, mine is SOMETIMES against the handicap. OK....I said it....But, let me explain......I work with Special needs students in a public high school and see all the extras they get. Where the regular ed students have to abide by all the rules an regulations....After 10 years, I'm tired of it..if I've offended anyone, I am sorry...
2 people like this
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
• United States
5 Mar 08
No one should take offense to your comment. Especially since you live with it day in and day out. I am the same way about people on welfare. I bust my butt for every dime I bring into this house for my family and I see people on welfare driving around in Cadillacs.
1 person likes this
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
4 Mar 08
I think everyone is a bit "racist". It is impossible to be free of judgement, that is human nature. Stereotypes exist because there is an element, sometimes a very large element, of truth in them. They are simply generalizations to simplify things or make a funny joke. The border where it gets dangerous or hateful is when hate is introduced, otherwise I don't see anything really wrong with it in tactful moderation.
2 people like this
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
• United States
4 Mar 08
Exactly. It is all in good fun until there is hatred or malicious intent involved. Then it becomes no laughing matter. I'm glad you can admit it :) I'm going to be happy to have such good company where I'm going!
1 person likes this
@CanadaGal (4304)
• Canada
5 Mar 08
I finally listened to that song today, and laughed a LOT! I really really REALLY want to see "Avenue Q" on stage. I hope it comes to London sometime. I'm sure it will make it to Toronto at some point, but I'm not sure how easy it would be for me to get there to see it.
I agree that yes, everyone is a little bit racist, even if just a tiny smidgeon. You can't listen to that song and not snicker... I think that would be impossible! Well, maybe some righteous pompous s.o.b.'s might be offended, and stifle back any giggles in the look of shock and awe, but even then, that would make THEM a little bit racist of the little bit racists! :D
@CanadaGal (4304)
• Canada
5 Mar 08
I come up with a really good line about once a day. Today, you got it in your discussion. ;)
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
• United States
5 Mar 08
LOL I love your response and I am so glad you enjoyed the music. racists of the racists. Excellent!
1 person likes this
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
4 Mar 08
I think people spend too much time and energy on NOT being racist when all they are doing is actually hiding the fact that they are a bit racist and/or guilty of stereotyping. There are people of every race, religion, and culture that are made fun of, though there is a total double standard. It's ok for a minority race to make fun of who they want but if you are white- you had better watch it. While I'm not a racist or a hater of anything or anyone if it is good, I have been known to tell an "off colored" joke or two. I don't discriminate either, I believe in equality and I have a joke for everyone. I don't watch who I say them too either. Most of friends will come back at me with one and most of the time they are making fun of their own race. But god knows, in this politically correct, overly sensitive society- it may soon be a hate crime to tell a joke about anyone or anything. In fact, joking may be banned all together the way the USA is going nowadays.
1 person likes this
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
4 Mar 08
You totally got me! LMAO!!!! I needed that too!
1 person likes this
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
• United States
4 Mar 08
Preach on Sista! Oh wait, I'm white I can't say that can I? No wait, I'm not white, I'm Native American. Probably still can't say it. How about. HOW Kemosabe! There that is better.
Yep. You are soooo right. The next thing we all know we will be getting sued for telling blonde jokes and causing unnecessary emotional distress to those not intelligent enough to dye their hair a darker color and the only things left to make jokes about will be anal leakage and kumquats.
1 person likes this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
17 Mar 08
No, I'm not a racist. I hate everyone equally unless they are free, white and over 21.
Seriously though, I don't care what color you are, what your background is, what your orientation is, or anything else about you that has made you the person you are. If you're an as*, you're an as* and I'll tell you so. Unless you're really funny. Then I might tolerate you just to for the laughs.
1 person likes this
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
• United States
17 Mar 08
Gee Insanity, I like you too 
But yep, that is pretty much what I said. Glad you agree. An I never heard that free white and over 21 added to the hate everyone equally line I so often use. lol
I'm going to be borrowing that from now on.
But yep, that is pretty much what I said. Glad you agree. An I never heard that free white and over 21 added to the hate everyone equally line I so often use. lol
I'm going to be borrowing that from now on.1 person likes this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
17 Mar 08
You need a spanking. YOu keep threatening to use all my best stuff. *sigh*.
Now, I'm not talking to you anymore until you answer all the other posts I've left on your discussions. I've worked very hard over the last two days to earn my star and dam* it, you're going to acknowledge my hard work. Please? lol
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
4 Mar 08
Now I am very fond of marshmallows. My black friend (that's a description of his colour not his mood) Lloyd and I would often eat them untoasted on our way to interminable meetings where boring people in suits would come up to me afterwards and say, soto voce "He's just like us. So bright and forward thinking" You could tell that they really thought , " amazing for a black man". He never did indulge me and dress up in a grass skirt with a bone through his nose. Said that what he did in his own time was his business just like my mini skirts and fishnet stockings. God I miss him sometimes. He knew some of the filthiest racist jokes of anyone that I have ever known too. So see you in marshmallow Hell.
1 person likes this
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
• United States
4 Mar 08
My black friend, also a description of his color not his mood, told one of the best jokes about Obama that I have ever heard. I retold it in a discussion here about Obama and am still getting comments on it telling me I'm a racist.
So since this discussion is fitting here is the joke....
A reporter was interviewing people who were lined up to greet the presidential candidates as they came through a very small town in back woods Kentucky.
The reporter stopped at this very frail elderly black woman and asked her to name her 3 biggest fears about the world we live in today.
The little old lady looked at her for a moment then said "well that's easy honey child Osama....Obama, and Yo Mama" :)
1 person likes this
@cblackink (969)
• United States
17 Mar 08
Yeah, I think almost all of us are to at least a small degree because we have preconcieved notions about people based on their ethnicity. Some of what we believe isn't necessarily negative, but it just isn't true for every individual person of that race or ethnicity. It's like saying all black people can sing well or play basketball well or all Mexicans are very hard-working or all Hindus are real penny pinchers. You know that it just isn't true, because people are individuals. But sometimes it's funny to laugh at the stereotypes, just because you know they're ridiculous.
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
14 Mar 08
I'll be the first to say I'm guilty of telling some off color jokes, laughing at them, even passing judgement on certain ppl. I try to be tolerate and not jump to conclusions but in a world where alot of things are blamed on race or religion it's hard not to be even a little racist.
!!HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
@jimbomuso (950)
•
17 Mar 08
i dont think everyone's a little racist..just predjudiced.I think if the world gets to hung up on its own morallity then whats the point? I'm not condoning aggressive racism let me get that clear! you make an excellent point about humour, a lot of incredibly good jokes rely on stereotyping to work ie black men being exceptionally well endowed, Italian people being really bad drivers etc. I think that rascism should be defined as an aggresive irrational hatred of a another race. I've not had a chance to listen to the song but I'll probably be joining you by the campfire:)
