How to deal with racists?

mystiedragonfly

Being a white, Christian conservative, I hate racists.

Jesus was a Jewish guy from the backwoods part of Israel who hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors & sinners and was more concerned about their soul than the color of their skin.

I am Pagan, White, and Democrat.... guess what? I am against racism too!!

Gandhi and Buddha did the exact same thing as Jesus.

All three didn't do what they did because of their religious or political affiliation... they did it because it was the right thing to do.

Being against racism is not a religious virtue..... it is a human virtue.

alyson820

I've had to deal with it too, and I always say 'this hospital treats everyone equally, and I would really appreciate it if you kept those views to yourself.'

TDGee

I live in a redneck town where if you are brown you are automatically mexican, and if you are "yellow" you are autimatically chinese. It's full of extreme conservatives who feel like since they are white and christian, they can say anything about anyone they feel is beneath them,

so i told him since hes white he must play his banjo in his trailor white the cousin he married is in the kitchen making possum suprise..so yeah, i need a WAY more tactful way of handeling the situation.

IRONY! Get yours while it's hot and fresh! That is not how to do it.

^ +1 :]

She was trying to show him how silly he sounded saying racial slurs about someone...anyone!. DUH!


Some people...thick as s***!

I guess the point that I was trying to make about complaining about racism while making stereotypical comments being ironic was lost on you then? And do we really need to "prove" how enlightened we are by putting in disclaimers about how racist we AREN'T?

People are people.

clydethecat

i dont know many racists, but i did run into one at a friends wedding. i was standing in a group of guys i had met once before when an indian couple walked by us. this genius says to the group "hey watch out, there goes some sandn******..."

well i was shocked, no one in the group said anything... i am confrontational when i am confronted with stupidity..
so i said, "are you serious?"

he said yeah, why those a-rabs dont belong here!"..

to which i said "wow, can i shake your hand? i mean really, i have never met someone so ignorant, and you sir, have brought ignorant to a whole new low."

he said,"well i guess you're one of them liberals."

i said no, just a human being who thinks ignorance and racism are terrible traits. both of which you have. so thank you for your honesty.. i'm off to talk to a better class of people. oh and all you how stood here and did nothing, you are just as bad as him." and i walked off before they could say anything...

probably not the best venue to confront someone. but he said it so they couple could hear him, and that got my ire up... that and the fact that none of the "men" i was standing with said a thing about it... pu**ies...

calgarychick2012

Lol I like your blunt approach:laugh:

cekeys

Being a white, Christian conservative, I hate racists.

Jesus was a Jewish guy from the backwoods part of Israel who hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors & sinners and was more concerned about their soul than the color of their skin.

I am Pagan, White, and Democrat.... guess what? I am against racism too!!

Gandhi and Buddha did the exact same thing as Jesus.

All three didn't do what they did because of their religious or political affiliation... they did it because it was the right thing to do.

Being against racism is not a religious virtue..... it is a human virtue.

My statement was to explain to the OP that not all white, conservative Christians are racist, nor is the one we follow. That was the problem with the people she was dealing with.

Zee48

I live in a redneck town where if you are brown you are automatically mexican, and if you are "yellow" you are autimatically chinese. It's full of extreme conservatives who feel like since they are white and christian, they can say anything about anyone they feel is beneath them, because you know, jesus hated jews and blacks too....or whatever reasoning they fabricate in their minds. I heard from someone that if you don't speak up, it's basically like you being on their side, and that silence can be just as dangerous as the saying themselves, so how would you approach a situation like that.

Mind you, I date black guys, and almost half my family is mexican or puerto rican, and I have a gay brother and uncle...it really does hurt me to my core when i hear people say derrogatory things about someones race or sexual preference, and sometimes it even happens from my co-workers. Both my jobs are in customer service, so that being said i NEVER say ANYTHING because i don't want the person to freak out and get me in trouble at work. So how could someone tactfully say something to get them to stop speaking such negative things around me. I have tried in the past, gotten my point across, but left it with a lot of negativity. Example: Some guy told me in a few choice words about stereotypes of a race, so i told him since hes white he must play his banjo in his trailor white the cousin he married is in the kitchen making possum suprise..so yeah, i need a WAY more tactful way of handeling the situation.

I detest racists and negativity but I almost feel off my chair laughing at your reply to that jerk! But I can see where it could get really ugly.

I'm American - caucasian or white or whatever you choose to call me because I am Cherokee Indian/Engish/Irish/Dutch/German, age 63 blahblahblah, my daughter (who also has Russian blood somewhere in her lineage) married an American who just happens to be of Hispanic heritage which (OH GASP) makes my two beautiful grandchildren Mexicans. SO WHAT! God created us all, created us all the same except some are boys & some girls and He loves us all the same no matter what nationality we are or any of the other stuff the world tries to lay on us. God cares what is in your heart between Him & each of us individually not what color your skin is. Did those idiots who say Jesus doesn't like Jews forget that He himself was a Jew? Why would He hate His own creation?

Best of everything to you as you strive to distance yourself from ignorance and I hope you figure out a more diplomatic way to deal with the idiots. I've jumped in the middle of more that one idiot for saying ugly things about the Hispanic/Latin/Mexican residents by lumping them all into one pot just like they do the other ethnic groups. Whew this is American folks. Wonder what their true heritage is?

MaryB2

I come from a background of banjo playing cousin marrying...my family is full of uneducated people and musically talented people....and i'm white..most my family have southern accents, and for peepsake, my grandmas name is FREDLEE...doesn't get much more hillbilly that that lol

If you're so against racism, I don't get why you'd poke fun at your own "cultural" background.
Smells a little hypocritical to me.

'Cuz it works. It's hers and she owns it, and no one can use it to hurt her once she accepts it.

This is actually my favorite counter-racist tactic. Yeah, I'm part Jewish. My people have beaky noses and tiny glasses and go bald early and hoard money like crazy. There's a lot of us controlling businesses 'cuz we're a culture that values education, so we're typically smart as f&ck and handle our sh$t better than the average biggoted high school drop-out. Now that all that sh#t is true, what else ya got, Mr. Racist? And my buddy Mike, who just happens to be African-American? He's got stickers on his bass amp for Kool-Aid, KFC, Glock, DUB rims, Trojan Xtra Large Condoms, etc... and since all he love all that sh&t and it's all true and he could care less if you know, what else ya got, Mr. Racist?

See how that works?

I get that, but I don't get why you would hit back at a racist with a racist/culturally derogatory comment aimed at them & not aimed at yourself if you mean it in a witty comeback way. It just seems wrong to fight one racist comment with another.

Fighting back with the same kind of comment may actually show the person what it feels like.

LeilaFace

I had to leave the south because I seriously couldn't stand it. Being a minority to some degree you have to ignore it. If I let every racist thing ever said to me or in front of me get to me - I would be a crazy person.

^^^ Agreed! To be fair though, I did grow up with a family that didn't' like whites (Hawaii). Racism is everywhere.

Jeneba

I am just sooooo proud of all of you beautiful MFP people! :flowerforyou:

InTenn

I live in a redneck town where if you are brown you are automatically mexican, and if you are "yellow" you are autimatically chinese. It's full of extreme conservatives who feel like since they are white and christian, they can say anything about anyone they feel is beneath them, because you know, jesus hated jews and blacks too....or whatever reasoning they fabricate in their minds. I heard from someone that if you don't speak up, it's basically like you being on their side, and that silence can be just as dangerous as the saying themselves, so how would you approach a situation like that.

Mind you, I date black guys, and almost half my family is mexican or puerto rican, and I have a gay brother and uncle...it really does hurt me to my core when i hear people say derrogatory things about someones race or sexual preference, and sometimes it even happens from my co-workers. Both my jobs are in customer service, so that being said i NEVER say ANYTHING because i don't want the person to freak out and get me in trouble at work. So how could someone tactfully say something to get them to stop speaking such negative things around me. I have tried in the past, gotten my point across, but left it with a lot of negativity. Example: Some guy told me in a few choice words about stereotypes of a race, so i told him since hes white he must play his banjo in his trailor white the cousin he married is in the kitchen making possum suprise..so yeah, i need a WAY more tactful way of handeling the situation.

Ironically, you fail to see the prejudice in your own post. "Redneck town?" "Extreme conservatives who feel like...." So do all extreme conservatives feel that way? Or do they feel that way because they are "E.C.s".

Is it insensitive to fail to capitalize Mexican, Chinese, Jews...? Are you treating them as something less than yourself. I noticed you capitalized "I". Interesting.

Bigotry is in the eye of the beholder I guess, and it isn't limited to pigmentation. If "they" stereotype, they are bigots. If you do it, you are just reporting the facts. Gotcha.

MrsTattie

The law of the state was that I had to be 21, not have a USA driver's licence! The hand written note was not law! The manager and staff were not really obeying the law of the land either!

I am Scottish and white. When I was in the states I could not buy alcohol using my passport as id as the sign above the teller said "driver's licence is the only form of identification we accept". I was arguing my case...and loosing.... I was speaking to the manager asking why my uk driver's licence and passport were unacceptable. I then said that I was going to to police to report a racist incident. The reply was that as I was white it wasn't racist. No, but "country of origin discrimination" which is the same thing...... I was dealing with ignorance. I also asked where i cd get a usa driver's licence!! There were people behind me in the line up telling the manager to serve me and others telling the manager to get me out of there as I was holding them up. I left empty handed with threats of them calling the police! I decided that the police would be just as ignorant and did not want to spend my holiday in jail and did not peruse the matter.
Ignorance is the root of all discrimination. I am not really sure of the best way to educate people with deep set hatred. Invite everyone for beers?!
Wow I sound like an alcoholic.
Keep clam and good luck!

Not trying to flame or be flamed, but when you go to another country, being expected to comply with that country's laws isn't racist or discriminatory.
No one hates you because you didn't have a US drivers license.

They might've hated you for being a *kitten* and holding up the line however. heh

Agree. A country requiring that you comply with their laws is not racist.

LeilaFace

^^^^^ YEP. I'm Hawaiian/Italian/Japanese and I've put up with a lot of crap because of it. There's no way to handle it.

That's a great mix! I bet you have to put up with a lot of marriage proposals because of it too!

Hahahahaha You're awesome.

mrsbarz

I am a redhaired, welsh, disabled latter-day saint (Mormon). The only thing I feel for those who feel that that they MUST say something derogatory about my hair colour / nationality / mobility / religion is pity. It takes someone who is ignorant and uneducated to say things like that about another human being. When I was younger I was told that people like that only say the things they do to get a reaction...when they don't get a reaction, they tend to go away. I have taught this principle to my sons, and they use it in their everyday lives.

Farfourah

Undercover racists are the worse. I'd rather a racist be open and upfront about their racism than a closeted racist.

Anomalia

The law of the state was that I had to be 21, not have a USA driver's licence! The hand written note was not law! The manager and staff were not really obeying the law of the land either!

I am Scottish and white. When I was in the states I could not buy alcohol using my passport as id as the sign above the teller said "driver's licence is the only form of identification we accept". I was arguing my case...and loosing.... I was speaking to the manager asking why my uk driver's licence and passport were unacceptable. I then said that I was going to to police to report a racist incident. The reply was that as I was white it wasn't racist. No, but "country of origin discrimination" which is the same thing...... I was dealing with ignorance. I also asked where i cd get a usa driver's licence!! There were people behind me in the line up telling the manager to serve me and others telling the manager to get me out of there as I was holding them up. I left empty handed with threats of them calling the police! I decided that the police would be just as ignorant and did not want to spend my holiday in jail and did not peruse the matter.
Ignorance is the root of all discrimination. I am not really sure of the best way to educate people with deep set hatred. Invite everyone for beers?!
Wow I sound like an alcoholic.
Keep clam and good luck!

Not trying to flame or be flamed, but when you go to another country, being expected to comply with that country's laws isn't racist or discriminatory.
No one hates you because you didn't have a US drivers license.

They might've hated you for being a *kitten* and holding up the line however. heh

Agree. A country requiring that you comply with their laws is not racist.

I have also declined to serve someone alcohol who only had their passport. Its up to the establishment. It was not a racist act, it was just policy of my place of work.

Anomalia

I am a redhaired, welsh, disabled latter-day saint (Mormon). The only thing I feel for those who feel that that they MUST say something derogatory about my hair colour / nationality / mobility / religion is pity. It takes someone who is ignorant and uneducated to say things like that about another human being. When I was younger I was told that people like that only say the things they do to get a reaction...when they don't get a reaction, they tend to go away. I have taught this principle to my sons, and they use it in their everyday lives.

Hey I have red hair and I used to be a mormon! *high five*

amyy902

we deal with them by kicking them. and spitting on them. stupid racist i hate them. we are all the same, bones, muscles ligaments tendons blood, cells and water, the colour is irrelevent. we are all the same, we are all born and created in the same way and we all cease to exist in the same way. so poo poo to racists!!!!

mrsbarz

I am a redhaired, welsh, disabled latter-day saint (Mormon). The only thing I feel for those who feel that that they MUST say something derogatory about my hair colour / nationality / mobility / religion is pity. It takes someone who is ignorant and uneducated to say things like that about another human being. When I was younger I was told that people like that only say the things they do to get a reaction...when they don't get a reaction, they tend to go away. I have taught this principle to my sons, and they use it in their everyday lives.

Hey I have red hair and I used to be a mormon! *high five*

High fives all round!!!!

Navmachine

The law of the state was that I had to be 21, not have a USA driver's licence! The hand written note was not law! The manager and staff were not really obeying the law of the land either!

I am Scottish and white. When I was in the states I could not buy alcohol using my passport as id as the sign above the teller said "driver's licence is the only form of identification we accept". I was arguing my case...and loosing.... I was speaking to the manager asking why my uk driver's licence and passport were unacceptable. I then said that I was going to to police to report a racist incident. The reply was that as I was white it wasn't racist. No, but "country of origin discrimination" which is the same thing...... I was dealing with ignorance. I also asked where i cd get a usa driver's licence!! There were people behind me in the line up telling the manager to serve me and others telling the manager to get me out of there as I was holding them up. I left empty handed with threats of them calling the police! I decided that the police would be just as ignorant and did not want to spend my holiday in jail and did not peruse the matter.
Ignorance is the root of all discrimination. I am not really sure of the best way to educate people with deep set hatred. Invite everyone for beers?!
Wow I sound like an alcoholic.
Keep clam and good luck!

Not trying to flame or be flamed, but when you go to another country, being expected to comply with that country's laws isn't racist or discriminatory.
No one hates you because you didn't have a US drivers license.

They might've hated you for being a *kitten* and holding up the line however. heh

Agree. A country requiring that you comply with their laws is not racist.

not to be the devil's advocate here, but they most likely refused you service because they prob just couldnt tell if yours was a fake, since they had never seen one before. sucks, but it's been done at some places where i worked at. if i've never seen a nevada driver's license and i live in wisconsin, it's going to be difficult for me to know a legit one, and one that's been zeroxed on a piece of plastic. i'll be the first to admit that the system is flawed in that respect.
sorry you had a bad incident in america, please come back again. we're not all idiots.

macpatti

Being a white, Christian conservative, I hate racists.

Jesus was a Jewish guy from the backwoods part of Israel who hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors & sinners and was more concerned about their soul than the color of their skin.

Thank you!

MrsTattie

Just trying to show that ignorance and discrimination affects us all (even white) in some small way. I most def was discriminated against in that instance due to my country of origin and the staff's inability to see that official papers which had let me into their country and hire a car were not good enough to buy alcohol. As I could not provide their id I was discriminated against. I wasn't American. Therefore they discriminated against all non Americans. Small incident in my life. Not a daily battle and I hope that the original poster finds a solution - and quickly.

The law of the state was that I had to be 21, not have a USA driver's licence! The hand written note was not law! The manager and staff were not really obeying the law of the land either!

I am Scottish and white. When I was in the states I could not buy alcohol using my passport as id as the sign above the teller said "driver's licence is the only form of identification we accept". I was arguing my case...and loosing.... I was speaking to the manager asking why my uk driver's licence and passport were unacceptable. I then said that I was going to to police to report a racist incident. The reply was that as I was white it wasn't racist. No, but "country of origin discrimination" which is the same thing...... I was dealing with ignorance. I also asked where i cd get a usa driver's licence!! There were people behind me in the line up telling the manager to serve me and others telling the manager to get me out of there as I was holding them up. I left empty handed with threats of them calling the police! I decided that the police would be just as ignorant and did not want to spend my holiday in jail and did not peruse the matter.
Ignorance is the root of all discrimination. I am not really sure of the best way to educate people with deep set hatred. Invite everyone for beers?!
Wow I sound like an alcoholic.
Keep clam and good luck!

Not trying to flame or be flamed, but when you go to another country, being expected to comply with that country's laws isn't racist or discriminatory.
No one hates you because you didn't have a US drivers license.

They might've hated you for being a *kitten* and holding up the line however. heh

Agree. A country requiring that you comply with their laws is not racist.

I have also declined to serve someone alcohol who only had their passport. Its up to the establishment. It was not a racist act, it was just policy of my place of work.

k0nfyo0zed

i used to work in customer service, and came across this very very frequently. anytime anyone said anything to me that i found offensive, i would just stare at them like they grew a third head. when it was against "crazy church people" i'd let them know my husband's a pastor. or if they bashed on military, "my brother's in the air force" if it was gays "my favorite cousin is gay", on and on and so forth, so they know they just insulted me, too. i knew they were making the comments thinking i would agree with them. it drove me nuts. i had a coworker who is a lesbian and i had a customer come up to me and say "somethin wrong with this place, little girls lookin like little boys all the time" i just looked down at my plain jeans and generic plain teeshirt and work boots (similar outfit to the supposed offensive employee) and apologized if my apparel offended him, but we have to be comfortable where we work, and it's a messy place.

BigDaddyBRC

Life is an interpretation. Rather than pass judgement on others, pass it upon yourself. You only need to worry about yourself.

gp79

Racism is a part of life. It's best to accept it, not partake in it and move on.

DaniellePF

There is no right way to deal with ignorance.

^^THIS^^ If they harbor such narrow minded views on what kind of people they are based on things like race, religion, sexual orientation, ect...then they are not the kind of people to be reasoned with. I guess what I am saying is don't have a battle of wits with an un-armed person ;-) My life is full of family and friends of different color/sexual orientation. I think about all of the amazing, wonderful people in my life I would have missed out on knowing if I had dismissed them because they were a different color. So, people that do miss out on getting to know people for these reasons, feel bad for them, don't participate in the convo (because you won't change their minds, trust me) and be glad you don't think like that.

azarazar

I am a middle aged, midwestern, white, male, fiscally conservative, business professional.

After reading that, I am sure many already have a view of a racist in their mind. That is also racism. Yet, I am not racist. I do have negative opinions about some people, however that is based on their actions not on how they were born or what they believe.

For example, I have a negative opinion towards those that commit violent crimes. Based on our current prison population, some would say that means I am racist against a certain race. Yet, that is completely wrong. I am against any violent criminal, including the sex offenders who are more predominantly white. Disliking an action or behaviour is not racism.

As a fiscal conservative who believes that government spending is out of hand, I am automatically lumped together with extreme social conservatives. I may share some watered down versions of there views, but certainly not all of them. Fiscally conservative is a far cry from socially conservative (by the way, they have rights as well).

azarazar

Just a little historical note for the younger crowd here. I had uncles during the depression who had to be extra careful when traveling in towns that had the KKK. No they were not black, they were catholic. KKK racism was very widespread.

Also, where I grew up, back in the mid 1800s, Irish were treated like dirt by the Germans. They were even buried in separate sections of the cemetaries. Unfortunately, racism doesn't ever seem like it will go away. It just seems to move on to new targets.

macpatti

Racism is a part of life. It's best to accept it, not partake in it and move on.

No, it's not best to accept it! Stand up and speak up.

LadyBeryl

Racism is a part of life. It's best to accept it, not partake in it and move on.

No, it's not best to accept it! Stand up and speak up.

This and more this.