Is this racist?

[86Dude]

Let's say your not used to being around a certain race. Boom, at work the new guy is a different race. Ok, no problem, but your mind wanders and starts worrying about not saying anything offensive until you're so preoccupied with not saying anything out of line that you accidentally say something that you didn't mean to say.

[BadNews88]

It happens............

[TheLateGreat]

Depends on whether he hears you or not.

And with the blacks, you know they will wit dey big ol ears.

[Farthing]

This sort of happened to me - not with someone of a different race, but with a new co-worker who had been in an accident and had lost one leg. Suddenly, no matter how hard I tried, I was constantly coming out with things like "running late", "put your foot down", or "hop to it". Luckily, he was very understanding and would laugh and even try to make me feel better.

[Betrade]

It's notracist. Racist means believeing that one race (usually your own) is superior to all others. A slip of the tongue does not a racist make.

[Baboon]

I said something really dumb once to a black female coworker. It wasn't meant to be racist, but could have easily been interpreted that way. Frikkin stupid of me. It was one of those times where immediately after I spoke, I realized what I had said. Fortunately, she realized I had just chose my words poorly. Thank god I got along with her really well.

[NJ Refugee]

It's notracist. Racist means believeing that one race (usually your own) is superior to all others. A slip of the tongue does not a racist make.

Actually, 'Racist' means that you tend to associate certain charactertistics with people who are of a certain race. If you say that 'All Asians are good at Math", that is racist. If you say "All Blacks are good at basketball", then that is also racist. If you say "All whites are evil, oppresive, dominating, controlling bastards", then that is also racist.

The people who beleive that they are superior are "supremacists" ... and they come in all colors; white, black, asian, latino, and so on.

[Betrade]

Originally Posted by Baboon

I said something really dumb once to a black female coworker. It wasn't meant to be racist, but could have easily been interpreted that way. Frikkin stupid of me. It was one of those times where immediately after I spoke, I realized what I had said. Fortunately, she realized I had just chose my words poorly. Thank god I got along with her really well.

When I was about 14. I let this black friend of mine take a drag of my cigarette at school. He handed it back, and it was all wet. I said "Oh man, you ni*ger lipped it". Ooops!! I felt like a complete shmuck, because me and this guy were really close friends and had been since we were little, but before I could apologize, he busted out laughing (thank God).

I told him I was sorry, and he was like "Don't worry about it WHITE BOY, you dumb ass honkies are always saying stupid shit like that".
Touche'.

It was a total slip of the tongue, but back then, that's what people said all the time where I grew up, and in school, and that's what I was used to hearing when someone got a cigarette wet. That was the ONLY thing people said in that situation. There was no other saying that I ever heard. I don't know if people even use that term anymore. I'm just gald we were friends though, because I may have received a serious beating otherwise.

But, even though it was a nasty comment, it still dosn't make me a racist, because it in no way implies that I hold the belief that my race is superior to all others.

[h2g2Fan]

[zipper99]

"The new sheriff is a N..........."

Mel Brooks

[IFF]

Originally Posted by 86Dude

Let's say your not used to being around a certain race. Boom, at work the new guy is a different race. Ok, no problem, but your mind wanders and starts worrying about not saying anything offensive until you're so preoccupied with not saying anything out of line that you accidentally say something that you didn't mean to say.

you could be accused of being racist but in my opinion, it wouldn't be racist if you didn't have intent on it un less of course in instances if you were racist

[86Dude]

Originally Posted by NJ Refugee

Actually, 'Racist' means that you tend to associate certain charactertistics with people who are of a certain race. If you say that 'All Asians are good at Math", that is racist. If you say "All Blacks are good at basketball", then that is also racist. If you say "All whites are evil, oppresive, dominating, controlling bastards", then that is also racist.

The people who beleive that they are superior are "supremacists" ... and they come in all colors; white, black, asian, latino, and so on.

Na, that's just stereotyping. Stereotyping is fun as long as nobody takes it too seriously.

[BadNews88]

Originally Posted by 86Dude

Na, that's just stereotyping. Stereotyping is fun as long as nobody takes it too seriously.

Given that said "stereotyping" is satirical and (hopefully) light-hearted and non-malicious in tone (i.e. the humour of DON RICKLES, for example..), it really should fall under the collective definition of lampooning.. IMO

[Saison]

One way to deal with it is to have a one-on-one conversation with the person in question. Tell them that you're worried about saying something out of line because you don't want to say anything that would offend them. An apology in advance of sorts covers your ass in case you say something that's questionable. That way, the person knows how you feel and is less likely to misinterpret what you're saying, and you'll feel better having gotten the anxiety off your chest.

[Feenix566]

Invite him to your next cross-burning so he feels like he's accepted into the community. If he accuses you of racism, you can blame those dirty Jews who implanted the racist thoughts in your head. Then you can point out the Mexicans working in the garden and mention that they don't accuse you of racism, because you pay them the $3/hour that they deserve. Maybe you could switch the topic of conversation to politics, and see if he agrees with your ideas about nuking Mecca.