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Is racism objective or subjective?
I'm seeing this a lot, a public figure is accused of racism and/or racist attitudes and a defender of said public figure either says there is no proof or demands proof.
Is this a subject where proof, in the literal sense of the term, is even possible? If you are a person who has either demanded proof or claimed there is no proof, please explain exactly what type of proof would be acceptable.
On the flip side, just because you and like-minded people are firmly convinced a person is racist, your conviction alone does not make it so. What can you say or produce in an objective sense that the person your are talking about is indeed racist?
My opinion: It's kind of both... objective and subjective... but leans to the subjective in that it's also NOT "provable". It's not a scientific experiment. It's subject to the standards and mores of the day, and wouldn't even be the same from one society to another. It is my opinion that people who demand proof of racism are merely employing dishonest debate tactics because they're out of arguments.
I'm seeing this a lot, a public figure is accused of racism and/or racist attitudes and a defender of said public figure either says there is no proof or demands proof.
Is this a subject where proof, in the literal sense of the term, is even possible? If you are a person who has either demanded proof or claimed there is no proof, please explain exactly what type of proof would be acceptable.
On the flip side, just because you and like-minded people are firmly convinced a person is racist, your conviction alone does not make it so. What can you say or produce in an objective sense that the person your are talking about is indeed racist?
My opinion: It's kind of both... objective and subjective... but leans to the subjective in that it's also NOT "provable". It's not a scientific experiment. It's subject to the standards and mores of the day, and wouldn't even be the same from one society to another. It is my opinion that people who demand proof of racism are merely employing dishonest debate tactics because they're out of arguments.