Mighty White of You

[Bok Tuklo]

No, I'm saying you would obviously be a bigot, but what would your actions mean to the Chinese? Likely nothing. Their lives would not be impacted by your bigotry. What happened when Chinese came to America? They built a railroad and weren't invited to the celebration for finishing it because the prevailing racial power (white people) devalued their entire enterprise. Were the leaders that didn't invite them racist? Most definitely, but they got away with their actions because of racism.

You have rendered the concept of "racism" meaningless in that no individual can be racist; only groups. You have gelded the word.

Bigot is all anyone can be and we can all be bigots.

 

[mrjurrs]

Definition of racism​

1: a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

Nothing there about having to have overall societal power over other groups... which is not even happening in the first place.

You are simply wrong as hell.

Possibly, but that definition is definitely incorrect. Did you chop off the additional meanings yourself or are you just using a crappy dictionary?

 

[mrjurrs]

Okay. You are making the argument that temporal geography, where an individual is at a specific time, determines whether or not they are racist.

That is a bold claim.

Imo, you are equating racist with bigot.

 

[Bodi]

No, I'm saying you would obviously be a bigot, but what would your actions mean to the Chinese? Likely nothing. Their lives would not be impacted by your bigotry. What happened when Chinese came to America? They built a railroad and weren't invited to the celebration for finishing it because the prevailing racial power (white people) devalued their entire enterprise. Were the leaders that didn't invite them racist? Most definitely, but they got away with their actions because of racism.

Correct me if I am wrong @Bok_Tukalo

What he was saying is that Mr. Whitey was a racist when he was in America but once he moved to China and acted like a racist he was no longer a racist because he was not in the power elite.

 

[Bok Tuklo]

Imo, you are equating racist with bigot.

IMO you are saying so-called white people can drop N-bombs in Africa and that is not racist.

 

[Josie]

Imo, you are equating racist with bigot.

Can an individual be racist?

 

[Bok Tuklo]

Correct me if I am wrong @Bok_Tukalo

What he was saying is that Mr. Whitey was a racist when he was in America but once he moved to China and acted like a racist he was no longer a racist because he was not in the power elite.

That is how I am reading this conversation. The argument is, an individual cannot be racist. They can only be a bigot.

 

[Bodi]

Possibly, but that definition is definitely incorrect. Did you chop off the additional meanings yourself or are you just using a crappy dictionary?

Definition of RACISM

a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race; also : behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief : racial discrimination or prejudice… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

It does not matter if there is more. The part that I posted backs up my argument. There might be part that backs up yours as well but that does not negate the fact that my argument is correct. There is systemic racism and all that... but that does not mean that there is no individual racism, as the definition CLEARLY states.

 

[mrjurrs]

You have rendered the concept of "racism" meaningless in that no individual can be racist; only groups. You have gelded the word.

Bigot is all anyone can be and we can all be bigots.

If you feel better being called a bigot than a racist have at it.
"The idea that racism can be an unconscious bias and not a synonym for “evil piece of shit” is incomprehensible to them, and they are not about to try to comprehend it, because they’re too busy yelling at you about how they even sat next to a black person on the train this morning, and they loved Black Panther, and other weird flexes in their attempts to prove how not-racist they are, while still not letting you get a word in edgeways to educate them. They do not want to hear how you feel here, their outrage trumps your pain, and the possibility that they are ignorant or flawed in any way is unthinkable."

Quit Acting Like Being Called A Racist Is Worse Than Actual Racism

As Robin DiAngelo explained, the effective adaptation of racism over time is the idea that racism is a conscious bias held by mean people

aninjusticemag.com

 

[SuperDS77]

How racist is this statement?

Is it still used today? It is.
Should it be considered Hate Speech?

mighty white of you​

Used to describe someone who thinks they've done a great deed, charitable action or sacrifice, but in reality they've done very little to help the human condition.
Earl: I gave that homeless man my half eaten apple.
Roger: Wow, thats mighty white of you.

Urban Dictionary: mighty white of you

Used to describe someone who thinks they've done a great deed, charitable action or sacrifice, but in reality they've done very little to help the human condition.

www.urbandictionary.com

Frankly don't use the phrase, and never gave it much thought.

How does the "white" part of the statement connote a "white" person?

Do you know how it originated? Is it supposed to be ironic?

 

[reinaert]

A clue: bigotism is not a word. Racism is, because racism captures the groupuscular, structural origins of collective racial oppression.

A bigot has a bias. A racist participates in group oppression.

 

[brothern]

IMO you are saying so-called white people can drop N-bombs in Africa and that is not racist.

Seriously, I want to reiterate my question to you about Zimbabwe. Are you like not aware of Zimbabwe or the rest of the continent's history?

Most of Africa literally has the same power disparity between blacks and whites that America does.

 

[bomberfox]

Are you really insinuating that no minority has any power in any capacity in America?

As a race nope. Black people have never had the power to dominate white people.

 

[Bok Tuklo]

If you feel better being called a bigot than a racist have at it.

Okay, you are obviously done defending your position. Would you like me to do it for you?

 

[mrjurrs]

Correct me if I am wrong @Bok_Tukalo

What he was saying is that Mr. Whitey was a racist when he was in America but once he moved to China and acted like a racist he was no longer a racist because he was not in the power elite.

Never said power elite, I said dominant racial group.

President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, "If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."

 

[reinaert]

Frankly don't use the phrase, and never gave it much thought.

How does the "white" part of the statement connote a "white" person?

Do you know how it originated? Is it supposed to be ironic?

I posted the language log entry above. Here it is again:

Language Log » Ask Language Log: "…white of you"

languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu

 

[MaryP]

I've always wondered about "That's the pot calling the kettle black"--which I still hear frequently from hosts of news programs.

Many years ago, a young teenaged black neighbor sort of adopted me as a cool adult to talk to, you know, girl talk.
I used the term 'black sheep' one day to describe a relative of mine and she went ballistic. I tried to explain it is an old farmer's expression for the one who stands out, has nothing to do with race, and certainly I didn't have race in mind. But she never spoke to me again. I still feel bad about it.

 

[Crovax]

As a race nope. Black people have never had the power to dominate white people.

So racism can only exist in the capacity of the whole race and never on an individual level?

 

[Bodi]

Frankly don't use the phrase, and never gave it much thought.

How does the "white" part of the statement connote a "white" person?

Do you know how it originated? Is it supposed to be ironic?

It originated after slavery from black people pretending to thank white people for being fair or helpful but really they are making an underhanded comment about how little the white guy did for black people. At least that is what I always thought it meant.

 

[Rexedgar]

Thread summary:

Fishing for ways to be a victim.

 

[mrjurrs]

IMO you are saying so-called white people can drop N-bombs in Africa and that is not racist.

Opinions are like elbows, everybody's got two. You are not understanding my position. You should read this book, it's quite illuminating.

 

[Bodi]

Never said power elite, I said dominant racial group.

Same thing in this context...

President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, "If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."

 

[reinaert]

It originated after slavery from black people pretending to thank white people for being fair or helpful but really they are making an underhanded comment about how little the white guy did for black people. At least that is what I always thought it meant.

That's not...accurate.

 

[mrjurrs]

Definition of RACISM

a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race; also : behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief : racial discrimination or prejudice… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

It does not matter if there is more. The part that I posted backs up my argument. There might be part that backs up yours as well but that does not negate the fact that my argument is correct. There is systemic racism and all that... but that does not mean that there is no individual racism, as the definition CLEARLY states.

Like I said, did you do it purposefully or use a shitty dictionary, because in your source, this is the second definition
": the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another specifically : WHITE SUPREMACY sense 2institutional racism One of the many ruses racism achieves is the virtual erasure of historical contributions by people of color.— Angela Y. Davis Discriminatory housing practices, redlining neighborhoods, underfunded education, lack of access to healthcare, racial profiling, police brutality and mass incarceration are just a few examples of cage wires that all together contribute to structural racism.— Sylvia Luetmer Our nation faces a fork in the road and a decision to either continue down the same path of systemic racism or to confront our past honestly.— Bree Newsome

 

[bomberfox]

So racism can only exist in the capacity of the whole race and never on an individual level?

Bigotry exists on the individual capacity. Bigotry that even motivates brutal attacks can happen to anyone. Racism is a ruling hierarchy and a social system.