Look. Racism is holding pejorative opinions about a race. This is unfair, and that's why it's bad to be a racist.

But -- and this is hard to say without sounding like a horrible person -- as long as "racist" has this connotation of "the worst person in the universe, totally lacking in redeeming value" then practically nobody is a racist, and the word becomes meaningless. Ron Paul is, quite possibly, a racist. Abraham Lincoln was probably a racist. So are members of my family and my friends' families. Some people are more racist than others; some people limit their racism to a few grumbles while others might, say, actively discriminate in hiring.

Being a racist is bad, but it's not the *worst thing ever.* It's less bad than, say, being a thief or an abuser. Sometimes the cost-benefit analysis works out in favor of tolerating a racist (in some real-life circumstance) because he's family, or he's got skills you need, or something. This is the normal way you deal with character flaws. Not everyone with a character flaw needs to be shunned forever, but if it's serious enough, then yeah, you should probably cut off contact. Racism shouldn't be any different.

(Reply) (Thread)

Being a racist is bad, but it's not the *worst thing ever.* It's less bad than, say, being a thief or an abuser.

As one who has had a gun pulled on her for DWB, I would beg to differ. You could probably make a case for racism being a form of abuse.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

This must sound like picking nits, but I was trying to draw a distinction between thoughts and actions. Pulling a gun on someone is violence and can't be excused, and I'm sorry that happened.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)