Sunday, August 4, 2013

Conditional Racism.

Apparently this is a real product?
Image Credit:http://images.fileferrets.org/vv2008/
t's not okay to be racist conditionally. It's not okay to use a racial slur to refer to a person whom you don't like or respect. It's not okay to make a satire ad for Obama Waffles, even if you think he is failing at his job. It's not okay to superimpose Condoleeza Rice's face on Aunt Jemima's face just because you think her participation in The Bush Administration sets both women and blacks back. It's not okay to refer to an entire grassroots organization as "white crackers", even if you believe this organization to be the very same people who were against the civil rights movement (ignoring the fact that the Tea Party platform never mentions race, anywhere. And ignoring the fact that this organization is made up of people who represent a multitude of races and ethnicities and a wide range of ages ie too young to be part of protests against the civil rights movement) 

It's also not okay to throw around the labels -ist, bigot, or anti- just because someone doesn't agree with you. There are very valid reasons to dislike world leaders, regardless of race. Being pro-Pakistan
A racist caricature of Condoleeza Rice
Image Credit: ZenComix.Com
does not necessarily make you anti-Semitic, being pro-Isreal does not necessarily make you anti-Muslim. 


Lastly, it's not okay to excuse the autonomous actions of a particular group that segregates themselves along racial or religious lines, while berating another group for doing the exact same thing. Eg supporting whites who disallow marriage to anyone other than another white, while shaming blacks who disallow marriage between a black person and anyone who is any other color. 

Stop running from the debates that have the power to advance society. Stop using the name calling shield. Most controversial views have valid supporting ideals. Effective compromise will make the world a better place, but this compromise cannot happen if we continue to act like kindergarteners. Use logic, not emotion.

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