How do you argue that you're not homophobic/racist/etc?

[90sgamer]

The problem is, is that you are letting people put you on the defensive by using ad hominem, a fallacy in which a person making an argument is attacked, rather than his argument. The correct way to respond to an ad hominem is to call out the offending party, and command them to prove their claim. The burden of proof falls on them to prove that you are something.

Many people argue by aggressively attacking any who disagree. These are the most annoying of people. They are also very poor at turning people to their side, so they tend to stick within a group of like minded people where there will never be serious counter argument. Like Church. Or 4chan.

To put it plainly, the wrong response is to defend yourself. The proper response is to hold the other person to his burden of proof. If you walk him through it, politely, then he'll likely relent, or at the very least agree to disagree, once it becomes clear he can't prove you are a racist or whatever.

 

[Vegosiux]

The problem is, is that you are letting people put you on the defensive by using ad hominem, a fallacy in which a person making an argument is attacked, rather than his argument. The correct way to respond to an ad hominem is to call out the offending party, and command them to prove their claim. The burden of proof falls on them to prove that you are something.

To put it plainly, the wrong response is to defend yourself. The proper response is to hold the other person to his burden of proof. If you walk him through it, politely, then he'll likely relent, or at the very least agree to disagree, once it becomes clear he can't prove you are a racist or whatever.

That is, if you can reasonably expect they have the slightest inkling of a desire to maybe play "by the book", and that they entered a discussion willing to listen to new perspectives instead of just trying to preach their onw. Which, on the internet, isn't something I would rely on.

In real life, it's different. People tend to play "by the book" way more often when there's actual eye contact.

 

[KingDragonlord]

some people are idiots.

I don't know I mean in the end they fall for the same biases that you and I fall for on a day to day bases. They just come to different conclusion. I can't say with any certainty that if I was brought up like most homophobes I wouldn't also be a homophobe.

You don't, you shut up and listen to the reasons someone said you were homophobic/racist/etc. and change your behavior or language accordingly.

Gotta give you credit, this is some classy trolling.

It has to be that because if you aren't a troll, you're something even worse.

You might want to think about editing that. It goes against the Code of Conduct to call people "trolls."

Wouldn't be a big loss. If it meant I didn't see forum posts on the front page when I visit the site, I'd consider it a bonus. If it meant I can't visit the site anymore, I can get most of what I get here elsewhere. This place has gone to pot as the SJWs took over the forums and some of the actual site content.

 

[Shuu]

I think the question that comes before this one is why should you need to prove yourself? If it's so important to the other person that you remain homophobic in their mind, then they're the one with issues, not you.

 

[Vault101]

I don't know I mean in the end they fall for the same biases that you and I fall for on a day to day bases. They just come to different conclusion. I can't say with any certainty that if I was brought up like most homophobes I wouldn't also be a homophobe.

some factors are biger than ever....if youre in a deeply religious place then shaking homophobia would be harder than if you were in a secular place, because relgion aside the logic falls aparet pretty quickly

 

[Syzygy23]

I have a good friend who is both black AND gay. My conscious is clean.

 

[Ocelano]

Cliched it may be but I tell them the truth I hate everyone automatically regardless of color, gender or sexual preference. My automatic assumption is that everyone I meet is going to irritate me with their very presence, occasionally some earn their way into my good books but rare are those occasions.

By the time I have trotted out that well practiced line their thoughts about me are less whether I'm prejudiced against minority x and more where the easiest way out of my presence is

 

[Directionless]

best way to not be <insert thing you're accused of being here> is to acknowledge that what you said could be hurtful and resolve not to repeat the mistake.

I've never understood this logic. So, you say something that in no way related to someone's interpretation of it. Why should you apologize? What are you apologizing for?

 

[craftomega]

You dont.

Simply put everyone discriminates in some fashion which in it self is a form of racism. I could link 1000 studies on new articles on this topic, but here is the first one I found.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211994/Even-babies-discriminate-Shock-new-study-shows-infants-young-months-distinguish-black-white-faces.html


If someone thinks you are racist, first ask them why they think that, then dispute it calming. If they continue to not listen then they are not worth your time.

 

[hyplion]

i am not racist, i hate everyone equally.

 

[rob_simple]

I'm pretty much fucked in that situation because I only have a few gay acquaintances, (not friend-tier), and I've only ever spoke to one black guy in real life.

I did watch an entire series of Ru Paul's Drag Race, though, will that do? That's like two birds with one fabulous stone.