Racist comments.

[ultimateownage]

people is way to picky about this. I mean, playing on XBL (keep in mind that my english has a very strong spanish accent) I got racist comments every two minutes or so, I don't take them seriously. It is funny how many people thinks that if you speak spanish you are mexican...

The thing with XBL is that EVERYONE gets racist comments every few seconds, whether you have a strong accent or not due to the vast number of "lol i r anonymous online" 12 year old Americans.

It's not just American 12 year olds any more, I'm english and I have a few friends on xbox and one of them bought the swab from the avatar shop and his quote is "run paki I've got a swab" and another ones name is run jew boy run. These are just 2, there are loads of people with names like that, I think another one was called jew killer for a bit.

 

[Xeros]

People can be offended by a lot of things, but what defines racism for me is intent, not jokes based on stereotypes.

This pretty much says it all for me. I tell racist jokes all the time to my friends who are of those various races. If it's all in good fun, and not meant to offend it's not racism.

 

[Spitfire175]

I once made a joke about the prophet Mohammed in class. It did not end badly for me.

By all means, criticising or making fun of a religion or a culture is not racism, as a culture or a religion is not a "race", if we really want to categorise people into groups based on the colour of their skin.

I have said "racist" things, we all have. It doesn't mean we are all KKK members and little Hitlers. And lets not forget that racism is not limited to whiteys only. This [http://fox.nncdn.com/nn/0/268/119/479795.jpg] is an excellent poster. Remember it.

 

[MGlBlaze]

I believe that if you didn't intend to offend, its not racism.

Sort of, but I feel it's not as easy to define as that. Of course, if you never intended to offend then that's fine, but that doesn't cover you if you say/do something blatantly racist, because that's more ignorance than anything.

Although one thing that can help tide things over is if you make 'racist' jokes about YOURSELF, but that only works depending on the person.

That said, it's still better to avoid causing undue offence in the first place.

 

[MurderousToaster]

I've never done anything racist like that. Though once, I was talking about people being racist on the internet and how one guy kept saying the N-word as I called it, then some guy in the group just said out loud "******?". This was right beside my best friend, who is black.

 

[ejb626]

My German class occasionally shares a room with the Spanish class at my school the Spanish kids are terrible they tear apart the place, last year at Chrismas the German club built a Gingerbread House of a train station and the Spanish kids decided that they would eat it without asking they've also stolen shit from the room, I mean who supervises these people?

Well. anyway I once said "Stupid Spanish kids they should just cross the border and join the drug lords in Mexico" OOOh! Man that was one of the worst things I've ever said not only did a nearby Hispanic think I was talking about Hispanic people but also was offended that I had insulted his country, I think things through now.

My friend was living in Germany for a couple of years and he said that you are extreamly oversennsitive about racism. It's like your government is so afraid of you turning spontainously into natzis that they brainwash you in schools teaching you that you cannot even criticize any ethnic groups as even constructive criticism is "racist". And you have quite a problem with immigrants now. Or punks as there are parts of Berlin where police cannot even enter and folks regularly destroy shit.

Yeah but these people wern't Hispanic they were taking the language Spanish they consisted of various races, however when I criticized them for vandalizing and stealing from the room, I was mistaken for being racist against Hispanics.

 

[XOmanXO]

I accidentally blurted "NIGGA STOLE MY BIKE" when playing Halo 3 with a black friend of mine. The pain was brunged.

what the hell made you say that?

 

[AnneSQF]

Every time I say something it comes out the wrong way. I fail...

 

[sebar nl]

I once made a joke about the jew community. not a good idea

 

[Aggressor and Usurper]

I accidentally blurted "NIGGA STOLE MY BIKE" when playing Halo 3 with a black friend of mine. The pain was brunged.

what the hell made you say that?

I accidentally blurted "NIGGA STOLE MY BIKE" when playing Halo 3 with a black friend of mine. The pain was brunged.

How did you come to that thought while playing Halo 3?

Eh, a black NPC stole my Mongoose. Ergo.

Look up. Yeesh.

 

[TheHitcher]

I'm black. Me and my friend were having a pretty heated argument over the BNP. I got so frustrated with him that I accidently shouted "It's no surprise you don't understand, you white shit!".

We're friends again now but that was one of the worst endings to a friendship I've ever experienced.

 

[Alotak]

I make stereotypical jokes about the English. Only the English don't find them funny.

It seems it's just a joke when an Englishman says it but it's a hateful comment when a Welshman talks back.

As an english man with a sence of humour, i have a welsh friend. i often jest about the steriotype of the welsh haveing sexual liasons with sheep. He doesnt mind, he just laughs, then takes the piss out of my love for tea.

People need to realise that its all a joke if you let it fly then the insults stop being insults.

One race here, the Human race. That is what people need to see.

I'm black. Me and my friend were having a pretty heated argument over the BNP. I got so frustrated with him that I accidently shouted "It's no surprise you don't understand, you white shit!".

We're friends again now but that was one of the worst endings to a friendship I've ever experienced.

oh ohohoh, i love the BNP is great to wind them up. They get alot of support in the north, so me an my mates go to them when they are out in town and ask if we can hand out leaflets.
They give us them then we throw them in the nearest bin, in there sight.
Silly racists.

 

[thisisyournamenow]

i have made some bad comments on the web all of which never ended well

 

[cieply]

Yeah but these people wern't Hispanic they were taking the language Spanish they consisted of various races, however when I criticized them for vandalizing and stealing from the room, I was mistaken for being racist against Hispanics.

That's what I'm talking about. You see racism where there is no racism at all. It's almost like in this saying "there was a time when someone who didint like jews was antisemitic. Now you're antisemitic when jews don't like you." Sometimes criticism is preinterpreted as racism and there is no way you can reason with such people.

 

[Eliam_Dar]

Yeah but these people wern't Hispanic they were taking the language Spanish they consisted of various races, however when I criticized them for vandalizing and stealing from the room, I was mistaken for being racist against Hispanics.

That's what I'm talking about. You see racism where there is no racism at all. It's almost like in this saying "there was a time when someone who didint like jews was antisemitic. Now you're antisemitic when jews don't like you." Sometimes criticism is preinterpreted as racism and there is no way you can reason with such people.

well this is something that I myself have endured, I once made a comment about the attack that the Israeli Army launched over Palestina, and how it will only increase the hatred... and a friend who happens to be Jew started talking to me in a very aggressive manner and treating me like antisemitic... I made a comment about a war, not a race.

 

[Legion]

Chances are if hang out on the internet, you've accidentally said something racist which you didn't notice until it was to late.
For instance, once me and my very sensitive black friend were talking about the justice system, and I made a joke about how I was to white to ever do serious jail time... it ended very badly for me.

He got uptight about that? Christ, talk about fitting a stereotype (which is ironic considering the impression you gave was that he considered you racist).

People can be offended by a lot of things, but what defines racism for me is intent, not jokes based on stereotypes.

Exactly my opinion.

I was kicked out of class for saying “this is what happens if you let a woman drive” when the teacher was showing pictures of car accidents.

he didn’t get the joke....

That's sexism not racism...

 

[ShadowStar42]

Wow, there are a LOT of misconceptions about race, racism and what makes someone a racist.

Racism: ?noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

2 isn't really relevant here, 1 and 3 are what we're talking about. Clearly you can make a racist joke or use an offensive word and that doesn't make you racist. It can at times make you a jerk dependent on the circumstances but the beliefs behind it are what would make you racist. Note however that intent to offend isn't required, if you believe that one group is more likely to commit crime, or be alcoholic, or like watermelon you are racist. Also worth noting is...

Race: 1. a group of persons related by common descent or heredity.
5. any people united by common history, language, cultural traits, etc.: the Dutch race.

There are a lot of definitions for race but these are the two most relevant here, just to point out that race can be used to define cultural or even religious differences.

So far that the OP, I think that your friend misunderstood your joke, which is unfortunate. You offended him and owe him an explanation and apology but that doesn't make you racist. To the several people that make racist jokes and use racial epitaphs you may or may not be racist, but you ARE perpetuating racism. People don't need to stop making a fuss to end racism, people need to stop perpetuating racist stereotypes and stop placing wedges between people by using offensive language. For those who say that this or that is just a word that's true, but racist language carries with it not only it's own offense but every stereotype that goes with it, if someone gets offended because you said it that's because YOU did something wrong, not them.

 

[Cherry Cola]

I once made a joke about the prophet Mohammed in class. It did not end badly for me.

Was it published in a neighbouring country's newspaper?

Hopefully not, or I have a price on my head.

 

[TelHybrid]

Ugh... people are too eager to play the race card. Have you ever noticed black comedians make fun of white guys all the time on tv? Yet white guys retaliate and get the race card pulled.

This society is completely backwards. It's biased against white people, and patronizing towards black people.

 

[Cyberjester]

I solve it by insulting each race equally. My own included. I'd actually regard myself as a racial bastard, mother is Canadian, her father is USA'ian, her grandmother is Ukrainian. Go back 10 generations on both sides and I can pull out as many races/nationalities. All white, but still..

I can also justify a racist joke or term. For example.. In "black music" (a term I object to, since I think of old gospel music when I hear that, not 50 Cent or some rubbish) they all call each other niggers. Most black Americans will call themselves "African American" instead of American, thus enforcing a racist system. Feminists do the same thing off topic.

If they can do it, I can do it. For a truly homogeneous society, they need to drop the racist terms altogether and identify themselves with one country. In Aus I can't do that, but while we have different terms over here, the same principles apply.

*shrugs* If someone has to take offense to learn something, then it must be done.