How racist are you?

[Koke]

People often say we all have racist tendencies in all of us, but whether you're an actual racist all depends on how much it actually effects you when treating other people. It's how you control your innate prejudice that matters. You agree? I refuse to admit that I have subconscious prejudices towards other races (as I've been told everyone has), because I simply do not. That's not me taking the moral high ground though.

Do you have subconscious prejudices towards other races or ethnic groups, despite treating everyone equally?

[fox123]

It's a really, really touchy subject... a subject many will not want to get involved in, I suppose for fear of coming across as racist.

The thing that pisses me off to a certain extent, is why a black board can't be called a black board, and why baa baa black sheep, can't be called baa baa black sheep! that isn't racism, it's the colour of the object, it's fact (though baa baa black sheep is a nursery rhyme).

[BoneDog]

I aint got no racist in me. I hear that same sayin all the time 'we all prejudice subconsiously'. That's wrong, people are racist cos it gets instilled in em as they growin up. No-one is born racist or prejudiced. It's introduced to kids as they grow up (not all, but some,).

I can remember when I was a young lad being a bit prejudiced towards arabs. When I used to watch the news I used to think the Palestinians were bad (all of em!). But that was just because the way things are put across on news and thing. It was also because most of my neighbours in the early 80's were NF and all that so I just grew up with them as peers. But when I learnt from reading as I grew I realised my mistakes on that.

When I was about 8-12 I had a babysitter who was NF and he used to draw NF tattoos on me arms. I didn't know what they meant but thought they were bangin! It's easy to be moulded into a certain way of thinking when you a kid.

[Edmund]

Do you have subconscious prejudices towards other races or ethnic groups, despite treating everyone equally?

Isin't this question a bit of a contradiction. Your asking if someone treats everyone equally yet is prejudiced against certain people?

I think everyone is prejudiced in some form or another. Just read this forum and you will soon find out that if you read The Daily Mail (yahoo news ) you are branded an idiot.

In terms of racism in general I think it depends from person to person what you define as racism. I have worked in places with a mixture of people from different backgrounds and we use to take the piss out of each others ethnic origins but all in good humor. So does this class you as a racist? In theory yes but in reality no.

It will be interesting to see how this thread pans out. Maybe some people will show there true colors.

[ozleicester]

I am merely an earthling and therefore am unable to be racist, i await my first Martian meeting to decide if i am "planetist"

[Zingari]

if you'd just been told that someone had smashed Usain Bolt's olympic sprint record and wondered if he was white , black, asian or oriental, then you probably aren't racist.

but paradoxically, maybe even being asking the question to yourself makes you racist

[stez]

if you'd just been told that someone had smashed Usain Bolt's olympic sprint record and wondered if he was white , black, asian or oriental, then you probably aren't racist.

but paradoxically, maybe even being asking the question to yourself makes you racist

it's a tight rope!

[Phube]

I'd like to think I wasn't racist, I'm more (as said before) twattist, chavist, moronist and slightly classist:

e.g.

Would think he was a nice bloke, could have a chat with, do business with,have as a mate etc.

Would cross county to avoid!

But similarly if they where white I'd have the same reaction!

Actually, this makes me clothe-ist!

[lavrentis]

To be honest, I have questioned the asian influence in this country and have pondered on whether it is a positive one and there are some things which I do not like, which some people have called me racist, I think they should stop teaching kids the Islamic language in some schools to asians and to white kids. I was speaking to some English expat in Kerkyra and they were saying, they moved out to Greece because their kids were being taught to speak Islamic and how they wouldnt expect their kids, in a public school to get taught English in greece. I am not sure if this has been changed now but make sure it is illegal for women in bhurkas to drive a car or even when they are showing their passport at an airport, show them their face! Also, I don't think laws should be made to fit with the Islam religion. Now dont get me wrong, I couldnt give a damn on what skin colour they are but this country has history and tradition, so I dont mind if any old person from anywhere round the world came here as long as they respect everyone living in this great nation.

[purpleronnie]

To be honest, I have questioned the asian influence in this country and have pondered on whether it is a positive one and there are some things which I do not like, which some people have called me racist, I think they should stop teaching kids the Islamic language in some schools to asians and to white kids. I was speaking to some English expat in Kerkyra and they were saying, they moved out to Greece because their kids were being taught to speak Islamic and how they wouldnt expect their kids, in a public school to get taught English in greece. I am not sure if this has been changed now but make sure it is illegal for women in bhurkas to drive a car or even when they are showing their passport at an airport, show them their face! Also, I don't think laws should be made to fit with the Islam religion. Now dont get me wrong, I couldnt give a damn on what skin colour they are but this country has history and tradition, so I dont mind if any old person from anywhere round the world came here as long as they respect everyone living in this great nation.

They moved to greece because they're kids were being taught to speak islamic

Dear oh dear some people.

[Babylon]

I'd like to think I wasn't racist, I'm more (as said before) twattist, chavist, moronist and slightly classist:

e.g.

Would think he was a nice bloke, could have a chat with, do business with,have as a mate etc.

Would cross county to avoid!

But similarly if they where white I'd have the same reaction!

Actually, this makes me clothe-ist!

I'm with Phube.

[lavrentis]

They moved to greece because they're kids were being taught to speak islamic

Dear oh dear some people.

I gave them a look at the time, they did seem abit BNP

Maybe they moved for the weather but thats what they said.

[Alexikokopops]

To be honest, I have questioned the asian influence in this country and have pondered on whether it is a positive one and there are some things which I do not like, which some people have called me racist, I think they should stop teaching kids the Islamic language in some schools to asians and to white kids. I was speaking to some English expat in Kerkyra and they were saying, they moved out to Greece because their kids were being taught to speak Islamic and how they wouldnt expect their kids, in a public school to get taught English in greece. I am not sure if this has been changed now but make sure it is illegal for women in bhurkas to drive a car or even when they are showing their passport at an airport, show them their face! Also, I don't think laws should be made to fit with the Islam religion. Now dont get me wrong, I couldnt give a damn on what skin colour they are but this country has history and tradition, so I dont mind if any old person from anywhere round the world came here as long as they respect everyone living in this great nation.

It seems more that you have prejudices against Muslims than Asians. It's a bit ignorant in itself to assume everyone from Asia is Muslim. 80% of Indians are Hindu, about 90% of Japanese are Shinto or Buddhist etc.

[davieG]

I think we all have an inherent tribalism in us so it would depend on who you'd accept into your tribe. This tends to change on circumstances.

As the comedian on the Apollo last night said:

Scousers hate the Mancs unless there's a Yorkshireman around.

Collectively they hate Southerners

Etc, Etc.

People are also, in the heat of the moment likely to adopt collective nouns when feeling animosity towards someone, so if a someone from Liverpool upsets you it's those 'fooking scousers'. The same happens with ethnic groups. To me this is tribalism coming out and tribes have a traditional perceived historical 'make up' it takes time for what makes a tribe to change.

I recently spent a week in Wales and some local pissed me off and in the heat of the moment I said something along the lines of bloody Welsh! Does this make me racist? I hope not. Because on the whole I get along with most people for what they are and how they treat me, I don't really hate anyone (except Denis Wise ) for longer than 5 minutes. Life's too short to go around hating people.

Rambling now so Ill stop.

[Webbo]

A hard one to comment on this, for fear of being branded racist.

There are all sorts of prejudice out there not just racism, some of them are taken more seriously than others.Like someone said earlier people who read the Daily Mail are branded worse than neo-nazi on here, quite often by Daily Star readers. I have a bit of a dislike of the Guardianistas but I've worked for quite a few and on the whole they're very nice people, all be it with some strange ideas.

Most Leeds fans are only Leeds fans because they come from the Leeds area and yet they are hated by the majority on here, who are mainly Leicester fans because we're from Leicester. Where's the difference?

I often see on the news black people from both the US and the UK saying how marvellous it is to have a black president, regardless of if they know any of his policies. Is that racist too?

I appreciate I haven't put this very well, but in summary we all have prejudices(for better or worse) against certain groups but as long as we treat people as individuals on a personal level it shouldn't matter too much.

[Bert]

The thing that gets my end up most is how that we're not allowed to display flags, or close roads to celebrate things due to people from other religions complaining. It's our country for god sake.

We don't moan when other religions have festivals that they celebrate, closing roads, putting up banners etc.

I do know it's only the minority that normally complain, but if they can have their celebrations, why can't we have ours?

It is a very touchy subject though, and I have a few friends from different cultures, backgrounds, religion and race.

[Guest Bilo]

The thing that gets my end up most is how that we're not allowed to display flags, or close roads to celebrate things due to people from other religions complaining. It's our country for god sake.

We don't moan when other religions have festivals that they celebrate, closing roads, putting up banners etc.

I do know it's only the minority that normally complain, but if they can have their celebrations, why can't we have ours?

It is a very touchy subject though, and I have a few friends from different cultures, backgrounds, religion and race.

Unfortunately a lot of time it isn't people from other religious or ethnic groups who complain or are offended, it's often some out-of-touch idealist in a council office with an over-developed sense of political correctness who thinks somebody might be offended. It plays into the hands of the far-right every time and the idiots just can't see the damage they do to community relations.

[AMYB101_LCFC]

I'm not a racist myself but near enough everyone else round my way is! But I suppose it's because we don't really have a minority in Bristol, it's not really like Leicester where there is quite a big minority. I mean in Bristol if you wanted to find people of a different race etc you'd have to go to certain areas and to be honest I can only think of two areas like that. Like in my whole school which includes a primary, secondary, college, and a little school thingy for children with disabilities, I've only ever seen 2-3 black people. And those people do occasionally get bullied, which I'm not sure if it is just because they're black? But I have heard them be called n*****s and other names like that. And I think a lot of what people have been saying like people become racists through the way they are brought up is true because a lot of my friends have racist parents and they can be quite racist themselves. I mean their parents have told them that they are allowed to talk to black, asian people etc but they aren't allowed to go out with them or get too close to them. Because their parents use racist names such as p*** and n*****, my friends do as well and I actually hate it so I'm always telling them not to say things like that. And when people tell me racist jokes, to be honest I don't find them funny, I just think it's out of order. I mean what's the point?

[Guest Bilo]

I always judge people on who they are as people rather than what they are in terms of ethnicity or religion. If I like you, I will share with a drink with ou. If I don't, I won't. End of story, why bring other factors into it? There are good people and tossers in every community.

[purpleronnie]

A hard one to comment on this, for fear of being branded racist.

There are all sorts of prejudice out there not just racism, some of them are taken more seriously than others.Like someone said earlier people who read the Daily Mail are branded worse than neo-nazi on here, quite often by Daily Star readers. I have a bit of a dislike of the Guardianistas but I've worked for quite a few and on the whole they're very nice people, all be it with some strange ideas.

Most Leeds fans are only Leeds fans because they come from the Leeds area and yet they are hated by the majority on here, who are mainly Leicester fans because we're from Leicester. Where's the difference?

I often see on the news black people from both the US and the UK saying how marvellous it is to have a black president, regardless of if they know any of his policies. Is that racist too?

I appreciate I haven't put this very well, but in summary we all have prejudices(for better or worse) against certain groups but as long as we treat people as individuals on a personal level it shouldn't matter too much.

No because black peple have been opressed for centuries so to see an african american rise to the most powerful man on earth is an amazing thing.

[purpleronnie]

I'm not a racist myself but near enough everyone else round my way is! But I suppose it's because we don't really have a minority in Bristol, it's not really like Leicester where there is quite a big minority. I mean in Bristol if you wanted to find people of a different race etc you'd have to go to certain areas and to be honest I can only think of two areas like that. Like in my whole school which includes a primary, secondary, college, and a little school thingy for children with disabilities, I've only ever seen 2-3 black people. And those people do occasionally get bullied, which I'm not sure if it is just because they're black? But I have heard them be called n*****s and other names like that. And I think a lot of what people have been saying like people become racists through the way they are brought up is true because a lot of my friends have racist parents and they can be quite racist themselves. I mean their parents have told them that they are allowed to talk to black, asian people etc but they aren't allowed to go out with them or get too close to them. Because their parents use racist names such as p*** and n*****, my friends do as well and I actually hate it so I'm always telling them not to say things like that. And when people tell me racist jokes, to be honest I don't find them funny, I just think it's out of order. I mean what's the point?

I put it down to a lack of education I dont care whether the parents are racist or not. Its no excuse.

[lou]

Ohhhh its my bug bear this subject Im afraid but I'll keep it brief as most things have already been covered by others.

Its my experience that 99.99% of people have the same worries and concerns as everyone else... usually paying the bills and what are the kids up to? EVERY community has a minority that reflect badly on the rest of them. Muslims are getting the brunt of bad publicity at the mo coz of the extremists but most of them are decent folk the same as we are.

I would like to think that I dont have any prejudices against anyone and do try to treat everyone with respect. Its not as simple as Black & White as others have said... My Sons Dad is Jamaican and they hated the "small Island people" (Trinidad, Antigua etc) who hated them back with equal measure, and they both hated Africans. Ive also had it directed at me from members of his family who didnt like him being with a white woman. Either way its wrong.

My hubbys from North Yorks and he slates the West and South Yorks folk..... much the same that Leicester ppl dont like the Derby and Notts which is still prejudice!

The thing that I really hate is that white ppl who do use racist language always assume that because Im white I'll agree with them when I actually find it totally offensive and tell them as such. Its much more prevellent than I thought it was. It saddens me and I prefer to judge people on their actions not their skin colour/religion/race etc.

[Guest]

I prefer to judge people on their actions not their skin colour/religion/race etc.

Exactly.

And welcome to the forum!!

[lou]

Exactly.

And welcome to the forum!!

Thanks Lisa.... once I heard it was safe for me to post on here without being harrassed off by "you know who" - as has happened on other forums! I thought Id give it a go.

Seems a great forum - wish Id have known about it months ago. See you at Hereford probably!

[AMYB101_LCFC]

I put it down to a lack of education I dont care whether the parents are racist or not. Its no excuse.

I know what you're saying. Schools are actually quite s*** though when it comes to R.E. We do learn about different cultures but they mostly teach you stuff about Christians. Obviously it's because it's basically the 'main' religion in this country but why do they teach us mostly about Christianity when it's something we all know about because we've generally all grown up in this country being surrounded by it? (Christmas, Easter etc.) It's stupid to be honest, why don't they teach more about other religions and that which we don't really know anything about?