Rusty Nails
Country Member
I get exactly what @matticus is getting at here, or at least I hope I do, especially the bit 'OF COURSE you're not racist' alongside the comment that PR is a 'massive racist'.
Does racism have a sliding scale with a point at which it tips over from being mild racism to average racism to massive racism? Is any level of racism so mild as to be excusable, and what gives anyone the right to judge this who is not absolutely clear of any hint of racism?
I confess to being a P,M & VS boomer. and my circle of friends, not colleagues or acquaintances, contains no people who are not white...but then I must admit to having no more than about 7/8 people who I call friends rather than acquaintances. I had one close friend from Pakistan who died some years back and probably have a handful of non-white people who I occasionally chat to over the club or at work.
I know that when I speak to a black person I am aware that they are black, often from a different cultural background to mine, and probably worry too much in case I put my foot in it. So I am not colour blind, and aware of people's ethnic background and issues they may have faced through racism, but, other than behaviours learned from their cultural history, I do not see any intrinsic difference between them and my white acquaintances. On immigration I believe that any country should set its own limits on numbers but that these limits should not be influenced by race or country of origin, particularly wrt asylum.
I have read in the past that racism can also include the fact that people are aware of race when dealing with people, or not actively fighting against racism in society, so on that basis I could be said to fail the test and that is why I am loathe to use the term racist to cover all but the most egregious cases.
YMMV.
Does racism have a sliding scale with a point at which it tips over from being mild racism to average racism to massive racism? Is any level of racism so mild as to be excusable, and what gives anyone the right to judge this who is not absolutely clear of any hint of racism?
I confess to being a P,M & VS boomer. and my circle of friends, not colleagues or acquaintances, contains no people who are not white...but then I must admit to having no more than about 7/8 people who I call friends rather than acquaintances. I had one close friend from Pakistan who died some years back and probably have a handful of non-white people who I occasionally chat to over the club or at work.
I know that when I speak to a black person I am aware that they are black, often from a different cultural background to mine, and probably worry too much in case I put my foot in it. So I am not colour blind, and aware of people's ethnic background and issues they may have faced through racism, but, other than behaviours learned from their cultural history, I do not see any intrinsic difference between them and my white acquaintances. On immigration I believe that any country should set its own limits on numbers but that these limits should not be influenced by race or country of origin, particularly wrt asylum.
I have read in the past that racism can also include the fact that people are aware of race when dealing with people, or not actively fighting against racism in society, so on that basis I could be said to fail the test and that is why I am loathe to use the term racist to cover all but the most egregious cases.
YMMV.
