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RACISM
At what point do you break all ties with someone who has expressed racist views or racist sympathies? At what point do you out someone for the same reasons? Would you leave them the chance to talk about this in the future if they want to honestly examine that part of themselves? Both I and her are of European descent so I know this question would have a different context for a POC.

kmdskit3 8 Dec 1
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8 comments

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1

At what point do you think breaking ties will educate them.

My thinking in breaking ties with them is mostly for my sanity and moral values. To a lesser extent it is to show her the consequences of her words and actions.

2

Wow! Ive just been clobbered for my stand on the anthem. So....here goes it.
I feel we all have a right to voice our opinion. Now where we voice it is debatable. I work hard to be nuetral and caring and kind, so i guess I would here them out. If it was warranted to push these opinions then I would really pay attention . It's ok to be vocal, but that's why some people say take that outside. This is not the place.
Would I allow a person to reconcile. Of course I would. We learn as we grow. Im still learning and i would like to be forgiven if i insulted or offened a person because of my ignorance. I hope i got this right...

5

In my household, we were raised to be racist. Even at this late date I find myself having to consciously monitor my thoughts to fight my childhood conditioning, and it is a constant struggle, as the media does not really help. In fact much of the media tends to try to reinforce racial stereotypes.

Because of the way I was raised, and my own struggles to not fall into the behanioral patterns under which I was raised, I am perhaps a little more tolerant of those who expouse racist comments than others on this site. Still, I do point out how a person's comments are racist, if a person makes racist remarks. I don't disassociate from them immediately unless they are blatantly aggressive in their racism.

I give people a reasonable doubt, that they are struggling not to fall into racist behaviors they were raised with, much like I am myself... until they prove otherwise.

When you live in a racist society, it can be difficult for many people to not just fall in with the crowd and to stand up for what is right. I do my best not to do that myself, but find I still have to counter my automatic thoughts from childhood conditioning. It's an ongoing process and I dont' have to corect my own thoughts as often as i once did, but I find on occasion, that I still sometimes have to.

3

It depends on the relationship. My SO will need to respect my friends and family of any race (unless there's a valid reason not to). Most people have biases. Sometimes you find out about these biases after feelings are developed.

I've talked to friends of the opposite race about things they've said that sounded racist. These were my friends so I don't think they knew what was said was racist. I honestly don't believe they meant to be. Sometimes people don't think about what they say. Or maybe it was fine for them to say around other people.

I wouldn't want to hang around flat out racist people, especially if they lack empathy.

3

I have a friend from the South whom I recently discovered doesn't believe slavery existed — at all. She thinks it wasn't slavery by "today's definition" and thinks it was an educational opportunity, as if it were some kind of work-study program. We've been friends for years, but I haven't talked with her for many weeks because of this. I know that there's a lot of southern brainwashing and whitewashing that takes place, and she's a nice person in reality, but I'm having a lot of difficulty ignoring the fact that she doesn't acknowledge the atrocity and refuses to accept all historical and legal documents that describe slavery and show it to be the primary reason behind the Confederate States' succession attempt. Eventually we'll talk again, but my lack of respect for her right now is too strong to get to a point where I can be friendly.

This sounds very similar to what I'm facing. An otherwise intelligent, self-perceptive person doesn't understand her own racism. I'm 'misunderstanding'. I've never had to do this before but I think I'm going to have cut her loose.

@kmdskit3: That's too bad. I hate being at odds with friends. There are minor disagreements, and then there are core value disputes. The latter is hard.

3

I've had friends who are both racist and homophobic, but I make it very clear early on that they can keep their views on those topics to themselves. Any attempt to bring up that kind of bullshit in a manner which is demeaning or threatening to persons of a specific race or sexual orientation will end the conversation immediately, and they know very well that this is non-negotiable.

I've always believed that one can do no good in the world by refusing to be friends with people who dislike others due to their race or sexual orientation. The best way to change a persons viewpoint is to lead by example. One cannot lead by example if they refuse to interact with those whom they wish to change.

3

You don't... It will be a process that requires time. Racism needs separation, "us vs them" mentality. No one wants to be identified as a Racist, not even some Grandwhatever KKK I saw in an interview. So, you can't use "Racist" on her, it will shut her down and wall up. You don't out her, you have to gain her trust and respect, mutual respect. Like why does she feel this way, what is the history. So be patient. If she is a Christian Trumper, forget everything I said... it's a lost cause... LOL

There is some very good advice in your reply. Not calling her racist to her face, as you said, would probably shut her down and until this comes to some kind of resolution I do not want to out her. Of course I'm 'misunderstanding' and want to think the worst of her but surprisingly she still is willing to talk with me. I've never gotten this involved with something like this and I have floundered at times. I think the next time we talk I need to shut up more, give her more space to express herself and then address what she specifically says. Gentleness should be central. Maybe there's a chance...

Great... Your next step should be inclusive, what is in common between you and her. Remember your goal is to show her your perspective. Good Luck.

4

After the Las Vegas shooting news started early in the morning, I didn't know anything about the shooter. When they said he was white, I breathed a sigh of relief. As an Indian American, every time something happens I immediately worry about how the racial components will affect me. I posted about it on Facebook and was accused of being racist by an old army buddy who was one of my groomsmen. I tried explaining that thinking the race of the shooter doesn't matter is part of "white privilege" and i kept getting attacked. I burned the bridge on a 15 year friendship at that moment.

I will tolerate alot of racial issues. In an army training(before deployment to the middle east in 2003) they kept alluding to the fact that brown skin is a signal to pay attention to, but felt uncomfortable and kept looking for ways around saying it. I raised my hand, stood up and simply said, "Just look for people who look like me." It broke the ice and we could finally move on. I get it. I was a New Yorker on 09/11 and I have traveled the spectrum of feelings. But to call me a racist for explaining that we are NOT in a post-racial world is beyond my capacity of tolerance.

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