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ORIGINAL: pleasureforck

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ORIGINAL: kittengirl8

I was thinking through the question, and realized: You know, some people consider me racist, simply because of some things I said, but I definitely DON'T think a single race is better than another. Nor do I discriminate against a person based solely upon the race/ethnicity. So I'm going to have to say, seriously, some comments seem racist to some people, but aren't really.

"There were so many Mexicans at the mall! When did the demographic change so strikingly?" Is not a racist comment, and yet, some people seem to think it is. Uh, why? *shrug* So, talk about it before you completely end a relationship. If it's a blatantly obvious racist comment "Uh, did you see that stupid <insert demeaning comment about someone of another race>?" (That was racist because it was specifically insulting someone because of their race, without knowing the person.)
Now, if I were to jokingly say "Hey my <insert random odd race-related word>! How're you going stupid?" That's not racist, that just silliness. (Though... I don't talk like that. I usually use names, or "Hey you!" but that's not the point.)   The moral of this story: Talk, communicate, analyze!

I had to comment on this. My UM's are biracial and my Sir has just moved in. He is not racist at all but does say things like those mexican guys or those black guys. He grew up in Brooklyn and thats how they speak. Personally I feel that there is no reason to point out race or nationality when talking about someone. Why not just say those guys? I asked him to stop saying this because it bothered me. I didn't want him talking like that in front of my UM's either. I was afraid they would think he was racist and not like him. He didn't see this as racist but since I did he respected my feelings by agreeing to stop.

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Would I be wrong in believing that someone expressing such views out of ignorance can be taught differently and have those views changed? Am I right to state clearly how I feel about how I feel when such views are expressed even in such a dynamic as D/s or M/s? Or am I being naive and expecting something to change in someone that's possibly an inherent part of their nature and won't ever change? Can we as people ever be able to overcome our prejudices? And where does the difference lie between a prejudice and a preference?

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ORIGINAL: Decimus
My philosophy is that 99% of the world is completely retarded, until "you" prove otherwise I'll not believe "you" (you in this case is relating to any person I meet) are in the 1%. If you would like me to prove that with statistics well just read up the % of people who are over genius IQ in the world.

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ORIGINAL: beltainefaerie

I could never be involved with a racist or a bigot.  Just wouldn't work with my worldview and my diverse friends.

agirl, mentioning racial descriptors when they have nothing to do with what you are talking about can come off as racist.  If I say, "look at those drunk Mexicans across the street" then Mexicans becomes an important part of that statement.  They may be drunk and they may be Mexican, but linking them in that way makes it sound like the two are inherently linked.  If it wasn't an important detail, one could have just said, "look at the drunk guys over there".  However, if it is important to the statement, such as telling where someone came from, or anything where culture, race or nationality is actually important, then mentioning it makes sense.  I totally get someone not wanting their ums exposed to constant meaningless racial classification.  While adults may not be forming the word associations I mentioned, little ones are still forming their worldview and if they get to hear about the "drunk Mexicans" across the street, you may only be talking about one particular group of guys, but they may be forming the picture that Mexicans are usually drunk if they don't have lots of other examples to challenge that assumption.  If you just say guys instead, they are more likely to get the accurate impression that it is just there wacky neighbors. As a further note, thy might not even be Mexican.  They could be from any other central or south American culture, but labelling them "Mexican" fits some sort of assumption the speaker already has. 

Other contexts of racial identifiers can be irritating as well.  I remember that when we were talking about my friends, my grandmother would often ask, "is that the Black girl?" or "is that the Korean girl?".  She was trying to remember who I was talking about and I get that, but since I don't have only one of each race as a friend, I would always have to say something like, "well, her skin is mocha colored, but she's actually Fillipina" or "well, she is Korean, but she is the one with short hair and glasses, who is taller than me".  Race wasn't actually so important as her knowing who I was talking about, but she thought so much in terms of race that it was what registered first for her. 

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ORIGINAL: Decimus

I just want to let you know Solinear that your comment is racist, and you are a type of racist, a stereotypical racist. You see some of a group doing one thing so you stereotype the entire population segment and assume based on that.

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ORIGINAL: orfunboi

Wow, you worked in Detroit and drove by those houses, and your still alive to tell the tale.