What is Racism? (Update: Results Tabulated)

[Virgil Showlion]

Update May 2, 2018: Complete survey results are viewable here.

Which of the following behaviours constitute racism?

1. At a dinner party, Bob claims "Asians are smarter than whites," citing a 2008 Swedish study on general intelligence that includes statistics categorized by race.
   
   
2. Jill, a white woman who was once assaulted by a black man, crosses the street whenever she sees a large black man approaching on her side of the sidewalk.
   
   
3. Mary declares at a political rally, "Most white cops--nearly all of them--are racist."
   
   
4. Joe keeps a Confederate flag--a keepsake from his childhood--in his bedroom window. He refuses to take it down even after several people insist it's a symbol of racism and makes them uncomfortable.
   
   
5. Holly claims she would never marry a black man because she finds them loud and unattractive.
   
   
6. Jim asks Lo, a newcomer to his town of obviously Asian descent, "Are you from China?"
   
   
7. Peter, a white man, is a firm believer in Affirmative Action and racial quotas. "Black communities need a leg up to compensate for other systemic inequalities," he claims.
   
   
8. Donna argues online, "All lives matter. White privilege is just and excuse made up by black people."
   
   
9. Les, a Korean man, refuses to hire anyone except Koreans to work in his shop.
   
   
10. Kim, a deeply religious woman, disapproves of interracial marriages, sincerely believing that God intended the races be kept separate and distinct.
    
    
11. Roy, an ethnic Jew, maintains a site "sonsofishmael.com" documenting atrocities committed by Arabs and defending a thesis that Arabs are a violent and factious people by nature.
    
    
12. Maude, a black professor of sociology, pens an op ed asking readers to eschew citing the research of white sociologists, arguing their research is inherently biased and instrumental in the perpetuation of dangerous stereotypes.
    
    
13. Neil, an Asian man, is an outspoken proponent of racial profiling for police work, believing that profiling makes policing smarter and more effective.
    
    
14. John, a man indifferent to race, refuses to stop hanging out with Ellis, his childhood friend and an outspoken white supremacist, simply because of his beliefs on race.
    
    
15. Gary, a black TV entertainer, frequently pokes fun at whites, mocking their dancing and driving abilities in particular.
    
    
16. Kate, a white woman, and her friend Katelyn, a black woman, agree in a discussion that "there's a difference between blacks and (N word)s".
    
    
17. James categorically refuses to hire another aboriginal man after his previous two aboriginal employees suffered problems with alcohol abuse.
    
    
18. Jeanine, a full-time volunteer for a NGO in the Black Lives Matter movement, argues on her blog that modest taxes should be levied on white Americans to fund a reparations package intended to compensate "people of colour" from past injustices such as slavery.
    
    
19. Ellie, a white New Englander, reflexively calls white debate opponents racist and bigoted when she perceives she's losing an argument.
    
    
20. Joseph, a Texan, sincerely believes the influx of Mexican migrants to the US is a threat to the stability and prosperity of the nation.
    

As a special request from me: if posters wouldn't mind making this thread about issues and ideas rather than specific people, I'd appreciate it.

What does racism mean to you?

[Artemis Windsong]

Snarky.  Entering one road race over another.

[Virgil Showlion]

Aug 22, 2017 11:23:54 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

Snarky.  Entering one road race over another.

Cute.

[thyme4change]

Race is a social construct.

[Virgil Showlion]

Aug 22, 2017 11:33:56 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Race is a social construct.

I'm pretty sure forensic anthropologists would disagree.

In any case, I was hoping for a list of the numbered scenarios you consider racist, with a bit of commentary as to why or why not.

Consider it a survey where other posters may challenge you on the logic behind your selections. I'll fill it out myself eventually.

[Waffle]

21. Virgil, a Canadian, tries to start a discussion (argument?) on race by penning a list full of racial stereotypes and inflammatory remarks.

[swasat]

22. Virgil, the moderator, finds it acceptable to start his own racial threads. But wants to over moderate anyone else.

Double standards galore? 

[billisonboard]

Aug 22, 2017 11:22:03 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Which of the following behaviours constitute racism?

1. At a dinner party, Bob claims "Asians are smarter than whites," citing a 2008 Swedish study on general intelligence that includes statistics categorized by race.
   
   
2. Jill, a white woman who was once assaulted by a black man, crosses the street whenever she sees a large black man approaching on her side of the sidewalk.
   
   
3. Mary declares at a political rally, "Most white cops--nearly all of them--are racist."
   
   
4. Joe keeps a Confederate flag--a keepsake from his childhood--in his bedroom window. He refuses to take it down even after several people insist it's a symbol of racism and makes them uncomfortable.
   
   
5. Holly claims she would never marry a black man because she finds them loud and unattractive.
   
   
6. Jim asks Lo, a newcomer to his town of obviously Asian descent, "Are you from China?"
   
   
7. Peter, a white man, is a firm believer in Affirmative Action and racial quotas. "Black communities need a leg up to compensate for other systemic inequalities," he claims.
   
   
8. Donna argues online, "All lives matter. White privilege is just and excuse made up by black people."
   
   
9. Les, a Korean man, refuses to hire anyone except Koreans to work in his shop.
   
   
10. Kim, a deeply religious woman, disapproves of interracial marriages, sincerely believing that God intended the races be kept separate and distinct.
    
    
11. Roy, an ethnic Jew, maintains a site "sonsofishmael.com" documenting atrocities committed by Arabs and defending a thesis that Arabs are a violent and factious people by nature.
    
    
12. Maude, a black professor of sociology, pens an op ed asking readers to eschew citing the research of white sociologists, arguing their research is inherently biased and instrumental in the perpetuation of dangerous stereotypes.
    
    
13. Neil, an Asian man, is an outspoken proponent of racial profiling for police work, believing that profiling makes policing smarter and more effective.
    
    
14. John, a man indifferent to race, refuses to stop hanging out with Ellis, his childhood friend and an outspoken white supremacist, simply because of his beliefs on race.
    
    
15. Gary, a black TV entertainer, frequently pokes fun at whites, mocking their dancing and driving abilities in particular.
    
    
16. Kate, a white woman, and her friend Katelyn, a black woman, agree in a discussion that "there's a difference between blacks and (N word)s".
    
    
17. James categorically refuses to hire another aboriginal man after his previous two aboriginal employees suffered problems with alcohol abuse.
    
    
18. Jeanine, a full-time volunteer for a NGO in the Black Lives Matter movement, argues on her blog that modest taxes should be levied on white Americans to fund a reparations package intended to compensate "people of colour" from past injustices such as slavery.
    
    
19. Ellie, a white New Englander, reflexively calls white debate opponents racist and bigoted when she perceives she's losing an argument.
    
    
20. Joseph, a Texan, sincerely believes the influx of Mexican migrants to the US is a threat to the stability and prosperity of the nation.
    

As a special request from me: if posters wouldn't mind making this thread about issues and ideas rather than specific people, I'd appreciate it.

What does racism mean to you?

1, 2, 5, 10, 12, 17 I think qualify.

4, 6, 8, 13, 16, 20 require more information.

3, 7,  9, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19 aren't.

[Rukh O'Rorke]

The op is racist

[mmhmm]

I'm going to move this to Current Events. It's not political. It's cultural.

mmhmm, Politics Moderator

[chiver78]

Aug 22, 2017 13:48:52 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

I'm going to move this to Current Events. It's not political. It's cultural.

mmhmm, Politics Moderator

it's not really an event, either. I don't want this ball.

[thyme4change]

We have too many sub-boards. Why should we be dividing our community? We need unity. This segregation only leads to hurt feelings and stereotypes about people on the other boards. We are one.

[Virgil Showlion]

Aug 22, 2017 12:17:11 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Aug 22, 2017 11:22:03 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Which of the following behaviours constitute racism?

1. At a dinner party, Bob claims "Asians are smarter than whites," citing a 2008 Swedish study on general intelligence that includes statistics categorized by race.
   
   
2. Jill, a white woman who was once assaulted by a black man, crosses the street whenever she sees a large black man approaching on her side of the sidewalk.
   
   
3. Mary declares at a political rally, "Most white cops--nearly all of them--are racist."
   
   
4. Joe keeps a Confederate flag--a keepsake from his childhood--in his bedroom window. He refuses to take it down even after several people insist it's a symbol of racism and makes them uncomfortable.
   
   
5. Holly claims she would never marry a black man because she finds them loud and unattractive.
   
   
6. Jim asks Lo, a newcomer to his town of obviously Asian descent, "Are you from China?"
   
   
7. Peter, a white man, is a firm believer in Affirmative Action and racial quotas. "Black communities need a leg up to compensate for other systemic inequalities," he claims.
   
   
8. Donna argues online, "All lives matter. White privilege is just and excuse made up by black people."
   
   
9. Les, a Korean man, refuses to hire anyone except Koreans to work in his shop.
   
   
10. Kim, a deeply religious woman, disapproves of interracial marriages, sincerely believing that God intended the races be kept separate and distinct.
    
    
11. Roy, an ethnic Jew, maintains a site "sonsofishmael.com" documenting atrocities committed by Arabs and defending a thesis that Arabs are a violent and factious people by nature.
    
    
12. Maude, a black professor of sociology, pens an op ed asking readers to eschew citing the research of white sociologists, arguing their research is inherently biased and instrumental in the perpetuation of dangerous stereotypes.
    
    
13. Neil, an Asian man, is an outspoken proponent of racial profiling for police work, believing that profiling makes policing smarter and more effective.
    
    
14. John, a man indifferent to race, refuses to stop hanging out with Ellis, his childhood friend and an outspoken white supremacist, simply because of his beliefs on race.
    
    
15. Gary, a black TV entertainer, frequently pokes fun at whites, mocking their dancing and driving abilities in particular.
    
    
16. Kate, a white woman, and her friend Katelyn, a black woman, agree in a discussion that "there's a difference between blacks and (N word)s".
    
    
17. James categorically refuses to hire another aboriginal man after his previous two aboriginal employees suffered problems with alcohol abuse.
    
    
18. Jeanine, a full-time volunteer for a NGO in the Black Lives Matter movement, argues on her blog that modest taxes should be levied on white Americans to fund a reparations package intended to compensate "people of colour" from past injustices such as slavery.
    
    
19. Ellie, a white New Englander, reflexively calls white debate opponents racist and bigoted when she perceives she's losing an argument.
    
    
20. Joseph, a Texan, sincerely believes the influx of Mexican migrants to the US is a threat to the stability and prosperity of the nation.
    

As a special request from me: if posters wouldn't mind making this thread about issues and ideas rather than specific people, I'd appreciate it.

What does racism mean to you?

1, 2, 5, 10, 12, 17 I think qualify.

4, 6, 8, 13, 16, 20 require more information.

3, 7,  9, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19 aren't.

Interesting.

Some questions for you:

Why is case 17 racist but not 9? Would you consider it racist if a white man refused to hire anyone except for whites? Do you consider discrimination based on nationality to be distinct from discrimination based on ethnicity even when the two happen to be highly correlated?

What additional information is required in case 20?

Why is case 1 racist but not 11?

Would you maintain your assessment of case 15 if the races were reversed? That is, if a white comedian poked fun at blacks, mocking their speech and dancing?

Why do you consider case 5 racist? It seems to me that this is a matter of preference, and you've flagged all other preference-related cases as "not racism" or "more information needed".

[weltschmerz]

Which of the following behaviours constitute racism?

You forgot one. 

"I don't want blacks guys counting my money."

[Virgil Showlion]

djAdvocate: I forgot to tag you in the OP, but I'm particularly curious about where your views lie. If you have time, I'd be interested. Billis' convention is perfect: yes, no, or "not enough info".

[Virgil Showlion]

Aug 22, 2017 14:35:00 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Which of the following behaviours constitute racism?

You forgot one. 

"I don't want blacks guys counting my money."

That would be similar in nature to case 17, case 9, or case 5, depending on whether the statement was motivated by past experience, ethnic nationalism, or personal preference.

The questions really do cover a broad spectrum and many of them aren't easy to answer. (At least, I expect answers will vary considerably between different members.)

Your choices are welcome too, of course.

[mmhmm]

Aug 22, 2017 13:58:18 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Aug 22, 2017 13:48:52 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

I'm going to move this to Current Events. It's not political. It's cultural.

mmhmm, Politics Moderator

it's not really an event, either. I don't want this ball.

LOL! You can move it to Virgil's Inferno. That'll fix it! 

[billisonboard]

Aug 22, 2017 14:30:33 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Aug 22, 2017 12:17:11 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

1, 2, 5, 10, 12, 17 I think qualify.

4, 6, 8, 13, 16, 20 require more information.

3, 7,  9, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19 aren't.

Interesting.

Some questions for you:

Why is case 17 racist but not 9? Would you consider it racist if a white man refused to hire anyone except for whites? Do you consider discrimination based on nationality to be distinct from discrimination based on ethnicity even when the two happen to be highly correlated?

9 is simple. Korean is not a race. Is aboriginal? Guess I was going on the answer being yes.

What additional information is required in case 20?

Why does he "sincerely believes"?

Why is case 1 racist but not 11?

The absolute nature of the statement in 1 is what I saw as racist.  11 was one of the tougher ones. I admit I substituted Muslim for Arab in that one and made it religious intolerance. And is Arab a race?

Would you maintain your assessment of case 15 if the races were reversed? That is, if a white comedian poked fun at blacks, mocking their speech and dancing?

Comedians and artists in general are in their own category.

Why do you consider case 5 racist? It seems to me that this is a matter of preference, and you've flagged all other preference-related cases as "not racism" or "more information needed".

Black men run the same range of loudness and attractiveness as men of every race. Her using those attributes to eliminate very single black man on the planet as a potential spouse doesn't ring true to me.

[Spellbound454]

I think some of those can be put down to discrimination, preference or even satire

but racism has a prejudicial connotation in an irrational and unfounded belief that certain races are inferior.
Its much darker than many of your points

[Virgil Showlion]

Aug 22, 2017 16:13:24 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

9 is simple. Korean is not a race. Is aboriginal? Guess I was going on the answer being yes.

Hence you're not comfortable using the term "racism" unless it applies to one of the three major races (Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Negroid)? More generally it can refer to any distinct lineages. "A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution," for example.

Why does he "sincerely believes"?

He believes that Mexican immigrants will drain consume more than they produce and refuse to assimilate. He also believes their culture is partly responsible for the Third World status and endemic corruption in Mexico.

The absolute nature of the statement in 1 is what I saw as racist.  11 was one of the tougher ones. I admit I substituted Muslim for Arab in that one and made it religious intolerance. And is Arab a race?

Arabs were a race the last time I checked. And to confirm: if Bob had instead claimed "I think Asians are smarter than whites," asserting it as opinion rather than fact, you'd no longer consider it a racist attitude?

Comedians and artists in general are in their own category.

Would this extend to people telling jokes in private company? If not, why make an exception for professional entertainers?

Why do you consider case 5 racist? It seems to me that this is a matter of preference, and you've flagged all other preference-related cases as "not racism" or "more information needed".

Black men run the same range of loudness and attractiveness as men of every race. Her using those attributes to eliminate very single black man on the planet as a potential spouse doesn't ring true to me.

Attractiveness is subjective and heavily race-linked, hence it's perfectly reasonable for her to conclude she'll never consider a black man attractive. "Loud" is her perception based on her limited experience. It's a gross generalization. I take it neither fact influences your conclusion?

Comments inline.

[Virgil Showlion]

Aug 22, 2017 16:47:44 GMT -5 Spellbound454 said:

I think some of those can be put down to discrimination, preference or even satire

but racism has a prejudicial connotation in an irrational and unfounded belief that certain races are inferior.
Its much darker than many of your points

This is precisely the classical definition of racism, only it doesn't require the belief to be irrational or unfounded.

I only ever use the term "racism" in the classical sense unless it has a clear contextual definition.

In my experience, most people consider it to be any kind of prejudice or stereotyping based on race. One of the reasons I started this thread is to confirm this.

[billisonboard]

Aug 22, 2017 19:25:04 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Aug 22, 2017 16:13:24 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

9 is simple. Korean is not a race. Is aboriginal? Guess I was going on the answer being yes.

Hence you're not comfortable using the term "racism" unless it applies to one of the three major races (Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Negroid)? ...



Why does he "sincerely believes"?

He believes that Mexican immigrants will drain consume more than they produce and refuse to assimilate. He also believes their culture is partly responsible for the Third World status and endemic corruption in Mexico.

Why?

The absolute nature of the statement in 1 is what I saw as racist.  11 was one of the tougher ones. I admit I substituted Muslim for Arab in that one and made it religious intolerance. And is Arab a race?

Arabs were a race the last time I checked. And to confirm: if Bob had instead claimed "I think Asians are smarter than whites," asserting it as opinion rather than fact, you'd no longer consider it a racist attitude?

Okay I switch 11 to racism. "There was a study showing on average that Asians did better on a test" isn't racist.

Comedians and artists in general are in their own category.

Would this extend to people telling jokes in private company? If not, why make an exception for professional entertainers?

Because they are there to entertain.

Why do you consider case 5 racist? It seems to me that this is a matter of preference, and you've flagged all other preference-related cases as "not racism" or "more information needed".

Black men run the same range of loudness and attractiveness as men of every race. Her using those attributes to eliminate very single black man on the planet as a potential spouse doesn't ring true to me.

Attractiveness is subjective and heavily race-linked, hence it's perfectly reasonable for her to conclude she'll never consider a black man attractive. "Loud" is her perception based on her limited experience. It's a gross generalization. I take it neither fact influences your conclusion?

Nope.

Comments inline.

[Virgil Showlion]

Why?

This is the sum of what his research, knowledge, and experience has led him to conclude is logical. Like most of us, he's accrued his viewpoint over decades from thousands of sources, events, and experiences, and it's impossible to determine where either conclusion originates precisely.

Okay I switch 11 to racism.

This doesn't mesh with your assertion that you only use the term "racism" as it pertains to the three major divisions, which also makes it inconsistent with your assessment of case 9.

"There was a study showing on average that Asians did better on a test" isn't racist.

Hence you would say that citing the results of the study isn't racist, but placing stock in its conclusions is?

Because they are there to entertain.

This I truly don't understand. Are you saying that jokes/mockery that normally constitute racism cease to constitute racism if and only if being employed by a professional entertainer?

What about the listeners? Would you consider it racist for a man to laugh at jokes/mockery of another race delivered by a professional entertainer? Delivered by a friend?

[billisonboard]

Aug 22, 2017 23:33:24 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Why?

This is the sum of what his research, knowledge, and experience has led him to conclude is logical. Like most of us, he's accrued his viewpoint over decades from thousands of sources, events, and experiences, and it's impossible to determine where either conclusion originates precisely.

Don't have a need to identify this as necessarily racism

Okay I switch 11 to racism.

This doesn't mesh with your assertion that you only use the term "racism" as it pertains to the three major divisions, which also makes it inconsistent with your assessment of case 9.

okay

"There was a study showing on average that Asians did better on a test" isn't racist.

Hence you would say that citing the results of the study isn't racist, but placing stock in its conclusions is?

What does the study prove?

Because they are there to entertain.

This I truly don't understand. ...

[Virgil Showlion]

Aug 23, 2017 0:14:11 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Aug 22, 2017 23:33:24 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Why?

This is the sum of what his research, knowledge, and experience has led him to conclude is logical. Like most of us, he's accrued his viewpoint over decades from thousands of sources, events, and experiences, and it's impossible to determine where either conclusion originates precisely.

Don't have a need to identify this as necessarily racism

Okay I switch 11 to racism.

This doesn't mesh with your assertion that you only use the term "racism" as it pertains to the three major divisions, which also makes it inconsistent with your assessment of case 9.

okay

"There was a study showing on average that Asians did better on a test" isn't racist.

Hence you would say that citing the results of the study isn't racist, but placing stock in its conclusions is?

What does the study prove?

Because they are there to entertain.

This I truly don't understand. ...

Just gave my mom the survey and she said:

1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 - racism
4, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16 - not racism
9, 20 - not enough information

Had an excellent discussion about it.

One interesting thing I learned: while we both agree that racism isn't inherently immoral, she goes even further in that she doesn't consider the label "racist" inherently pejorative.

[Spellbound454]

"I think Asians are smarter than whites," asserting it as opinion rather than fact, you'd no longer consider it a racist attitude?

Far Eastern Asians are smarter ...ie Japanese have an average 20 points higher on the IQ scale.
People living at altitude tend to have bigger lungs.
Ethiopians have a better ability for distance running than most other races.

Those are non disparaging statements of facts........ and therefore not racist.

Its becomes racist when it is course and implies inferiority.
ie " All xxxxx are dumb idiots"

He believes that Mexican immigrants will drain consume more than they produce and refuse to assimilate. He also believes their culture is partly responsible for the Third World status and endemic corruption in Mexico.

.....and what if its true?
Difficult discussions sometimes have to be made without getting wrapped up in accusations of racism.

ie We in the UK have had gangs of Pakistani men raping and trafficking underage white British girls.
It wasn't tackled for years because the authorities were scared of accusations of racism.
The truth is the racism lies with the Pakistani men who believed that white British girls were worth less than them.

We cannot allow sensitivities to allow anyone commit crime.

It seems to me that this is a matter of preference

Yes you can't dictate who someone should find attractive.

Still maintain that many of those are preference or opinion ...satire or naevity
As long as there is no malicious intent, its just part of normal life ................. from which we do not need to recoil in horror.

[zibazinski]

Aug 23, 2017 1:57:09 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Aug 23, 2017 0:14:11 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Just gave my mom the survey and she said:

1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 - racism
4, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16 - not racism
9, 20 - not enough information

Had an excellent discussion about it.

One interesting thing I learned: while we both agree that racism isn't inherently immoral, she goes even further in that she doesn't consider the label "racist" inherently pejorative.

I don't either-anymore

[Virgil Showlion]

Aug 23, 2017 4:16:35 GMT -5 Spellbound454 said:

"I think Asians are smarter than whites," asserting it as opinion rather than fact, you'd no longer consider it a racist attitude?

Far Eastern Asians are smarter ...ie Japanese have an average 20 points higher on the IQ scale.
People living at altitude tend to have bigger lungs.
Ethiopians have a better ability for distance running than most other races.

Those are non disparaging statements of facts........ and therefore not racist.

Its becomes racist when it is course and implies inferiority.
ie " All xxxxx are dumb idiots"

He believes that Mexican immigrants will drain consume more than they produce and refuse to assimilate. He also believes their culture is partly responsible for the Third World status and endemic corruption in Mexico.

.....and what if its true?
Difficult discussions sometimes have to be made without getting wrapped up in accusations of racism.

ie We in the UK have had gangs of Pakistani men raping and trafficking underage white British girls.
It wasn't tackled for years because the authorities were scared of accusations of racism.
The truth is the racism lies with the Pakistani men who believed that white British girls were worth less than them.

We cannot allow sensitivities to allow anyone commit crime.

It seems to me that this is a matter of preference

Yes you can't dictate who someone should find attractive.

Still maintain that many of those are preference or opinion ...satire or naevity
As long as there is no malicious intent, its just part of normal life ................. from which we do not need to recoil in horror.

All fair points.

One of the key observations I've made about racism over the years is that it consistently means very different things to different people. That's one of two main reasons I started the thread.

In addition to the variables of scope (who can be a racist and who can be a target of racism), different people attach caveats of morality, reasonableness, intent, and countless other conditions and criteria. I did my best to design the survey so that the cases touch on most of the major factors I've seen people use.

If you wouldn't mind providing a "Yes", "No", "Not Enough Information" for each of the cases, I'd appreciate it. If I get enough data, it will be worth tabulating to see which of the cases--if any--are consistently seen as racist behaviour or consistently seen as not racist behaviour.

[Virgil Showlion]

Aug 23, 2017 8:55:59 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

Aug 23, 2017 1:57:09 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Just gave my mom the survey and she said:

1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 - racism
4, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16 - not racism
9, 20 - not enough information

Had an excellent discussion about it.

One interesting thing I learned: while we both agree that racism isn't inherently immoral, she goes even further in that she doesn't consider the label "racist" inherently pejorative.

I don't either-anymore

She apparently never did. It isn't a matter of being "burned out" due to abuse of the term.

She sees it as a more neutral designation.

[zibazinski]

I'm burned out. If you don't agree or try to defend what others say is racist, you're racist. I haven't gotten to the point of considering it a compliment but I'm close.