Racism Explained

 

So I was having a chat with my friend the other day (a "millennial") and somehow we got on the topic of racism.  He explained to me the difference between racism and stereotype, so I figured I'd share that with you here.

Declan: You clearly don't know the meaning of racist! Also, 99.9% of the population doesn't know the difference between racist and stereotype

Me: 99.9% of stereotypes are racist. Also, they just arrested a 14 year old girl for racism in the UK. Seriously. {2 links}

Declan: There's a clear difference

Me: Explain it to me

Declan: Stereotypes aren't necessarily racist. It's just something you might expect from a group of people. Asking if a Jew owns a deli isn't racist, just a stereotype. Stereotypes aren't necessarily about that group being inferior to yours, but about them being a certain way

Me: Asking if a Jew owns a deli is racist.

Declan: No. It's a stereotype. Asking if he owns a deli doesn't imply that you think they're inferior

Me: So like if I asked your [Irish] mom if she's an alcoholic, that's not racist.

Declan: No. Maybe you're concerned and want to help. It would be racist if you said, "Ugh. All those dumb alcoholic crackers. "

Me: I see. So if you asked a Jewish doctor if he owned a deli, that's not racist.

Declan: Not necessarily. Sometimes it just depends on how you say it

Me: I see. You think the Jewish doctor might find it racist?

Declan: If he doesn't understand the difference, sure

Me: I see. So if you asked a black guy if he owned a deli, that's neither racist nor stereotype?

Declan: No. Because there's no stereotype about black people owning delis and the question doesn't imply racism

Me: I see. So the Jewish deli thing isn't racist, it's just an assumption made about somebody because of their race.

Declan: Yes.

Me: I see. It's sorta like Affirmative Action isn't racist, it just assumes black people aren't smart enough to get into college on their own.

Me: (Because I've heard some people in the news claiming it's racist. Mostly on MSNBC though.)

Declan: It's an important difference

Me: I see. These black people don't realize that Affirmative Action isn't racist because it gives them an advantage, based on the assumption their race needs help getting into college.

Me: It's beneficial, not racist.

Declan: Indeed.

Me: Of course, it seems based on a stereotype that blacks can't get into college without help. But that's stereotype, not racism.

Declan: Yes! Finally someone who gets it!!!

Me: Yep!  I think too many people get pissed at stuff they find racist when it's actually just stereotype.

Declan: Exactly. EXACTLY

Me: I imagine there was some of that baseless pissed off-ness in your [predominantly African-American] high school.

Declan: Absolutely

Me: I figured. There were a lot of blacks in your school and they're overly sensitive of race stuff.