How To Make Yourself Look Like a Bigot


Common Sense isn't very common. For all the talk about tolerance, some people just don't get it. Here are some ways you may brand yourself intentionally or unintentionally as a bigot. Hard indications are #1 and #5. Hard means that there is a 90% possibility that you don't have good sense, and are a bigot. The rest are soft indications- you might be, but you may just be blind to white privlege.

1)Wear confederate flags. To you, it may mean the your Southern heritage, but to the rest of us, you simply seem disrespectful. Symbols are not value neutral- through association with the KKK, and segregationist, the Confederate battle flag has become a symbol of hate, and so when you wear it, it's kind of like wearing a big swastika, it might have been a good luck sign before, but it's been perverted so much, that just wearing it becomes a symbol of disrespect. If you respect others enough to not wear that, respect others enough not to wear the confederate flag. If not.. people will think you're a bigot.

2)Whine about 'political correctness'. Since political correctness has been stripped of all meaning, but people who gripe against it are usually whining because they can't use derogatory terms without disapproval,this is a soft sign. When coupled with griping because someone had to give an insulting fake apology ("I'm sorry anyone was offended"- way to take responsibility) this is a much harder sign.

3)'Personal Responsibility'- another soft sign. Just recognize who you are telling to take responsibility. Is it always the Other- for example- saying to cut public funds for food for young kids because minority + poor moms need to take 'personal responsibility' but not minding welfare for corporations who don't do a good job. Do you always see the problems of one race as problems of 'responsibility' across the entire?

4) "Reverse Racism"- this sign is somewhat soft, but is harder than some others. This word assumes that racism against whites is some horrid aberration, needing a new term. Also, this usually goes along with non reality based whining about 'oppression'. This is using white privlege here, since you're allowed to ignore real problems, hijack productive discussion, and also get the 'street cred' of victimhood without even the possibility of real harm coming. Clue: oppression is way more than getting a funny look when you say the n word.

5)Christian Idenitity and other White Power/supremacy groups- Very hard sign. The whole idea about White Power is not about having pride in your own culture- it's about keeping power. To explain this, a bit more racial theory is needed. These groups seem to think that they have some sort of special biology that makes them better than non whites. Race isn't a biological thing. For example, different places have different race rules. In the US, black heritage was considered so strong that just 'one drop' could make you black. However in Brazil, many people we consider black wouldn't be considered black. Also, variation within races is greater than variation between them.

Also, in the past, people we now consider white, weren't. Even though the Irish shared the pale skin of whites, they didn't get their full privileges of whiteness until sometime after the first Irish arrived. Whiteness is thus not just about phenotype. It's always been about power- before, laws regulated the power of whites,creating segregation legally, and by custom, causing a blind eye to be turned to anti black violence, but now, we have a subtler power accorded to whiteness- for example, Horowitz the attention whore(who I believe is Jewish- not considered white by some other race rules) can get his whining considered seriously, but try to have a black talk about oppression, and the belitting just doesn't stop. Black calls for sorry or even reparations are called 'silly' and framed as 'money grubbing blacks" , despite the US' ability to mea culpa for internment.

These groups believe that whiteness entitles them to this power- that is why there is the fear of being outbreeded, the fear of equality for others, and the use of violence to achieve their goals sometimes. Whiteness isn't a culture except as an amalgamation of peoples who may or may not have been considered white in the past, and also, their rhetoric does not focus on their own, but rather the 'protection' of the white race.
Speaking of Irish people, I have an anecdotal example of what I am talking about. I knew a girl who was really into her Irishness- spoke Gaelic,etc, but she wasn't a white pride type- quite the opposite- she could appreciate black culture(especially writers) as well. That's non pathological, the pathological type is mutually exclusive with the enjoyment of other cultures that aren't 'white'.

6)Complain about all the 'unimportant' subjects taught in school (or 'multiculturalism'). If books by white authors can be taught, why not black authors? If white history can be taught, why not history that includes everyone who built America? I mean, there's no magic chemical in melanin that makes you unable to write good prose, or even great literature. Blacks, Mexicans and other types of Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asians have all helped build our country- so what makes their achievements less important?

7)"unqualified people" (affirmative Action) This is based on the stereotype of the stupid and lazy Negro. The idea that black skin makes you inherently unqualified is pretty confusing. Also, non reality based assertions are a common part of the toolbox of the bigot. I realize that it's pretty comforting to believe that the reason you can't get ahead if blacks, but come on.. It's pretty easy to believe that just because a black got 'your' (see the sense of entitlement?) job, that they got in because of AA, because you simply do not consider the fact that blacks can be qualified for jobs.



There are many other signs hard and soft, but I shall adjourn.