Can you be racist to white people?

[ÆƵ–]

I think no, since white people are currently the race "in power", and therefore a few cracks debasing them won't do a thing. Here are some readings that support this. 

 

http://www.dailydot.com/opinion/reverse-racism-doesnt-exist/

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/reverse-racism-isnt-a-thing_55d60a91e4b07addcb45da97

 

http://everydayfeminism.com/2014/07/8-things-white-people-race/

 

 

So, is there such a thing as white racism? Honestly, I want opinions and reasons too. Lemme know what y'all think. 

 

 

EDIT: Okay, it seems I've made a lil detail left unsaid. I mean to talk about white people in the U.S.A. , since these articles are focusing on that. 

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

Cracker, nuff said

 

Also college applications

 

Hell, Affirmative action is "racist" to Asians and Whites

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

You..wait you honestly don't think you can't be racist to White people? That's uh...You know what racist is right?

Like...I don't even know what there is to discuss here. Let's just say... "Oh they only hired him because he's White" or "He's White, of course he is racist" (Yes I have been told that someone thought I was racist, without any prompting, because "Well I figured cause he's White, probably racist somehow.")

[ÆƵ–]

You..wait you honestly don't think you can't be racist to White people? That's uh...You know what racist is right?

Like...I don't even know what there is to discuss here. Let's just say... "Oh they only hired him because he's White" or "He's White, of course he is racist" (Yes I have been told that someone thought I was racist, without any prompting, because "Well I figured cause he's White, probably racist somehow.")

Allow me to quote the third article  

 

 

1. Racial prejudice and racism are not the same thing.

Also those must have been some bad peeps to tell you that. At least peeps should give peeps a chance

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

If I were to say "He only got that job because he's Black"

it would be racist.

If I were to say "He only got that job because he's White"

it's still racist.

 

"Black people smell like sheet"

"White people smell like sheet"

 

It doesn't matter what race you are, if someone says something against you, or does something against you, just because of your race, it is racist.

 

 

I'm utterly baffled by this topic and I shall not post again for a while, just in case I'm missing something important.

[ÆƵ–]

If I were to say "He only got that job because he's Black"

it would be racist.

If I were to say "He only got that job because he's White"

it's still racist.

 

"Black people smell like s***"

"White people smell like s***"

 

It doesn't matter what race you are, if someone says something against you, or does something against you, just because of your race, it is racist.

 

 

I'm utterly baffled by this topic and I shall not post again for a while, just in case I'm missing something important.

Allow me to quote the first article

 

 

1) Racism = privilege + power

It goes into detail about this in said article. Also reading the articles, while yes long and wordy, might be enlightening. I mean this in the best possible way and am trying to not be condisending swearsies. 

[ÆƵ–]

Cracker, nuff said

 

Also college applications

 

Hell, Affirmative action is "racist" to Asians and Whites

Cracker refers to whip cracker, which iirc white people kinda were to those of color. 

 

Colleges look for achievement and interesting people, iirc. Yes, there are (were?) some all-PoC colleges, but there have been many whites only things before that. 

 

I'm not very well educated on AfAc, so I'll stay neutral on that for now. 

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Okay I lied I'm back to point out that I don't agree that racism = privileged + power

 

Also that I find the idea that some people think I, as a minimum wage, legally blind, white male am automatically privileged just because of my whiteness kinda racist.

 

Okay out for real this time. Don't let me post hereeeee

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

We have a term for whites here in Hawai'i, and it's called "haole".

On its own, the term is technically NOT racist (contrary to what some guys on Urban Dictionary say, because they know nothing).

 

This is used for people whose ancestry isn't Hawaiian or one of the ethnicities who worked on the plantations during the 1800s.

Term encompasses both local whites and those who come from the mainland, but it usually refers to the latter.

 

(I haven't heard it used for guys in Europe and other countries)

 

Portuguese are never referred to by this term (because they were on the plantations), and doing so is an insult.

Some local whites would prefer that you not call them this term, because of the connotations below.

 

------

Usage of the term stems from when missionaries [from mainland USA] came around during the late 18th/early 19th centuries, and can be translated as "no breath" to some extent, because missionaries did not observe the traditional custom of sharing breath with each other during prayers. You can consider this as calling whites ignorant of local traditions.

 

(You can read a Hawaiian textbook for more details, or suppose you can ask me about it). 

 

Like I said earlier, the term itself is technically not racist (and more of a descriptor), but can be racist/derogatory if you add certain modifiers.

 

There's a reason why you hear the f-word or some other term before it in certain contexts; reason is usually someone from the mainland being cocky about how their lives are compared to how we do things in the islands

 

(Yes, there are some guys who still think Hawai'i is still undeveloped and/or awkward.)

This does not mean that we are racist towards whites here (especially because we have white men/women from the military stationed here).

 

We are accepting of all nationalities; the thing is more/less in them talking about their lifestyles up in the states and thinking their lives are better than ours.

 

-----------

So yeah, there's your little history lesson about the term.

As a whole, it is possible to be racist to whites (and other countries certainly have terms for them), much like blacks have that other term here.

 

(If you want clarification on certain things, just ask)

[ÆƵ–]

We have a term for whites here in Hawai'i, and it's called "haole".

On its own, the term is technically NOT racist (contrary to what some guys on Urban Dictionary say, because they know nothing).

 

This is used for people whose ancestry isn't Hawaiian or one of the ethnicities who worked on the plantations during the 1800s.

Term encompasses both local whites and those who come from the mainland, but it usually refers to the latter.

 

(I haven't heard it used for guys in Europe and other countries)

 

Portuguese are never referred to by this term (because they were on the plantations), and doing so is an insult.

Some local whites would prefer that you not call them this term, because of the connotations below.

 

------

Usage of the term stems from when missionaries [from mainland USA] came around during the late 18th/early 19th centuries, and can be translated as "no breath" to some extent, because missionaries did not observe the traditional custom of sharing breath with each other during prayers. You can consider this as calling whites ignorant of local traditions.

 

(You can read a Hawaiian textbook for more details, or suppose you can ask me about it). 

 

Like I said earlier, the term itself is technically not racist (and more of a descriptor), but can be racist/derogatory if you add certain modifiers.

 

There's a reason why you hear the f-word or some other term before it in certain contexts; reason is usually someone from the mainland being cocky about how their lives are compared to how we do things in the islands

 

(Yes, there are some guys who still think Hawai'i is still undeveloped and/or awkward.)

 

-----------

So yeah, there's your little history lesson about the term.

As a whole, it is possible to be racist to whites (and other countries certainly have terms for them), much like blacks have that other term here.

 

(If you want clarification on certain things, just ask)

 

That is an excellent example of power+privilege = Racism. At least, that is my understanding, and it is completely reliant upon weather or not non-white people have power and privilege over white people in Hawai'i. However, if white people are still the power and privilege holders in Hawai'i, then it isn't true racism, but rather racial prejudice, which is close but not quite. 

[宇佐見 蓮子@C94]

These gringos be loco.

[Makο]

In terms of technicality, yeah. Because definitions.

 

In practically, nah.

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

That is an excellent example of power+privilege = Racism. At least, that is my understanding, and it is completely reliant upon weather or not non-white people have power and privilege over white people in Hawai'i. However, if white people are still the power and privilege holders in Hawai'i, then it isn't true racism, but rather racial prejudice, which is close but not quite. 

Technically speaking, we have a Caucasian mayor on the island I live on, but he comes from Hawai'i Island (Big Island). That, and I think he's mixed race (there's a derivation of that term for people like this, but you can PM me about this if you're interested).

 

Current governor is Japanese, but previous guy was white.

There are a few whites in public office here, but I think they're on the city council or something at highest (bar for one of our state reps in D.C.).

 

Likely more in other places, but otherwise it's mostly other ethnicities (usually guys whose ancestors were already here, like Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese, native Hawaiians and some others) who have the top seats (but that's because of elections and the candidate's own merits).

 

Prior to the 1950s maybe, then yeah whites were pretty much in charge of things (due to the Provisional Government and being Territory of Hawai'i at the time).

Now, it's multicultural (although university has had a few white chancellors as far as I remember, so there's that).

 

We don't discriminate against whites here in terms of jobs.

 

-----

We don't frequently use that term for racist purposes, and when it does get used, it's generally relegated to people from the mainland acting up here.

So yeah, respect the way we do things down here and you'll be fine.

 

Though I seem to recall my 12th grade psych teacher mentioning that her colleagues were initially apprehensive towards her, because of her race and all (from mainland, and partly white [with other nationalities]).

 

-----

NOTE: Hawai'i / Hawaii are the same thing; former is the way that it's traditionally written by our phonetics.

I write it as such because I live here, and from classes in college (some instructors are very pedantic about how you write things).

 

In case you get confused on why I write it like this, there's the reason.

[Maeriberii Haan]

i really hope this topic doesn't devolve into a war of definition of what is racism.

 

 

That aside, I personally see AA as racist...but only in an ideal environment where people are completely treated as equals.

 

As of now it's really just making the playing field more even by giving minorities a chance. Special treatment as it is, data don't lie. If it's truly unnecessary and just a racist policy, then employment and higher education enrollment would see a ratio of people of different races being accepted as proportional to the population of said race in the area. But since it isn't, that's where AA comes in.

 

And if ability and merit is taken into consideration as an argument against AA, refer to statistics again. With the disproportional representation happening, wouldn't it mean something is happening that causing it? Aren't people supposed to be equal at their base?

 

More or less that.

[(GigaDrillBreaker)]

Even with the definition under which only the privileged can be racist, this is silly.

 

Everyone is privileged in some situation or another.

 

Hell, I can even make an example of how blacks are generally more favored in racial issues in liberal media sources. This is a privilege, and is a practice the is racist against whites.

 

Not that the example I am using is what my point is, rather it is just an example.

 

You can be racist toward any race, as at the end of the day, everyone has their own unfair advantages. That is just the way it works, and distinctions like this just perpetuate more unnecessary separation.

[epicmemesbro]

I don't think so, not the position I'm in any way. Because I'm order for that to happen there needs to be a white population and where I'm from there is a lack of one. And i assume you mean discriminate against someone because you can't be racist to someone. And I've never seen or heard from white people any type of discrimination against them. Maybe in areas of high racial tension like the south, but not here.

[Phantom Roxas]

I think no, since white people are currently the race "in power", and therefore a few cracks debasing them won't do a thing.

I've seen this reasoning before, and I completely disagree with it. Yes, they're in power and privileged, but just because it won't do a thing doesn't change that you're still debasing them. And if you're going to debase them for being white, rather than criticizing the power they have, then you're being racist.

[cr47t]

I think yes because saying no could be interpreted as a racist comment too.

We live in an enlightened age where the principles of human tolerance and reason are widely accepted and often (but not always) put into practice. If one group of people can be debased I would think that all other groups of people can be debased too. At the same time, we should not take these principles too far. I think we need to chart a moderate course.

 

But back to the question this topic is asking, yes, whites are and can be subject to racism, it is just that it is not portrayed very much in the course of major history events in humankind.

[bury the year]

My experiences in Hong Kong and being called some pretty nasty sheet in Cantonese by people who thought I wouldn't understand leads me to believe that yes, you can be racist against white people.

 

And people seem to conflate institutional racism and personal racism. They're two different beasts entirely, but anyone can be personally racist. If you are of one race and you disparage another, I don't care about your justifications, because you're racist. Simple as that. (On that note, "reverse racism" doesn't exist. It is just racism and is no more justified.)

[~ P O L A R I S ~]

Even with the definition under which only the privileged can be racist, this is silly.

 

Everyone is privileged in some situation or another.

 

Hell, I can even make an example of how blacks are generally more favored in racial issues in liberal media sources. This is a privilege, and is a practice the is racist against whites.

 

Not that the example I am using is what my point is, rather it is just an example.

 

You can be racist toward any race, as at the end of the day, everyone has their own unfair advantages. That is just the way it works, and distinctions like this just perpetuate more unnecessary separation.

 

Your example is terrible, and your acknowledgment of it being situational privilege should tell you why.  

 

African-Americans make up 13% of America's population and 60% of the prison population. Having an inherent dramatically lower chance of being incarcerated because you're white is not a situational privilege, it is indicative of the systemic issues of segregation and racism in America. It is American society dealing African-American people worse hands in general and penalizing them when they try to play them at a moment's notice while pardoning and sympathizing with Caucasians who abuse their better hands. 

 

Yes, in America white people can experience racism and suffer horrible things as a result and have done, but at an insignificant scale compared to black people. It's therefore either racist in the purest sense of the word and/or unbelievably ignorant to highlight racism against white people in America as being some sort of issue without acknowledging how much worse it is for black people in America.

 

A story about Trayvon Martin does not atone for America's disease of having no place for African-Americans but impoverished projects and prisons. 

[epicmemesbro]

After thinking about it more I came to the conclusion that wealthy white people are HIGHLY unlikely to be discriminated against. It almost is unheard of. Considering they can get away with so much (white collar crime goes unnoticed) they do have true privilege unlike their poorer white counterparts.

[宇佐見 蓮子@C94]

After thinking about it more I came to the conclusion that wealthy white people are HIGHLY unlikely to be discriminated against. It almost is unheard of. Considering they can get away with so much (white collar crime goes unnoticed) they do have true privilege unlike their poorer white counterparts.

This only applies in America.

[(GigaDrillBreaker)]

stuff

I think you misinterpreted the intent of my post. Never did I say that racism towards white was more significant than toward others. I didn't say it was a more pressing issue either. I said that it exists, even under the convoluted (albeit technically accurate) definition presented in OP. As a matter of fact, you agreed with me in that respect, so you were mostly arguing against a point I never made.

 

Racism is bad. Racism exists toward every race. Belittling any form of racism just makes the problem worse.

[Tentacruel]

You can call it whatever you want.  It doesn't mean you're not a funking wanker. 

[TF2_The_Scout]

Racism(noun): the belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.

 

Yes, you can be racist towards white people by its definition. You can believe that your race is superior through morality, intelligence, or any other factor or believe that another race is inferior in such a way. To ask if you can be racist towards white people seems to be implying that it can't happen. Don't give me that crap about racism=privaledge+power. Since this thread apparently only applies in the US, a black man currently holds the highest power in the country and has for 8 years. Yeah, I can clearly see the lack of privaledge and power there. Racism is not a one way road. It's a highway with lots of lanes and ramps that lead in every direction.