Have you ever done anything remotely racist?

I did when I was very, very little. I was a little girl playing in the sandbox with my friend and I was complaining about how my new neighbors were "nlggers". This was behavior that I had learned from my Grandmother, unfortunately. She grew up in a less enlightened, less tolerant time. :( My friend responded by telling me that I should go over there and knock on their door and ask them to move. And I did...

Later in my life, I said something that was taken as being racist, but I didn't mean it to be. It was really humiliating though and I felt so bad! There is a boy who lives down the street from me who really likes basketball and has an adopted sister who is black. I was having a yard sale that day, and my friend and I were doing face painting to pick up some extra cash. The boy came over and we were talking to him about painting his face. He asked what type of stuff we could do and I was telling him we'd try anything that he wanted. I blurted out without thinking, "I could make you black like Michael Jordan to improve your game". He started acting really strangely and said no thank and rode off on his bike. I didn't realize until afterwards that he had reacted that way because he thought I was making a crack about him having a black sister. I totally wasn't, though -- I was making a crack about the stereotype that white men can't play basketball as well. It dawned on me that he probably has gotten teased about having a black sister before and that's probably made him very sensitive to racial stereotypes so I went down to his house and explained myself and apologized. I admitted that even in the way that I meant it the commend wasn't appropriate or necessary, and he seemed appreciative.

I try not to ever make comments like that anymore, though. Especially not in a degrading way (sometimes I'm comfortable with saying them in a complimentary way, though... in my social circles saying someone's got a "sister a_zz" is a very complimentary way of saying that she's got a round, juicy butt that's highly appealing) The fact that the phrase "that's gay" has permeated our culture as an accepted way of saying that something is stupid, lame, or weird is the most horrible thing ever! It drives me crazy when people say it and I always end up challenging them on it (i.e. "What's homosexual about that? What's happy about that?" Usually if they're so ignorant that they're saying it they don't care, but I like to try and get them to think about what they're saying anyway... )

The only thing remotely racist that I have ever done is just tell jokes. I never talk bad about other people, but there were a few jokes I've told in my day that have been rather rude and a little bit racist. I tend not to tell jokes like that, especially because I'm in an interracial relationship, so I get a lot of heat because of it.

first off, let me assert that my best friend is black, i go to a predominately black church, hang out with black people all the time, and dont really care one way or the other about stereotypes and labels put on race. keeping this in mind, read the following.

at a meeting of youth workers, last february, one of our older staff was saying something about black history month, and how he was celebrating. my friend asked why he wasnt informed of this (being black) and i couldnt help but point out that he had married a white woman. we had to put the meeting on hold because the end of the table we were on couldn't stop laughing.

in another incident, a more serious one, i was having some issuess with a coworker, who was being very rude that day (i also work with my friend and he knew about whom i was talking, as she doesnt treat really anybody nicely when that time of the month comes around) and in the conversation with my friend i said "i see why you married a white woman" he couldn't have agreed more.

i also on many occasions joke about things, only with people that know me and understand that i am racially colorblind, i believe all people are equal and anyone should be able to laugh at themselves under any circumstances for any reason. around people i dont know i am a bit more cautious, as i try not to offend people i dont know. but we have some good times making fun of stereotypes and everything else, and i do enjoy a good laugh at my being "helplessly white"

i dont know if you'd call the above acts racist, since they were not done for that purpose, but if someone had seen it without knowing me and my friends, they may consider me racist.

I certainly have said or some some things that would have been deemed racist when I was not even being racist at all.

For instance I am White and yes I do oppose Affirmative Action but the original influence on my opposition did not even come from Whites but actually from Blacks such as Ward Connolly expressing why he opposes it and a Black Teacher I had, told me and other White students why he opposes Affirmative Action and he gave a very valid reason too.

He spoke of how wrong it is to hire someone because he is Black when a White person is more qualified, it's kinda like it's wrong to hire someone because he is White when a Black person is more qualified.

It's kinda like one of the Republican Candidates for Senate in my State is Black but I decided to look at info on him and others who are running for the Senate in my State under the Republican banner before I made my decision on who to support and well I do see Eye to Eye with him on a lot of political ideals so I decided im going to support him and vote for him in the Republican primaries.

Im voting for him not because he is Black but because he is qualified for the job and that matters more than skin color.

I wish to date within my own race although I have no problem with interracial dating itself but some would deem me racist for not wanting to date outside of my race and I think that is so crazy.

I'm questioning what is not racial ... it seems this is a hot topic, and I'm too good at miffing people off ... I call Italians "Dego's" and then the Mob is after me ... then I somehow insult the Fillipeno's by misspelling ... and the Russian's; whoa, they could really mess me up ... lucky I only see Russian's playing hockey, so I should be safe; unless of course they don't like to be thought of as hockey players? ... I have equal talent at hurting black peoples feelings ... I make truck drivers feel small and inadequate ... I'm lucky it wasn't my drawing that got into that Danish newspaper; yicks now that miffed off way too many people ... I make small dog's pee when I roller blade by them ... the only one I don't seem to piss off is my cat.

Amazingly, every one still loves me!!!

everyone is to some degree. Prejudice and exclusivity is a normal part of human behavior. Etiquette is there to prevent these things from causing problems. Keep in mond that just because something occurs naturally, doesn't make it appropriate (See that booger question)

Racist? No. I discuss the data. If someone needs to disclaim the data and start up discriminating hostile to my race, sure. I do it to make the consumer experience like an fool. To cause them to imagine two times before doing it lower back. different cases, i am going to easily insult names because it receives people pissed and that i love to troll >:D

Giggly... I wasn't miffed by the "dego" comment, I just wanted to warn you that many Italians DO find the word offensive. I don't particularly care either way.

Yes, of course.

The goal is to acknowledge when you've made a mistake, and try to recommit yourself to not doing something racist again. We grow from our mistakes.

Yes. I'm guilty of it, but who isn't. No one is perfect. However i would never say anything mean like that to hurt someone intentionally.