Quote:
Originally Posted by Weitz
You are going to have a very hard time convincing people who care about this stuff when you talk out of both sides of your mouth. Unfortunately its just the way it is.
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That's true but context is important.
If Grampa is making racist comments at Thanksgiving dinner I think most people roll their eyes, ignore him or, at worst, correct him. Grampa presumably has no control or even influence over the treatment of the racial groups he disparages. We think of him as an idiot, old-school and laughable.
If the CEO of a publicly traded company makes the same statements during a shareholders meeting the consequences are much different because he has a great deal more control and influence over the treatment of the racial groups he disparages. We can't laugh off his comments because he actually has the power to follow through on his ridiculous beliefs.
Historically, POC in Canada and the US have been in the minority, in terms of population, money and power. So, when they say something racist it doesn't have the same oomf as someone who historically has more influence in our society. Even so, generalizing about other people, races, cultures, etc. is unwise at best and dangerous at worst. Nevermind that POC are gaining both in population and influence.
Racism is never okay regardless of who is practicing it. However, how we deal with it depends on context. That said, it is always a good practice to not be an idiot.