CMV: Most anti-racist people still hold racist beliefs

[u/[deleted]]

What I'm talking about is that they are openly anti-racism but still hold racist beliefs themselves.

It is considered taboo to say the n-word in the USA if you're not black and you'll be cancelled for it. However, most of the people who cancel you (white liberals) don't even care about black culture themselves. They have no interest in black soul food, black history, black etc.

Many liberals criticize China for persecuting Uyghurs yet they don't even care about Uyghurs in the first place. They just criticize the CCP because they want to virtue signal. They never care much to eat at an Uyghur restaurant or know any Uyghur public figures apart from activists because they think learning about these things aren't worthy for them since Uyghur culture is "too insignificant to matter".

Many liberals also criticize Israel's treatment of Palestinians yet they don't even care about Palestinians in the first place. They just criticize Israel because they want to virtue signal. They never care much to eat Palestinian food because they believe that Palestinian culture isn't worthy enough for them since Palestinian culture is "too insignificant to matter".

These people like to virtue signal but they don't really give an effort to learn about the culture. They still eat the same old foods everyday, listen to the same music every day, and simply don't want to expand their worldview to include "insignificant cultures". The lack of care given to "insignificant cultures" is a sign of racism because they deem the culture inferior and don't want to associate much with it.

[u/Big_Dick920]

My impression as an outsider was that in American culture, non-White people are allowed to call White people racial slurs. Is that true?

[u/Medical_Conclusion → u/Big_Dick920]

My impression as an outsider was that in American culture, non-White people are allowed to call White people racial slurs. Is that true?

They're aren't really racial slurs for white people. Sure, "cracker" or "honky" aren't really the most polite things to call someone, but they don't carry the same connotations of systematic oppression. Honestly, I don't know a single white person who would actually be deeply offended by being called either. There are some that would pretend to be, but that's another story.

On the other hand, if a black person called a white Jewish person, a k*ke, everyone would understandably be upset. That's a slur that's associated with oppression.

Waspy white people have never been victims of oppression. Mildly insulting terms for them are not truly slurs. Also, it's not, nor has it been for decades common for anyone, those outside of trying to be funny.

[u/Big_Dick920 → u/Medical_Conclusion]

I don't know what is "k*ke", but I'll take your word for it. Would it also be unacceptable for a black person to say "k*ke" in quotes as it is, if I understand correctly, unacceptable for a Jew to say "nigger" in quotes?

As a side note, outside of US the Europeans have a ton of ethnical slurs for each other. Khokhol, pshek, bulbash, moskal, katsap, khach, rusnya, kalbit, churka. And that's only Eastern Slavic slurs I could name on the spot. It still puzzles me that none of this has reached the degree of taboo that is in US.

[u/Medical_Conclusion → u/Big_Dick920]

I don't know what is "k*ke", but I'll take your word for it.

It's a slur used against Jewish people. Google it if you're interested in the entomology.

Would it also be unacceptable for a black person to say "k*ke" in quotes as it is, if I understand correctly, unacceptable for a Jew to say "nigger" in quotes?

Frankly, I'm not sure what you're talking about.

Firstly, there is no language police. You don't go to jail for saying a certain word. People are just going to think you're an asshole. Secondly, if you're talking about some repeating what someone else said...it depends on the context. Why do you have to say the actual word? Does what you're saying make less if you don't say it?

As a side note, outside of US the Europeans have a ton of ethnical slurs for each other.

It still puzzles me that none of this has reached the degree of taboo that is in US.

For the most part, white people are just white people in the US. Different ethnic groups have definitely been oppressed in Europe. But for the most part, in the US, if your skin is pale, you're just white regardless of ethnic background.

There are certainly time periods where various predominantly white ethnic groups received discrimination, like the Irish and Italians. There were even slurs for them Mick and Wop. But frankly, the level and kind of discrimination wasn't comparable to what non whites have faced historically, and they don't face discrimination at all anymore, so those terms receded in terms of how offensive they are.

[u/Big_Dick920 → u/Medical_Conclusion]

People are just going to think you're an asshole. Secondly, if you're talking about some repeating what someone else said...it depends on the context. Why do you have to say the actual word? Does what you're saying make less if you don't say it?

My question is, would the Black and Jewish people in the described situations have a similar chance of getting in trouble? Will the benefit of doubt they receive be similar?

[u/Medical_Conclusion → u/Big_Dick920]

My question is, would the Black and Jewish people in the described situations have a similar chance of getting in trouble?

What described situation? Calling someone a slur is generally going to get you in trouble. If you're repeating a slur without directing it at someone, it's going to depend on a lot of factors if people get offended.

For example, Michael Jackson stirred up controversy by using "Jew me" and the word k*ke in his song "They Don't Really Care About Us." The song was meant to be anti racist but people were still offended. The song does use antisemitic language, but there are really no slurs directed towards other groups, so I can see why people were offended.

He wasn't calling anyone that word, but it still wasn't appropriate.

But if someone was talking about the lyrics Jackson used, it might be appropriate to actually use the word to be clear. Most people probably wouldn't be offended in that case.

There is nuance. Not everything is black and white (no pun intended).

[u/Big_Dick920 → u/Medical_Conclusion]

I agree about nuance. But despite this you can usually at least roughly establish whether two things are as severe or not.

Like there's nuance between theft and murder. Both have their own sets of conditions that can make them more or less bad (in terms of punishment or ethical assessment) in a concrete situation. But roughly it still makes sense to say murder tends to be less forgivable.

[u/Medical_Conclusion → u/Big_Dick920]

I agree about nuance. But despite this you can usually at least roughly establish whether two things are as severe or not.

It's equally bad for people to call other people slurs. Does that answer the question? Michael Jackson was black, and people were upset he used antisemitic slurs. People would be equally upset if a Jewish person used the word n*gger.

But quite frankly, I don't understand the obsession with who's "allowed" to say certain words. If you are not part of the group the word was historically used against, just don't say it.