We need to understand what the word racist means!

[ej510]

Racism is based on power over another race; which minorities do not have therefore minorities cannot be racist. Minorities can be prejudice.

[Confusious]

1. Must be yours, because it sure ain't the dictionaries

1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2 : racial prejudice or discrimination

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism

[ej510]

7. The original meaning was power; which as a black man I have none.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. You are confusing Institutional racism with

the racism of individuals. Also, the power equation is not always tied to majority/minority status. Note South Africa. The minority was the racist power. Yep.

[ej510]

6. It's the same thing.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. No, it is not. Not at all.

[ej510]

9. Racism is about power; which blacks lack globally.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. You are trying to buy absolution for individuals

via some far flung poetry. This is not how it works. Any person can be a racist. Deal with it.

[Oregone]

3. Huh?

[cheapdate]

4. Anyone can be racist

Racism is the belief that the some people are inherently inferior to others because of the color of a person's skin, or conversely, that some people are inherently superior to others because of the color of their skin. Racism doesn't require power. Racism combined with power leads to discrimination and oppression. The fictional TV characters Archie Bunker (white) and Fred Sanford (black) were both racists.

[emilyg]

19. +1

[valerief]

5. On teevee it's another wedge word so that (1) the nooz shows don't have to

provide real news and (2) so that 'divide and conquer' stays alive and well in our plutotheocracy.

[Empowerer]

13. Exactly!

The "is so-and-so a racist?" media obsessions - which almost always result in a "no" answer along with the victimization of the person so accused - paper over the fact that racism is an extreme, nasty form of prejudice and prevent anyone from actually addressing the more serious problem of bias and prejudice in our society.

[valerief]

17. Ratigan addressed systemic racism in this segment and told a right winger

to shut up. You never get the bobbleheads talking about systemic racism, the REAL racism.

http://www.thepoliticalcarnival.net/2010/07/video-dylan-ratigan-jonathan-capehart-j-p-freire-on-sherrod-resignation/

[ZombieHorde]

10. There are many free on-line dictionaries which would help you. nt

[Duchess]

11. prejudice based on race = racism...

minority or majority status does not matter. But if you are trying to justify prejudice by cloaking it in the mantle of victimhood...well, in that case it's OK.

[Empowerer]

15. I don't agree. Prejudice does not equal racism. Racism is prejudice to the most extreme degree

We are all prejudiced to some degree.

[Empowerer]

12. Racism has been given many definitions

To the point that the word is often meaningless in today's conversations.

But I agree with you for the most part that racism is a very extreme form of prejudice in which someone has racial bias and the power to affect others. All racists are prejudiced, but every prejudiced person is not racist (in fact, most of us are prejudiced in some way).

However, I do not agree with yout that minorities cannot be racist. It certainly is possible for some minorities to have power over others. It may not be widespread or institutional, but the circumstances do exist. For example, a black supervisor with a bias against white people who discriminates against white employees is clearly racist. If the original story (i.e., lie) told about Ms. Sherrod was true, her actions would have been racist.

But you are right - racism is indeed based on power over another race.

[cheapdate]

18. Can someone without power still be an asshole?

A racist might have power, or he might be powerless. If you want to continue to insist that power is a necessary condition of racism, go ahead, no one can stop you.

[AmericaIsGreat]

14. if you believe that race dictates behavior/capacity

you're a racist. Almost always this is accompanied by a feeling of racial supremacy but it is not necessary. You may not necessarily think whites are supreme or superior, but if you think black people behave a certain way because they're black or some other race behaves some way because of their race, you're racist. That's the way I've always understood it.