How racist are you? Take this test.

terp said:

That's racist!

ridski said:

Seems to me the purpose of the test is remind liberals that everyone's racist, including them.

Your headline to this thread is poorly written. We are all racist. The test is racist. I'm doubly more racist for even mentioning the final question.

LOST said:

I do not understand why the following question was included.

Have you ever found yourself thinking of Africa as a country?

Thinking that way is not racist it's just stupid. Is there a term similar to "illiterate" for someone with no sense of geography?

Do Brexit supporters and the like think that anyone who thinks of Europe as a country is an anti-white racist?

My hunch is it's easier to find white Americans who perceive Africa as some monolithic black homeland than those who think of Europe as some monolithic white homeland. That may be what the question is trying to get at.

I think it just points to the fact that some people aren't bothered enough to know anything about Africa because it's where black people live, so why should I care? Country? Continent? Who gives a sh!t?

DaveSchmidt said:

LOST said:

I do not understand why the following question was included.

Have you ever found yourself thinking of Africa as a country?

Thinking that way is not racist it's just stupid. Is there a term similar to "illiterate" for someone with no sense of geography?

Do Brexit supporters and the like think that anyone who thinks of Europe as a country is an anti-white racist?

My hunch is it's easier to find white Americans who perceive Africa as some monolithic black homeland than those who think of Europe as some monolithic white homeland. That may be what the question is trying to get at.

Maybe people can live with such indifference because they don't choose to interact with anyone who doesn't look or think like they do. That can be true out in Trumpland or right here in "diverse" SOMA.

This is interesting. I never was comfortable with the attitude that "we're all racists, no matter what you think." I'm not a racist. Why? My parents made an explicit effort to normalize diversity for me and my siblings. They moved us to a very diverse town where went to school with lots of Black kids, Puerto Rican kids, Jews and a bunch of Wasps and blue collar families. They made an effort to bring diversity into our home. They had very close gay friends that attended my Bar Mitzvah, came to Thanksgiving, were part of the extended family.

I've never in my life said the N word. It's never come out of my mouth, nor has it, as far as I know, come from my siblings. I verbally object when I hear it. I made an equally strong effort to do the same with my kids, and I think, successfully. I think there are lots of people like me (and my parents). They didn't vote for Trump.

I feel strongly that it's parents that make their kids racists or not. Racism is not good role modeling. And as long as parents use language and behaviors that create an Us vs.Them way of thinking, racism will never end. And language is key. I learned how to speak to and about people at the dinner table. And that's where my kids learned it, too. (This is why it's so important to have dinner with your kids as many nights a week as possible. Unless you're a racist. In which case order pizza and put them in front of the TV.)

I have a friend who uses the N word occasionally and insists he's not a racist. "But I'm only joking." "That's not funny, McGee," as my grandmother used to say.

I never have to "override those tendencies, so that [my] outward behavior is less racist than [my] innermost thoughts." I know right from wrong and how to treat people. I tend to be sincerely sympathetic (and curious) towards people who are different. Not conflicted, not afraid, not antagonistic. (Unless they're a$$holes, of course. And a$$holes come in every color.)

you are not the norm.

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

This is interesting. I never was comfortable with the attitude that "we're all racists, no matter what you think." I'm not a racist. Why? My parents made an explicit effort to normalize diversity for me and my siblings. They moved us to a very diverse town where went to school with lots of Black kids, Puerto Rican kids, Jews and a bunch of Wasps and blue collar families. They made an effort to bring diversity into our home. They had very close gay friends that attended my Bar Mitzvah, came to Thanksgiving, were part of the extended family.


I've never in my life said the N word. It's never come out of my mouth, nor has it, as far as I know, come from my siblings. I verbally object when I hear it. I made an equally strong effort to do the same with my kids, and I think, successfully. I think there are lots of people like me (and my parents). They didn't vote for Trump.


I feel strongly that it's parents that make their kids racists or not. Racism is not good role modeling. And as long as parents use language and behaviors that create an Us vs.Them way of thinking, racism will never end. And language is key. I learned how to speak to and about people at the dinner table. And that's where my kids learned it, too. (This is why it's so important to have dinner with your kids as many nights a week as possible. Unless you're a racist. In which case order pizza and put them in front of the TV.)

I have a friend who uses the N word occasionally and insists he's not a racist. "But I'm only joking." "That's not funny, McGee," as my grandmother used to say.


I never have to "override those tendencies, so that [my] outward behavior is less racist than [my] innermost thoughts." I know right from wrong and how to treat people. I tend to by sympathetic towards people who are different. Not conflicted, not afraid, not antagonistic. (Unless they're a$$holes, of course. And a$$holes come in every color.)