Views on this have changed in recent years, according to Pew Research Center surveys. In 2019, 57% said people overlooking racial discrimination was the bigger problem, while 42% pointed to people seeing it where it really didn’t exist. That gap has narrowed from 15 to 8 percentage points.

  • The Pantser@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’m just sick of being labeled racist just because I’m white. When I was younger I didn’t give a shit and would speak to anyone and everyone but now after years of being told I am racist I find myself not speaking to or very carefully choosing my words before speaking to anyone that is not white. So in the end the constant accusations have turned me racist because I am changing my words and actions based on race.

    • SmashingSquid@notyour.rodeo
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      1 year ago

      I’m white and have never been accused of being racist. It’s something you’re doing, it’s not the color of your skin.

      • MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yep I’m a white dude as well, never been called racist in my life. Probably because I don’t do or say racist shit. It’s not very difficult.

      • Tedesche@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        No, it’s probably the people they’re talking to. I’m White and I’ve never been accused of racism by anyone that knows me, but I’ve been told by plenty of overzealous “SJW”-types that my privileged position in society makes me inherently racist, even if I don’t harbor any overtly racist views. Likewise, I’ve been called a “racist cracker” when I’ve simply refused to give someone change on the street when asked for it. Being racist has become a kind of White stereotype in our culture. I totally understand what the other poster is talking about. Sure, maybe it is something they’re doing, but I could easily see it not being that.

        • treefrog@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          So, in your scenario, person gets called names by a few ignorant people and flips to full on racist?

          I think it’s more likely they were already racist and getting their feelings hurt allows them to justify it.

          • Tedesche@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. I can’t even figure out how you got that from what I was saying, and I’m not going to wreck my brain about a comment that seems on its face to be in bad faith to begin with.

        • dragonflyteaparty@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          They could also be one of those people who thinks talking about racism of any form means that automatically all white people are the ones being racist and that helping specifically anyone of any specific race is racist against white people.

          • Tedesche@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Yeah, wow, a stranger on the internet could be a lot of things. Let’s assume the worst, just because it fits with our personal racist biases!

    • ShranTheWaterPoloFan@startrek.website
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      1 year ago

      speak to anyone and everyone but now after years of being told I am racist

      Were you saying racist shit?

      I’m guessing you are one of those “I’m not racist, I hate everyone” assholes. Which is a long way of saying "I’m racist, but it doesn’t count because I’m a jerk to my friends (who are all white).

      • SmashingSquid@notyour.rodeo
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        1 year ago

        My uncle doesn’t think he’s racist, meanwhile the few days he stayed with me I heard the N word more times than I’ve heard others say it in the past 10 years. He used it not only to describe people but instead of the word black to describe the color of objects. I’m guessing having to rethink what they mean really means they don’t say the n word around black people but are being called out by white people they feel they should be able to get away with it around.

    • When I was younger I didn’t give a shit and would speak to anyone and everyone but now after years of being told I am racist I find myself not speaking to or very carefully choosing my words before speaking to anyone that is not white. So in the end the constant accusations have turned me racist because I am changing my words and actions based on race.

      I’m in my 50s. When I became aware that many PoC might have reason to view my actions differently than intended, I took that as a sign to be mindful of my biases, and to think about the possibility that I could be using words and phrases that I grew up believing to be fine, but which could be hurtful to the people around me.

      To my knowledge, I’ve never been labeled a racist.

      You do you though.