5 ms·

How about this: Americans aren't racist. It's a liberal boogeyman. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-

How about this: Americans aren't racist. It's a liberal boogeyman. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-racially-tolerant-countries/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15...

diogenescynic 10y ago
Racism in America is made up by liberals? Come on... I hate when politics are discussed on Hacker News, but that is just blatantly untrue. I'm a white guy and I've been to the South and the Midwest. I've definitely heard middle-class/normal white people say extremely racist things. It's not a boogeyman. Just look at Trump's campaign--there's a ton of racist dog whistling going on.
natuac 10y ago
What if I'm not racist, but I don't want people from other cultures as neighbours?
- duncan_bayne 10y ago
  I think that's xenophobia, not racism?
  - LyndsySimon 10y ago
    Fear of outsiders != affinity for your in-group
    - duncan_bayne 10y ago
      Affinity for your in-group doesn't imply not wanting out-group neighbours. Not wanting out-group neighbours is xenophobia.
- hairy_man674 10y ago
  That is an ok thing to desire. Personally, I would find living in a homogenous community preferable. I want a peaceful life, among reasonable people who moderate themselves. I am tired of conflict, and having to tolerate those who impose their beliefs on others and me. Diversity is a social problem not a cause for celebration IMHO. Is it wrong to want this?
danharaj 10y ago
That just measures the stigma of being openly racist in a country. It is well known that when you measure racial bias in countries like the USA with indirect questions, the reported bias is much higher. It's not a liberal conspiracy and it's really insulting to pretend like millions of Americans who report being subject to prejudice on a frequent basis are delusional because most Americans are embarrassed by their racial biases.
hfourm 10y ago
As someone from the south east, it is no boogeyman. But I do agree that we are much better off than many of the country examples from that article. In my experience in the SE, most individuals themselves aren't directly racist to any other given individual of color (aside from very specific stereotypes), but they propagate racism through their actions/policies they support/group think with others who feel similarly.
- LyndsySimon 10y ago
  > they propagate racism through their actions/policies they support/group think with others who feel similarly. I doubt you meant it that way, but this translated in my head to "they're racist because they're conservatives". Would you mind clarifying?
not_that_noob 10y ago
Slavery in the US was not a liberal conspiracy. People from the South were ready to die for essentially a racist system. They were not liberals. Jim Crow laws were not passed by liberals. Voting restrictions (e.g. fake literacy tests and jellybean guessing) was not a conspiracy either. Discrimination on AirBnB and Uber exists. Liberals aren't making that up. Bogeymen - now they aren't real. Racism - that shit's real bro.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
facetube 10y ago
To what degree to you think social desirability bias plays a role in the results of this self-report questionnaire study?
GFK_of_xmaspast 10y ago
That's certainly a hypothesis alright.

diogenescynic 10y ago

Racism in America is made up by liberals? Come on... I hate when politics are discussed on Hacker News, but that is just blatantly untrue. I'm a white guy and I've been to the South and the Midwest. I've definitely heard middle-class/normal white people say extremely racist things. It's not a boogeyman. Just look at Trump's campaign--there's a ton of racist dog whistling going on.

natuac 10y ago

What if I'm not racist, but I don't want people from other cultures as neighbours?

duncan_bayne 10y ago
I think that's xenophobia, not racism?
- LyndsySimon 10y ago
  Fear of outsiders != affinity for your in-group
  - duncan_bayne 10y ago
    Affinity for your in-group doesn't imply not wanting out-group neighbours. Not wanting out-group neighbours is xenophobia.
hairy_man674 10y ago
That is an ok thing to desire. Personally, I would find living in a homogenous community preferable. I want a peaceful life, among reasonable people who moderate themselves. I am tired of conflict, and having to tolerate those who impose their beliefs on others and me. Diversity is a social problem not a cause for celebration IMHO. Is it wrong to want this?

danharaj 10y ago

That just measures the stigma of being openly racist in a country. It is well known that when you measure racial bias in countries like the USA with indirect questions, the reported bias is much higher. It's not a liberal conspiracy and it's really insulting to pretend like millions of Americans who report being subject to prejudice on a frequent basis are delusional because most Americans are embarrassed by their racial biases.

hfourm 10y ago

As someone from the south east, it is no boogeyman. But I do agree that we are much better off than many of the country examples from that article. In my experience in the SE, most individuals themselves aren't directly racist to any other given individual of color (aside from very specific stereotypes), but they propagate racism through their actions/policies they support/group think with others who feel similarly.

LyndsySimon 10y ago
> they propagate racism through their actions/policies they support/group think with others who feel similarly. I doubt you meant it that way, but this translated in my head to "they're racist because they're conservatives". Would you mind clarifying?

not_that_noob 10y ago

Slavery in the US was not a liberal conspiracy. People from the South were ready to die for essentially a racist system. They were not liberals. Jim Crow laws were not passed by liberals. Voting restrictions (e.g. fake literacy tests and jellybean guessing) was not a conspiracy either. Discrimination on AirBnB and Uber exists. Liberals aren't making that up. Bogeymen - now they aren't real. Racism - that shit's real bro.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

facetube 10y ago

To what degree to you think social desirability bias plays a role in the results of this self-report questionnaire study?

GFK_of_xmaspast 10y ago

That's certainly a hypothesis alright.