4 ms·

>racialist photos Can you clarify what makes one of these different from a racist photo?

• gumby 8y ago
  The distinction is subtle I admit. Racist depictions would be a white person playing a nonwhite character (e.g. Fu Manchu, Tonto or Othello), or Shakespear's depiction of Shylock. Racialism -- pretending or willfully wanting to believe that there are actual meaningful racial distinctions differences -- you can see in the photos of lynchings, slave era laws in the slave states etc. I think most of the people in those photos knew they were wrong, just as I believe some of those old laws I've read were written by people who knew they were wrong. Likewise modern laws that happen to "coincidentally" exclude some sections of the population from voting. I believe some racist comments and representations can be innocent (though in this day and age, quite few IMHO) and they can also be intended to send a message (e.g. neither Alexander Hamilton nor Aaron Burr were black; you could purposefully either neuter or hyper-extend the portrayal of Shylock to make a point). The racialists have no excuse.