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A mate of mine is black and we joke around a lot, often about stuff that's close to the knuckle (for example he jokes about when he doesn't want to do something he's going to 'black me up' and send me instead).
The other day I made a joke (he wasn't around at the time). We were talking about Black Friday and I said "is that when X (my mate) goes shopping?"
Is that racist?
The people I said it to were sort of 'mock' offended and one told my mate (again in a 'mock grassing me up' way). He seemed to laugh it off but I got the impression maybe I went a bit far this time.
I dunno, maybe I'm overthinking. He seems fine since.
I might be a bit old fashioned but I tend to think if something isn't said with malice and doesn't actually denigrate someone because of their race, then it's not racist. Am I right or out of touch?
What is amazing to me is the assertion, by a few people in this thread, that because a joke involves race, it is racist. That is a non sequitur in my honest opinion.
A joke can be race related, and not racist, depending on context and audience.
If only my ex-housemate, now living it up in Sydney, was logged in.
What is amazing to me is the assertion, by a few people in this thread, that because a joke involves race, it is racist. That is a non sequitur in my honest opinion.
A joke can be race related, and not racist, depending on context and audience.
If only my ex-housemate, now living it up in Sydney, was logged in.
You've clearly forgotten the rules. If a right-wing comedian tells a joke involving a black man, it's 'racist'. If a left-wing comedian does the same, it's 'ironic'. Hope that helps.
You've clearly forgotten the rules. If a right-wing comedian tells a joke involving a black man, it's 'racist'. If a left-wing comedian does the same, it's 'ironic'. Hope that helps.
I don't think it's racist - but if I said something like that in the presence my children they would certainly tell me that I can't say that. Which would then trigger another debate where I tell them not to be so precious and they tell me that I just can't say that sort of thing!
It is interesting that this thread seems to be split (fairly equally, without totting up an exact figure), into 3 groups. Those that say it's not racist, those that say it is, and those that say it depends on the context.
Still a lot of grey area on what is racism in 2017!
It was ever thus, I guess. My instinct is that if a reasonably minded person could be offended, then that's reason enough to tread carefully.
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