On this page, I’m using the term “racist” in the broader sense of the word. The Anti-Racism law in Switzerland, for example, explicitly lists race, ethnicity, and religion. I don’t care whether somebody is anti-semitic, anti-arabic, or anti-islam. It’s the discrimination that counts, and the use of the word “racist” to cover all sorts of discriminations seems to be spreading.
Anti-Racism law in Switzerland
What is “racism light”?
There is a difference between the following:
Similarly, there is a difference between the following:
I call it “racism light” when we’re being sloppy in the use of our language. When attributing bad characteristics to groups of people, we need to be extra careful. Like in court, I want to see proof when we do it, and even then, we should judge in favor of the disadvantaged part: In dubio pro reo. Let’s find some good statistics and discuss them instead of exchanging platitudes.
There is room for simplifications in these issues, but I’d rather not have them on my blog.
“Racism light” is what you often hear from bar-room politics and populist politicians. The people showing signs of “racism light” are usually well educated, civilized, etc. They don’t support the Kluklux Klan, they don’t support Apartheid, they don’t call black people niggers.
These people don’t feel like racists, but if people of the other race, ethnicity, faith, sex, or sexual orientation were to be present, they would feel hurt. That is the measure I’m applying. If you’re a Muslim, you don’t want to hear that “Muslim tolerance for cruel treatment of women is high.” It’s offensive and not true in your case (I hope ;)).
“Racism light” is also the sum of all these little stings that alienate people from the society they live in. It starts with little oversimplifications, engenders some mistrust, starts to affect your career options, and in some countries it ended in massacres.
There’s a reason why we need to defend against the simplifications of “racism light”: Some people use the lack of precision to spread racist ideas, and then deny it when being accused of it: “I’m not a racist, but...” or “You are overreacting? It was just harmless joke!”
That’s why I think that the lack of precision when attributing bad characteristics is unacceptable. “Racism light” gives these people *plausible deniability*. I want no part in a conversation where the premises are unacceptable to me.
Putting oversimplifications on my blog would put me in the same corner as these racists. I won’t have that.
This page got started by Comments on 2006-03-10 Islam.