CrashBand wrote:Hmmmm....I dunno. I fully comprehend what you're saying.
But I still I have a problem with knowingly using a racist insult as a tool for genuinely insulting someone - and then saying it's alright because "you're fine with black people".
Well I wouldn't do it, but because it's lame.
I agree it's a lame thing to do, it's cheap, but it's not racist. It CAN be racist, but it's not racist by default to do it - depends how the person really feels.
And it's not saying 'because you're fine with black people' (who said it was just black btw, racism isn't reserved for black people), - it's saying that it's an arbitrary insult meant to provoke, a cheap shortcut to an obvious characteristic.
I think it's actually... patronizing how people make EXCEPTIONS for race, and disability. In the sense of, all races are equal - and disabled people deserve the same rights: yet there should be no racial humour, or 'disabled humour'? I'm not saying I do or find it funny, I'm saying - from a logical standpoint; that's a condescending and misguided, unfair privilege. It's not viewing all races or al people as equal if you reserve negative thinking from them. Do black people not make fun of each other? or do they deserve special privilege for jokes made against them? this is a cowardly and misguided way of thinking, it's with the best intent, but not healthy, and not equal.
You may say 'well people can't help what colour their skin is' - people can't help most things. People can't help how tall they are, if they have a big nose... if they're bald, but do we not joke about those things? should there not be insults or should somebody be called prejudice if they use insults regarding those characteristics which they also cannot help?
Look at the characteristics objectively:
Race: a biological factor, of which a person cannot help.
Height: a biological factor, of which a person cannot help.
So what's the difference in insulting somebody for height over race? there isn't one. Other than the deep and volatile history of race relations. But we'll never truly move past them if it's always a hush-hush issue. Race will always be a sensitive and over-catuious area, which also isn't healthy. It's patronizing and positive-discrimination to give race a special status of 'no-go' when we all insult each other on a myriad of other factors, all of which we cannot control.
All that matters is intent, and context.
If Louis CK says "shut up you fucking n1kka" towards an audience member in a show, but they aren't even black: clearly - the intent is comical and ironic, meant to bring attention to the word, and the context is reversed, so the word loses its offensive meaning. And OBVIOUSLY Louis CK is not really feeling racism when using that word, he's using it as a prop, a shortcut to humour.
Similarly, if one person insults another using a racial slur by where the word is not really 'felt' and by where the word is being used as a shortcut, in a context of anger and provocation... that's not racism and it's no different than saying "you bald cunt", "you blonde bitch" etc. we just give these kinds of insults much less weight or gravitas because there's no history of mass abuse or tension. But that's wrong; that's making an invisible connection OF race to all people, that's still SEEING race and modifying our thoughts and behavior to suit it, even if for a positive intent.
I agree that it's probably not smart, and it's a tacky thing to do. And everything I've just explained means fuck all when in the heat of the moment somebody feels racially insulted. But I think we should all fucking loosen up, words mean nothing, we give them meaning, who fucking cares? call me whatever you like, I only get offended if I choose to. When you look at things entirely logically, and separate yourself from aimless, hyper-sensitive emotions - you're bulletproof.
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