Stupid Generalizations

[DrFaroohk]

No, but it's not magically sexist just because of the "I'm not sexist" phrase either, like so many people like to pretend.

[linguist]

No, but it's not magically sexist just because of the "I'm not sexist" phrase either, like so many people like to pretend.

no, it's magically sexist because of the sexist sentiments expressed in the last half of the sentence.

no one i know thinks that saying "i'm not [blank]" makes that person [blank]. it's when they then go on to say "BUT [blank statement]" that they consider the speaker so. the "but" pretty much negates everything that came before it.

if someone like fred phelps were to say "i'm not a homophobic hate-spewing bigot, but gay people are an abomination and should burn in hell," does that make him not a homophobic hate-spewing bigot?

[DrFaroohk]

That's completely different.

What I'm talking about is that there are many, many people who WILL declare you a sexist or a racist for a simply innocuous statement. So many of us feel the need to get that out there right away, to try and head off that part of the conversation. It never works, of course, but I see that as more of the other persons inability to listen, or perhaps only to hear what they want to hear.

Maybe there's not many people like that on this board, for which I'm thankful, but I've known many people who will take "I hate rap music" and turn it into "Let's go find some black people and kick the shit out of them!"

[anriana]

So many of us feel the need to get that out there right away, to try and head off that part of the conversation. It never works, of course, but I see that as more of the other persons inability to listen, or perhaps only to hear what they want to hear.

Rap music is not a black people thing. Prefacing it with "I'm not racist, but" indicates that you think it's a black people thing. It's like saying "I'm not sexist, but I hate stupid, vapid nags." Only a sexist person would associate "stupid, vapid nags" with women and feel the need to pretend it's not a sexist comment.

[AFPheonix]

I guess if you have people around you associating rap music with just black people, then you can ask them if they'd think the same thing if you'd said you don't like jazz music or blues, since those arose from black origins too.
Of course now those music types are performed by all kinds of people, just like rap.

[fireheart17]

I've been called racist for pointing out a common theme with some of my customers, who just happen to be of a certain race (not mentioning which one).

The one I hate the most?

"I hate Muslims because they're terrorists"

*breaks out the clue-by-four*

[Flyndaran]

How about that anyone metioning nazis automatically loses?
That's not only a misrepresentation of godwin's law, but also silly. Since nazi-ism was created and followed by real people, there must be times in which it is logical to compare something to them.

[Slytovhand]

moment of amusement-"if Jamal spoke English well....."

I am not a grammar nazi......

I had the exact same thought... well, both of them actually


I have to say, I got confused with the "I'm not racist, but I hate rap music"... ah, yeah, that's racist - cos my first thoughts were of all rappers who were white (cos the radio I listen to has a stack of aussie rappers...oh, and playing Flight of the Concord's "Tears of a rapper" - for those who know it )

Totally agree with you Flyn about Godwin's Law. I had to look it up some time ago, because it was (ab-)used on this forum. Still didn't make sense to me, still doesn't!

OTOH, just because someone does argue against something that you feel hasn't been said, doesn't mean that it can't be construed from the argument (referring here to the "with all due respect" line... what follows on could be said quite disrespectfully - in just as much opposition as the "I'm not a xyz, but..."). I've seen a few arguments/debates where one person thinks they're not doing something, but quite clearly (to others) they are. Instead of just saying "No I'm not", the smart thing to do might be to actually listen when someone says they are... and think about it for a minute from that point of view.


(personally, makes more sense to say "I hate rappers. Let's go find some rappers and kick the shit out of them"... as a logical argument)