"actions speak louder than words"

[DrFaroohk]

This is another one of those little sayings that apparently is only applicable to the bully using it.

A big one? The whole "I'm not racist, but..." thing.

Ok, followed by racist statement, right? He must be racist!

But wait, I thought actions were louder than words? So even though I said "I'm not racist, but I really hate the way black people talk."

Ok, there's my words.

Let's look at my actions.

How many hate crimes against blacks have I committed? Zero.

How many racist websites do I currently run? Zero.

How many times a day do I find a black person to harass? Zero.....

You can keep piling up the questions, and it'll be zero every time, which I would think pretty much takes their argument and wipes my ass with it and throws it in the trash.

Once again folks, for those of you who like using this phrase, YOU CANNOT HAVE IT TWO WAYS. Pick one or the other. Either A) Actions speak louder than words or B) Words speak louder than actions. It's not pick n choose land where your arguments can just apply whereever you want!!

[Jaden]

Err, I'm going to have to disagree with you completely. The phrase "Actions speak louder than words" is generally used in the opposite way of the example you're using anyways. Like, for example, if you go around guilting people for not giving more to charity and helping out their fellow man, and you aren't giving anything to charity yourself, and you just pass right on by homeless people, that makes you a hypocrite. Actions speak louder than words in instances like that. And I know quite a few people like that.

As for your example, the phrase still holds true. Actions speak louder than words, they don't negate them completely. Yes, if you committed hate crimes as well as using racial slurs, I would think you were a worse person than somebody who "just" uses racial slurs. But that doesn't make you not a racist for demeaning other races.

[DrFaroohk]

As I said...it can't be both ways. If it can be used to condemn me, it is also just as valid to defend me.

[HYHYBT]

The way you are trying to use it, though, is NOT "actions speak louder than words," but instead "since actions speak then words don't matter at all."

[DrFaroohk]

That's exactly how people use it the other way too.

[Jaden]

No, it's really not. I literally just explained how it isn't. Actions do speak louder than words, but they don't completely invalidate them. You're going to convince me you're more of a racist if you commit a hate crime than if you use a racial slur - hence, how they speak louder - but if you use a racial slur, that still means you're a racist, and the maxim is still valid.

[Mytical]

Yes, it is actions speak louder then words..not actions negate words. If you make a racist statement. then you are a racist..you don't need to wear a white hood and burn crosses. Now everybody says something stupid from time to time, and regret it. So yes, if you say something in the heat of the moment and regret it later..you are probably not a racist. If you say something, mean it, and do not regret it .. then regardless if you physically attack every person not of your race you see or not..you are a racist.

[Andara Bledin]

A big one? The whole "I'm not racist, but..." thing.

Ok, followed by racist statement, right? He must be racist!

I was watching Game of Thrones last night, and one line in particular stands out here. I can't remember it precisely, but it boils down to the fact that everything before the "but" in a statement like that is meaningless.

^-.-^

[DrFaroohk]

I was watching Game of Thrones last night, and one line in particular stands out here. I can't remember it precisely, but it boils down to the fact that everything before the "but" in a statement like that is meaningless.

^-.-^

I prefer "intelligent and reasonable and willing to activate my neurons to think" rather than meaningless. I'm always saying "Yes, but....". As in "You're partially right, but you've glossed over some details and you're missing the point."

People who say things like "But only means you're full of shit!" are actually the MOST full of shit people out there. Seriously. I can smell them a mile away. I can even smell their bullshit OVER THE INTERNET - although it's rare because of most of them can't read well enough to be online.

[Andara Bledin]

If you're smart enough to have thought that your statement would sound racist (to use the example in the OP), then you should be smart enough to figure out how to say it without sounding racist.

^-.-^

[Cats]

I would like to point out that "racist" is a term often used wrong in context. There is a difference between actually being racist and pointing out a negative racial stereotype.

[dendawg]

Doesn't everybody know? If you're white and male, you're automatically a racist.

[BlaqueKatt]

I would like to point out that "racist" is a term often used wrong in context. There is a difference between actually being racist and pointing out a negative racial stereotype.

depends on if one is pointing it out as a negative racial stereotype(1), reinforcing it(2), or using it as a justification for one's dislike of said race(3).

I'll use the no longer with us group the visigoths,(stereotyped as dirty, violent, nomadic, barbarians-for the most part)

1-not all visigoths were nomadic barbarians
2-ugh Ed's covered in blood and human offal, he should be a visigoth.
3-I hate the way visigoths smell, like rotted sewage.

1-perfectly fine
2-getting close to the line of racist, but socially acceptable, so "racism lite"
3-yup that's crossed the line

[DrFaroohk]

Just seems like this: If you say a good thing but do a bad thing, the bad thing completely negates your words. If you say a bad thing and do a good thing, the good thing only slightly lessens the bad thing. Just seems like a real fuckin' backwards way of thinking.

[Andara Bledin]

If you say one thing and then do something that is the opposite of what you said, then you've shown yourself to be a liar and your words not worth listening to.

As for the rest of it, I don't have a comment.

^-.-^