"actions speak louder than words"

[DrFaroohk]

That's an opinion I'm torn on as well. Say I preach about how drinking alcohol is bad for you.

I am also a raging alcoholic.

I don't believe anyone who's an alcoholic has ANY right to bitch about someone else being an alcoholic. OTOH, whoever said the words has ZERO effect on how true they are, so its like...where do you go?

[Jaden]

Addictions make things different since they override your rational thought process. You can rationally know that drinking too much alcohol is bad for you and still be overtaken by your addiction without there being a contradiction there. That's why rehab exists. But most other things, like racism and charity, if you say one thing and do another, or if you say something and don't follow through on it with any actions, your words still matter quite a bit.

[DrFaroohk]

...at least, when it's convenient for someone to feel like bitching at you.

[wolfie]

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."

In this case, you're expressing an opinion about black people as a group doing something undesirable - that's bordering on racism. On the other hand, if you'd said "I find it hard to understand what people are saying when they speak Ebonics", that would be a statement of fact.

[Canarr]

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.

The problem here is: in your OP, you're not exactly doing a good thing.

Uttering racial slurs is definitely "saying a bad thing", yes. However, not committing a hate crime is NOT "doing a good thing"; it's merely "not doing a bad thing". Therefore, your actions are not speaking louder than your words; your actions are not speaking at all, since you're not really committing any actions regarding your words. So, there's only your words to judge you by and therefore, uttering racial slurs even without acting on them makes you a racist (generic you, not necessarily you in person).

[DrFaroohk]

I hate the one sided arguments. If I had committed all those negative behaviors, someone would have them listed as reasons why I'm racist. So why can't it be the other way around too?

[Andara Bledin]

Because lack of evidence does not equal evidence of lack.

If you want to be known as "not a racist" as opposed to "could be or not," then you have to take some form of action that declares such. It would take more for someone who talks like a racist to be moved out of the "is a racist" camp than someone who doesn't talk like a racist, however.

^-.-^

[DrFaroohk]

This isn't a lack of evidence, it's a pattern of behavior. My pattern of behavior (my actions) shows I'm not a racist.

[Andara Bledin]

No. It shows that you are not actively a racist. If the only thing people have to go on is your words, as your actions are neutral, then you will be considered a racist.

^-.-^

[DrFaroohk]

And that seems like such BS to me.

Saying non-racist things but acting racist = Racist.

Saying racist things but not acting racist = Maybe Racist.

I see something terribly, terribly wrong with this.

[Jaden]

What in God's name is "terribly, terribly wrong" with that? Your words represent you. They come from your mouth. they are formed by your brain. If you say racist things, you are thinking in racist ways. You are demeaning another person because of their race, with your words, and treating a fellow human being as lesser than you because of the color of their skin or where they're from. Hence, you're a racist.

Jesus Christ.

[DrFaroohk]

It's terribly wrong that it's a one sided bullshit phrase that only seems applicable when it's convenient for someone to bitch at you.

[Jaden]

But it's not one-sided at all! We already explained this. Actions speak louder than words, they don't negate them. It absolutely makes sense to think somebody is a racist if they say racist things. I already explained why this is as well. What is one-sided about it?

[Andara Bledin]

What is one-sided about it?

It's one-sided because you're not on the "right" side.

^-.-^

[bainsidhe]

Let me use a different example. There's been some recent postings from people talking about their families and verbal abuse. Just because someone wasn't smacked doesn't mean the words/yelling/guilt trips weren't abusive. I was never hit as a child, but I was mocked and belittled and it's had a long-lasting impact on my life.

Does the lack of physical abuse in my childhood negate the fact I was verbally/emotionally abused? I think not.