Something To Chew On #2: Racism

Thinking too much, as usual………………………

If you believe that “everyone” is racist, you don’t know many people.

If you believe that all members of any race are racist, you don’t know many members of that race.

If you believe that any race exists with no racists within that race, you don’t know many members of that race, and you are delusional.

If you believe that when I disagree with a member of another race I am a racist, than you have no idea what the definition of a racist is.

If you believe that when I disagree with a member of another race I am a racist, than what does that make the person whom I disagree with?  After all isn’t that a member of one race disagreeing with a member of another race?

If you believe that two or more people can not disagree without one or more becoming angry, than you are immature.

If you believe that two or more people that are angry because of a disagreement have to hate those they are angry with, either you don’t know the definition of hate, you are immature, or both.

My preferred dictionary, Webster’s New School and Office Dictionary, publication date 1959 (for background, see earlier entries of Absolute Truth and Freedom), has no entry for the word racist.  Racial is listed, however, and is defined as an adjective pertaining to race or linage.  I was born in 1952, and I have no recollection of hearing or seeing the word racist during my youth.  My antique edition of Webster’s does have an entry that I do recall hearing regularly, however.  That entry is for the word prejudice.  Prejudice is a noun meaning previous and unfavorable bias: prejudgment without due examination; detriment; injury: or a transient verb meaning to predispose against; bias the mind of; create a prejudice against; hurt, impair, or damage in any way.  Prejudge is used during the definition of prejudice.  Two entries above prejudice, Webster lists prejudge as a transient verb meaning to judge without a hearing or investigation; condemn beforehand, or hastily.  Just after I learn that prejudgment is a  noun meaning a judgment without a hearing; prejudice.

Therefore, condemning a person for any reason without adequate information would be prejudiced.  Racism would be condemning an entire (entire would mean, by definition, all that have lived, are alive, or will ever be alive) race for no other reason than the race of the party or parties in question.  To clarify, condemn is an transient verb meaning to pronounce or judge guilty; blame; censure; or declare to be forfeited.  While we all display some prejudice from time to time, I ask you, how many people do you know whom are actually racist?  Remember, a racist must condemn one hundred percent of the members of a race, one hundred percent of the time only because of their race.  Well, I for one, am not certain that I know any racists.

The publication date of this piece is January 18, 2018.  The initial draft was dated mid September of 2017.  I’m uncertain why I have held on to this so long.  For some reason, today’s timing just seemed right.  I realize that some of the statements might contain some redundancy.  I felt it was important not to be misunderstood, and I just couldn’t determine a better way to word my feelings.