Okay, White 'Murrica....

[Davka]

In a debate, sure. I thought this was a conversation. You seemed to be complaining about how rough you have it as a white male, what with all the unfair assumptions. I was offering some perspective, that's all.

It's a fallacy no matter the context.

I disagree.

Saying 'you do X too' can a way of pointing out hypocrisy, or lending perspective (as i tried to do here). It only becomes a fallacy when you add 'therefore it's OK for others to do X.'

I had a buddy in California, a fellow guitarist, and we used to hang out, and jam, and drink beer, and talk politics and whatnot. Once he learnt I was from Texas, he started injecting racial slurs into his speech, I mean within ten minutes, until I told him really didn't appreciate that sort of thing and please don't do it in my house.

The obvious connection he made was, white guy from the South equals racist.

Three things:

1) "White guy from Texas" is not the same as "generic white guy." Sorry, but statistics indicate that a white guy from Texas is, in fact, far more likely to be racist than a generic white guy.

2) My experience has been that white racists will sort of "feel me out" to see if I'm also a racist (aka 'one of us'). They do this with things like racist slurs and jokes. My job, as a decent human being, is to cut them short the instant they go down that road and let them know in no uncertain terms that no, I am not 'one of them.' If I say nothing, they'll assume I'm ok with their narrow-minded bigotry.

3) In the gas station example you gave Blackout, that kid was reacting to a perceived injustice. He thought he was getting cut out of his rightful place in line. Jumping from there to "it's because you're white" is not much of leap, given the likely experience he's had in his life. No doubt there have been numerous times in his life when he was treated unfairly by white people due to racism.

That doesn't mean his reaction was right - it wasn't. he needed the little lesson you gave him with the pic of your son. Hopefully he learned something from it.

But it also means that his assumption was not "just because you're white." It was because you were white and supporting a perceived injustice. In other words, the assumptions are coming not only from your skin color, but from "white + X."

Maybe you could ask your brother-in-law if there's something about you that triggers his racism radar? Because I guarantee you, it's more than just your skin color.

Why am I not surprised by this? Do you really think I haven't spoken to Al about this? And what basis do you have to offer your "guarantee", other than your own opinion?

My life experience.

You don't happen to wear a cowboy hat or feed cap, or drive a pickup with a gun rack, do you?

Do go on.

Let's not pretend that stereotypes exist in a vacuum. Speaking in a Southern accent increases the statistical likelihood that you are racist. Ditto for any of the classic "redneck" tells, like a 4x4 pickup with a gun rack, or a redneck hat. Not all Southern white rednecks are racist, but the incidence of racism in that subset of Americans is significantly higher than in the subset of All White Male Americans.

I realize that Southerners - especially those who are anything but racist good ol' boys - resent these stereotypes, just as any other group resents negative stereotypes. Thing is, no matter which group you belong to, you're gonna carry some baggage. Kinda sucks, but there it is.

One of the things i find most people never realize is this: no matter what you wear or how you look, you are in costume.
Choose your costume with care.