Michael Richards aka "Kramer" racist?

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Which is what he did by referencing lynching.

He's a racist.

I'd call for a boycott of his work, but he hasn't got any.

Please don't go after me for this because I mean nothing by it, but I interpreted the comment differently...when he referenced lynching, I thought he was pointing out what that kind of behaviour would have resulted in 50 years ago. Of course, at the time he may have meant it the way you took it and I'm just objectifying the situation too much.
I already boycott his work, I hate seinfeld

[Reds6]

Originally Posted by centaur532

Please don't go after me for this because I mean nothing by it, but I interpreted the comment differently...when he referenced lynching, I thought he was pointing out what that kind of behaviour would have resulted in 50 years ago. Of course, at the time he may have meant it the way you took it and I'm just objectifying the situation too much.
I already boycott his work, I hate seinfeld

No he meant if a black had talked to a white man the way he did 50 years ago he would have been lynched.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by centaur532

Please don't go after me for this because I mean nothing by it, but I interpreted the comment differently...when he referenced lynching, I thought he was pointing out what that kind of behaviour would have resulted in 50 years ago. Of course, at the time he may have meant it the way you took it and I'm just objectifying the situation too much.

Nah, he meant what Reds6 said. He's a comic. He should keep the unfunny history lessons out of his acts.

Maybe that was supposed to be shock-humor that some other comics have gotten away with to lesser extremes.

[shinerbock]

I mean I think those guys calling him a cracker is racially insensitive i guess, but its not like i'm outraged or offended. I just think you can go for something that would be the most hurtful in an out of control situation (n-word) without being a racist. I think most people wouldn't do such things, but some people have better control than others. I have been around people who you could say were racially insensitive, but I don't know that they were really racist. They didn't think they were better than people because of their race, but they were against certain parts of black culture, and used generic racial slurs to describe them. I don't know what i'd call it, but I don't really know that I can say they're racist. Also, note that i'm not apologizing for anyone, its still pretty bad no matter what you're motives are. However, I think a lot of people who would use those terms (not just racial, any type of slurs) often will use them because terms like "motherf*****" really don't have the hurtful affect people may be looking for when they're enraged.

[Reds6]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I mean I think those guys calling him a cracker is racially insensitive i guess, but its not like i'm outraged or offended. I just think you can go for something that would be the most hurtful in an out of control situation (n-word) without being a racist. I think most people wouldn't do such things, but some people have better control than others. I have been around people who you could say were racially insensitive, but I don't know that they were really racist. They didn't think they were better than people because of their race, but they were against certain parts of black culture, and used generic racial slurs to describe them. I don't know what i'd call it, but I don't really know that I can say they're racist. Also, note that i'm not apologizing for anyone, its still pretty bad no matter what you're motives are. However, I think a lot of people who would use those terms (not just racial, any type of slurs) often will use them because terms like "motherf*****" really don't have the hurtful affect people may be looking for when they're enraged.

So saying a black person should be basically lynched for going at a white man isn't racist?

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I mean I think those guys calling him a cracker is racially insensitive i guess, but its not like i'm outraged or offended.

I figured that much. Many if not most white people aren't that offended by racial epithets directed at them. They may raise an eyebrow but white people know that words used against them haven't historically been used to oppress them. So they can in a sense go in one ear and right out the other.

Racism is a system of differential opportunity and treatment that goes beyond hurt feelings or being offended. It isn't contingent upon being prejudiced toward a group of people to the point of disliking them. You can never ever use or even think the N word and still be a racist white person.