I hate everybody

When I posted the question, I honestly wasn't expecting people to respond. When I see statuses like that, I generally avoid them seeing as I don't want my opinion out in the world for someone who disagrees with me to read, and then hunt me down and stab me... but I guess a lot of people are braver than I. It was interesting to see how people's personalities and lifestyles affect their responses.

It's funny how people come out of the woodworks when you pose a question on facebook. Since posting the question "do you think everyone is a little bit racist?" to my wall, one kid had a definite opinion (and, to be honest, I didn't even know we were friends).

Jonathan Maskevich: I don't think so. There is an element built into the American Societal System which promotes the segregation of people into groups. It's promoted every time we are required to state our ethnicity on forms for school, work, and the governmen...t. It is this de facto segregation which maintains the schisms between people. If we choose to look at the individual rather than the group, than the specter of racism will disappear over time. Choose to see character, not skin color.

For me, I don't think I can be racist, because it would only lead to hatred of my own family, which is as diverse as can be. I think the only part of the world not represented in my family is Australia.

Martin Luther King Jr. had the idea, am idea inherent in the American System, that men should be judged on the content of their character and their actions, not the color of their skin and not who their parents were.See More
September 21 at 8:12pm · LikeUnlike

Rachell Ka'ne: It's not just here in America, but most other country's as well.
September 21 at 8:51pm · LikeUnlike

Jonathan Maskevich: True. I am half convinced that Racism is a specter of planned society more than an inherent individual characteristic.
September 21 at 8:55pm

Everyone a little racist?

Most of the responses that I got talked about everyone being prejudice or believing in stereotypes. One of my friends said that even if it's subconscious, we make judgments about everyone, it just happens.
Another one of my friends said that everyone is racist, but it's not always color discrimination. He went on his mission to Guatemala and said the people there treated the Americans differently. He said they had their preconceived notions about Americans saying that Americans didn't know what it was like to be poor because we all live in such a rich environment; racism is not always black and white.
I did have one person who said that not everyone is racist. That she had two friends that are white that really don't see color because of how they were raised. She also said that she doesn't think everyone is racist but everyone believes in stereotypes which could be a misconception of racism. She said racism goes both ways in which one race believes that they are superior to the other.
Those were some of the responses I got and for the most part everyone mentioned stereotypes and prejudices bringing out the little racism in everyone.

Racist, whether you mean it or not.

Interestingly enough, all those who responded to my Facebook post have been affected by racism. They all felt the need to respond for one reason or another. All but one of the people who responded to my question comes from a family of interracial marriage. Although we may not consider ourselves to be racist we recognize at an early age that there are distinct differences between our own race and other races. Those differences then cause us to be skeptical of others and at times, hesitant to form friendships. It is my opinion that those who are of a minority group see the world through racist eyes. To say that they see the world through racist eyes does not imply that racism does not exist, it just means that they are especially sensitive and apt to label others as racists.

Is Everyone A Little Bit Racist?

My favorite response to my facebook status is as follows:

" i dont think it necessarily is all about race. there are a wide variety of stereo types. i think we all have the tendency to judge. i thinks it is human nature to a degree. when it becomes a problem is when we let it control our actions and we dont give a person a chance to prove our first impressions wrong. much like you said your first impressions can be totally off."

In the paradigm that is my world, it is less about racism.. and more about stereotypes. Although race plays a part, I am more likely to judge a person on the clothing that accompanies their skin tone, than by their skin tone itself. For example, if I walk past a guy that I conclude must be in a gang, it is because of his tattoos, bandanna, brand of clothing, and piercings that would have led me to this conclusion, not his or her skin color. However, their skin color may be an added factor upon the previous factors, or maybe even the tipping factor. I am sure I am a little bit racist I grew up being exposed to so few variety of races that I think I believed everything I saw on tv, which usually regards people of all races intermingling happily. When I do encounter a racist thought, I quickly attempt to shut it down.

Is everyone a little bit racist?

I didn't get very many responses. Many of them were sarcastic, but with an inkling of truth. (As with all good sarcasm.) 

(I copied the screenshot idea:)

James, who said "Do you really have to ask me that? Of course I am!" has spent extensive time in India, working with orphans there. My Aunt Lisa, who is a firm "no," lives in Arizona. Tyler is just a sarcastic and silly person. Does having any background help? Does it change how you view their responses? Maybe this experiment could expand to "Do you think that people jump to conclusions based on the data they are provided?" 

Also, I think facebook is probably a pretty strange place to discuss something so serious that has plagued humans for hundreds of thousands of years. People who gave really good answers should be congratulated for being so open about something on a social networking site. (Or should they?)

Everyone's A Little Bit Racist

I'll be honest, only four people commented on my post. Pretty pathetic huh? The four comments that were on my post were all really racist remarks. One person wrote everything phonetically as if she were an Asian attempting to speak English. Another person literally wrote in response to my post, "nigger please." I don't really know if these people were attempting to be funny, however, I was not impressed that my own friends lived up to our conversation in class about how people are not color blind. If I were to give my conclusion in this social experiment determining if everyone is a little bit racist I would conclude that it is true. Some may say that facebook is not a good platform to ask such a serious question because nobody takes facebook statuses seriously. However, I would disagree. If you truly want to see if someone is racist ask them the question where they feel comfortable enough responding how they really feel. People will write anything over the internet. I felt like I got a true glimpse into the racist minds of my very own friends. My friends are good people and this is why I conclude that everyone is a little bit racist.