Just Looking ...

I am not a racist but..., I have nothing against... but... Who never heard those in their surroundings? Isn't it the perfect examples that stereotypes make people think that a certain culture act in a specific way only. Mitchell, in his chapter 14, talks a bit about these expressions and notes that the stereotype is confirmed through those however, it is often followed by a disclaimer. But why do people disclaim? I think people used those expressions to hide the fact that they are racists in a way and that they dont want people to think they are bad person who cant live in a multicultural country. Racism is really taboo, which is a good thing in a way, but by hiding it through these two faced sentences makes the struggle against it way harder. Even if you say to someone that what they just say was racist they will completely disagree with you because they dont want to look bad even if deep inside they know they are. Nobody want to be thought as a radical when it comes to racism because our society linked racism with the most violent actions that happened in history like pogroms, apartheid, facism, etc. However, the whole denial thing just make racism harder to fight because people wont listen to a speech on racism because they dont see themselves as racist. That way the stereotypes just stay alive longer and th other cultures keep on being seen as weird, or being understood. Anyway, I think we are all racist in a way in different degree and the first battle that need to be fought is against yourself and the stereotypes you believe in. There is no doubt that this course will help us to grow a bit more as human being.