Calling folks Uncle Toms, House Negroes, Aunt Jemima's and other similar terminology is racist.

[Rilgin]

221. You might look at your own derogatory associations about "white people"

In this thread, you posted a Malcolm X quote which you later defended that calls white liberals either racists or hypocrites. Both of these are derogatory terms. I hope you would agree that calling someone a racist or hypocrite is not trying to praise them. Further, it is not a statement about a belief, policy, or particular event but is intended to attach to their person.

If you truly "agree" with the above post, you might look at your own practices. I would urge you to refrain from posts which are not specific about policy or specific acts of individuals but are just racial associations.

In this vein, I can agree with your OP that people should not use a number of specific derogatory terms. If you had just said "Some People" rather than "Some White Liberals", it would be a fine post. The particular terms you object to are offensive and should not be used by anyone.

Personally, I do not think I have ever used any of these terms probably because my personal and intellectual political issues or goals or what have you is to get past race and see our common humanity both as an individual and as a country.

Within that goal, it is easy to acknowledge that there are clear places where race has and does play a part in the current and past history and politics of the United States and all us individuals. However, such history is not static. There has been progress on overt racial laws and policies but there are places (particularly the justice system) where institutional bias remains and where class and wealth issues cause disparate results. On the individual level, there still exist racist and bigoted people. Some is overt and some is just conscious or unconscious bias. Some of these bias and bigots administer the systems that govern our lives.

None of us is totally immune. I can recognize areas within my self because of personal experiences I had growing up in NYC in the 60s where I have bias. For example, I know I have a heightened awareness/fear if I see a group of black teens on the sidewalk ahead of me. My childhood involved being robbed at knife point multiple times walking the streets of New York which left some bias. However it is something I fight rather than accept. It is also not only race. I tend to have that heightened awareness anytime I see teens on the street ahead of me regardless of race.

People tend to be somewhat tribal and not trust people who are not like them. However, I do not think bias or bigotry is limited to or dominant in "white people" "white men" "white liberals" or any other variant of the term. Further, the racial aspects of both society and individuals change over time. Often in these type threads, I feel that discussions relate to historical battles and not current battles.

Returning to the use of any post addressed to "white people". In each case, the term is invariably used in a derogatory sense or an attack. You will not see any post saying "white people" (or "black people" for that matter) in any positive sense. Second, in each case, it is an association of a negative trait with a racial characteristic.

These threads develop in a few ways. Invariably, if one of these "white people" bring up the problems with association, they are often told either "they don't get it" or "ignore it if its not about you". Some threads go further that that to justify the association. However, regardless, all of these responses are equally offensive. Association by race (of any kind) is wrong.

As was pointed out to you, Malcolm X rejected the implications of the quote you posted later in his life. Again returning to personal experience. I am the son of a fairly radical mother. Growing up, we had people coming and going through our apartment. Many involved with all of the civil rights and anti-war fights of that time. Many lived with/crashed with us for long periods of time. One person who lived with us off and on for years, came to my mother one day and said in essence "I will not be able to talk to you again because I am now part of a group that has labeled you the devil". And just to be clear, years later that person also developed and came back and apologized to my mother.

You appear to agree that association of derogatory terms by race or gender is wrong. I would urge you to put that agreement into practice.