Racism is a very serious issue, and lots of people suffer as a result of it. In my younger days (late 70s) I used to be an anti-fascist (I still am but in those days I had more energy!) and used to meet up with others to try to stop the National Front selling their filth on the boundary of a mainly Asian area in East London, close to my home.

Unfortunately, I have seen people wrongly accused of racism, it has happened to me more than once, when they have no other argument to offer.

If someone accuses you of racism, you have to ask them: did you make generalised negative assumptions about members of a particular race? Did you use a negative label about a particular group of people? Did you suggest people of a certain race were somehow inferior? Did you physically attack someone just because they were of a certain race? Did you try to get elected to an office by playing on other people's prejudice or xenophobia?

Or did you simply not like someone because of their behaviour as an individual?

I assume you did the last of these. Well, attack the evil, conniving, nasty piece of work as much as she deserves, because her colour is not an issue here. And if anyone accuses you of being racist, ask them precisely in what way you were!

If they cannot substantiate it, and simply use racist as a term of abuse, then they are no better than the Nasty Fascists (geddit?) I campaigned against all those years ago! And, by going over the top and finding racism where is does not exist, they provide the NF and BNP with their sick arguments.

So there!