[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by achro

Why is everyone saying racism needs to be "intended" for it to be racism?

This is not true at all.

I don't think it needs to be "intended", to be racist but I do think that being intentionally racist is far worse than someone using a racist term through ignorance.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by achro

Why is everyone saying racism needs to be "intended" for it to be racism?

This is not true at all.

It does need to be intended. There are two types of racism: (1) out of sheer ignorance and stupidity, buying into incredibly weak ideas and stereotypes without knowing the facts and (2) knowing the facts yet continuing to look down on a particular race or more.

[Livia]

Some people on here have made Jew jokes to me and I've laughed, because I know them, and I know that the intention was for me to laugh. And I did laugh because they were funny and meant in fun. If someone I don't really know makes Jew jokes, it's hard to tell whether their intention is to be funny or unkind. You have to know someone well before you can take liberties with them. However, it's not for someone else to say that something is offensive and to be outraged on another person's behalf if the person on the receiving end is not insulted and well able to speak for themselves.