Racist Uncles

[Air tree]

Hmm, why does it always seem like uncles are the most overtly racist family?


Both are my uncles are pretty racist, I was reminded of this after my uncle posted this gem...



And after that he posts another hundred image macros about how Obama is a traitor, Donald Trump will make America great again, etc...


Or maybe it's just my family...

[tp4tissue]

The Socio-Economic divide is far more explanatory of racist behavior than Race-itself.

The less affluent could be racist, because their lifestyle may depend on forming small social-cliques which may only include those similar to oneself.

The less affluent are also less well read (they have jobs very early), less traveled, which means they do not come in contact with the myriad of possible difference between peoples. They segregate those they meet by very obvious yet less consequential differences such as skin color.

The less affluent are also simple in their exclusions, whereas the wealthier racist may have an agenda that is not so much about color.



This is not a hard line, certainly people of above average wealth can be racist for those same reasons, but it is merely LESS likely.

[suicidal_orange]

Just a thought - your dad is probably one of your uncle's children's uncle so for your theory to stand your dad must be equally racist.  Unless your uncle has no children or both uncles are related to your mum, which may suggest a different cause for their beliefs...

Both of my parents are pretty racist, they don't advertise it (but then they don't do facebook) while the only uncle I knew was not.  Or at least not blatantly enough for me to notice.

[noisyturtle]

In my experience the Irish LOVE to complain. Not as much as those Jews though....

[Air tree]

Just a thought - your dad is probably one of your uncle's children's uncle so for your theory to stand your dad must be equally racist.  Unless your uncle has no children or both uncles are related to your mum, which may suggest a different cause for their beliefs...

Both of my parents are pretty racist, they don't advertise it (but then they don't do facebook) while the only uncle I knew was not.  Or at least not blatantly enough for me to notice.

It was my great uncle in this case on my fathers side that was posting the racist stuff on facebook.


My regular uncle is a really nice guy, he's just uncomfortably racist at times, and my mother is the exact opposite of racist.


Maybe it's just that all of my extended family are pretty racist and my uncles are just more apparent about it, rofl.

[tp4tissue]

Also,, Keep in mind..

There is Blind racism..  and there is KIN-Selection.


Racism, is a shaky belief that color makes one superior

Kin-Selection,  is the natural animalistic propensity to Select for features similar to oneself,  under the assumption that, since your parents/approximately similar associates have successfully procreated and survived, there must be higher preference for similar genetic traits which made that present-survival possible..

[Waateva]

3 of my 7 uncles are pretty vocal racists, but the other 4 aren't at all.  They are spread out across my family too which is kinda odd to me.

[xondat]

I don't know my uncles enough... But I know closer family thinks if people move to the UK they should follow our dress code etc. I don't know where that fits on the racism scale.

[fohat.digs]

But I know closer family thinks if people move to the UK they should follow our dress code etc.

I was brought up in the segregated South in the 1950s-1960s in a middle class white environment, and heard first-hand stories about what my father and grandfather had personally seen and heard about my great-grandfather's friendship with his former slaves, whom he had grown up with and played with as children before the Civil War (my Dad was a boy during the Great Depression and many of them were still alive at that time). My g-g-grandfather's slaves were really more like about half a dozen unpaid farm hands rather than the horror that is often depicted in movies today, and they stayed on the farm and in the area after The War and continued to have friendly relations with their former masters.

However, even though today I truly believe that racism is ugly and wrong, I can still feel my residual childhood social indoctrination.

That said, I do think that people who emigrate to another country are obligated to assimilate into that society rather than attempt to bring "the old country" into the new one. First generation immigrants are probably set in their ways, and will be reluctant to change, but after that it should be easy.

Of course, I loathe (especially Western) religion and consider it to be a force of hatred and disruption to modern society, so probably a great deal of my resentment for "old country" nonsense is that it revolves around their simple-minded and obsolete Bronze Age superstitions, and my anger that they are bringing yet additional "religion" into the country rather than endeavoring to purge it.

[DALExSNAIL]

I'm Irish and I am complaining about this post.

[chyros]

None of my uncles are racist. In fact, no-one in my family is racist.

I don't understand how racism is still even a thing.

[fanpeople]

People are people if its not bieng racist, its be8ng horrid and blaming, cowrokers, staff, the person at woolworths, their friends, the lower socio-economic class, the higher socio-economic class, their family, their family in-law, their ex, their current parter, their kids, topre users, cherry users,

People are just ****ish ****s towards others.

[xtrafrood]

None of my uncles are racist. In fact, no-one in my family is racist.

I don't understand how racism is still even a thing.

Same here. And I'm an uncle, I'm pretty sure I'm not racist. People close their eyes to it and don't care. I never could understand that

[bazh]

I am uncle to my brother's children, will that make me racist?

[Fictiouz]

I am uncle to my brother's children, will that make me racist?

Yes, no doubt.

[chyros]

None of my uncles are racist. In fact, no-one in my family is racist.

I don't understand how racism is still even a thing.

Same here. And I'm an uncle, I'm pretty sure I'm not racist. People close their eyes to it and don't care. I never could understand that

Oh yeah, that's right, I'm an uncle four times over already xD . I completely forgot xD .

[kurplop]

The seeming ubiquity of racist uncles may be caused more by the nature of family dynamics, the PC language barrier, and the fact that uncles are almost always older than you, than reality itself.

A family is where we are generally more casual and less cautious with our words. This is especially true with extended family where members can talk freely then go home at the end of the evening. That combined with the "wisdom that comes with years", gives authority to the uncle's confident assertions and can create a perfect storm of offenses. This truth coupled with a language barrier, complete with words and phrases redefined by each new generation as well as an ever changing standard of proper etiquette, can easily lead to hard feelings and misunderstandings.

I know people whose words sometimes appear racist and cruel but whose actions are always thoughtful and kind toward the group they appear to be slurring. Maybe that's better than the type who flatters as they are thrusting the knife into another's back.

While the Thread Starter's uncle's post may be inflammatory to some and in bad taste, his primary subject may have more to do with his Irish pride than to attack others. I'd prefer to think that, even if he hasn't fully thought out his intent. And what's wrong with setting a high standard for your race, group or family? Those who insist on ignoring the strengths of groups rather than appreciating their distinctions do so at their own loss.

Today calling somebody a racist is an invitation to end the discussion. The accusation has the same effect on the accused as the Irish post above does to those to whom it offends. It erects a wall of separation rather than build a bridge of understanding.


 

[xtrafrood]

None of my uncles are racist. In fact, no-one in my family is racist.

I don't understand how racism is still even a thing.

Same here. And I'm an uncle, I'm pretty sure I'm not racist. People close their eyes to it and don't care. I never could understand that

Oh yeah, that's right, I'm an uncle four times over already xD . I completely forgot xD .

Five times unclified for me. My siblings are both 10+ years older so I was unclified at 12 hehe. Damn, that probably means I'm extra racist

[fohat.digs]

I don't understand how racism is still even a thing.

It's not.

Brexit was about the EU charging dues that were too high.

People like Trump because of his personality.

[xtrafrood]

I don't understand how racism is still even a thing.

It's not.

Brexit was about the EU charging dues that were too high.

People like Trump because of his personality.

Took me a moment to recognize the sarcasm )

[captsis]

If you dont have one you probably are one