Episode 826 - Calling a Restaurant Chinaman

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Comedians Kat Ahn and Abby Brosh join Andrew all this week to answer some racism questions. Today they discuss a caller's many questions including calling a restaurant Chinaman. Be sure to call us at (323) 389-RACE to ask if anything is racist.

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This caller (and apparently Andrew as well) isn't understanding the "sociology-based" definition of what is and isn't racism. Even by that definition, which has a power-based view of what is and is not racism, it doesn't mean that people of color can't be racist. It just means that things against white people generally are not racist because they aren't supporting a power structure that oppresses whites. Most of the tie they are indirectly supporting it--like how the stereotype of them being square and uncool translates into them being better candidates for high tech engineering jobs or company executive promotions.

 

Anyway the point is that black people are still racist for any anti-Asian things they say. Because even if they aren't the ones being elevated by said racism, they are still supporting it. And oppressed group being racist against another group is still racist. In act by that definition black people can even be racist against their own race.

 

I like this definition a lot, although I can see how it's too confusing to ever expect it to widely catch on.