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"Black people can't be racist by definition" - Paul Mooney

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Paul Mooney, an acclaimed American stand up comedian and friend to Richard Pryor, says in this clip that "A black person can't be racist by definition, because we don't have any control over other people's lives. I can't tell you what neighbourhood to live in. I can't tell you what school to go to. I can't tell you you're a second-class citizen. I can't tell you that you can't vote."

Of course, neither can almost all white people, so I guess almost all white people can't be racist by definition, either?

Mooney is clearly someone who has experienced a lot of racism in his life, and it has affected his character. However, I think the idea that you must have "control over other people's lives" in order to be racist is ridiculous.

By that logic, a lower-class, unemployed white person, without any influence in the world, who screams "nigger" at a black passer-by is not behaving in a racist fashion.

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looksee

I can see that he has issues, and I can see what he is trying to express, but he doesn't really understand the meaning of the word racist, though obviously he fully understands the consequences of racism.

myflipflops

He should try being a white guy in a country that is 96% black. I'm not sure why he thinks a persons skin pigmentation means they cannot be racist.

Any minority can suffer discrimination in a society be it black people in a white dominated society, white people in a black dominated society, gay people in a straight society, Muslims in a Christian society etc etc.

At the end of the people, some people are w*nkers regardless of anything else.

LivelineDipso

America is bit mad alright.

Chuck Stone

When he's talking about institutional racism (discriminatory laws etc) he's more right than wrong when he says that black people can't be racist because they don't have the power to be.

1ZRed

Eh.. racism isn't just about skin colour

dd972

what about the genocide in Rwanda, carried out by one set of people against another deemed racially inferior

looksee

Discriminatory laws are the consequence of racism. They are racist laws but you don't have to have discriminatory laws to be racist. Or sexist or ageist or any other -ist.

fran oconnor

the brits must have just been racist to us for OVER 800 years so, this is the thing that pisses me off about black people a lot of them think its only one way.. Every black comedian gets off on white jokes etc.

Rodin

Load of auld rubbish from him.

Rigol

From what I hear of Sth Africa, now isn't a good time to be white there.
There may be a little bit of 'reverse' racism, a slight sentiment of revenge.

Annasopra

1ZRed wrote: »

Eh.. racism isn't just about skin colour

Not sure what you mean?

Sinfonia

The video title refers to racism in America, and I imagine Mooney is speaking on those terms.

Tombi!

Assuming he is talking about America, he kinda does have a point. But I think it would really only apply to an older generation.
I think it was Bill Cosby who said (paraphrased) that black youths today have much more advantages than he had in his day and it's upsetting to see how they're not living up to their potential. Something like that anyhow.

I still think the fella in the video is a bit of an idiot, though.

1ZRed

mango salsa wrote: »

Not sure what you mean?

Like racism transcends skin colour and includes ethnicity as well, like travellers, etc.

dodderangler

IMO they are more racist than anyone else
Him claiming black people cannot be racist is a racist remark in itself

Smashius_Clay

fran oconnor wrote: »

the brits must have just been racist to us for OVER 800 years so, this is the thing that pisses me off about black people a lot of them think its only one way.. Every black comedian gets off on white jokes etc.

Hannibal Buress doesn't!

Sound of Silence

Smashius_Clay wrote: »

Hannibal Buress doesn't!

Great comedian.

B.A._Baracus

Bull - fucking - shit!

My girlfriend is African and we've both gotten dirty looks from white and black people.

mike65

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Bull - fucking - shit!

My girlfriend is African and we've both gotten dirty looks from white and black people.

That's cos no one likes a sell out man!

B.A._Baracus

mike65 wrote: »

That's cos no one likes a sell out man!

Such a racist thing to say :pac:

GalwayGuy2

but don't the travelers themselves consider travelers to be a different race or something.....something cultural anyway

Nope. Some think that travelers would be better protected as a different ethnicity, but a lot of travelers oppose that as they believe they are as Irish as anybody else.

Of course black people can be racist. In a strange way he's actually belittling black people by saying no black person has a) the ability to be racist or

the institutional power to be racist. Which could be a legitimate criticsm that America doesn't have enough black men and women in power, or that he doesn't see the black men and women in power as powerful.

emo72

mango salsa wrote: »

Not sure what you mean?

I think it's about race, not skin colour.

randylonghorn

ban_me wrote: »

.

No problemo!

Scruffles

fran oconnor wrote: »

the brits must have just been racist to us for OVER 800 years so, this is the thing that pisses me off about black people a lot of them think its only one way.. Every black comedian gets off on white jokes etc.

irish or british isnt a race,theyre nationalities [or group of nationalities in britains case],it isnt racist to abuse someone for being irish,english,scottish or welsh but if it was an accute attack on their nationality it woud be classed as hate crime,good luck in getting it taken seriously though.
silly how slurs,attacks and abuse towards one group; including other minority and vulnerable groups can be laughed away and openly allowed by society while slurs and abuse towards another group is treated with serious consequences and openly shunned by society.
-its wrong to teach kids that their suffering from abuse doesnt matter because it doesnt involve a minority race,religeon or sexuality,abuse is abuse end of.

anyway as for this bloke in the OP,never heard of him though he has brought back fond memories from being a ten year old; started riding a pony called mooney.:P

Stained Class

I thought that Black people in the US might have a voice or direction or some excuse to get that chip off their shoulder when Obama got elected.

He's been Re-elected recently.

Has anything changed?

A lot of them seem to have lost hope already & continue on in a world that is not the American Dream.

I know I'll get slated for asking these questions, but............

Hippies!

Stained Class wrote: »

I know I'll get slated for asking these questions, but............

You won't

it's ok....we're all friends here

Rabies

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Bull - fucking - shit!

My girlfriend is African and we've both gotten dirty looks from white and black people.

My ex is Indian/Egyptian. Went out for over a year. Got the same odd looks and comments from both sides. Most were the same as me didn't care.
Going out to a club one night she advised me to not go to a certain hip hop club because I wasn't black enough or even dressed right to fit in.
A friend of mine is married to a Tongan guy. His family don't want anything to do with her because she is white.
Racism works both ways.

[Deleted User]

1ZRed wrote: »

Like racism transcends skin colour and includes ethnicity as well, like travellers, etc.

I'm sorry, but if they're travelers, then it's not racist. They are a sub-culture and a predominantly white one at that. It's discrimination, not racism.

later12

Ariel Thousands Chipmunk wrote: »

By that logic, a lower-class, unemployed white person, without any influence in the world, who screams "nigger" at a black passer-by is not behaving in a racist fashion.

Racism means lots of different things to lots of different people.
One would imagine that Mooney was speaking rather narrowly - perhaps stupidly narrowly - based on his experiences.

I would have some sympathy with what I think he is saying - that white people are, in the United States of America, in an almost institutionally recognized position of ingrained authority, and black people are incapable of dominating that authority, and therefore are completely not in a position to exert control over their social 'lessers'. Yes, even in a jurisdiction with a mixed race President; race is far more institutionalised than merely 'at the top'.

I think he worded it badly, but I don't disagree with what I'd interpret him as saying.

joydivision

Course black people can be a racist . Linford Christie was a famous racer . Household name .