on Racism

I wrote this post some time ago, and it's been languishing as a draft. I'm posting it because a) i'm interested in whether my expressed view on racism is consistent, and b) I'm sure regular readers will find the final quote somewhat ironic. I'm not trying to criticise anyone.

I thought that Owen Barder went over the top by branding the following statements "racist":

"given the near-total lack of respect for property rights and the rule of law in Africa"

"Farming done in the African manner (eg. Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique) does not have a sterling track record, "

In a seperate discussion on the Dangerous Foreigners Act Owen concedes a little ground

AJE has partly persuaded me that ‘xenophobia’ would be a better word than ‘racist’.

I labelled the following comments made by Kenny Fogarty as being "racist":

"he's a lazy, money-grabbing, African mercenary.

He'd be another no-good, lazy African"

JP hits the nail on the head:

he's [AJE] obviously one of these hand-wringers that can find 'ism' in everything I bet he works in local government

Comments

[The Pedant's Apprentice]

"Racist" is surely following "fascist" in its trajectory into an imprecise Boo-word?

[AJE]

can you fill me in on the name change? I missed that...

[blunderer]

Ooh bugger, I use different names sometimes with the intention of teasing, and then cock it up. Sorry.