How many racists?

[Boosterman]

What percentage would you guess are racist? Not just whites but all races. What percentage would you guess and feel free to seperate it if you need to. Just looking for your best guess.

[Undercover Owl]

1. in the world, or, just on DU?

clarify

[Boosterman]

2. Heh sorry

I should have clarified in the US. Probably should have set it up as a poll and included bigotry but I am lazy.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

3. It's really hard to say

I would guess most people probably have a little prejudiced feelings in them. However, exposure and education can help one overcome these feelings.

[genieroze]

4. 60 percent?

[Kipepeo]

5. I thought your text was going to be

"can you fit in a phone booth?"

or something to that effect. :) Sleepy I guess.

I don't think this is a question you can measue in percentages. I think in general everyone is affected by racism because the society they have grown up in is racist. If everyone is a product of their biology and their environment, then they are somehow changed by growing up in a racist society...does that make sense?

If you mean specifically people who join racist-themed organizations or make racism a central tenent of their lives...you could probably measure that. The southern poverty law center probably has statistics on hate organizations and their membership.

[Boosterman]

6. Oh man I would love some actual math to work with

BTW lmao on the phone booth comment. I freely admit that many are affected by racism. I am merely curious as to how mant they THINK are affected.

[Kipepeo]

14. here is their website

http://www.splcenter.org/

Check out their intelligence report, specifically. I'm not sure what all is on there, but I do know they track hate group activities, etc.

[FM Arouet666]

7. A difficult question

It really depends on the environment. Racism is dependent on more than hatred, it is also fueled by ignorance, fear and narcissism. All races are capable of racism, it is a human condition. I am a pessimist, given a cross sample of any human population, I would wager that a majority, greater than fifty percent, are racist.

Too high you say. Perhaps. And I might agree with you. However, the mob mentality tends to sway the masses. Facultative racism.

Did the majority of Germans hate Jews. No. But a minority did, and came to power. People who were once casual acquaintances, exchanging civility on a daily basis, became mortal enemies. Swayed by the mob mentality. Are they inherently racist? I guess my point is that a majority of people can become racist, especially if there is strong external pressure to do so.

The rich country club member, bathing in his own narcissistic impulses supported by his cronies.

The poor uneducated person too ignorant of other cultures and nurturing a belief that he still has worth because of a racial feature.

Sadly, the human race probably has few truly non-racist people. Those that would stand up and say NO, no matter what the consequence. What would you do, say in Nazi Germany, you have seen people disappear for months, seen the violence. You are stopped by the SS as they are taking away a friend, a Jew. Do you speak up? Is it racist to take security in the fact that you are German and do nothing? Are you a racist if you are too afraid to help?

I don't have any answers. Just observations. Racism has many forms and is fueled by many different motivations. Condemnation is often the first response, but I think that understanding the motivation and trying correct it would be more constructive.

[Swamp Rat]

8. Whomever believes in this particular social construct.

I don't, so I am not a "racist." :)

[immoderate]

9. Difficult because the seeds of racism exist in the mechanisms for survival

The survival mechanisms that cause groups to compete for resources are hard wired into many species. We are all equipped with the capacity for xenophobia.

Our socialization teaches us which "others" are acceptable.

--IMM

[bvar22]

10. I HATE Republicans, baby!

Can't STAND those republicans... /music

Does that meake me a racist??? NO???
How about a BIGOT???

[bvar22]

11. I would venture to guess...

..that the 30 percent of the Republican Party who are HARDCORE, are essentially Racist and KNOW they are Racist (White elite supremacy), but have learned NOT to say so publically (Mark Furhman?).

I don't think that an OVERT Racist would belong to the Democratic Party, with the exception of Zell Miller and a few other aging and soon to disappear Old South bigots.

Covert Racism affects every human being to some degree.

[specimenfred1984]

12. 30%

1/3rd of all people are jerks. Another 1/3rd are inclined to ack like jerks. The other 1/3rd are "nice".

No scientific evidence, just life experience. If the brainwashed techniques utilized by the press work then, at any given time 2/3rds of people are bigots.

Do you really think that people think for themselves? Ahhhhh, naiveness is so pretty when it doesn't look stupid.

[zmdem]

13. 100 % (n/t)

[SmartBomb]

15. does it take to screw in a light bulb?

There is a shit load of racism in the world. Kinda fucked up isn't it?