Racism: a curse-word like any other.

[franceslievens]

Kid 1: Turkish Girl is always saying bad things about others!
Turkish Girl: You are racist!
Me: Kid 1 wasn't making a racist comment. He was making a comment about you.

There seems to be a shift in meaning when kids use the word "racist" these days. In every argument between kids whose origins lie in two different cultures, one of them will suddenly blurt out: "You are racist!" The word doesn't have any meaning in the context. It's the last straw to cling to, the one thing to say when all other reasoning has failed to make a point.
"Racist" is also solely used for people from Belgian descent, preferably Flemish people. It's like calling the Germans Krauts. No-one knows why they do it. No-one remembers what it actually means, but it's a big insult to be called that. Then it doesn't really matter that Kid 1 is half African. The word is pointed at his Flemish descent and will hurt.

Comments

[kashmanik.livejournal.com]

I had a similar situation back at school once. I had a friend who had a physical disability in his leg and walked with a severe limp with crutches.

One time we had a big argument, and everyone accused me of disliking him because of his disability. Whereas the reality was that I simply disliked him because I'd realised he was an evil little moron. His disability had nothing to do with it whatsoever!

It's so frustrating when people seemingly can't accept that someone can dislike them for WHO they are, not WHAT they are.

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, the kids with something wrong that abuse their disability, because everyone takes a pity on them. Meh...

What did strike me most in the conversation is that the kids just "You're racist," and then the other one has nothing to add. It happens a lot in multicultural society.
Maybe I should teach the kids what raism exactly means and that they shouldn't use the word so lightly, because no-one will believe you when you do accuse someone from actual racism.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

You really called him "Kid 1" ?

Sorry, could help!

Yes "racism" is overused and misused, and not only by kids.

And it has become a kind of Pavlov comeback for people who have misbehaved, especially young people.

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I frequently forget names. ;-)

Thankfully they don't use it on the teachers. Yet.

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

I've actually been on the receiving end of this taunt. Being called ausländerfeindlich is bad enough as it is, but some weeks age one of my pupils really crossed the line. She is a fairly bright and mostly studious kid from Iraq, but she has serious problems to keep her temper in check. She was angry at her teachers, kept shouting and so on and was then heard to utter "Those Nazis" while wandering off in a huff. She was promptly taken to someone higher up in the school's team and there she reiterated her claim that all her teachers were racist and Nazis. He asked her: "What about me?" Her reply: "I don't know you yet." She received a big speech about why she shouldn't be calling her teachers that and has been fairly quiet in the past couple of days.
And she should have known better...

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Yes, she should.

The little ones wouldn't dare to call the teachers racist. They still know better, because the teachers are usually kind to them when something's wrong. At a certain age they don't want that kindness. It's when you realise they're becoming selfish teenagers.