peace of mind
In the first paragraph of this paper I quote the words of my colleague, which began with “I’m not racist.” It’s as if using those words, seemingly as a disclaimer, provides a license to express whatever racist jargon comes to mind. This is not the first time I have been witness to a colleague or friend denying being racist while in the same breath disclosing highly offensive stereotypes. As a matter of fact, I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a school of thought that says if you begin your sentence by denying possessing bigoted thoughts, then you are free to express any racist ideas you feel without fear of being confronted. Just so we’re clear, saying that you aren’t racist does not make it true. And it certainly does not inoculate you from having your ideas confronted.
