What do you think when you hear the words bigotry and racism? Are they interchangeable, just different sides of the same coin? Or is one more accurate than the other in some circumstances?
I'm partial to bigotry as a general catchall. After all, racists are bigots, but not all bigots are racist. Some use religion as a way to pigeonhole people, other use economic status. "A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices". Bigotry is a mental shortcut to judge a group without getting to know the individual and includes the actions resulting from that judgment.
With racism, the particular definition each participant brings to a discussion may differ. By common usage, racism is bigotry expressed against a group based on race. In various social science fields, racism has more precise definitions. From my Wikipedia based understanding, a sociological definition of racism is the cultural beliefs/ideology that defend privileges of one group over another. Related discussions with friends often revolve around racism restricted to beliefs/ideology of "whites", with the consequent being that individuals of European descent are racist and non-Europeans, "people of color", cannot be racist by reason of the power dynamic between whites and non-whites. A hybrid definition could be bigotry expressed by Europeans and descendants of European colonists that reinforces privileges gained through colonialism and imperialism. This definition puts more focus on socio-economic consequences and the current distribution of wealth and power across the world.
So what does this have to do with word choice? Well, I have personally witnessed and participated in extended discussions where is it clear there is a mixing of definitions. The result too often is a circular discussion with each party trying to get the other party to accept their definition. If we can recognize when definitions become mixed, perhaps misunderstandings can be reduced and a more informed discussion can occur.
This persona, Blatant Bigot, is dedicated to shining a light on bigotry and the stereotypes used around the world. Controversial perhaps, but I think airing out our dirty laundry will make us all smell better.
Sound off, bigotry or racism?
Thu Dec 15, 2011 at 7:48 AM PT: I am no expert, merely someone who wishes to discuss this topic. If my definition of racism is incorrect, and you want to sound off about it, please take the time to correct my ignorance with your wisdom.
Fri Dec 16, 2011 at 9:44 AM PT: Thanks to everyone for their feedback. I've updated to make clear this is my understanding of the situation, my stepping stone on the way to a better understanding.