[Avox]

I'm going to a state university that is predominately white (like 95%, seriously). Both of my roommates are white, but I'm mixed. The other day, one of my roommates was on the phone with her dad while taking an online quiz. I was sitting quietly on the other side of the room (the room isn't very big, so we weren't far from each other). She starts talking about democracy and tells her dad that we're a democracy. Then she says, no, we're not, it's a dictatorship, and whispers "because our president is black." He didn't hear what she said, so she repeats it and adds "and everyone listens to him." Then she kinda turns, realizes I'm there(?), says it sounds racist and she takes it back (to her dad, not to me).

I started laughing because it was such an awkward situation and I'm used to my white siblings joking about stuff like that. But I'm from a very diverse area where white is the minority. It didn't hit me until later that it's possible she actually meant it in a racist way and wasn't simply joking. She could have also been afraid of offending me. I'm not sure which.

I'm not saying she's racist. But in an area predominately white, I found it odd. If any of you are from areas that are predominately white, do people normally make comments like this? Keep in mind this is my first year of college and my first year away from home, sooo, yeah.

tl;dr - My roommate whispered to her dad that we're a dictatorship because our president is black.

Discuss!
What makes a comment racist?
When should such comments be taken seriously?
Would you have been offended? Regardless of your race/ethnicity.

[Yokuutsu]

She might have been joking. She might not have been. Maybe she wasn't even thinking of what she was saying and it was really neither.

Around here, there are more whites than black. We kind of segregate ourselves, and I wouldn't say my family is racist (they don't hate blacks) but they use racist terms. They are also all over forty years old too, and their dad is like 90...he grew up when that was "acceptable" so Idk

I wouldn't have been offended by the comment but it would've angered me. Mainly because certain people voted for Obama-college students and those on governmental welfare from what I've seen. He was voted in, and if he's elected again? He's out at the end of the next four years (or now if someone else is elected) so how is that a dictatorship? Especially if he veto'd a bill....congress could override his veto? A dictator's bill would go into the trash bin, actually there would be no bill. He would say ALL OF YOU HAVE HEALTHCARE NOW! GO SUCK IT! (Or, you know, I'm gonna kill all these people of this race...depends on how crazy your leader is)

[Ludovico]

First I would like to point out that your roommate learn the difference between Totalitarian goverments. xD it would have been better if she'd said that we were in a facist society since his influence is every where. There is no way in hell that Obama completely controls America. He was chosen by the people but hell the senate has fought him every step of the way. There are plenty of people in America that do not listen to him because well frankly he is black.

I honestly think I would have lectured her on politics because honestly it is uninformed people that vote and it sounds as if she is one of them. Outside of that it takes more then that just to be racist. I don't think she is, I think she is an entitled middle class girl who can not keep her mouth shut, which she thinks she is speaking alone and it is frank. She may be one of those people that completely switches infront of her friends, and then be a different person in front of her family. I would keep an eye on her though. If she thinks she can get away with making comments like that she will keep doing it.

I had a friend, bless his heart I know he is not racist however when we have gatherings there was a time when he would spout out n word jokes because of another one of our friends. He doesn't do it anymore because I told him to stop.

[Lucid:]

I come from a mostly-white area and I now go to a mostly-white university, but most people I know don't make racist comments like that. Every once in a while, close friends will tell a mild racist joke when we all know that it's only a joke based on stereotypes, but that's usually understandable. We tell white jokes too. It takes a special kind of insensitivity to say things like Obama is a dictator. It's like when Madonna called Obama a "black muslim." He's clearly not a muslim and it was a really stupid thing of her to say. The dictator comment was a really stupid thing of your roommate to say, but I would just let it show her ignorance and move on.

[Belial]

I don't think that word means what she thinks it means.
Dictatorship is far different.

And he isn't black, he is half white and half black but that being said what his race is or is not isn't a factor on his job performance. I am italian/white but I don't think irrelevant issues should be brought up as a negative. He is our president and as such, I think he should be treated with a modicum of respect and maturity.

People don't have to like him, but people don't have to be stupid about it either for both sides. I am shocked at how many voters on either side have no clue to what their choice's policy even is.

I know one girl who wants to vote for Obama because he high fived Jay-Z. Not because of his plan, not because of his vision of America but because he high fived someone. Equally stupid reasons on the Republican side too!

[Princess_Creep]

It may have simply been a joke, but you should tell her it made you uncomfortable, and be sure to explain everything.

[Hikori]

i admit to being a tad bit racist, but stuff like that, even when meant in joke, doesn't actually mean a joke in my opinion. the way they said it is stupid, untrue, and really uninformed, not just about ethnicity, not just about races, but about politics in general.

Do i really care though? no, not really. I know it sounds really f**ked up, but here is the short skinny, alot of people i know are either sexist, racist, or something akin to that. Often times people avoid mentioning shit like that due to not wanting to seem racist, completely forgetting that part of it isn't how one acts, it's how one thinks.

But bigotry aside, if our president was black, that wouldn't make this a dictatorship. It wouldn't even make it communist or socialist, and the stupid thing about all this is our president is a democrat who loves democracy. DEMOCRACY (okay fine he loves republics, but the terms is synonymous these days). If he were socialist i'd understand. communist same, but just because of his ethnicity, doesn't make him like anything he doesn't like.

If anything our president is a big oreo (and if you know what this term means, grats, you're partially racist) but just because he is, doesn't mean he likes anything in particular, doesn't means he prefers anything over the other, it just means he is what he is. (i hope that made sense)

Most of the arguments people have AGAINST Obama are unsound, and those that are even remotely sound, are debatable, in a major way.

Now that i've strayed off topic, i'll answer your questions:

A racist comment is any comment given with either racial prejudice, or racial/racist intent behind it, be it intentional or not.

When they should or should not be taken seriously, depends on the person, greatly, however if one's at all offended, i always feel they should let it be known, no matter the reason.

Would I have been offended? Yes, but not because the comment was racist, but because it was so uninformed. Like I said, there are times when i know for a fact that i'm being racist. I live in a Chinese dominated area, I can't help it. Chinese tend to be racist against all races, and i acknowledge that that statement is in itself racist, but that doesn't make it any less factual. Chinese people in the area that I live in are racist XD.I mean for crying out loud, my friend used to call me french fry in Cantonese before we even got to know each other, because i was long, skinny, white looking, and it sounds similar to cry baby in Cantonese.

[Hikori]

Originally Posted by Belial

[...] I am shocked at how many voters on either side have no clue to what their choice's policy even is.

[...]

I agree with this statement, however....

It's hard to vote for Romney because of knowing (let alone liking) his policies, because he literally changes policies depending on who he's talking to.

Earlier this year he wanted to get rid of medicare, now he wants to "update it for the current generation"

Earlier this year he wanted to raise taxes on the middle class, now he wants to be a fighter for the middle class, but all of his plans cut taxes for the rich and raise them on the middle and lower class...

The list goes on... the man doesn't make any sense, unfortunately, a lot of people think politics don't make sense to begin with, and thus, vote for him anyways.

Then there are the people who expected Obama to CHANGE THE WORLD in a day, and are voting for Romney because he didn't do what they wanted him to.

Even if you hate the man, Obama has done his best to honor the promises he made while running back in 08, but he's been roadblocked whenever anything went through the republican side of the senate, whose idea of compromise is "we don't like it, change it completely so it's nothing like what you guys want" even if the bill includes measures they asked for/ tried to propose themselves to begin with.

... and don't get me started with Ron Paul fans... seriously....

[Twigg]

To put it bluntly. Your roommate sounds like a dumbass.

Since when does race determine whether we live in a dictatorship or democracy?

And if I were you I would be offended. I really don't think she was joking. If she were she wouldn't have whispered. I think you should tell her that it made you uncomfortable, and then hand her a book on politics so she can gain some sort of knowledge about the country she lives in.

:/

EDIT: I also wholeheartedly agree with everything Hikori said. Romney has some serious issues, and I really think all he would do is screw this country into the ground. At least Obama stands by what he says.