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[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

A system may be racist. A person may be racist. That a person lives within a system that is racist does not automatically make him a racist. That a person does not actively combat racism within the system does not make him racist. If a person works to perpetuate racism in the system, he is a racist. However, if in a two party system, a person is faced with the choice of voting for a party which stands for the policies he holds most important, but also stands for racist policies, or a party with a platform that stands in opposition to all policies he holds most important, but works against racism, and he votes for the former, he is not necessarily a racist. He's the recipient of a miserable forced choice.

Is that concept too complex for you, or is this your your intentional obtuseness shtick at work?

It's not complex at all, but it's also not the way you roll. George H.W. Bush worked to perpetuate racism in the system, but you called him decent.

eta: I think it's more accurate to say that you require proof of specific racist intent to call someone a racist, and that where there is some possibility of some other intent (self-interest, partisan gain, what have you) you will accept that alternative explanation instead.