Compliments in reference to a person's race...racism?

Question

if somebody say's:

he's a genius, why? because he's German.

he's fair & just, why? because he's American.

he's highly intellectual, why because he's Russian.

the likes to French, Africans,Asians, English, etc. etc.

when you give a compliment in reference to a persons race, is it considered racism?

Answer 1

Not really racism, but you'd be sterotyping by proclaiming that an entire race or culture is good/bad at any one thing.  

Answer 2

Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and deserves to be met head-on and stamped out.  

Answer 3

maybe. [:

it's like generalizing everyone.

Answer 4

yes i believe it is, racism is defined as a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of that particular race.This belief has two faces, a racial group may be denied rights and benefits, or get preferential treatment,..be it positive or negative,  either way it is racism.

Answer 5

for what? why would we regard some races as genius, fair, highly intellectual,etc? definitely because we're saying that they are superior than the other races.

that's how racism is. one race is better and the other is no, though indirectly implied in your statement, still it definitely is.

Answer 6

...first and foremost, racism is the strong belief that some races are of inferior stock and therefore have no right to be on this earth or to be treated as human beings.  racism is totally, totally evil and must be eradicated at all cost.  everyone should have zero tolerance for racists!

in the examples you cited, that's no racism at all.  there was no malice nor vile intended.  if at all, it's stereotyping or profiling, which in itself is not bad.  in this age and time, however, such statements may not be considered politically correct.  many a celebrities and men in the limelight have done extensive damage control because of such utterances.  

in some people's mind, there's a very thin line between racism and off-the-cuff comments about certain racial groups.    

Answer 7

It is sometimes called stereotyping; but stereotyping itself should not be construed as racism.  When one says "wow, your piano artistry reminds me of Tchaikovsky"... that isn't racism.

Answer 8

racism will exist as long as people tiptoe around it,when it fails to become an issue there will no longer be racism!

Answer 9

worry about something else