To start off, I think some official definitions are needed for these two words, to clarify the differences between the two. I have always preferred dictionary.com for my resource for such things. So according to dictionary.com,

Racism: “a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others”

Prejudice: “an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason”

Now the main reason I bring these two concepts into question are through my recent experience of racist jokes. Now I am not going to tell any of these jokes because this is not the time nor the place for such things, but I want to discuss such jokes within the confines of the definitions of racism and prejudice. Racial jokes have always seemed to hold some sort of prevalence in our societies joke telling. They are a form of joking either to express one’s true feelings regarding that race without actually saying so, because if one is to say that is how they truly feel they run the risk in our generally more accepting society of being ridiculed for being a racist. The majority of people use such jokes as a way to use stereotypes to their advantage to make a so called “funny” joke. Now I am not going to discuss whether these jokes do not have some humor to them, but I want to talk about what the reason behind telling them is.

What I have been structured to believe is that not everyone is racist, but that everyone is prejudice and I do not think that there is much to dispute in this statement. One may not hold the belief that their own race is superior to another individuals, but I do not think that one can deny that they have judged or formed and idea about someone before getting to know them.

So what does this have to do with racist jokes you may be asking. My question in writing this blog is whether racist jokes are a form of racism, perhaps “undercover” racism, a form of prejudice, or neither? I guess the answer is that it probably depends on the person telling the joke as well as the one that listens and perhaps enjoys the joke. Some people tell or listen to racist jokes because they truly believe what they say, so they think it is funny because it is the truth. There are others that tell or listen because they think that poking fun of stereotypes is funny, because stereotypes can be so extreme that they become ridiculous and therefore a joking matter. Then there are people that find the telling or listening of racist jokes to make them supportive of such ideas and so they do not like to be involved in either.

So as a member of this society, where racist jokes are going to be told and heard, you have to make a decision. Do you want to chance being seen as racist by some individuals or do you want to avoid such a thing? Also, perhaps it is just a matter of being conscious of who hears you tell such jokes, watch out for mixed company.

“Racism is man’s gravest threat to man - the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.”  ~Abraham Joshua Hesche~