[ronald reagan]

Harry,

I totally understand your post and it is entirely relevant, but i have to ask... if you believe that someone can't be racist when viewed in context, then you'd have to say that the 1960's south wasn't racist either. When a plurality of the citizenry exhibit racist tendencies, it would effectively smother out the arguement that any one person is racist because it is likely just 'the times' and the enviroment that caused him to be like that.

However, if we look closely at Lincoln's own words, it is hard to further your argument. When someone says that whites are superior, blacks inferior, and because of physical differences blacks should never be on an equal playing field as whites, and because of their skin color, never made jurors, politicians, landowners, or marital partners of those who are white... It would take proof that a gun was held to their head when they made those remarks for me to believe they weren't racist.

I have family that I would classify as racist. They make frequent jokes about minorities. Lock doors when a black person approaches their car. Say things like, "Shaneequa cut my hair" in reference to a black lady. Use the n-word excessively. Fly confederate flags (without a clue what the flag really stood for). Are democrat, and liberal, but purposely voted against obama at every stage of the elections because of his skin color. The list could go on, ad infinitum. But their defense to not being racist is simply that slavery was wrong.

I appreciate all the thoughtful posts and the time people spend responding.