So I'm working on homework and the discussion board question for the week is on racism. It asks if racism is still prevalent in America. So I write my piece and then go on to look at some of the other threads, and come across these gem:

Racial tension between black and whites is becoming more prominent by the day in certain areas, and some of them aren't too far away. I personally worked at xxxxx mall for a year and saw some of the most extreme racism i have ever seen. It seemed like some people went out of their way just to be racist, and i don't just mean towards black people. I worked at Gamestop and I was referred to as a "White piece of (expletive)" because i could not take in someone's obviously stolen Xbox 360. It had nothing to do with the customers race, i simply wasn't going to accept that console.

Really? Really? You're calling a black person racist for calling you a "White piece of shit" and then in the same breath stating that they were trying to return "obviously" stolen equipment? Had he stated how he knew for certain it was stolen that would be one thing, but as it is...yeah...you're missing the point, dude.

The stereotype the blondes are dumb and Asians are intelligent might give a job to a fairly qualified Asian person over a highly qualified white Caucasian woman.

Wow, that is actually a whole new twist on the "Affirmative Action hurts whites!" argument.

My grandfather came here from Italy when he was a boy, he always said; There are White Niggers, and there are Black Niggers. What does Nigger mean? Most people think it means a dirty black person. The word actually mean: A person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc. (dictionary.com).

Except for the fact that white people aren't called the N word unless it is likening them to a black person as an insult.

This is still a problem; because, the main reason, and I am not judging; but, In America, and other parts of the world, such Calgary, we are Worldly, instead of Godly. Look what Jesus went thru (sic) so many years ago, he was put thru (sic)crucifixion of the worse kind; he died for our sins, so we may have a better life, and how to we pay God back, by being mean, selfish, and being rasist (sic) with everything that is not our way, or the way we think

Jesus? Really? Granted his point is about how we treat other people in the world, but saying "Look at what Jesus went through!" in a conversation about racism when he was killed by his own people and not because of being another race, but for his ideals makes no sense in context.

*headdesk*
...Does anyone else see what's wrong with these statements? Evan assures me that there has to be some way to respond and explain to my fellow students where they are going wrong with their analogies without calling them idiots, but I'm not so sure...I kind of just want to like an explanation of white privilege to every one of them but I know it will probably do no good.