Do you think this is a racist comment??

[BC-Lulu_4]

My sister's fiance said this last week. I've been planning on asking what ya'll thought of the comment. My sister is around J a lot and so will her soon to be dh. I didnt care for the comment but what do you think. We were sitting at a resturaunt when he made the comment.

J and N (his grandson) are going to think that Black men have blue things growing out of their ears. I asked why. Cause they all have that blue tooth on their ears.

So, do you think its a racist comment??

[BC-DKNY]

my first thought is that it's not so much racist, but ignorant. are you in a largely populated AA area? because that just makes no sense to me. you could easily say the same thing around here but insert "white."

actually, it was more sexist....LOL. what? the women in your area don't use bluetooth? there are just as many women here with whose as men.

[MamaBear]

I agree, not necessarily racist, but stupid. Maybe it is a "thing" with AA men in your area. But, you see them on everyone here (me a white woman, included...though my bluetooth is pink ) because the major city next to us has a ban on hand held cell phones while driving. There was a major run on those a few months ago when everyone had to get something when the law went into effect. Maybe it's not so prevalent in your area just yet, but it probably will be eventually. You could have maybe come back with, "Well, I guess AA men won't be causing car accidents due to talking on their phone."

[Magnolia]

There are people of many colors with those blue things coming out of their ears around here so I have to wonder why an area like yours would encourage such a comment.

I would not call the comment racist....I would consider it more one of ignorance. It seems to be more of racial profling if anything because the comment doesn't encourage hate. I would not keep my child away from them for making such a comment. I would simply explain to my children why the comment is ignorant and move on.

[Blondie8]

Racist no; overgeneralized and inaccurate statement based on a race/culture; yes.

DH and I are of different races/cultures and I believe we have had our fair share of comments both racist and comments that are simply uninformed and/or stupid. DH and I are indeed different but our differences don't manifest themselves in our choice of cell phone headsets. I wouldn't care for his comment either but on the basis of it being stupid.

I asked Dh what he thought of the comment and his response was "sounds like the guy's not the sharpest tool in the shed."

[robine]

Not really racist just clueless...I see MANY people here wiht those, Aisans, Middle Eatern, AA, white, Hispanic etc..and many women amongst those groups too...

[sheryl]

He may be racist (this one comment may not show that), but he seems totally ignorant. But he may be a racist. And though I wouldn't keep my children totally away from a racist that is family, I would limit the time spent with him. And I would use comments like that to teach my child about what is right and what is wrong.

[sheryl]

Oh, about the Bluetooth... I have not seen where any one race wears them more than others. I think I have noticed more men wearing them. I saw a woman around 75-80 yrs old wearing one the other day. I thought she was so cute when I saw her answer it!

[LBWP]

Originally Posted by sheryl

Oh, about the Bluetooth... I have not seen where any one race wears them more than others. I think I have noticed more men wearing them.

Ditto. When those things 1st hit the market-my dh & neighbor dh RAN to get one. We are all Caucasion & most of my women friends could care less about having one.

L (43)
K&E=4.11

[nygal]

Both racist and stupid! Way to go, killing two birds with one stone...

Bluetooth is ubiquitous here in LA, and knows no bounds of color, gender or socio-economic status. Me, I can't stand it, it was always giving me trouble so I'm sticking to my wired headset!