Would you be friends with a racist who won't put the hate into action?

I couldn't be friends with a racist because this is something that goes against one of my core values, as a firm believer in human equality.

I really don't understand racism or why people are racist, but I'm not going to be all buddy-buddy with someone who might be potentially racist against me. Everyone should have an opinion, but some opinions are...well, dumb. I know I probably contradicted myself. Whatever. Anyway, some opinions have unnecessary hate like: homophobia, racism, extremism (I.e. Terrorism), and just general, all-around hate. Seriously people. Stop hating others and improve your own life.

I don't think I'd be friends with someone like that in the first place. I've had more than enough hateful people in my life as it is, without inviting more of them in.

Apart from insecurity or ignorance, I really don't understand what drives racists.

I feel like staying friends with a person like this would make ok with them being racist, so nope.

Not if their actually racist. If they make the occasional racist joke it's ok.

I wouldn't want be friends with someone who is a hard-core racist, even if they did keep it to themselves, because if they have the capacity to be a racist, then there is something fundamentally wrong with their thought-processing and perception of the world around them.

It is natural (on a primal level) to distrust those people who do not look the same as us. However, we have come to a point in our intellectual and cultural evolution where we don't automatically condemn those who are not genetically the same as us. Racism is a choice; a choice to ignore the civility and cognizance that we prize as beings who have evolved past our animalistic past.

I've found people are the most racist and hateful to racists. I personally believe racism is wrong, and don't want it in our society, but when I look at racists I don't just see racists, they're also people. People can be kind, people can be mean and hateful, and to an extent we all judge people based on shallow interactions. Being racist isn't right but it doesn't always eclipse the rest of someone's personality

i am racist to a degree. i wasnt raised that way. my friends arent. but ive disliked blacks since birth. i know its wrong. but in all honesty i cant help it. i dont attack them or anything but i will tell them to fuck off if they are around me. no idea why im that way.

racists are often funny. i like funny ppl

some of my friends are skinheads, but as long they dont do anything bad to me, i tihnk it is ok.

i dont agree with their views or what they think, but you cant stop poeple from doing bad things. like you wouldnt stop being friends with someone if they did drugs, just because you were against drugs right? i mean its their choice.

i just keep my black friends seperate lol

Wouldn't bother me too much, because honestly a lot of racist stereotypes are true but are just called racist. Not that I am a racist but its true sometimes. A stereotype is a generalization, if you look at math when you make a statistic you are making a general statement. Do we call math racist? No of course not, so just because I generalize does not make me racist. I don't generalize often but believe me I can tell a Nigger from an African American.

depends some of the people i have met who have been "racist" have actually known more about subjects surrounding the issue(s) and use it as a strange satire almost. there's not many people i know of any background that dont at least smirk at a racist joke or have some other form of prejudice. e.g. ginger fattie's or snow monkey's (eskimo's)

Racists suck. Besides, I'm typically only friends with people that fit into my group (basically losers) so not the white suppremisits.

no i would not be friends with someone that does not believe in something enough to act on it and does not have the open mindedness of changing opinions he or she does not act on

The way I see this... everyone is entitled to their own freedoms including beliefs and opinions, regardless of how offensive it may be. However, there is a line when their beliefs and opinions evolve into actions that harm others, or limit others' freedoms. This is the uncrossable line. Therefore, I would stay friends with that person as long as their feelings weren't bringing harm to any other being.

People are alowed their own opinion and shouldn't be seen as bad people because your opinion is different to theirs.

Racism doesn't bother me, as I have no personal sense of racial identity.

Also, it's not the person's fault for being a racist, it is the fault of the media for perpetuating stereotypes.