Stop asking in threads if someone is calling you a racist. Stop accusing people of being racist. It's driving me crazy. It's threadjacking and very distracting from whatever the diarist is saying.
Racism vs. prejudiced
I think they are using the wrong phrase. I think they mean that your comment is prejudiced.
When I think of a racist (THESE ARE MY OWN DEFINITIONS, you can take them or leave them.), I think of someone who has actively denied you of something because of your skin color/orientation/status. That may be a house, a job, your life.
A true racist exerts actual power over you based off a superficial tendency.
Someone who is prejudiced may make a stupid comment, call you a name, and assume things about you. These may hurt your feelings but they don't actually exert any power over your life.
I think that EVERYONE is prejudiced. It's ingrained into American society. Everybody has had UN-PC thoughts based off of a skin color, sexual orientation or some disability. There is a great song from Avenue Q that I particular like. I will leave it to you to Google it yourselves.
I believe that the first step to fixing the problem is admittance. Think of it as a 12 step for the prejudiced.
I, sideboth, occasionally have racist, sexist, homophobic thoughts. I'm not proud of them and I work very hard to make sure that I examine why I have said x or y and correct the issue.
My partner makes sure to call me on my stupid comments and I make sure to call him on his.
What does this have to do with Daily Kos?
I have read multiple diaries about stopping and listening to each other. Well let's do it! But can we do it without the accusations?
You don't know user x from user y (okay, some of you do). The internet is a weird place. It's sometimes hard to get the nuance and tones of posters. I encourage you to give EVERYONE the benefit of the doubt.
Chances are the person you just accused of being a racist isn't running around with a KKK sheet burning a cross on your lawn.
On the other side, chances are that you are being a little too sensitive and the other poster didn't call you a racist or imply it.
It's very annoying for me the reader to have to read through threads where the two sides accuse each other of either being a racist or call them one. It distracts from the topic and really: WHY DO YOU CARE?
So what someone called you a racist and so what if you think someone else is? You haven't walked in their shoes and you have no idea what the frame of mind they are coming from.
Stop being so sensitive. Of course, this doesn't mean calling out complete stupid and offensive comments. By all means, do that but let's give the “you are a racist/I have been accused of being a racist” memo a rest.
I have been called all kinds of things by other users of DailyKos. It's not true and if the other person thinks that then it's my job to present my ideas and comments with more clarity.