I have grown up in a time and place where it is a crime just to be a white male. Having never judged anyone by anything but who they were as an individual, I am still freely sorted into categories and this is looked on kindly. I don't think anything is out of bounds in terms of speech. You have the right to say anything and maybe someone else has the right to beat your ass about it but you had the right to say it. When I tell people to stop being so damn sensitive and that they have no right to not be offended, they tell me I don't know what offense is because I'm white. I've even had one of my professors tell me I don't get offended because I have 'power'. Being white conveys power, that's what he told me. I don't know if I fell asleep the day they handed out the white guy powers, but I didn't get any. I've had to work my ass off for everything I have and I still don't have much. I was born weak sickly and stupid, im proving myself on all these accounts has been hard work. getting an education required doing well so I could earn and keep a scholarship. No one ever handed me any privileges. Still I have to hear how I don't get it. I must be powerful because I'm white.
We fear to tread on this territory, but it is not racist to notice the effects of culture, genetics or selective breeding. I may think that the whole thing is nonsense but people do have a culture according to their race and they do raise their children in certain ways because of it. This does effect them. Any given family may opt out of their culture, adopt another culture, and so on . I'm not saying that being genetically one race will preclude you to anything, but being raised in a certain culture will have an effect. I won't name them because that will just turn this into a discussion of my perceptions. It is also true that events in the past have selectively bred some races to be more talented than others in some ways. I won't say which ones because I don't want to have that discussion, but it is so. Genetics too plays a role. Not a large one mind you. All humans are more similar than they are different. We are all roughly of the same capability. Culture has the largest effect. Still it is childish to try and pretend that we are all the same. We are indeed different. This isn't a bad thing, diference makes for diversity which makes a stronger culture and a stronger species. You shouldn't be forced to restrain yourself or try and move carefully around someone's feelings. We shouldn't be giving everyone false and idiotic labels. It doesn't need to be named. Indeed people are just people, but thier culture has an effect and we shouldn't deny this. It would be racist to assume things of a race and not judge individuals for who they are, but there is nothing racist about acknowledging cultural realities, just making assumptions. We are all a bit too sensitive.
Do we sort people into schemas to make it all alittle easier to process? yes we do. We are still a tribal species. we are biologically wired to be closer to those like us and hostile to people who are different. We should work to control this, but have some respect for the fact that it is not a flaw of character just a biological imperative. It is the best possible thing to strive for acceptance, but acceptance should not be forced on anyone. Let the tide of vision flow on it's own, and those that will not be accepting will suffer the price of things being harder for them. This is the unfortunate tyranny of the majority I admit. No matter how much I disagree with anyone, an opinion shouldn't ruin someone just because it is unpopular.
You can try to educate people as best you are able, but no one takes in information the way we wish they did. People have identities and until they are dissatisfied they will not hear anything else despite the evidence. you just have to move on and let the ignorant be ignorant.
My only real complaint is that as a culture we look the other way for some obvious racism and we give people a sense that they should feel entitled and other people should feel guilty for reasons unrelated to anything they themselves have done. I am aware of the economic starting point disadvantage due to past actions, but the answer is not to victimize the future. achievements and rewards should always be based on merit, not experience and not by what might be fair or equal. Maybe it is not the fairest system for those that have no talent but it is the unfairest system for those that do.
If indeed I have offended than think only this and all is mended: We might as well be five minutes back in time for all the good my words have done to change your mind.