by Chris Harris
“I’m not a racist, but…” Six words that invariably warn you something unpleasant is coming. From pub philosophers to casual conversations, this familiar expression attempts to disguise prejudice as reasonable opinion. But who is really being fooled?
There are few more ominous ways to begin a sentence in the English language than “I’m not a racist, but…” You know what’s coming, why they bother with the first five words, words designed to establish someone’s innocence, followed by a sixth that demolishes the entire defence.
The but is doing an enormous amount of work. The but introduces the contradiction; the offensive racism follows. The but is invariably a slant on some form of prejudice or racism that the but plays down and softens the racism, in the eyes of the speaker.
We’ve all encountered it. The number of times I have met someone, especially when the guard is down in a pub, at a party, the footie, but even at work or on the bus or train. Someone gets talking to you. They are friendly, they are helping you innocuously pass the day in conversation. But then once they feel they have broken the ice and there is a connection, passing the time of day soon evolves into opinion and thereafter ‘I’m not a racist, but’ comes out. That is when it is time to make the excuses and leave.
Of course, the speaker is utterly convinced that the introductory declaration has somehow protected them from accusations of prejudice, but as it is habitual does not seem to grasp the excuse does not work,
Where Did It Come From?
Unlike many traditional English expressions, there doesn’t appear to be a single identifiable origin for “I’m not a racist, but…”
Nobody seems to have invented it. There was no famous speech, literary masterpiece or television programme that introduced it to the nation. It appears to have evolved naturally as attitudes towards openly expressed racism changed.
As overt racism became increasingly unacceptable in polite society, people who continued to hold prejudiced opinions found themselves needing a way of expressing them without appearing prejudiced. And what better method than simply announcing that they weren’t?
The expression was sufficiently established to become a subject of academic research during the late twentieth century. In 2000, sociologists Eduardo Bonilla-Silva and Tyrone Forman published research examining how white American college students could reject the label of racist while expressing views that reflected racial prejudice.
The researchers were examining something that most regular pubgoers had probably encountered without ever considering it worthy of academic investigation. The remarkable ability of human beings to contradict themselves within a single sentence.
The Wonderful World of the Conversational Disclaimer
Of course, racism doesn’t have a monopoly on this particular linguistic trick. The English language is full of expressions designed to soften the blow of whatever unpleasantness is about to follow.
“I’m not being funny, but…” Almost invariably followed by something that isn’t remotely funny.
“With all due respect…” A useful warning that the speaker is about to demonstrate considerably less respect than the occasion probably warrants.
“No offence, but…” Possibly the most spectacularly unsuccessful disclaimer in everyday conversation. It suggests that the speaker has identified something offensive, decided to say it anyway and transferred responsibility for the consequences to the unfortunate recipient.
“I’m not one to gossip, but…” Usually delivered by someone who has been gossiping enthusiastically for the previous forty-five minutes and has no intention of stopping.
Then there’s my particular favourite. “I’m not being rude, but…” Here it comes….!
These expressions all perform roughly the same function. They attempt to establish the speaker’s good intentions before those intentions are immediately called into question.
But there’s an important difference. Being rude, gossiping or making an inappropriate joke is not equivalent to racism. The consequences of racial prejudice can be considerably more serious. Which makes the casual familiarity of the expression all the more interesting.
The Pub Philosopher
Every pub seems to have had at least one resident authority on absolutely everything. In my story, see link below, I base the Trevor character on a pub philosopher in my local pub in Lewes. Like many a ‘pub philosopher ’, he was quite ignorant but fuelled with alcohol had no filter to contain his prejudice and ignorance.
The economy, immigration, international relations, policing, the National Health Service and the England football team’s tactical shortcomings. Nothing was beyond his expertise.
He had black friends and played football with a lot of black people, he was affable, so he felt that made him immune from being racist. But they were simply regarded as exceptions to his otherwise firmly established opinions, and his friendship with them exempted him from being the racist he was, justifying his use of the phrase. The contradiction never troubled him.
Do People Actually Believe It?
I think this is the most fascinating question. Are people who use the expression always deliberately disguising their prejudices, or do they genuinely believe that they aren’t racist? Presumably, there are examples of both. I’ve never hung around long enough to find out.
You can challenge people, but especially these days with people brainwashed by social media, it is pointless; you just get the denial that they are not racist. You can point out their opinion is factually racist, but let’s be honest for many a racist or closet racist, reasonable dialogue can be challenging.
Some people understand perfectly well that what they’re about to say will be offensive and use the introduction as a convenient defence. Others may genuinely fail to recognise the prejudice in their own opinions. They can condemn racism while simultaneously expressing racist attitudes.
The Six Words That Give the Game Away
What makes this expression so enduring is that it reveals something about the way people think. Most of us want to regard ourselves as decent, fair-minded individuals. Few people enjoy being accused of prejudice. But there’s a considerable difference between believing ourselves to be fair-minded and examining whether our opinions actually support that belief, that’s where the little word but becomes so revealing.
It provides a glimpse of the contradiction between how somebody wishes to be perceived and what they may actually believe. Of course, not every sentence beginning this way is necessarily followed by something racist. Context matters, and the expression can be used ironically or to challenge prejudice itself.
But its reputation is thoroughly established. It’s become one of those rare conversational introductions where the listener can often predict the direction of the argument before the speaker has even begun; as such, the phrase is useful because, even before the but kicks in, you know it is time to get away!
