are you racist?

I kinda want to write a one of the quizzes you find in teen magazines that are suppossed to tell you whether you're "flirty" or "outrageous", by asking you ten questions. Except, the fact is that the questions are so out there that they just don't mean anything.

I want to do a quiz that figures out whether you're racist. The questions would be equally shallow.

How many friends from visual minorities do you have?
a. Soooo many
b. Like, five
c. One, maybe

Do you like food of different ethinicities?
a. Love it.
b. Like it.
c. Don't like the idea of meat that isn't from a farm, won't eat anything raw, won't eat the feet or brains of anything.

Okay, so I realize that this is a bit offensive, so let me make clear what my point is. These kinds of questions don't really say anything, right? They don't tell me whether you're racist or not. However, embarrassingly often, people will tell me facts like these (i.e. "I have lots of Asian friends." or "Pad thai is my favourite food.") in order to justify themselves.

Fine, if you say you're not racist, I'll believe you, but don't pretend you're not ignorant. Don't pretend that you're not making assumptions about people. Don't pretend that you're not a little uncomfortable with people different than you, if that's the case.

I think that's what irks me about not being white sometimes. I think it's funny that I fill some of the stereotypes, but when anything is assumed about me, even if it's true, it kinda feels like I'm being talked to rather than talked with. And when people talk about "these Asian people" doing this and this, I feel like that's all being added to that glob of assumptions they'll make.

And eventually, when people get to know me, I won't be Asian anymore. I'll be their friend, instead. But even though I don't speak Korean or have Korean friends, this is a part of who I am. But I also don't want to be their "Asian friend" who they use to justify their ignorance.

I'm getting really confused. I'm not mad, but sometimes I get a little upset about stuff like this. I usually laugh because it's funny that some people don't get when they're being a little offensive - but what is it indicative of? Maybe a small I-don't-know-any-better, or maybe it's an ignorance that they won't admit.

And, do you know what? Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm just as guilty. But that doesn't make it better.