The Special A.K.A - Racist Friend

The Special A.K.A - Racist Friend
If you have a racist friend
Now is the time, now is the time for your friendship to end
Be it your sister
Be it your brother
Be it your cousin or your, uncle or your lover
If you have a racist friend
now is the time, now is the time for your friendship to end
Be it your best friend
Or any other
Is it your husband or your father or your mother?
Tell them to change their views
Or change their friends
Now is the time, now is the time, for your friendship to end
So if you know a racist who thinks he is your friend
Now is the time, now is the time for your friendship to end
Call yourself my friend?
Now is the time to make up your mind, don't try to pretend
Be it your sister
Be it your brother
Be it your cousin or your uncle or your lover
So if you are a racist
Our friendship has got to end
And if your friends are racists don't pretend to be my friend
So if you have a racist friend
Now is the time, now is the time for our friendship to end
GOODBYE

[@timthegallant]

Take comfort from the fact that no racist will ever truly be happy.

[@zandybelle]

Wow, este excelente tema pudo haber sido el tercer álbum de The Specials cantado por Terry Hall!

[@TricksterOfPanem]

And if your friends are racists, don't pretend to be my friend.

[@chadprice4976]

Amen! @!Love 4All

[@ricardofranco2390]

If you have a racist/ sexist/ homophobic/ nazi/ fascist friend Now is the time, now is the time for your friendship to end...

[@Caroda_band]

The unfortunate truth is some people would end up very isolated in certain areas with no friends or family left! Would it not be more fruitful to keep correcting them and trying to convert them instead? After all most of it is pure ignorance taught to them from a young age. Given support and a little education, they could become 'normal' understanding, FORGIVING people.

[@humanperson244]

No. See, the only bigots who have really come round ARE those who were ostracized, who were outcast, who were made to feel unwelcome. Only when their whole town turned their backs on them, did they become miserable enough to change. See, when you choose to try to correct them, you're debating with them as if their opinions had equal footing, as if their "opinions" (read: them proposing/contemplating hate crimes) deserve respect. They do not. They should not be made to feel that they are welcome. They should not be made to feel their "opinions" are legitamate, or that they deserve respect. They do not deserve respect. When a whole community shuns someone, esp B/C of their opinions, it makes a clear statement that their opinions, their behavior, is unacceptable, unworthy of respect, and unethical. THEN they understand that their opinions, their way of life, is wrong. And in desperation, b/c they cannot survive if businesses refuse them service, if their family kicks them out, if their friends won't help them, then they change their ways. Or, they don't, and they are forced to move, and in so doing, the very real threat they pose to the physical safety of others in negated, and the town and neighborhood is safe. Really though, that's what's most important. Not changing the minds of people whose very philosophy is that other humans, by being minorities, aren't really people. No. The point in rejecting them as friends and family members is to make your friends who are minorities safer, to cast out those people who want minorities to die. To make your family, your neighborhood, your workplace or business, your town safe FROM these people. These bigots are violent. Their "opinions" are violent. They. Are. Dangerous. Their feelings don't matter. Why? Because they're threatening the lives of others. That's why.

[@soljah2062]

Humanophage. What a ridiculous comment. Anyway, think on - what does it say about you if you hang out with racists?

[@Humanophage]

Friendship is more important than political boundaries. Why would you want to reject people simply because you disagree with them on some issues?

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

Odd that you would be on a page like this if you truly believe one should continue relationships with those who are racist.

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

JCBAirmaster73 I'm not attempting to tell you what to do, I'm simply curious why anyone would want to maintain a friendship with people with views like that. It's not about controlling the thoughts of others, it's about each of us making a personal decision about the people we want to keep close to us. But hey, if you think "democracy is about" not turning your back on those who hate others because of differing skin colours, enjoy.

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

Racism isn't a "political boundary", it's about making the choice to be decent human being who doesn't hate and discriminate against others because of skin colour.

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

JCBAirmaster73 We're all flawed in one way or another BUT long ago I decided to remove people from my life who were either sexist, racist or homophobic. And that's what this song is about - making the decision to terminate friendships with bigoted people. If YOU interpret that as being undemocratic then so be it. I too enjoy living in a "free society" but I consider friendship too important a thing to want to include small-minded people in my circles. Perhaps I'll send you the next bigot I encounter :P

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

JCBAirmaster73 But I suspect you may be forgetting the point of this song, which is - making a personal decision to terminate friendships with racist people. You'll gone to great lengths to explain to me that we should accept people as they are (the old "racists are people too" chestnut) BUT this song is about FRIENDSHIP and who we allow in our personal circles. So, I guess we're talking about two different things. You feel racists should be excused because they're possibly victims of a particular upbringing or geographical location BUT the stance of this song is "Sure, be a racist if you want to but don't ever think you'll be my friend". It's a personal choice to distance oneself from the cancer that is racism. Some of us are tired of hearing excuses for WHY people choose to be racist. You feel racism is a "personal choice" and I say "keep your poisonous views away from my family and loved ones!"