General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: What should you do in response to racism or a racist comment? [View all]el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)If someone says something aggressive towards a person of color - a racist joke or a racist attack, than one's principal duty is to stand with that person of color - and let the aggressor know that such actions aren't acceptable. One should always side with the person being attacked as opposed to the person doing the attacking.
On the other hand if it is a comment in front of me or just in private conversation than you have to consider. Standing there and saying nothing isn't really acceptable - but if it is a friend and, in general, a worthwhile person, than your goal should be to help them confront their racism and reject it. That might require forthrightly letting them know how wrong their comments are, or it might lead to a more gradated approach.
Bryant