I just heard a commercial for a radio talk show where a guy was calling a woman of being a racist because she said something about Irish people in general. He said it in a very accusing way and she backtracked but he did not relent. He said “you made a statement about a whole group of people, isn’t that racism?” No it is not.
Here’s a definition of racism from Merriam Webster:
- 1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
- 2 : racial prejudice or discrimination
The first definition contains two parts, first that racism is a scientific observation—whether correct or not—and second that it ascribes a relative measure based on race.
The second definition—the more commonly used definition—requires some sort of negative or derogatory aspect.
Either way, specifically without an insult, racism is not merely making a sweeping statement. Making a general statement about a group or class of people or things is categorization or classification. If that were to be considered racism then the whole taxonomic and nomenclature branch of research, biology, chemistry, medicine, law, computer science, pretty much everything would be racist. Charles Darwin would have to be called a racist. Anyone who groups like objects would have to be called a racist.
People are so sensitive these days with all the politically-correct crap, that you cannot do or say ANYTHING without getting into trouble.