The prejudice plus power thesis says that if you don’t belong to a racially privileged group, you can’t be racist.
Racism, by definition, is something only the racially privileged are capable of.
Racism by under-privileged groups doesn’t count, because it isn’t real racism.
(See my Wallace Runnymede novel ‘The Great Flaneur Narrative’ for a humorous send-off of this notion, among other satirical delights).
It seems, however, that this is nothing new under the sun.
Pharaoh
How could I possibly be an antisemite? My gods don’t have any power!
Joshua
Racist? MOI? But we are the people on the backfoot; it’s the Canaanites who have all the power. Killing every male of military age isn’t racist; we may be PREJUDICED against these evil, Satanic godless heathens, but we sure as hell ain’t RACIST!
Kublai Khan
Racist? Everyone knows Mongols can’t be racist against Han Chinese! Bitch, PLS!
Lenin
We are OCCUPYING Central Asia? STFU! Global capitalism is the current world Great Power System, so how could our actions possibly be racist?!
Hitler
The Jews have all the power, so we obviously aren’t racist. Racism is prejudice plus power, any cavilling on this self-evident point is VERBOTEN!
Social Justice Tumblr
STFU you bitter Zionist freeloader! Take your privileged dead white man neoliberal bullshit and stop triggering me, you racist bastard!