Kelly Osbourne is a Racist: Not So Fast
- Tanya Young Williams
- Aug 6, 2015
- 4 min read
Within the span of a few hours, on August 5th, Kelly Osbourne managed to publicly disparage Latinos - twice. On The View, Osbourne's suggestion that only Latinos clean toilets is an unfortunate, ignorant stereotype that is mimicked daily; but the fact that she actually said it, well, that was plain stupid! When discussing presidential hopeful, Donald Trump's recent controversial remarks about immigrants, Osbourne asked: "If you kick every Latino out of this country, then who is going to be cleaning your toilet, Donald Trump?"
Moreover, her apology further illustrated her unflattering opinion of the Latino community, wherein she suggests that they (Latinos) are this country's immigration "issue". On her Facebook page she wrote, "It is my hope that this situation will open up a conversation about immigration and the Latin community as a whole."
NOTE TO KELLY: a disparaging generalization about another group demonstrates one's prejudice and thus their racist purview.
Kelly's Facebook statement also noted that she is not a racist, although her words and actions suggest something to the contrary. Let us not forget that Kelly also thought it was appropriate to dress as Rachel Dolezal during the time of a sensitive national discussion on racial identification and White privilege.
Like many others, Kelly doesn't see herself as a racist, and yet, the definition of racist is pretty straight forward, although some dictionaries offer slightly different meanings.
Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior
The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.
Many of Kelly's friends and fans have come to her defense and urged the public to give her a "pass". Yet, not too long ago, Kelly failed to offer the same compassion and understanding to her co-host of Fashion Police, Guiliana Rancic, after Rancic commented on, teen actress, Zendaya's dreadlocks worn on the Oscars red carpet. In dramatic protest, Kelly quit her job on Fashion Police after she raged on Twitter: 'I DO NOT CONDONE RACISM..."
My wonder and concern is that if Kelly would make such an insensitive statement publicly, on The View, what racist comments are made behind close doors. Even more alarming is the possibility that she didn't know her comments were racist - until now. What Kelly seems not to understand is that one's words, as well as, one's discriminatory conduct may characterize one as a racist.
Kelly undoubtedly has Latino, African-American, Asian, Indian and other race friends. But as we learned from Dylan Roof, (the racist who shot and killed 9 innocent people while they attended bible study), who had Black friends; one's outward friendships do not mask one's inward racist beliefs.
Yet, Kelly's unfortunate conduct is all to familiar to me. I haven't the hand strength to type the many racist comments made by family and friends that they don't characterize as racist until I make the effort to point out their faux pas. Recently, my good friend has become increasing angered by the flurry of killings of unarmed Black males at the hands of White men, oftentimes police officers. Her anger has resulted in racist generalizations about "those" people. Her militant views once held in college 25 years ago, had tempered over time, but now, in response to the senseless killings, her racist language is creeping back into her conversations.
Would I automatically call my friend and family members, who make racist comments, "racists"? NO. For I know who they are; in what they believe; in their loving words and conduct towards all mankind, the majority of the time. Similarly, I refuse to call Kelly Osbourne a racist despite her racist comments and gross display of insensitivity towards Latinos.
So what is our new definition of racist? Is a racist only the person who spews ethnic slurs? Is the racist only the person who is a member of the racist organizations like: KKK, The New Black Panther Party, the White Supremacist, and the Black Separatist and similar others? Is a racist only the person who discriminates by not treating other races fairly? Heaven forbid! The racist is still the person who has a genuine held belief that their race is superior to other races. The racist is still the person who frequently makes disparaging comments about another race. The racist is still the person who treats someone poorly because of their color, nationality or race.
For many to call Kelly Osbourne a racist would force them to slap the racist label across their own foreheads. Because we are careful "not to throw stones in glass houses", we embrace the notion that every person who makes a racist comment is not a racist.
We are a culture made up of racists (by definition) of varying degrees. However in this country, we are also a culture of people who practice tolerance and acceptance even if it goes against our subtle racist and prejudicial inner voices. We are a culture wherein our outward expression of inclusion overshadows our sometimes stupid racist statements.
Kelly Osbourne made a horrible mistake by not suppressing or filtering her negative stereotype of Latinos. But instead of her comments fostering a conversation about Latinos and immigration, as she foolishly wrote, hopefully it will cause each of us to think about what we say publicly and in our hearts.
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