RFK Jr. denies comments on ‘ethnically targeted’ Covid-19 were anti-Semitic
politico.com
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denied allegations of racism and anti-Semitism Saturday after he reportedly suggested Covid-19 could have been genetically engineered to reduce risks to Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people.
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Why does it matter whether it's racism or bigotry? What difference does it make?
Two different terms. A bigot is a person who is generally intolerant and hateful toward people they consider different (in terms of race, religion, sexuality, or in other ways). A racist is a specific type of bigot—one who’s bigoted based on race. The word racism often also refers to a system of oppression (systemic racism) of people of color, and the word racist can refer to a person who upholds or participates in such a system.
Thus in this case Bigot would be the correct usage.
Yes, I know. I just don't know what difference it makes in this case. Does it excuse anything RFK Jr. says? Does it make it worse one way or the other? Because otherwise, I don't see how this is relevant.
I had too many college professors drill into my head that you always want to use the correct terms when speaking. To not do so allows for incorrect assumptions to be made.
What incorrect assumptions are to be made here? Is it an incorrect assumption that RFK Jr. was being antisemitic? Because that seems to be the issue here.