but I’m curious how you arrived at “racist” as the sin which taints by association, rather than, say, “short-sighted” or “libertarian” or whatever.
Because calling someone “racist” tends to be perceived as implying that they’re not just mistaken but morally deficient if not out right evil. Something that’s less true for “short-sighted” or “libertarian”.
It’s non-obvious how saying “‘No more bailouts’ is racist!” might be defended.
Something like this:
Some of the bailout money went to help blacks.
Therefore, the people arguing against more bailouts want to hurt blacks.
Therefore, they’re racist.
Note, the above argument is by no means the most absurd argument I’ve seen for why something is racist.
Because calling someone “racist” tends to be perceived as implying that they’re not just mistaken but morally deficient if not out right evil. Something that’s less true for “short-sighted” or “libertarian”.
Something like this:
Some of the bailout money went to help blacks.
Therefore, the people arguing against more bailouts want to hurt blacks.
Therefore, they’re racist.
Note, the above argument is by no means the most absurd argument I’ve seen for why something is racist.