Taboos

Every now and then you share a thought with someone about something that's been bugging you, only to find they've been following the same train of thought.

I don't know where this particular one terminates, but it took on passengers some time between risotto and profiteroles last night and went thus:

Why is racism more unacceptable than any other form of discrimination or stereotyping?

If you see a kid lurking on the street of a cold evening in a velour tracksuit, peppered with bad acne and his/her hands stuffed in pockets, are you being a social reprobate by subconsciously checking where your wallet is?  How do you know that kid isn't going to turn out to be a medical researcher?  Conversely, how do you know that clean-cut, well educated politician isn't going to turn out to be a corrupt, lecherous thug?

Alright, using a politician is a little unfair, but an easy straw person to make the point.

I think the root of this came from Herr Cumberbatch's recent apology over using a racially charged term, but I was wondering if at some point in the future we'll be seeing celebrities apologising for having called someone a chav or a scouser.