That's a weird binary choice to restrict yourself to. It stems from an assumption that racists are both monsters, way outside the bounds of normal society, and effectively irredeemable. Therefore if someone does something self-evidently racist, but doesn't seem to be a complete monster then that racism can't be real racism and should be downplayed.
There's no evidence that Moscon is a committed, politicised racist or an actual fascist or anything similar. But as we know that his response to getting angry with a black man was to racially abuse that black man we know, without any shadow of a doubt, that he is racist to some significant degree. People who aren't racist don't racially abuse other people. It's really not that complicated. But as I said much earlier in this thread being a racist isn't necessarily a permanent condition. People do change and they do learn. Lots of racists, particularly the casual or unthinking sort rather than the hardened recidivist sort, grow up, develop some basic decency or otherwise move on from that kind of malicious stupidity.
I've no time for people who want to argue that Moscon wasn't a racist. That's bizarre and looks like a desire to excuse racist behaviour. But I also think it's important not to insist that people can never be forgiven a past bigotry. It's because I'm willing to allow that people can learn, accept that their previous attitude was wrong and then change as a person that I'm so disappointed in Moscon's comments. They are evidence that he hasn't really reevaluated his previous attitude and actions and consequently they mean I can't give him credit for reevaluating his previous attitude and actions. If he'd responded by saying something along the lines of "I did something stupid and horrible, but as soon as I calmed down, I apologised. I understand that racism is unacceptable, I've accepted my punishment, Kevin has accepted my apology and now I want to put it behind me", I'd have a different opinion of him.
There's no evidence that Moscon is a committed, politicised racist or an actual fascist or anything similar. But as we know that his response to getting angry with a black man was to racially abuse that black man we know, without any shadow of a doubt, that he is racist to some significant degree. People who aren't racist don't racially abuse other people. It's really not that complicated. But as I said much earlier in this thread being a racist isn't necessarily a permanent condition. People do change and they do learn. Lots of racists, particularly the casual or unthinking sort rather than the hardened recidivist sort, grow up, develop some basic decency or otherwise move on from that kind of malicious stupidity.
I've no time for people who want to argue that Moscon wasn't a racist. That's bizarre and looks like a desire to excuse racist behaviour. But I also think it's important not to insist that people can never be forgiven a past bigotry. It's because I'm willing to allow that people can learn, accept that their previous attitude was wrong and then change as a person that I'm so disappointed in Moscon's comments. They are evidence that he hasn't really reevaluated his previous attitude and actions and consequently they mean I can't give him credit for reevaluating his previous attitude and actions. If he'd responded by saying something along the lines of "I did something stupid and horrible, but as soon as I calmed down, I apologised. I understand that racism is unacceptable, I've accepted my punishment, Kevin has accepted my apology and now I want to put it behind me", I'd have a different opinion of him.