[vladimir998]

“Do not broad brush a group as bigots.”

So it would be wrong to say the Ku Klux Klan is bigots - because that’s a group. It has an actual group name (Ku Klux Klan).

So is it also wrong to say racists are bigots?

[Religion Moderator]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3350584/posts?page=198#198

Note the context my post was referencing.

[Springfield Reformer]

So is it also wrong to say racists are bigots?

Racism is a subcategory of bigotry. Your expression is effectively a tautology.  Meaningless. Definitions matter.  As the term is used modernly, it carries a strong innuendo of irrational hatred.  It is uncharitable to apply such an innuendo to those whose purpose is clearly not hatred.  

So it would be wrong to say the Ku Klux Klan is bigots ...

Hatred can be converted to action.  Hanging black people for their skin color was and always shall be the epitome of irrational hatred.  Such actions are objective facts, not groundless guesses about inward motivation.  If a group is unambiguously dedicated to objective acts of hatred, I can imagine the forum rules might contemplate an unstated an exception to the general statement of principle.

In our context, as the RM has pointed out, the rule is good.  It fosters intelligent and helpful conversation. I would think that was a desirable outcome for everyone here.

Peace,

SR