Deputy premier Eric Robinson says he's "entitled" to make racist comments about non-aboriginals because he's been a victim of racism himself.

And his boss, Premier Greg Selinger, is standing behind him, telling reporters Monday that Robinson won't be booted from cabinet because he has a strong track record of standing up for missing and murdered aboriginal women.

So let me get this straight. If you've been a victim of racism and you've done some good work helping the cause of missing and murdered aboriginal women, you have a licence to make racial slurs against white people?

Wow.

Robinson pretended to apologize Monday for the racist remark he made against "do-good white people" in an email he sent in November. But it wasn't really an apology.

A very defensive Robinson told reporters that as a young boy, he experienced racism first-hand from "non-aboriginal" people. As a result, he has a right to make general statements about white folks, including characterizing them as "ignorant," based solely on the colour of their skin.

Last time I checked, that's racism.

In fact, Robinson didn't apologize for his "do-good white people" remark at all. He tried to justify why he thinks it's OK for him to paint all white people with the same broad brush. He pretends to oppose racism, yet he happily engages in it himself and tries to justify it based on his past victimhood.

That's despicable and we shouldn't tolerate it.

Greg Selinger, who has the backbone of a jellyfish, is tolerating it. He refuses to boot Robinson from cabinet. And when asked Monday whether he thought Robinson's remarks were racist, he refused to answer, saying the matter is now before the Manitoba Human Rights Commission.

Talk about a weak-kneed cop-out.

I don't know how Selinger or his party can ever expect the public to take them seriously when it comes to fighting racism in society. By leaving Robinson in his cabinet post, Selinger is telling Manitobans that it's OK to make racist statements in some cases and that as a society, we should tolerate it.

Nice message to the kids, Greg.

The right thing for Selinger to do would have been to relieve Robinson of all of his cabinet duties. Selinger should have stood up and said his government will not tolerate the kind of racist statement Robinson made and that there will be severe consequences for anyone in his caucus who makes similar remarks.

That's called leadership, which Selinger obviously doesn't have.

Instead, Selinger is trying to cover up for Robinson, downplay the seriousness of his remarks, and hope Manitobans will eventually forget about it.

He's chosen damage control and political expediency over ethical judgement.

And that's shameful.

It's one thing for Robinson to misspeak. We've all said things in the past we may later regret. But the fact Robinson is now defending what he said and trying to justify it makes it all the more egregious.

Remember, Robinson originally refused to apologize for his comments in an interview with APTN last week. It was only after the story broke that Robinson released a statement saying his choice of words were "regrettable."

However, by Monday, he was back defending his statements again to reporters. So he's not sorry at all.

To brand all white people as "ignorant" based on their ethnicity is inaccurate and it's hateful, just like it is to stereotype any race of people.

Is Winnipeg Harvest boss David Northcott — who's white — an ignorant do-gooder because he helps disadvantaged people, some of whom are aboriginal? No.

How about some of the white folks at places like Siloam Mission? Do-gooders? Ignorant?

I think not.

But according to Robinson, by virtue of their race, they're all do-gooders and they're all ignorant.

And that, folks, is racism in its purest form.