LINK Leonard Pitts Jr.: The infuriating charge of 'racism against white people'
This is why conservatives are ridiculous when it comes to race- and why we need to be teaching (and talking) about it in schools.
"Sometimes I wish white people could be Black.
Not forever, mind you. Maybe for just a few weeks like John Howard Griffin, the author of “Black Like Me,” who darkened his skin and traveled the South in 1959. Sometimes, I wish white people could have that experience.
Not so they could feel the sickly apprehension that can accompany a simple traffic stop.
Not so they could feel the indignation of being asked to account for yourself just walking down the street.
Not so they could feel what it’s like when your bank loan is denied, your home appraises for less, your doctor doesn’t take your pain seriously, you don’t get the job, your preschooler gets suspended, the shopkeeper follows you around, you can’t hail a taxi or you wind up in handcuffs, because of the melanin in your skin.
No, I wish white people could be Black so they could know how it feels to deal with all of that — and then hear white people complain how hard they have it."
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.The way to address racism is political so one must win elections in order to even have a prayer for it. Hard to win elections when you're insulting a good deal of the populace. Calling anyone a racist (which is true of many POC as well) gets Democrats no additional votes so why do it? I suggest talking about Human Rights and passing legislation which defines a human. We already have a Bill Of Rights for those who qualify as a citizen (at the very least) but humans need to go 'round and 'round about the same subjects. This one is tiresome and history has been sad for almost everyone who was in it. Let's put it behind us and simply try to move forward. Peace.
rainmanjr
Level 8
Nov 10, 2022
0
It's impossible to "simply move forward" without addressing the structures that let racism continue in the first place. When an experiment showed that identical resumes submitted to employers get half the job offers when the name at the top was "Shaniqua" or "Treyvon" compared to "Jennifer" or "Eric", it's impossible to argue that at least subconscious racism isn't involved. And that's only one example.
It's easy for the top of the heap to tell the bottom to "get over it and move on", but it doesn't help them in the least. It merely perpetuates the comforting illusion that everyone has a fair shot at success, and those who don't make it have nobody to blame but themselves.
It's a lot harder to win when the deck is stacked against you.
I believe one can draw an analogy between this tactic (1) and the inferred 'injury' claimed by religionists. Religionists suggest that the practice of their religion is somehow 'impaired' if they are not allowed to discriminate against gays (or anyone else), or allowed to proselytize while they are employed by the state.
(1) The tactic being the claim of not being allowed to discriminate against non-whites constitutes racism against whites.
racocn8
Level 9
Nov 10, 2022
2
Good call. Just another reason to avoid Theocracy like a plague.
This. For me, a thousand times this. I remember hearing Obama talk about what it felt like to hear people lock their car doors when he walked by, before he was Predident.
I don't think white Americans understand the significance of my explanation that because of the very nature of racism, there can be no racism against the dominant group. I don't care, it's my responsibility to try to explain it anyway.
I also wish I could he black temporarily to understand the context better myself. There's one theory that in a racist society, we are all racists and I think that's probably true. After all, slavery and involuntary servitude as a criminal penalty is still legal in some states and supported by many Americans.
LovinLarge
Level 8
Nov 10, 2022
1
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