...do you really think that we live in a greatly unequal society? It’s a debate that I have been kicking around with many friends lately. I say no. Whatever racism that still exists is a from a whacked out few that causes a great deal of problems for those of us who are indeed not racist in the least….not to mention, it is much easier to prove someone has acted like a racist than it is to prove someone has not acted like a racist…which creates a false negative impression. Secondly, I feel as though there is way too much attention given to the negative perspective on race: it goes like this, "Minorities, especially black are still not 100% equal and we are still fighting for the rights the over-privileged white. The only way it will ever happen is through laws that force people to hire us, admit us in to college, or even provide some small form or reparations. Its disgusting, this world." To me that is an argument that is forever divisive and will never lead to a solid and diverse coalition of humans working hand in hand to stop the few who still are divided by color. In my mind society has made, and continues to make great strides on the issue of race…the debate on race should be phrased in this manor: "Minorities and black people have more rights and more equal opportunities to succeed than any people of any color of any era. Now is the time and opportunity to attack poor reading and test scores among our youth, so that they are prepared to be extremely successful in life. Now is the time to work on social issues like black on black violence and the infatuation with gang culture. Now is the time to bring families together instead of breaking them apart. Now is the time to be accountable to mistakes made...to be accountable for our actions...now it the time to take the rights and privileges and opportunities we have and make our ancestors proud. Make them proud by doing what's right...showing them that their fight for freedom...fight to sit at a lunch counter...fight to drink from a public fountain...right to be heard in government did not stop there...but propels us into a glorious future!" If I made those comments at an NAACP convention I would be called the spawn of David Duke. Why? Because it does not fit the action line of almost every civil rights leader since the death of MLK (whom I believe is a great American hero and different from Jackson/Sharpton/etc)...the action line of we have been wronged...we still are being wronged...and someone must pay.So, the question is why bring it up again? Well...this is a great debate that I am tossing around with colleagues, friends, and myself and I am desperate for more opinions and thoughts. So far, the commentary on this blog has been excellent and I value your views. My concerns:
- (A) Am I out of touch...you see my opinion above...am I blind to the injustice?
- (B) Are others correct...are we still a greatly unequal society?
- (C) Do whites still have tremendous privileges that other minorities do not?
- (D) Do we understand the implications of (or are we) using race as the easy answer for some of out great social issues in this country...especially in education...or are we blinded by race and therefore unable to find the true problem and solutions?
*Note: Thank you to k. randolph for allowing me to contribute to this blog. I have great respect for him and his views on a variety of topics.
2 comments:
Baxter CG,
Thank you for being the first ever guest post on the VoterVault. Your analysis is welcome and appreciated. I'll be the first to address your concerns:
a) Are you blind to injustice? I wouldn't say so, but there seems to be a distinction that needs to be made, which I will make under point B, that may suggest that your opinion might need to be slightly modified;
B) Are we a greatly unequal society? Yes. We are a greatly unequal society. However, if our goal is to create a society in which everyone is equal, we will forever fail. Not everyone is equal, and therefore the government can never--nor can society--create total equality. Some are shorter, taller, smarter, harder working, slower, faster, lazier, prettier, uglier, fatter, skinnier, etc., than others. What needs to be our concern is equality of opportunity. Without specifically saying so, this seems to be what you are elluding to in your post. If that is in fact what you meant, then you are dead on. Your example of what a quality speech on race would be would make someone forever an American icon;
C) Do whites still have tremendous priviledge over minorities? With this one it depends on how you define priviledge. If by it you mean there are certain things that whites can do that minorities cannot, I would say that idea is patently false. If, however, you mean that more whites start from a higher position, and therefore don't have to work as hard, there seems to be data that suggests that. It seems, however, that you meant the former, not the latter. If that is the case, then no, whites do not have tremendous priveledge that minorities do not. In modern America there is a premium placed on high quality minorities in the work place. Were my skin black instead of white I would have many more opportunities in the workplace than I currently have. Why? Simple supply and demand. There is high demand for diversity in the work place, but sadly not enough highly educated minorities to meet the demand. Therefore, I highly educated, highly skilled minority is "worth" more than a highly educated, highly skilled white person;
D)Are we using race as an easy answer/are we blinded by race? This seems to be by far your most callenging question. Are we blinded by race? Yes. Do we use it as an excuse? Yes. Is the emphasis on race keeping us from having an honest discussion about culture and values? Absolutely. The worst part of this is that race is such a sacred cow that we can't have an honest debate about it. Instead, we just keep repeating the same things: "our society is racist"; "black people have such a harder time getting ahead"; "the system is stacked against minorities"; etc. Is there a nugget of truth in these things? Absolutely. Are these things in any way productive in solving the racial indifferences in America? Absolutely not. The discussion we need to be having is about the differences between middle class white culture and inner-city black culture. What makes one produce successful people in larger percentages than the other? However, our politically correct culture immediately cries "racist!" when someone starts talking this way. There are very very hard conversations that need to be had. It seems that the leading voices in this discussion must come from within the black community. Sadly, those voices are attacked and shunned and called "Uncle Toms". See Bill Cosby.
Well, Baxter, Christmas hoopla is over, and I'm pleased that you have made your first post here at the Vault.
Well, I guess I will answer the questions that you posed.
“(A) Am I out of touch...you see my opinion above...am I blind to the injustice?”
First, I do not that think that you are completely out of touch, or blind to the injustice. You make some very great points, and your comments echo what Bill Cosby has been saying for the past three years (see an earlier comment of mine). Because he's black, he gets a little leeway. If you're white, though, leeway will be taken away and scorn will be given.
For me, I think we can start with, as you say, "infatuation with the gang culture." This is a serious problem all over America, and I think it affects young people more than older people will ever realize. It has to stop, because if young people (black, white, Hispanic) set their eyes on the lives that gang members and/or rap stars, they will lose focus on their own life and future, which is tragic to a whole generation of Americans.
“(B) and (C) Are others correct...are we still a greatly unequal society? Do whites still have tremendous privileges that other minorities do not?”
Greatly, no. Unequal still? Yes. Do whites have tremendous privileges? No. A few privileges? Yes.
I think we are on our way, but there is still a lot of racism throughout the United States. A question was posed in a diversity class that I took. How would you feel if you woke up, and you were the exact same person, but you were black, or Middle-eastern, or Hispanic or Asian? Would you be happy, neutral, or unhappy, and why?
Ideally, neutral would be the answer, but for most white people, I bet it's not. That leads me to believe that being white still carries privileges in this country. Now, CG, you asked if you were out of touch, but I may very well be wrong and out of touch here also. Perhaps most Americans would say neutral, but that's not the feeling that I get from other Caucasian Americans.
“(D) Do we understand the implications of (or are we) using race as the easy answer for some of out great social issues in this country...especially in education...or are we blinded by race and therefore unable to find the true problem and solutions?”
Humans have been blinded by race for thousands of years. We've technically had equal rights for all races in this world for less than 100. In this country, 42 years. All I can say is, that race has been a critical aspect of both world and American history. You might label it a theme that weaves in and out of history.
My point is this, as a country, we're moving in the right direction, but 300 million Americans are not prepared for race to disappear from their minds.
And I don't believe that we holistically understand the implications of using race as an easy answer.
But I've found that when race is involved in American history, there are rarely any easy answers.
Also, k. randolph....you make some excellent points, and I think you hit it on the nose....the middle class white/inner city black culture is a discussion that needs to happen....very soon
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