Are Blacks more racist than Whites?

Great Debates
#1

Yes, I’ve been reading Larry Elder’s book The Ten Things You Can’t Say in America http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/031226660X/o/qid=980092969/sr=8-

Anyway, the very first thing he discusses in this book is his belief that Blacks are more racist than Whites. As an example, he relates the story where Spike Lee tells the reporter that he gives an evil look to any inter-racial couples he sees, letting them know what he thinks of them. Can you imagine what would happen if Spielberg or Zemeckis said this?

Larry Elder believes that blacks in America are refusing to see that racism is not as strong against them as it used to be and that their continuing insistence that it remains is becoming racist in and of itself. What do you guys think?

#2

I think that some black people may be very racist and some white people are too.

It has long been a method by morally bankrupt leaders to use the idea of persecution as an excuse for unacceptable behaviour and his comment that some black leaders are doing this is no surprise to me.

White leaders do this also, it is a tried and trusted way of instilling outrage and fear among ordinary folk, it is a form of negative campaigning.There is an obvious example but I won’t invoke it here.

Blacks do have many reasons to be resentful but I wonder if this is more about economics nowadays than rights.

It’s all very well to point the finger and blame others but that will never get you out of a hole, you have to work hard to get out of it.

#3

How can the example of one person demonstrate that blacks as a whole are more racist than whites? What a ridiculous thing to say. (That’s directed at Elder, not at you, Mahaloth.) And so what if Spielberg or Zemeckis wouldn’t say that, damned sure plenty of other white people would.

What other evidence (if any) does he give for his argument?

#4

A white guy or gal probably would have been crucified in the media for saying something like that. Remember Marlon Brando’s comments about Jews potrayed in movies a few years back on Larry King? But actually I suppose this is more an example of double standard then it is of anything else.

Personally I haven’t had any examples of blacks being more racist then whites. I’ve heard a few black coworkers speak ill of asians and jews. I can only assume like most others they only talk like that when the subject is out of earshot.

Marc

#5

Blacks are humans, and therefore have the same moral weaknesses as their more melanin-deprived brethren.

If you don’t accept the radical notion (and I don’t) that a person can only be racist, sexist, ageist, etc. from a position of power, then it would be proper to say that blacks can be just as racist as anyone else, but probably not more.

Now, judging from reaction from “black leaders” to other conservative blacks in public life, I’m sure Mr. Elder has been labeled an “Uncle Tom.” I see that as equivalent to Neo-nazi’s labeling any white person a little more enlightened than them as “race traitors.”

Some blacks are more racist than most whites, just as some whites are more racist than most blacks. The worst of both races are probably about equal.

#6

I think that in the United States, blacks can be more openly racist than whites. For example, when I was in college, there were all-black organizations that openly excluded other races, including whites. I’m sure a similar
all-white group would have been in big trouble.

If you’re the sort of person who insists on strict equality, this could be pretty annoying. But keep in mind that the United States is still pretty much run by white folk. So a white group that excludes non-whites is arguably more offensive than some other exclusive group.

In any event, none of this answers the OP, which is “are blacks more racist than whites.” To answer this question, you have to get into peoples’ hearts. Many people who profess not to be racist, both black and white, can be seen to be quite racist if you look at their actions.

My guess? Blacks and whites are (in general) equally racist, but blacks can be a little more open about it in the U.S.

#7

Sometimes I feel that blacks are making unfounded assumptions about me based on the color of my skin… and often I don’t. I guess they feel the same way about whites. I do agree that it is more socially acceptable for blacks to criticize whites than vice versa (remember the “no flaky white stuff” deoderant commercial with Shaquille O’Neal?)

While this state of things isn’t quite fair in and of itself… why would we want to critisize a group of people as a whole? I’m also pretty-darn-sure that whites have other advantages which more than make up for it.

Oh dear, Spike Lee wants to give me a dirty look…

#8

Sometimes I feel that blacks are making unfounded assumptions about me based on the color of my skin… and often I don’t. I’m sure they feel the same way about whites. I do agree that it is more socially acceptable for blacks to criticize whites than vice versa (remember the “no flaky white stuff” deoderant commercial with Shaquille O’Neal?)

While this state of things isn’t quite fair in and of itself… why would we want to critisize a group of people as a whole? I’m also pretty-darn-sure that whites have other advantages which more than make up for it.

Of course… it is a little hypocritical all around… I don’t have enough hard information about organizations excluding whites to say anything intelligent on this issue.

Oh dear, Spike Lee wants to give me a dirty look…

#9

dangit… i can’t get into editing screen to delete one of those…

#10

I think blacks are about equally racist as whites. I think a larger percentage of blacks may hold racist views than among whites, but only because a larger proportion of American blacks are undereducated and living in bad economic situations - racism is more common among the ignorant and poor among whites, as well. I think a college educated, middle-class black man probably is about as racist as your typical college educated middle-class white man.

#11

I met a white twenty-something ex-Peace Corps new age guy from the Northwest U.S. who insisted it was “impossible” for black people to be racists. Oh, they might be prejudiced, but they could never earn the vile title “racist” because of their inability to use their prejudice to hurt white prople. Frankly, I didn’t buy his argument.

My response to the OP question? Why even put it in those terms? I know it’s not you, it’s from the book you cite which I have not read. If some black people are more racist than some white people, well then, so what? Let’s try and do something about it rather than get into some contest.

#12

I agree with Lucwarm. Whites & Blacks are about the same as to % that are racist. BUT- it is “PC” to be Black & say things about “whitey” that whites could not get away with in reverse.

Badtz MIGHT have a point, in that racism is often common amoung the poorly educated, and the poor are more often “poorly” educated (and of course, Blacks are poorer than whites). But Ashcroft is very well educated & not at all ignorant- but is, IMHO, a racist.

#13

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ruadh *
**

I disagree with Larry Elder on a number of issues. (haven’t seen much on this one) But the man does not make statements without evidence to back them up.

#14

Spike Lee is not the only black that has feelings concerning interracial couples. There is also the idea that black men, particularily successful black men, take “trophy white wives”. Some blacks believe this trend typifies the divisions between whites and blacks in this country. While it might be considered racisim for blacks to feel this way, I do believe that their concerns are based more on ligitmate racial problems in our society. You may not believe that this way of thinking is correct but then you’d have to be from the “underclass” in order to even begin to understand.

(Disclaimer…I do not necessarily agree with this myself. I’m just making a point that this school of thought does exsist.)

Needs2know

#15

Concerning Anti-Semitism specifically, see this survey from the ADL.

#16

I agree with the idea that outright rejection of people of a different race is about equally common among blacks and whites. However, I think that whites are much more likely to display ‘subtle’ racism. Subtle racism includes things like avoiding black employees in stores or not trying to meet black neighbors.

Of course, it also depends on what area of the country you are in. I’ve lived in North Carolina and LA, so I know that fact well.

#17

I don’t see how interracial relations is racist. If anything, isn’t it a good thing? Though I really don’t think a relationship between two people who happen to be of different backgrounds has anything to do with race necessarily…

I can see why having a “white trophy” wife would be perceived negatively, but having any kind of trophy wife is a bad thing, right?

#18

ITR champion wrote:

What if the white person is avoiding the black person out of fear that the black person will point at him and say, “Racist!”?

#19

Yes Zoggie I agree…I could also say that “trophy” wives are disproportionately blonde. (bottle or natural and I might be right) That wasn’t my point. My point was that some blacks, and you might deem them to be radical, do not attribute race mixing to tolerance. They attribute it to blacks trying to “be or act white”. There has even in the past been an attitude within the black community that separates light skinned blacks from darker skinned blacks, sometimes with outright hostility. (Although I would hope that has lessened some in recent years.) Perhaps you are too young to have heard even whites refer to light skinned blacks as “high yellow”. Were I come from I have heard other blacks make comments about “redbones”. (We have a neighboring county that has a traditionally large population of lightskinned blacks either mixed with whites from the plantation days or our local indian reservation which is there in the same county. Hence the nickname “redbone”.)

I think it is silly to use Spike Lee as an example for anything. Regardless of how he feels personally, he is a revolutionary filmmaker because he has and does address these kinds of issues. It’s something he knows about. Whites can spout off about it being divisive or promoting racial biases or whatever they please but they are not black and can never fully know what it is to be black. At least he has the guts to addresses the predjudices that exsist within his own race.

Needs2know

#20

When a white person acts in a racist manner, they are frequently criticized by both the white and the black community. When a black person acts in a racist manner no one says anything (or at least rarely). I have discussed in past threads the fact that blacks are not stepping in for fear of being called white. Whites don’t step in for feaqr of being called racist. And so racist blacks get away with it usually. Because it’s the blacks who were victimized for so long, the current society errs on the side of the blacks. Someday we’ll finally become accustomed to equal rights and won’t have to worry so much about erring.