[QUOTE=Lissa]
Well, to be fair, discussion of the genesis of beliefs is extremely valuable in helping people understand that racism can be institutionalized. Learning how and why racism is created is a way to educate a person and then assist in developing a strategy to combat the racism.
For example, and in general, Racism against blacks in America is heavily rooted in the “ideology of Racial Inferiority” which was created and fostered throughout the history of colonization and the founding of the U.S. Many times, people say “the past is the past, let it go”, but when we do this, we fail to see and understand why racism can have long-term implications even after the overt actions are no longer occurring.
For example, a long history of overt racism in the U.S resulted in job discrimination and housing discrimination. A failure to understand this, also results in a failure to understand that since most public education is linked into property taxes, the long-term effects of those overt practices can still be felt long after they have been abolished. Since education is widely viewed as a means by which people can advance their lives, a history of overt racism, which effects the local tax base where many minorities live, which then effects the educational opportunities, which then effects the opportunities available to young people, which then leads to disproportionate numbers of people involved in crime and relative deprivation, which then leads to continued problems; helps someone understand how the genesis of racism leads to current social problems.
On the other hand, understanding the genesis of racism such as blacks against whites, which has become very prolific in recent years, may help us solve the issue. If the plan to combat racism in the U.S. does not address the root feelings of oppression and anger over a long history of maltreatment and does nothing to address those feelings, it will not be successful. One of the primary reasons why some scholars assert race relations are worsening in the U.S. is because each side refuses to address the genesis of the racism.
Whites increasingly refuse to recognize that the actions of their fathers/mothers have created an unequal playing field and become angry when asked to sacrifice to level this playing field. This increases racism. Blacks increasingly refuse to acknowledge that increased racism amongst blacks, against whites, is resulting in a greater divide and choose to make statements such as “Racism can only be perpetrated by those in power, such as white people in America”.
If we do not address the genesis of racism, we are doomed to see it worsen.
Mr. Richards, in his explanation, alluded to this. He said something to the effect of: I have to look at myself and figure out why this happened, why I said those things and acted that way. If he is sincere about this statement, then he is making the first step to acknowledging his prejudice and if he pursues this, then he will be a better person for it.
In U.S. society, we all must do this.
[/QUOTE]
Great post. I’d like to thank both you and Li’l Pluck for your responses.
I understand when you identify a problem the first thing you want to do is also identify its cause. Its genesis. That’s often the first step in fixing the problem.
But I think we place too much emphasis on whites accepting their responsibility and guilt over historical events that have occurred over the last two or three or four hundred years as if those historical events are the root cause of racism.
No way. Racism has been going on since I imagine the dawn of mankind. Let’s look at the root cause of racism sure, but let’s not confuse it with individual historic events like black slavery, massacre of Native Americans, the holocaust, etc.
Slavery was white peoples’ bad. Sorry. Slavery is the reason we’ve inherited some social problems we’re still dealing with. I get that.
But slavery is not the cause of racism. It’s an effect of racism. Didn’t the Romans take slaves of the same ethnicity as themselves? Didn’t Native Americans? Didn’t African tribes?
Too often white guilt over black slavery is confused with the genesis of racism. Whites need to accept guilt over for that because that’s the genesis of racism and once we do, racism will be solved!
But I don’t think that’s how it will work. We need to address racism yes. But we need to move beyond “whites screwed us blacks worse than we blacks have screwed the whites.” We’re never going to solve racism that way. Nor any other -ists or -isms.
I would be a fool to say that White people have not benefited considerably from racism, and slavery. A good question with regard to this might be do I feel guilty over the fact that it may have given me a better lifestyle? The answer is no I don’t as I have had no control over it at at an individual level. I don’t think it is fair and wish it wasn’t that way and would try and prevent it from being that way when it is in my power to do so, but it is that way and I cannot personally stop it. I feel sorry for people that don’t have it as good as me but I don’t feel guilty. Life is not fair and a lot of people don’t have as good a life as I do and I don’t have as good a life as many others. Not just in regards to racism but also say health. If a four year old gets cancer and I don’t do I feel guilty that I didn’t? No. But I do think it is important that we as a society do move forward from race being a large factor in determining your role and standing in society.
