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penpusherGoing through Detour-Spotting, Jona Olsson's well-crafted listing of issues to do with race in America, and why we have avoided accomplishing anything but the cursory elements related to it, many of these points could apply to any white person in the country. After all, these are just US citizens who are simply living life, but then could find themselves put in a position or face a circumstance that might test his or her humanity and choices when it comes to racism.
Today's topic isn't like that. It's actually one that specifically challenges those white people who are active anti-racists and who are trying very hard to help the process of dismantling these issues.
19) “Bending Over Blackwards” (3)
“Of course, I agree with you.” (Said to a person of color even when I disagree) or “I have to side with Jerome on this. (Even when Jerome, a man of color, represents opinions counter to mine.)
Reality Check and Consequence
Our white guilt shows up here as we defer to the person of color. The person of color is always right, or we never criticize or challenge her or him. We try not to notice that we notice they are Black or Native American or Latina or Asian or Middle Eastern. We don’t disagree, challenge or question a person of color the way we would a white person. And if we do disagree, we don’t do it with the same conviction or passion that we would display with a white person. Our racism plays out as a different standard for people of color than for white people.
If this is our pattern, we can never have a genuine relationship with a person of color. People of color know when we are doing this. Our sincerity, commitment and courage will be rightly questioned. We cannot grow to a deeper level of trust and intimacy with people of color we treat this way.
I can't help but notice that this series of nineteen thinkposts has generated a handful of comments collectively. I know that it's not because people aren't seeing these posts; I can look at my stats and know that my views are very high. So, it might be something else.
Relating this to the above topic, if we are going to have a discussion of race in America, it can't be a monologue. People need to be able to have an actual conversation. People should be asking questions and listening to answers. People must talk with one another about this topic. For far too long, Americans have simply sat on their hands and done nothing, ignored the situation as it is, or believed that they fully understood it when they did not and let Status Quo continue, unquestioned.
Placating the issue by simply agreeing with or not challenging any of the notions mentioned really doesn't accomplish anything. The idea is to actually learn about what is happening and why it is happening, not simply accept the dose of medicine that many white folks view any talk about racism to be.
But more, what Ms. Olsson is saying with this point is a subtle but powerful method of undercutting our efforts for equality. If you aren't willing to engage, to learn, to ask and understand the issues about and surrounding everything to do with racism, your interest will be superficial. And that will help guarantee that any progress made will also be superficial.
It's important to learn about racism, about minority people, about humanity, about how everything is interrelated and about how our American Family, like everything on this planet, relies on everything else. It's through learning, listening, understanding that we can come to a place where people aren't taking actions out of obligation, but because they know this is the right thing to do and they fully understand why. And it's so crucial to getting that understanding because these are lessons that need to be taught to every ensuing generation.
Not learning these lessons will create a feeling of confusion about why people simply blindly agree with a minority person, even if they don't believe in what's being said. It could even foster a sense of resentment, making this another sure way to create more racist thoughts and behaviors.
So, we should agree that when it comes to racism, we need to talk through the thoughts and the feelings, we need to ask about something we don't understand. We have to work together to make sure we all comprehend these issues, where they come from and how to stop them.
We need to do this for our very lives.
Previous thinkposts in this series:
1. Day One - I'm Colorblind
2. Day Two - Bootstrap Theory
3. Day Three - Reverse Racism
4. Day Four - Blame The Victim
5. Day Five - The White Knight
6. Day Six - Lighten Up
7. Day Seven - Don't Blame Me
8. Day Eight - BWAME
9. Day Nine - We Have Overcome
10. Day Ten - The End Run
11. Day Eleven - Due Process
12. Day Twelve - By Association
13. Day Thirteen - The Penitent
14. Day Fourteen - White Wash
15. Day Fifteen - Not Here
XX. Intermission
16. Day Sixteen - Former Life
17. Day 17 - Straightening Up
18. Day 18 - The Isolationist
A reminder: because of the sensitive nature of the subject, comments directly to this and all previous and future essays in this series are screened. Thank you.
Today's topic isn't like that. It's actually one that specifically challenges those white people who are active anti-racists and who are trying very hard to help the process of dismantling these issues.
19) “Bending Over Blackwards” (3)
“Of course, I agree with you.” (Said to a person of color even when I disagree) or “I have to side with Jerome on this. (Even when Jerome, a man of color, represents opinions counter to mine.)
Reality Check and Consequence
Our white guilt shows up here as we defer to the person of color. The person of color is always right, or we never criticize or challenge her or him. We try not to notice that we notice they are Black or Native American or Latina or Asian or Middle Eastern. We don’t disagree, challenge or question a person of color the way we would a white person. And if we do disagree, we don’t do it with the same conviction or passion that we would display with a white person. Our racism plays out as a different standard for people of color than for white people.
If this is our pattern, we can never have a genuine relationship with a person of color. People of color know when we are doing this. Our sincerity, commitment and courage will be rightly questioned. We cannot grow to a deeper level of trust and intimacy with people of color we treat this way.
I can't help but notice that this series of nineteen thinkposts has generated a handful of comments collectively. I know that it's not because people aren't seeing these posts; I can look at my stats and know that my views are very high. So, it might be something else.
Relating this to the above topic, if we are going to have a discussion of race in America, it can't be a monologue. People need to be able to have an actual conversation. People should be asking questions and listening to answers. People must talk with one another about this topic. For far too long, Americans have simply sat on their hands and done nothing, ignored the situation as it is, or believed that they fully understood it when they did not and let Status Quo continue, unquestioned.
Placating the issue by simply agreeing with or not challenging any of the notions mentioned really doesn't accomplish anything. The idea is to actually learn about what is happening and why it is happening, not simply accept the dose of medicine that many white folks view any talk about racism to be.
But more, what Ms. Olsson is saying with this point is a subtle but powerful method of undercutting our efforts for equality. If you aren't willing to engage, to learn, to ask and understand the issues about and surrounding everything to do with racism, your interest will be superficial. And that will help guarantee that any progress made will also be superficial.
It's important to learn about racism, about minority people, about humanity, about how everything is interrelated and about how our American Family, like everything on this planet, relies on everything else. It's through learning, listening, understanding that we can come to a place where people aren't taking actions out of obligation, but because they know this is the right thing to do and they fully understand why. And it's so crucial to getting that understanding because these are lessons that need to be taught to every ensuing generation.
Not learning these lessons will create a feeling of confusion about why people simply blindly agree with a minority person, even if they don't believe in what's being said. It could even foster a sense of resentment, making this another sure way to create more racist thoughts and behaviors.
So, we should agree that when it comes to racism, we need to talk through the thoughts and the feelings, we need to ask about something we don't understand. We have to work together to make sure we all comprehend these issues, where they come from and how to stop them.
We need to do this for our very lives.
Previous thinkposts in this series:
1. Day One - I'm Colorblind
2. Day Two - Bootstrap Theory
3. Day Three - Reverse Racism
4. Day Four - Blame The Victim
5. Day Five - The White Knight
6. Day Six - Lighten Up
7. Day Seven - Don't Blame Me
8. Day Eight - BWAME
9. Day Nine - We Have Overcome
10. Day Ten - The End Run
11. Day Eleven - Due Process
12. Day Twelve - By Association
13. Day Thirteen - The Penitent
14. Day Fourteen - White Wash
15. Day Fifteen - Not Here
XX. Intermission
16. Day Sixteen - Former Life
17. Day 17 - Straightening Up
18. Day 18 - The Isolationist
A reminder: because of the sensitive nature of the subject, comments directly to this and all previous and future essays in this series are screened. Thank you.
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no subject
Date: 2016-08-12 02:31 pm (UTC)I once heard a stand-up comedian say that he thought racism was stupid because there are so many great reasons to hate people on an individual basis, and I love that. Like, racism is such a prime example of lazy fucking thinking, among other things.
And I am white and working class, or former working class. I've become soft and middle class, and now present differently (it's such a strange feeling, to go from lower middle class to middle class and having to address the way I speak, dress, carry myself, etc. and has given me a TON of compassion for people whose very life depends on presenting as "non-threatening", because it's difficult enough for me personally to be "non-trashy." ) It's also tough to go back to my old neighborhoods and be treated like an outsider -- people always ask me if I'm visiting from La Jolla (the super ritzy part of town) and I suppose I should take it as a compliment. But it hurts, because I don't fit in there either, and I don't want to.
The point of that though, is to say I understand the shame and hurt of the white working class and how it is easily manipulated into racism. I grew up with that shit. It makes me angry that people like Trump are doing it and it's so blatant and so cynical, but it makes me angrier yet that people fall for it, even understanding the anger like I do.
Open and frank discussion is essential here. People need to listen, but also talk, and learn, and understand, and I think it's on white people most of all to learn to stop with the distraction techniques. But I also think that a lot of racism is top-down, because it benefits policymakers and corporate interests to not be blamed for issues they've created (here I'm talking about environmental racism, which California pioneered, and redlining, and other divisive tactics) and that white people need to learn to see that, as well. We are being duped and played just as much as other groups are being fucked over, and while we clearly benefit (as Eddie Murphy so brilliantly parodied in Saturday Night Live's "White Like Me" sketch), to end racist policies would benefit everyone, including white Americans.
I know I'm sort of preaching to the choir here but I really think that this is an important discussion and once again, I salute you for it.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-12 08:58 pm (UTC)As I noted, the only time we really start seriously discussing race in America is when some event occurs: a white police officer kills an unarmed black citizen as a random scenario off the top of my head. That's immediately a problem for the discussion because of the emotional qualities and the heightened sense of injustice about how a case like that typically progresses.
If we intend to have that level-headed, clear-eyed view of race in America, it would need to happen when we aren't dealing with the next "shocking" case. Unfortunately, it seems like there's always another one, or we're remembering the anniversary of one, so that's just another speed bump in the road.
You raise an important point re: the white working class and their view of things. Certainly, they aren't doing well as far as being able to put away money for savings or retirement, and may well be living hand to mouth, a dangerous situation as they continue to age. That's not a "privileged" place to be.
The elements of racism definitely make it easy to find a scapegoat for that particular group's angst and misery. And through that, they can be controlled, manipulated, coerced into supporting a lot of these thoughts when, if logic were allowed to enter, it would be clear who is really pulling these strings.
Racism is totally top-down. The One Percenters want middle and lower class whites to blame all the minorities for their woes, while they squirrel their millions away in tax shelter locations, further hobbling our government and putting more pressure on those very groups.
It's through this emotional connection: thinking that minority citizens are responsible for these circumstances, we get a concept like "White Genocide" or other, similar, non-existent problems. But as long as there is an agenda pushing out these messages and a group of people seeking answers and willing to believe, it's going to be a tough climb out of this chasm.
Thanks again for reading along, for your responses and for being so supportive, Brooke!