Posted on Jul 10, 2016
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard to Talk to White People About Racism -
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I was offended as I weeded through this. Am I a "racist"? I feel all whites are inherently racists according to this. People of color are not. Am I reading this correctly?
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard to Talk to White People About Racism -
Posted from goodmenproject.com
Racism
Sociology
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
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I think this article is just one more step toward the "discussion" this nation needs to have about race in America. We have been trying to have that discussion for a long time, in a very limited manner. But we, as this article points out, continue to allow certain barriers to stand in the way of making much progress. Yes, we have come a long way since the bad old days before the Civil Rights act of 1964. But it is very apparent we still have a very long way to go.
I have been married to a lady of color for over 43 years now. Just about every day, when we are in public, I see "the look." For those not familiar with "the look," it is the expression on people's faces when they see a mixed race couple. I truly believe that expression may be unintentional and unrecognized, on the part of many. I truly believe most folks do not consider themselves to be racially biased. However, I also believe that bias is deep within many of us, awaiting the opportunity or reason to come to the surface.
And, no, I do not credit this bias just to those of the white persuasion. It is evident in all races.
Perhaps the day will come when this nation can "own up" and truly have the national discussion we so desperately need, hopefully before we tear the nation apart over our racial problem.
I have been married to a lady of color for over 43 years now. Just about every day, when we are in public, I see "the look." For those not familiar with "the look," it is the expression on people's faces when they see a mixed race couple. I truly believe that expression may be unintentional and unrecognized, on the part of many. I truly believe most folks do not consider themselves to be racially biased. However, I also believe that bias is deep within many of us, awaiting the opportunity or reason to come to the surface.
And, no, I do not credit this bias just to those of the white persuasion. It is evident in all races.
Perhaps the day will come when this nation can "own up" and truly have the national discussion we so desperately need, hopefully before we tear the nation apart over our racial problem.
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CPT John Sheridan
MSG Stan Hutchison - With regard to "the look", I think I can relate in my own small way. My son looks Mexican. He isn't. Born in the USA, fluent in English and German, no Spanish. His mother's grandparents were Hispanic from the Southwest. I got used to being asked if I was his father. A couple of times, I received well intentioned compliments for adopting a disadvantaged child. When he was a teenager and we would go to the mall, I frequently noticed, when I was hanging back, how sales people and sometimes security people would follow him around until I showed up. I also noticed how other teenagers wouldn't get the same amount of attention. A polite, well dressed kid, yet... I joked with him how it was his "advantage". He could always get a sales person to help him when others couldn't.
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MSG Stan Hutchison
Sgt Gus Laskaris - And we need to continue the discussion until it is no longer a dividing issue. (if ever)
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MSG Stan Hutchison
Sgt Gus Laskaris - 1. Racism entails more than just white and black people.
2. All one needs to do is open their eyes to see it. I see it almost every day.
3. It is not the Democrat party of today that caused much of the problems between whites and blacks. It was the conservative Democrats of days gone by. Now days they are called Republicans.
2. All one needs to do is open their eyes to see it. I see it almost every day.
3. It is not the Democrat party of today that caused much of the problems between whites and blacks. It was the conservative Democrats of days gone by. Now days they are called Republicans.
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MSG Stan Hutchison
Sgt Gus Laskaris - We are talking about deeply held racism, not welfare. It is apparent you did not get the concept of the article.
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I also found the article offensive. But also thought the author may have made some legitimate points. Not many, but some.
I think one of the biggest points to infer from the article is that we must be open minded and mindful of our own attitudes and beliefs. It isn't necessarily an all or none situation in terms of racism. Out of ignorance to another race I could say something highly offensive or do something highly offensive, and I probably have, and I think other whites probably have too.
As a person who grew up in the '70's and '80's in Maine there was not a lot of racial diversity. All I really knew about people of color was from TV. Fortunately, one of those shows I watched as a kid (very young I think) was "Roots". That's when I first saw LeVar Burton and John Amos. And that's when I first learned about the terrible things this country did to African Americans. It was so disturbing to me because I could not understand why such cruelty and devastation was perpetrated. From that point on I believe I was changed. I later read stories written about and by former slaves-- Harriet Jacobs for example. The strength of character these folks shared through their writing, is astounding to me. Moved me greatly. I saw the characters in "Roots" as not only victims, but also as survivors. People with true grit.
I think we do lack dialogue about race early enough in our development as children to really mitigate the societal impact on us of institutional racism.
Leaving Maine and going to Boston for college in the "big city" was quite a eye opener to me. I don't consciously recall ever looking at a person of color and thinking they were less than me or less deserving than me. But I realized then that not everyone thought the same way, whether they realized it or not.
When I was first stationed in DC and took the Metro one day, I got called a "cracker" because I didn't move fast enough off of the train. It was a very confusing thing for me. I had no idea what that meant. Never heard it before. And I seriously thought what a lame thing to call somebody... "You Ritz!" I mean, really. My roommate at the time was from Georgia and I asked her about it. She laughed until she cried and then explained it to me. It was the first time I can honestly say I felt the impact of racism on myself. And then I imagined the world this person must live in to feel that way. I didn't like it.
So while I personally don't want to emulate any racially discriminating behavior, I accept that maybe I have lived in isolation or somehow been cushioned from it enough that maybe I still have some work to do.
I can't tolerate overt racism and have said something when I've seen it. But maybe we should all do more to alleviate it as a whole.
I think one of the biggest points to infer from the article is that we must be open minded and mindful of our own attitudes and beliefs. It isn't necessarily an all or none situation in terms of racism. Out of ignorance to another race I could say something highly offensive or do something highly offensive, and I probably have, and I think other whites probably have too.
As a person who grew up in the '70's and '80's in Maine there was not a lot of racial diversity. All I really knew about people of color was from TV. Fortunately, one of those shows I watched as a kid (very young I think) was "Roots". That's when I first saw LeVar Burton and John Amos. And that's when I first learned about the terrible things this country did to African Americans. It was so disturbing to me because I could not understand why such cruelty and devastation was perpetrated. From that point on I believe I was changed. I later read stories written about and by former slaves-- Harriet Jacobs for example. The strength of character these folks shared through their writing, is astounding to me. Moved me greatly. I saw the characters in "Roots" as not only victims, but also as survivors. People with true grit.
I think we do lack dialogue about race early enough in our development as children to really mitigate the societal impact on us of institutional racism.
Leaving Maine and going to Boston for college in the "big city" was quite a eye opener to me. I don't consciously recall ever looking at a person of color and thinking they were less than me or less deserving than me. But I realized then that not everyone thought the same way, whether they realized it or not.
When I was first stationed in DC and took the Metro one day, I got called a "cracker" because I didn't move fast enough off of the train. It was a very confusing thing for me. I had no idea what that meant. Never heard it before. And I seriously thought what a lame thing to call somebody... "You Ritz!" I mean, really. My roommate at the time was from Georgia and I asked her about it. She laughed until she cried and then explained it to me. It was the first time I can honestly say I felt the impact of racism on myself. And then I imagined the world this person must live in to feel that way. I didn't like it.
So while I personally don't want to emulate any racially discriminating behavior, I accept that maybe I have lived in isolation or somehow been cushioned from it enough that maybe I still have some work to do.
I can't tolerate overt racism and have said something when I've seen it. But maybe we should all do more to alleviate it as a whole.
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