Even with a president of color, it is still the case that whites generally do better economically than people of color. This economic disparity can allow whites to feel superior to people of color. It can spur people of color to feel jealous of whites and to resent them. No wonder research has suggested that racial animosity is less in communities where there is less racially based economic inequality.
Given this reality some people have suggested that the key to racial harmony is to help people of color gain economic and educational success. Helping people of color to create intact families and to gain the training necessary to get good paying jobs should serve to increase their economic opportunities. When racial minorities succeed then we will lower the economic imbalances and create a more harmonious racial situation.
Advocates of this perspective point to the success of Asian-Americans and European ethnic groups that once faced discrimination. The success of these groups indicate that other minority groups can overcome discrimination if they work hard enough. Perhaps there is a need for whites to help teach those groups how to succeed, but in reality racial minorities are seen as having their own fate in their hands.
This sounds good but such an attitude produces serious problems. First, the advocates of this perspective are endorsing a Eurocentric approach suggesting that whites and their culture are superior to other racial groups. The individualistic "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" approach has worked for some groups, but not for all of them. Ironically, the Asian groups that some of these individuals extol as successful often use a more communal approach where everyone works with each other to create success. Whites may not always be the best "teachers" for helping people of color to achieve success.
Second, while the opportunities for people of color has increased over the last several decades there are still barriers that inhibit their opportunity for success. They face stereotypes and expectations whites still do not have to deal with. It is not realistic to believe that the same methods whites used to gain success will work as well for people of color. Furthermore, the implications that they are not succeeding because they are not working hard enough is unfair in light of the extra challenges they face.
Finally, this approach can seem quite paternalistic to people of color. It seems to keep whites in positions of power rather than helping us to find ways to share that power. Any solution to our racialized society must not put one group beneath other groups. This approach does not seem to be a permanent solution. I am confident that we can do better than this.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Can't we all just get along?: Part 3 - Let's Blame Whitey
In my last post I made the case that we can not just ignore racial issues and hope that they go away. We have to be proactive in our attempts to deal with racism. But we have to be careful to take the right actions.
There is one type of solution that is understandable, but incomplete. That is what I will call the "let's blame whitey" approach. More academic names of it include Anti-Racism, Critical Race Theory etc. They are variations of a way to address racism by looking at the culpability of European-Americans and the culture they created.
Before I point out the shortcomings of this approach, let's see why it developed. Anyone with even a basic understanding of American history knows that we have a history where whites have abused non-whites. As I discussed in the last post the racial disparities we suffer from today is connected to that history and continuing racial problems that have not disappeared. People of color have not benefited from historical racism and contemporary racialization of our society. Whites have. So it makes sense that whites have to give up their racialized advantages if we are going to have true racial equality and peace.
Of course this is correct to a point. We will not achieve what we should in our society unless we change some things that have been advantages to whites. But is that all that we need to do? I think not.
For example, some people with this approach state that blacks can not be racist. They state that blacks can be prejudice, in other words have race-based hate on a personal level, but they do not have institutional power and so can not exhibit racism. Maybe that argument could have been made twenty years ago. But today? Are we to say that President Obama has no institutional power. Or even myself? Can I not impose power over my white students? Whites still have disproportional power in our society but some people of color have power as well. Just looking at whites as the problem is no longer viable.
There is another even more intrinsic problem with this approach. By removing all responsibility from people of color we often allow their worst personal demons to develop. The term "Playing the Race Card" is not without merit. It occurs every time a person of color uses the accusation of racism to escape responsibility. For example when in 1994 the former black congressman, Mel Reynolds, was caught with a 16 year old girl he blamed racism. A clear case of a person of color trying to "play the race card" to escape his own shortcomings. This case is obvious, but I suspect all of us know of cases where a person of color is using the charge of racism in a false and misleading way to either escape responsibility or to gain power. We just may be too scared in our racially charged society to point it out when we see it. I am not but then again I am a trouble-maker.
The character of people of color is just as good and just as bad as the character of whites. People of color can be just as greedy and manipulative as whites can be. But as long as we only look at whites as being the problem, we will be vulnerable to those people of color who will use the sympathy in dysfunctional ways.
Furthermore is not this approach disempowering to those people of color who do not want to play the race card? If whites are the only one with any responsibility for fixing racial problems then all people of color can do is wait for whites to get their act together. That means that whites still have all the power. Some say that people of color can tell whites about the problems of racism. But that still leaves them helpless until whites get their act together. Ultimately this approach leaves people of color powerless.
There is some value in this approach. But ultimately it falls short of creating a complete solution to our racial problems. We will not solve our racial problems by just blaming whites. Doing so energizes the bad characteristics in some people of color even as it disempowers them. We have to find better answers if we are going to overcome our racial problems.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
There is one type of solution that is understandable, but incomplete. That is what I will call the "let's blame whitey" approach. More academic names of it include Anti-Racism, Critical Race Theory etc. They are variations of a way to address racism by looking at the culpability of European-Americans and the culture they created.
Before I point out the shortcomings of this approach, let's see why it developed. Anyone with even a basic understanding of American history knows that we have a history where whites have abused non-whites. As I discussed in the last post the racial disparities we suffer from today is connected to that history and continuing racial problems that have not disappeared. People of color have not benefited from historical racism and contemporary racialization of our society. Whites have. So it makes sense that whites have to give up their racialized advantages if we are going to have true racial equality and peace.
Of course this is correct to a point. We will not achieve what we should in our society unless we change some things that have been advantages to whites. But is that all that we need to do? I think not.
For example, some people with this approach state that blacks can not be racist. They state that blacks can be prejudice, in other words have race-based hate on a personal level, but they do not have institutional power and so can not exhibit racism. Maybe that argument could have been made twenty years ago. But today? Are we to say that President Obama has no institutional power. Or even myself? Can I not impose power over my white students? Whites still have disproportional power in our society but some people of color have power as well. Just looking at whites as the problem is no longer viable.
There is another even more intrinsic problem with this approach. By removing all responsibility from people of color we often allow their worst personal demons to develop. The term "Playing the Race Card" is not without merit. It occurs every time a person of color uses the accusation of racism to escape responsibility. For example when in 1994 the former black congressman, Mel Reynolds, was caught with a 16 year old girl he blamed racism. A clear case of a person of color trying to "play the race card" to escape his own shortcomings. This case is obvious, but I suspect all of us know of cases where a person of color is using the charge of racism in a false and misleading way to either escape responsibility or to gain power. We just may be too scared in our racially charged society to point it out when we see it. I am not but then again I am a trouble-maker.
The character of people of color is just as good and just as bad as the character of whites. People of color can be just as greedy and manipulative as whites can be. But as long as we only look at whites as being the problem, we will be vulnerable to those people of color who will use the sympathy in dysfunctional ways.
Furthermore is not this approach disempowering to those people of color who do not want to play the race card? If whites are the only one with any responsibility for fixing racial problems then all people of color can do is wait for whites to get their act together. That means that whites still have all the power. Some say that people of color can tell whites about the problems of racism. But that still leaves them helpless until whites get their act together. Ultimately this approach leaves people of color powerless.
There is some value in this approach. But ultimately it falls short of creating a complete solution to our racial problems. We will not solve our racial problems by just blaming whites. Doing so energizes the bad characteristics in some people of color even as it disempowers them. We have to find better answers if we are going to overcome our racial problems.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Can't we all just get along?: Part 2 - Our head in the Sand
Okay. One of the most popular ways to deal with racism is to pretend that it does not exists. Yeah, I am not joking. Basically, some people say something like this: Racism is bad. But it is a thing of the past. Oh there may be a few wayward racist but generally people are not punished because of there race anymore. So let's just treat everyone equally right now and just forget about racism.
This is often called a colorblind approach to racism. Part of me wish that we could do just that. But it is an approach akin to putting our head in the sand. Problems tend to endure. They do not just go away because we choose to ignore them.
The consequences of our centuries of racism linger even in an environment where overt racism is stigmatized. For example, it is well documented that the wealth of blacks is far less than the wealth of whites. Wealth is the property and assets we own. Even when we look at blacks and whites making the same income, the wealth of whites is much higher. This wealth is due to the history of asset accumulation whites have enjoyed over the past few centuries. White parents and grandparents had financial advantages over people of color that allowed them to pass on wealth in the forms of houses and financial accounts to their children and grandchildren? Of course this is not true for all whites, but clearly whites are more likely to enjoy financial advantages from the accumulation of family financial assets than people of color.
Beyond financial assets whites have also gained cultural assets that work to their advantage. It is still within the white community that we are more likely to find the social networks that help us get jobs, appointments etc. The cultural expectations that are valued when we hire somebody or consider them for our educational programs are generally Eurocentric in nature. The white advantage in our society did not disappear during the Civil Rights movement. It merely took different forms.
Space does not allow me to be a bit more nuanced in my description of our current racial reality and this is not mean to be "white bashing." I am merely pointing out that we can not ignore our enduring racial effects. Racial problems, like any serious social problem, requires intentional and sustained efforts to overcome. This is why the colorblind approach simply will not work. It can bring temporary racial peace but at the cost of achieving true racial equality. Because that equality is not achieved, eventually people of color will revolt and enduring racial harmony will be lost.
We have to reject this colorblind approach. If we are going to find lasting racial harmony then we have to proactively engage in efforts to overcome our racial past. But we have to be wise in the actions we take. In the next couple of blogs I will explore some of the efforts that I think are sincere but misguided.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
This is often called a colorblind approach to racism. Part of me wish that we could do just that. But it is an approach akin to putting our head in the sand. Problems tend to endure. They do not just go away because we choose to ignore them.
The consequences of our centuries of racism linger even in an environment where overt racism is stigmatized. For example, it is well documented that the wealth of blacks is far less than the wealth of whites. Wealth is the property and assets we own. Even when we look at blacks and whites making the same income, the wealth of whites is much higher. This wealth is due to the history of asset accumulation whites have enjoyed over the past few centuries. White parents and grandparents had financial advantages over people of color that allowed them to pass on wealth in the forms of houses and financial accounts to their children and grandchildren? Of course this is not true for all whites, but clearly whites are more likely to enjoy financial advantages from the accumulation of family financial assets than people of color.
Beyond financial assets whites have also gained cultural assets that work to their advantage. It is still within the white community that we are more likely to find the social networks that help us get jobs, appointments etc. The cultural expectations that are valued when we hire somebody or consider them for our educational programs are generally Eurocentric in nature. The white advantage in our society did not disappear during the Civil Rights movement. It merely took different forms.
Space does not allow me to be a bit more nuanced in my description of our current racial reality and this is not mean to be "white bashing." I am merely pointing out that we can not ignore our enduring racial effects. Racial problems, like any serious social problem, requires intentional and sustained efforts to overcome. This is why the colorblind approach simply will not work. It can bring temporary racial peace but at the cost of achieving true racial equality. Because that equality is not achieved, eventually people of color will revolt and enduring racial harmony will be lost.
We have to reject this colorblind approach. If we are going to find lasting racial harmony then we have to proactively engage in efforts to overcome our racial past. But we have to be wise in the actions we take. In the next couple of blogs I will explore some of the efforts that I think are sincere but misguided.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Can't we all just get along?: Part 1 - Introduction
Okay. Some of you know that much of my work has been in issues of race. A smaller group of those reading the blog know that I am moving away to deal with other issues. I will always be a thinker about racial issues. But those issues will become less important in my life. But before they do I want to use this blog to conceptualize a few thoughts I have on racial issues.
Kind of funny that we still are dealing with racism today. Okay funny is not the best word. Maybe sad is a better word. Fact of the matter is that even with a president of color, race and racism continues to plague our society. We have to continue to struggle to deal with racial issues in our society. However, I will be more of a observer than a player in that struggle in the years to come.
But before I relegate myself to cheerleader status, I will spend the next few blogs outlining some of my ideas on race and racism. In the next few blogs I will look at the major ideas that people have developed for dealing with racism. I will also critique those ideas. If you have strong ideas about how to deal with racism I will probably step on your toes. If not next entry then the entry after that one or a later entry will probably offend you. I do not accept sacred cows very easily. That is why I am a troublemaker.
Then at the end I will offer some of my own ideas. I always believe that it is easier to criticize than to create solutions. So I am certain that the solutions I offer will not perfectly solve all the racial problems. But if I am going to critique other ideas then I have to offer some of my own.
So this may be fun. I look forward to bringing my decades to work on racial issues to bear in the next few blogs. I also hope to spur some discussion and hopefully shed more light than heat.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
Kind of funny that we still are dealing with racism today. Okay funny is not the best word. Maybe sad is a better word. Fact of the matter is that even with a president of color, race and racism continues to plague our society. We have to continue to struggle to deal with racial issues in our society. However, I will be more of a observer than a player in that struggle in the years to come.
But before I relegate myself to cheerleader status, I will spend the next few blogs outlining some of my ideas on race and racism. In the next few blogs I will look at the major ideas that people have developed for dealing with racism. I will also critique those ideas. If you have strong ideas about how to deal with racism I will probably step on your toes. If not next entry then the entry after that one or a later entry will probably offend you. I do not accept sacred cows very easily. That is why I am a troublemaker.
Then at the end I will offer some of my own ideas. I always believe that it is easier to criticize than to create solutions. So I am certain that the solutions I offer will not perfectly solve all the racial problems. But if I am going to critique other ideas then I have to offer some of my own.
So this may be fun. I look forward to bringing my decades to work on racial issues to bear in the next few blogs. I also hope to spur some discussion and hopefully shed more light than heat.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Hmmmmmm
The U.S. National debt is almost 14 Trillion dollars which is almost as much as our gross domestic product. Okay you got my attention.
So the Democrat solution is to allow the taxes to go up on people who make more than 250k. But this is after passing a huge stimulus spending package and a health care bill that is almost guaranteed to cost megabucks as well.
The Republicans want to cut the spending down drastically but they will not make much of an effort to raise the money though taxes to lower our debt.
It seems to me that we have to bite bullet and cut back on our spending and allow the tax rate to go up. I am not happy about that but then again we have almost $14,000,000,000,000 in debt. Perhaps seeing all those zeros helps us to gain some perspective on this.
Trouble-Maker is hopeful that one of the political parties to do the hard thing and truly do what is necessary to reduce our national debt. But since what needs to be done is unpopular on many fronts, he will not hold his breath waiting for that to happen.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
So the Democrat solution is to allow the taxes to go up on people who make more than 250k. But this is after passing a huge stimulus spending package and a health care bill that is almost guaranteed to cost megabucks as well.
The Republicans want to cut the spending down drastically but they will not make much of an effort to raise the money though taxes to lower our debt.
It seems to me that we have to bite bullet and cut back on our spending and allow the tax rate to go up. I am not happy about that but then again we have almost $14,000,000,000,000 in debt. Perhaps seeing all those zeros helps us to gain some perspective on this.
Trouble-Maker is hopeful that one of the political parties to do the hard thing and truly do what is necessary to reduce our national debt. But since what needs to be done is unpopular on many fronts, he will not hold his breath waiting for that to happen.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
Friday, October 1, 2010
We are never satisfied
This blog has been making the rounds. It has been re-posted since the original writer took it off due to the reaction to it.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
I have a little bit different take on it. There is a part of me that has some sympathy for Henderson. He probably does find his money stretched in multiple ways. However look at what he is getting for that money. Someone to mow his lawn, to clean his house, to watch his children. He gets to live close to home, send his kids to a private school and has a secure job. Yes he has to struggle to balance his budget but he is not balancing the budget to survive. He is balancing his budget to thrive.
This is not an attempt to be critical of Professor Henderson. He is probably doing what most of us would do in his situation. You see no matter how much we get it is never enough. We spend it and then want more. We think that if we just get a little more of this or that then everything will be alright. That is never the case.
This is not even limited to money. If we are married then we think if my spouse would only help around the house, or be more sexually available or be more considerate then everything will be perfect. Or if we have kids if they would only clean their room, or stop back talking or get better grades. At work if only the people were nicer, or a bigger office or a longer lunch break then I will be satisfied. The truth is that even if you got all of those things then you still will have unmet desires. You will simply want more.
All of the knowledge that I have access to reinforces this concept. As a scholar I know humans constantly want more and more resources and this desire leads to social contact. As a social observer I am fascinated on how professional athletes who are paid big money for a dream job of playing a game could ever conceive of going on strike. As a Christian I am well aware of the doctrine of human depravity which suggest that we can not contain our greed and always want a little more.
There is nothing wrong with wanting more. It does not have to lead to unending greed. It is a desire that can help us to work to make the world better. We can use it to better our world through innovation or activism. But it can rob us of current happiness since we do not learn to be satisfied with the good things that are already happening in our lives. When we forget what we already have in our desire to accumulate more then the same desire that can lead to a cure or solution for poverty, AIDS, racial hostility, teenage pregnancy, cancer, unemployment can also lead to depression and ingratitude for what we have already accomplished and gained in our lives and our society.
I guess that is what I would tell Henderson. The loss of the tax cuts likely will cause him some financial difficulties. He may have to mow his lawn and put more time into taking care of his kids and cleaning his house. Given the demands of his job these are more significant losses than those of us without such a job may appreciate. But if he looks at what he does have and is grateful for it then he will have a healthier outlook on what is happening. Does not mean that he has to stop striving to better his life and the lives of his kids. But stopping and smelling the roses is also important if we are going to live a full life.
Sincerely,
Trouble-Maker
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