To me, that’s absolutely true, especially about unconscious racism.
I think again, we’re dealing with a different understanding of what we mean by racism. In 2023 the blanket denial of the reality of structural racism, the refusal to accept that people of colour are discriminated against in education, the workplace, etc, and the belief that if people of colour want to get on they should stop moaning and try harder, marks a person out as pretty racist.
They might not be expressing any particular hatred towards people of colour, they might not think they are inferior to white people. But if we want to progress towards equality they are absolutely standing in the way.
Both James Baldwin and MLK Jr voiced the thought that the biggest obstacle to equality is not the overt racist, but the person who while they would never wear a hood or associate with someone who did, is content to close their eyes their eyes to the problems that exist.
That’s basically the point being made. Believing people of colour are inferior to white people is certainly racist, but not where racism necessarily ends.
Lots of people will start from the platform of telling themselves they are not racist, and often that the people they know arent racist. When racism then presents itself, often unconsciously, often in a form that is structural, the person uses that platform as a permission structure to ignore it and pretend it isn’t there. “there could not be racism in my sphere because I am not racist and nor are my friends.” This is what gets in the way of equality because these people massively outweigh the over racists and are a group who have to overcome by those striving for equality.
The alternative framing is to accept that even the best of intention can still leave you liable to partaking in some form of racism, be it unconscious or societal. Being open to the idea that this can happen to even the most fair of people gives you the licence to acknowledge it without any expectation of having to do any penitence and simply and instead just move forward with a slightly broadened perspective
We’re all prone to racism. Our brains are still trying to run complicated society 2023 on caveman software, so obviously it’s not going to be perfect. I’m as prone to that as anyone else.
It’s how you deal with that which is the key thing.
I don’t think that is a helpful way to think about it. How do you define a person who is a collection of complex often contradictory ideas? I think we all know there is a line in sand beyond which its reasonable to label someone a racist, but the other side I just dont think its really meaningful or useful to try to put the focus on the individual rather than the idea or action.
How many racisms does a person need to hold before you label them that way? I have no idea, but I do know that if you call a seemingly reasonable person a racist because they said the wrong thing you are likely going to run into the common situation of them saying “fuck you im not racist, therefore the thing I said wasnt racist.” Not only is a really blunt framework for understanding the issue that removes the incredibly complexity of it, but from the perspective of intervention and learning it’s a real dead end.
It may not be helpful but it’s essentially what you are saying .I may treat everyone as my equal but if someone i work with is subtly and unconciously racist and i don’t see it i am partaking in/ or ignoring racism and am therefore racist.
That is not remotely me saying everyone is racist, but you drawing the line in the sand in where you feel comfortable labelling someone as such. I am probably aligned with you on where I personally tend to draw that line. Certainly since Trump I have found my patience being much shorter with this, but that is still us drawing a line in the sand and treating the person accordingly once they’ve passed it rather than labelling a person as racist for having done an isolated thing.
EDITED TO ADD: But I think points to @redalways point, very often racism presents itself these days as indifference to the racism and reflex rejection of it. Paying lip service to not being racist while allowing a lot of it to go by unquestioned or unaddressed. This is where the Trump thing comes in. I have no friends who would ever say something overtly racist to me. But I have an unfortunate number of now former friends who bent over backwards trying to justify how clear incidences of racism from his campaign and administration were not racist, or were ok because of [reasons].
I don’t care if you’re purple with pink polka dots. Ignorance and malice are two traits in all different cultures of humanity that I don’t care for.
I really do prefer to call it cultures instead of races, with the migration of different groups around the world in the last 2-300 years the color of your skin really shouldn’t come into play anymore.
Spent the weekend in Pasco WA playing in a masters tournament. Had never been there before, had no idea that this little pocket of civilization in the middle of a desert 6hrs from Canada would be 65% spanish-speaking by heritage. Had a great weekend (it was Cinco de Mayo)
I don’t think you could be expected to be aware and conscious of all subtle racisms that people can be affected by. I know I wouldn’t be.
But if the behaviour of your colleague became an issue with another colleague, would you take that opportunity to learn from the experience and find a way forward that everyone finds acceptable, or would you refuse to acknowledge the issue and throw it back at the person who raised it?
I get all of that, but I am still unsure why anyone who questions political correctness can be automatically assumed as harbouring racist thoughts.
We can live our lives extolling equity and fairness, and still question PC.
I get offended by discrimination against disabled people, but I can atrend a Ricky Gervais show.
There has to be a duality to our lives and an acceptance of differing mindsets and opinions.
I suspect you might have a little of your own confirmation bias going on here. Per chance, are your close personal circumstances directly affected by disability?
Probably, but that’s the way this stuff works. You often dont know the limitation or appreciate the damage of a popular stereotype until you get enough exposure to the reality. It wouldnt discredit his point regardless of what answer he gives
As in am I experiencing disability or mental illness?
No.
But I am aware that mainstream media portrayal of illness is stereotypical and often ill conceived.
You asked a question.
I answered it and you chose to undermine the answer by “suspecting confirmation bias”.