Racism is generally known as a bad thing to be, just as homophobia is. At it's roots, it displays ignorance, and ignorance is a trait of a foolish person. Nobody wants to admit to being a fool or even allow themselves the opportunity to do so.
The commentators are simply trying to spout news making headlines. After all, news is a business, and the more drastic the statements are the more viewers they can bring in, more viewers equals more revenue. This isn't to totally dismiss what they have had to say however, as a half black president is still quite a step forward in the name of equality. However I fear that the commentators only brought up his race in the light that Barack Obama had won. Had he lost, I can't help but think that no one would have brought light to the fact that part of the reason was that he was black. Dr. Apollon is right in stating we are in fact not post racial. If we truly were, no one would have mentioned Obama's skin color, simply his qualifications and history.
I'd ask them to explain then what they look for in a person. I wouldn't dismiss it however, if that's truly what the person does, who am I to say otherwise? Is that type of person not what we should strive to be as a society? Although chances are they are simply saying that to avoid any negative connotations, they may actually have parents who tried very hard to instill these values into them.
Then those parents are simply pretending to be open minded about races. Their true colors are certainly showing. The free lunch program is designed to ensure children come and stay in school. There will always be undocumented immigrants, it's impossible to stop completely. However, we can facilitate them, educate them, incorporate them into society and make them a functioning part that gives and participates all the same as a middle class white man. However, we must get the ball rolling somewhere if not at the lowest, most basic level, elementary school, then where?
The best way to teach kids to be tolerant is to be raised by parents who are tolerant themselves. That's why I don't wish to challenge anyone who claims to be completely colorblind. They may very well be, and have begun a transformation process that our country as a whole so desperately needs to go through.
Diversity doesn't in most cases doesn't mean an equal balance of portions, rather, it means the proud incorporation of other races in a mostly white community. When people try and exemplify their indifference to others, they end up amplifying their division of society onto others. I'd like to point out what Morgan Freeman has said about race, and the best way to deal with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3cGfrExozQ
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Hi Lorenzo,
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the Memmi quote- I think you are right that there is definitely a dynamic that people don't want to disclose their 'true' feelings and motivations (as in the case of people claiming to be colorblind), however I think there is something else at work. Are the connections between the structural advantage/disadvantage we discussed last week and racism? Can people not be mean to other people based on race and still have structural advantage?
I find your analysis of Obama's election intriguing; namely " Had he lost, I can't help but think that no one would have brought light to the fact that part of the reason was that he was black". It makes me think that no one would want to blame his 'failure' on his race (because that is considered mean and insensitive) yet, to discuss how success means race is no longer an issue seems contradictory. great point!
Also, while I love Morgan Freeman (and think he is actually catching on to colorblind racism in the beginning of the clip), he is actually re-constructing that very concept in the end. Thanks for posting! I may use this in class- would that be okay?