John Hood
According to many black scholars and activists, I can be a racist but my next-door neighbors cannot. I am white. My neighbors are black. "Black people can't be racist," explained Spike Lee. Harry Allen of the rap group Public Enemy made a similar point when accused of racism against whites and Jews. "It's impossible," he said. "Only white people can be racist, and I am not white."
Should I be angry about this double-standard? Not if I understand that the "blacks can't be racists" thesis is strictly a matter of definition. Many scholars define racism as not simply bigotry against other races but the actual practice of discriminatory treatment against the races you don't like. The commonly stated formula for racism, therefore, is prejudice (which anyone can have against another race), plus power--and most of the power in our society, the argument goes, remains in the hands of whites.
For all practical purposes, of course, racism and prejudice are synonymous, at least in the way most of us use the terms in everyday discourse. Even if I can't
call Harry Allen a racist, I can still call him a disgusting bigot. Similarly, Dinesh D'Souza spends a great deal of time in his controversial new book The End of Racism constructing an elaborate distinction between ethnocentrism and racism that, in practical terms, is meaningless.
call Harry Allen a racist, I can still call him a disgusting bigot. Similarly, Dinesh D'Souza spends a great deal of time in his controversial new book The End of Racism constructing an elaborate distinction between ethnocentrism and racism that, in practical terms, is meaningless.
The above is the opening paragraph in a book review of D'Souza's book. To surmise, you can be a bigot but not a racist if you are black because you don't have power? The rationalizing that people will do to support their point.
I suggest you form your own opinions by studying this for yourself in your readings. It is a excellent idea to work to understand what it's like to walk in another's shoes before making judgments. However, sometimes I wonder if we don't seek the answer to support conclusion, rather than look for the conclusion to support our hypothesis.
What do you think? Be cool, keep it civil. Do you believe Blacks can be racist or not? Go to the comment section at the bottom of this article and let us know what you really think.
Keith Brock July 8, 2010
Think of Zen...start with the minute sand particles that make up the road of life and slowly grow to larger and large objects. It is all part of the whole. (Read: Zen and the Fine Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
Think of Zen...start with the minute sand particles that make up the road of life and slowly grow to larger and large objects. It is all part of the whole. (Read: Zen and the Fine Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
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Anyone can be a racist. Its a matter of relativity. Think of Zen...start with the minute sand particles that make up the road of life and slowly grow to larger and large objects. It is all part of the whole. (Read: Zen and the Fine Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)
ReplyDeleteRacism knows no ethnicity or color. Anyone who hates someone because of the color of their skin can be a racist. Saying otherwise is just delusional.
ReplyDeleteYes, they can be racist, I've witnessed it and have been targeted by blacks due to my conservatism. Sad to think that in the 21st century we can't get past the color of one's skin and be able look at the character within! #tcot #sgp #ocra
ReplyDeleteIf you listened to Chris Rock, black comic, he has said blacks are more racists than whites! If you've watched the news just today, you'll have heard a black panther saying he HATES whites. I'd say that's racist.
ReplyDeleteYES, Blacks can and are racist. IMO, many are worse than whites, which only keeps racism alive and worse.
On twitter, I've found myself attacked by black Dems. The first thing out of their mouth is that I'm a "biggot" or "racist" without knowing what color I am, and not caused by any race issue even brought up. They just assume and/or are stuck on hating whites.
I'd like for black people to remember that whites today did NOT cause slavery, most today highly disapprove of it. It was a white man who fought for and stopped slavery. I imagine there will always be some sort of racism until the end of time, whether it be black, asian, hispanic or white. But let's be upset with THE one person who is racist...not an entire race/color. Remember there are racists in ALL colors. Perhaps it's best to just remember this and let it roll off our shoulders. IMO, racist are ignorant. The person you are racist against could be your best friend. Could even save your life.
In America, we must unite. We are AMERICAN FIRST, and we must remain the land of the free.