I'm absolutely disgusted with Slate for even printing this article. Not only does it reinforce the fallacious claim that People of Color are essentially capitalizing on historical oppression, its being a main story shows how stories about race and racism are somehow only important if they uphold the idea that racism is a thing of the past.

While the article claims that "real bigots" are decreasing in numbers, the truth is quite the opposite. I wouldn't really measure racism by overt acts of bigotry. Even if I did, I would have to come to the conclusion that racism is becoming more of a problem, as indicated by ever-increasing numbers of race-based hate crimes springing up as People of Color are gaining speed in the face of racism.

"Self-serving individuals, rabble-rousers, and political hacks use accusations of racism, sexism, homophobia, and other types of 'bias' tactically, in order to advance their own ends. And people of goodwill may make sincere claims that strike others as obviously wrongheaded."

In the above quotation, the writer's use of quotation marks in reference to bias not only trivializes the rather real and painful experiences of bias in all of its forms, it raises an important question regarding the framing of the issue by the media. Accusing people of being self-serving is a common idea when trying to belittle expressions of anti-racism by People of Color. It would be very unusual for a White person to be accused of being self-serving for being antiracist or speaking out against systemic racism. Of course, that is the nature of White privilege.

So why hasn't the media, like many academic circles, caught onto the idea of White privilege? White people have a race, too. It's not the fault of individual White people, but we all need to own up to the fact that racism is much more than acts of prejudice. This opens up the issue of linguistic idiosyncrasies within the antiracist literature and how the word "racism" itself is defined. There are various definitions, but I feel the one that is most comprehensive is the one that frames racism as a system. Racism is a sociopolitical system based on creating economic advantages for one group of people over others based on arbitrarily defined racial groups. In the United States, that has turned out to be White people using science to deny the full humanity of People of Color (think facial cranioanthropology and "The Bell Curve", and most recently, Nobel prize winner Watson's comment about the intellectual inferiority of Africans).

Let me be clear here: I am not blaming White people. What I am saying is that should we really be committed to ending racism, we need to stop thinking about racism as a problem between individuals or that a racist is a cross-burning hatemonger like a member of the KKK. We live in a society entrenched in the legacy of racism. It's a cancerous growth that the mainstream media has yet to attack, instead choosing to blame the victim and perpetuate the myth of colorblindness.

'Racism is a sociopolitical system based on creating economic advantages for one group of people over others based on arbitrarily defined racial groups. In the United States..'

the word doesn't mean whatever you want. racism is a belief that one race is superior to the other.

no more and no less. you can't just make up definitions to serve your purposes you know.

..."MAY use accusations of racism, sexism, homophobia, and other types of 'bias' tactically..." etc. etc., but the point remains that there are racial exploiters like Sharpton and Jackson whose net effect is to further distance the races in America. That's a simple fact, not a way of "belittling" anyone. We all know there's still real racism in America, but how do you deal with that? By being honest and confronting egregious examples directly, as Dr. King did, or by running off to every new 'controversy' and proclaiming yourself the 'representative of Black Americans on the scene,' as the two mentioned above are wont to do?

Racism and exploitation aren't JUST the problem of white Americans, let's remember. The black community needs to deal honestly with the problems, and stop falling in line behind charlatans...

All the writer did was point out some well-known examples of certain well-to-do African-Americans dishonestly exploiting the race card in a cynical way for their own personal benefit while masking this with a fake concern for their fellow African-Americans.

If I were an African-American, I would suppose that I would feel some annoyance at people like Reverand Al for doing stuff like that, but I guess different people feel differently.

"the word doesn't mean whatever you want. racism is a belief that one race is superior to the other. no more and no less. you can't just make up definitions to serve your purposes you know." What else, then, do you call the sorts of major and minor prejudices that circulate among us now? The above commenter is right that prejudice can take many forms outside of any belief in superiority/inferiority or overt violence. This can range from dislike, to stereotyping, to (as the author of the book seems to allude in his preamble) a host of ideological struggles caught up in the vortex of race relations. All of this is centered around race, so how else can we term it? What you and others seem to be suggesting, irvingchang, is that because there are people who exploit race disingenuously, that somehow this means racism isn't out there, and that prejudice doesn't exist merely because cross-burnings and lynchings have subsided. This is absurd. To this end, perhaps a different term other than "white privilege" needs to be coined, because however it may reflect a certain reality, it suggests something more than what the term implies: that whites necessarily have it easy due to their race. This is also not true. But what is true is that they (we) have it EASIER. That's no small difference.

there will always be prejudices my friend. to imply that the whole country is keeping the black man down is silly.

if you expect me to believe that bunk, all you have to do is name me a country where they live any better. feel free to include the counties they run.

"as indicated by ever-increasing numbers of race-based hate crimes springing up..."

I don't know what city your from but where I live there is black on white violence, perpetrated by blacks.

So, what do we do about that?

benhon3:

I don't know what city your from but where I live there is black on white violence, perpetrated by blacks.

Please provide statistics for this assertion. In my area, in nearly all cases, crime is black on black and white on white. This is especially true with violent crime. It thought this was the case nationally.

I'm absolutely disgusted with Slate for even printing this article.

Because it breaks from the standard leftist knee-jerk pandering to anyone who wishes to perpetuate the myth of white racism.

Not only does it reinforce the fallacious claim that People of Color are essentially capitalizing on historical oppression

Far from a false claim. There's not a person alive who can remember slavery, yet many blacks act as if they were personally enslaved. Blacks have enjoyed elevated status in our culture since the 1960's, yet the constant complaining about supposed current and historic systemic racism continues to this minute. Other races have experienced historical racism in America, especially the Irish and Chinese, yet these races have entirely assimilated and moved on from those past offenses. Ever hear of an Irishman or Chinese demanding reparations?

While the article claims that "real bigots" are decreasing in numbers, the truth is quite the opposite.

There is some truth to this, but not the way you meant. Good luck finding an actual example of anti-black racism, but blacks feel free to be anti-white in any circumstance. There is a lot of racism in America, and the vast majority of it is perpetrated by blacks.

ever-increasing numbers of race-based hate crimes springing up as People of Color are gaining speed in the face of racism.

According to the statistics on the US Department of Justice website, a black person is 139 times more likely to commit a violent crime against a white than a white is to commit a violent crime against a black. Don't believe me? Check the site, crunch the numbers. Blacks represent 12-13% of the population but still manage to commit more than 50% of the violent crime. There's a forbidden but accurate stat you won't see on the evening news. Next?

"Self-serving individuals, rabble-rousers, and political hacks use accusations of racism, sexism, homophobia, and other types of 'bias' tactically, in order to advance their own ends.

Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Marion Berry.. just the top of the list. If any white person behaved like these three he would be vilified in the media, instead of exalted like these losers.

It would be very unusual for a White person to be accused of being self-serving for being antiracist or speaking out against systemic racism. Of course, that is the nature of White privilege.

You are assuming that the only kind of racism is perpetrated by whites, and of course no white would face these accusations whilst speaking out against anti black racism. If a white were to speak out against anti-white racism the response would be shrill and hysterical. Can you say Black Privilege?

So why hasn't the media, like many academic circles, caught onto the idea of White privilege?

Because it doesn't exist anymore. See above.

This opens up the issue of linguistic idiosyncrasies

Yes, let's talk about that. Every black on the planet feels that it is their right and privilege to use racist slurs like "cracker" "honkie" and "white boy," however any white who uses any equivalent term to describe a black faces vilification and possible legal action. There is a word that blacks are allowed to use (the infamous n word, which I cannot use or this post would probably be deleted) that whites are not allowed to use. This is boldfaced racism, and borders on persecution for thought crime.

Racism is a sociopolitical system based on creating economic advantages for one group of people over others based on arbitrarily defined racial groups.

You mean like racial quotas and affirmative action? Nice try.

In the United States, that has turned out to be White people using science to deny the full humanity of People of Color (think facial cranioanthropology and "The Bell Curve"

Please. Credibility has left the building. You just jumped the shark. The white race is so busy trying to distance themselves from their supposed racism that they feel collective guilt over that 99.9999% of them would never make such an argument of participate in any such discrimination.

and most recently, Nobel prize winner Watson's comment about the intellectual inferiority of Africans).

Sorry you didn't like the data, but it doesn't make it any less true. Black Africans scored very poorly on IQ tests, African Americans somewhat better, whites next, then Asians, and Jews scored highest. Hear any whites complaining about persecution based on this data even though Asians and Jews scored higher? Don't blame Watson for being a scientist instead of a sycophant.

What I am saying is that should we really be committed to ending racism,

Start in your own mind by recognizing that most racism does not come from whites. Start by noticing the anti-white slurs that pervade television, movies, newspapers. Question affirmative action.

We live in a society entrenched in the legacy of racism.

Only because some racial groups and media outlets get so much mileage and profit out of it, and because our society permits racism from non-whites.

It's a cancerous growth that the mainstream media has yet to attack

What are you watching? The media is loaded with undeserved accusations of white racism and turns a blind eye to black racism. Take the Jena episode, six blacks gang-beat a white kid unconscious, then continue to kick him while he lies helpless, then turn around and make accusations of racism. Sharpton, Jackson, and a horde of racist blacks show up and demand "justice," and the mainstream media give them all a free pass, no questions asked.

it’s time someone explained why minorities complain how bad things are for them but vote for the democrats based on its track record of keeping things exactly as they are

Haven't white power organizations been thriving lately? Like, in almost perfect conjunction with the Bush presidency?

<coffee right out nose>

Haven't white power organizations been thriving lately? Like, in almost perfect conjunction with the Bush presidency?

No. Wherever did you come up with that idea?

BTW, notice the inherent racism in the difference between the connotations of the terms "white power" and "black power" that have been cultivated by the leftist PC media:

White power denotes images of KKK thugs burning crosses, skinheads slamdancing to deathmetal, uneducated hillbilly lynch-mobs. Black power on the other hand is held up as a noble ideal, denoting images of peace-loving middle and upper class educated blacks pulling up their lower class brothers.

Ever asked yourself why in modern American culture whites are the only racial group who are not allowed to organize, not allowed to be proud of their race?

Raven, there are no laws against white people's groups. In fact there are many Irish-American, Polish-American, Serbian-American etc. etc. groups. Oh! that's not what you mean?

Neither are their laws against white supremacy groups. So what exactly are you crying about? You want approval from Oprah or something?

I knew it, just knew it that someone would quip with a retort like yours. As I mentioned, I was referring to the metropolitan area where I live. So, what do statistics have to do with it? 2 black men shot a white woman at a KFC over $20. A black man was arraigned for raping an elderly white woman. Its on the news, in the papers.

So, if you have a solution, please respond. But don't ask me to prove something that has in fact happened.