Here are some ways in which white Americans misunderstand blackness. No doubt there are others that I am not thinking of at the moment, but these at least spring to mind:
- Blackness as stereotype: Because the stereotypes are played over and over again on television and in Hollywood films, in newspapers and magazines, whites do not see them as stereotypes but as just the way blacks are. They do not see the writers and producers of this content as whites with a white point of view. They do not see how stereotypes grew out of their own fears and lies.
- Blackness as a particular set of behaviours: This one is subtle, but it still misses the mark. You see it in wiggers and the old hipsters: they tried so hard to be “black” by talking, dressing and acting a certain way, but they found themselves no closer to being black than before. Blackness is always just out of reach. Likewise when blacks try to act white – whiteness is always just out of reach. Race is not a matter of behaviour.
- Blackness as poverty: If blacks just had more money their troubles would go away. They would become just like white people. The black middle-class proves this wrong. Whites assume everyone wants to be just like them, that race only affects people through hiring practices, if that.
- Blackness as imperfect whiteness: white Americans think they are better than everyone. So the degree to which you are different from them is the degree to which you are messed up. The secret to life is to act and be more like them!
- Blackness as dark-skinned whiteness: Blacks are just like white people, they just look different. Whites who try to be colour-blind see blacks this way: “You know, I don’t think of you as black.” As if being black is such a terrible thing.
- Blackness as profound otherness: Blacks are so different that whites will never fully understand them. Blacks are so different that they are not fully human, certainly not human enough where black lives matter as much as white lives.
All these miss the mark for the same reason: they all avoid looking squarely at white racism and how it shapes black life. Whites are largely blind to their own racism. It does not affect them directly or anyone they love and care about, so they think it is less important and powerful than it is.
So if all these are wrong, what is right? That blacks are different than whites. Part of that difference comes from history: blacks came from Africa, not Europe. But part of it comes from having to live in a black skin in a white racist country. That is the part whites have such a hard time understanding. They have never lived that and most do not want to think about it, much less try to understand it.
See also:
Thank you Abagond for this timely and important post because mainstream society still doesn’t get it.
Stephanie B.
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“But part of it comes from having to live in a black skin in a white racist country. That is the part whites have such a hard time understanding. They have never lived that and most do not want to think about it, much less try to understand it.”
“Whites are largely blind to their own racism. It does not affect them directly or anyone they love and care about, so they think it is less important and powerful than it is.”
Abagond the above statements resonate with truth but because Americans refuse to acknowledge or publicly speak of race things are unlikely to ever change. I think that there are few people that empathize with being black and living in America but even fewer understand what being black in America truly means and represents.
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Wow, that is pretty bleak, but like you showed, it pretty much follows from what I said.
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Abagond, if you’re a Black self-determination blogger, I hope you’ll consider applying for membership in the AfroSpear.
You can apply here.
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That first paragraph (“Blackness as stereotype”) hit it. I don’t throw things at waste baskets anymore because if I miss, someone white questions my blackness because I missed a basket. They’re also dumbfounded that I don’t think it’s funny.
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P.S.
I don’t know where the hell that smiley sace came from.
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I am reading all of these posts and I am just saddened. Not all white people are racists, unknown or otherwise. I hope that I am someone that is raising my kids to see that our color is just a covering over what is important.They are taught that the PERSONS that they choose to be with need to be GOOD people, regardless of race.I don’t want to be judged and so I don’t. I see color; people who say they don’t are fooling themselves, I think. I just don’t categorize or priortize based on it.
No, I have never lived my life as an African-American, Asian-American, or Hispanic-American, so I cannot feel what may be experienced by those individuals. I can tell you about living in a community that is 85% non-white, and facing some racism myself.
I will go on living as I am and not apologizing for it. I think that it is time we all get past the color of our skin coverings and look at the real person. And I would like to think that I would be this way, regardless of the what MY skin color may be.
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Donald: the smiley came from you putting a semi-colon next to a parentheses. Annoying, I know.
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Dear Kelly:
The point of the above post is that your “anti-racist” ideology isdefined by your use of the word ‘regardless.’ That mentality is problematic in that it sees DIFFERENCE AS A PROBLEM to be overcome, not a natural part of life. It seems to be the best most some people can do, but it is still hurtful. Remember: promoting “tolerance” still implies that there is SOMETHING NEGATIVE to be “tolerated.” That thinking is still racist and the root of the real problem.
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I used to listen to a talk radio show called “the black avenger”. Black conservative talk show host. He used to say he was more comfortable with white racist types then the smiling faced liberal “let me help you” types. One was truthful in thinking they were better – the other – hide behind feeling superior because they were “helping”.
To me I link it to what I can understand. I have never been anything other than white. But I AM a women. I find most feminists annoying. I dont need a mans help to be equal to him. I AM equal. I dont have to prove it to anyone. IF a man wants to hold a door open for me – its not an insult – its being polite…I hold doors for men and women all the time.
I dont pretend to understand what its like to be black. I do believe that I as a individual is about 95% not racist…though the fact that I am uncomfortable saying the word Black person – thats where the 5% comes in. Its that public school Political Correctness training…i am always afraid of offending someone…
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Kelly is a colour-blind racist, like most white Americans born since 1970. In fact, she is a good example of #7: seeing blacks as dark-skinned white people.
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Davida: black people have no trouble saying the word “black”, why should you? It is an honest, respectable word. I notice white people do that – avoid saying “black”, just as if it were something shameful. Macon D, the blogger at Stuff White People Do, should do a post on that, if he hasn’t already.
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I used to not have a problem, and do not now – but from 16 – 25 or so I worried that I would be racist if I used it. Your right – nothing wrong with th word.
However – the whole political correctness movement during my high school years taught my generation that we had to use African American – that to say black was racist. I never understood it but the worry of offending someone had me not using it. I did once have a black women tell me I wasnt allowed to call someone black..I had to say african american. I was stunned cause and It left me feeling confused.
Another word was I told not to use – Lady.
I was told it was sexist. I was 16 and a Sea Cadet (youth organization sponsered by the military) away at my 8 week summer boot camp. I was made rcpo – or recruit chief petty officer. I would refer to the 80 girls under my command as “Ladies” when telling them to do something and was counciled by an officer because I was using sexist remarks that bothered the other girls. They said they were not ladies when they were dirty, lacking makeup and wearing military dungarees. I contend I am always a lady – no matter what I wear. The PC thing has made alot of white people unsure of what words they can or cannot use. IS a person blind or sight impaired – short or vertically challenged – white or pigment impaired…i ask this question alot – but where does it all in.
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I prefer the term African-American as oppose to the umbrella term “black” because it refers to a specific ethnic group in America. African-Americans are black but not every black person is African-American.
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my sensativity to not offending my be related to having the stuffing kick out of me by three black girls because I was dating a black guy my freshman year of high school. Broke my nose, blackedned booth eyes and cracked a rib.
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Dear Sir,
If you hate “Evil Whites” so much why do you live in the United states, along with tens of millions of other African Americans ?
I ask that you please treat my enquiry with respect as I am genuinely curious to understand.
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I wrote a post on that question:
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hello.
first of all i am not an american, i am an australian. i find the issue of race and racism in america a very interesting one. to be sure, i am certain that the US has its racist quota, as does every other country i have ever visited, from england to argentina, papua new guinea to france, and last but not least, australia. in each of these places racist attitudes, behaviour, and actions all manifest themselves differently; within the culture, within the individual, with the community, within the politics, within the economy, within the workforce, within the language and beyond. i have encountered bigots and i have encountered human beings for whom race is as relevant as whatever day it happens to be. i’ve had conversations where issues of race and identity is sidestepped and also where it is the focal point of the conversation. but i feel as though i digress.
i am a musician and am currently working with a tanzanian singer who has recently moved to australia where he has started a family with a white australian woman. during one recent conversation he said to me,
“One day i will go to the United States and tell the black people there that they are not African-Americans; they are Americans. Most of them have never even been to Africa, they don’t speak Language, they don’t know the customs. They are not African.”
I am interested to know how Americans, of African descent or otherwise, would respond to such a statement. is it insulting? is there an element of truth? furthermore do irish descendants identify themselves as being ‘Irish American’? or koreans identify as ‘korean american’, ‘mongolian american’, ‘russian american’, ‘egyptian american’ ‘australian american’? at what point does one cease identifying with ones heritage and instead begin identifying with one’s present?
i look forward to hearing some thoughts. peace.
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this is the one I don’t get:
Blackness as dark-skinned whiteness: Blacks are just like white people, they just look different.
Aren’t all the people the same- in their hearts and beings? You wrote about “hearts of white and black people”. I always thought the only difference between races was cultural- it’s not same to grow up and live black in white world and to be white in white world. It’s the shared experience and culture to make a difference, not biology.
Ok, it looks like I don’t know how to explain what I meant. Let’s try this: I do believe that, in world without racism, skin colour (and race) wouldn’t mean anything.
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I pretty much agree with you: if whites stopped being racist then in time black skin would become like red hair – just something that makes people look different.
But even in that case black Americans would not simply becomes Oreos (black on the outside, white on the inside) but instead both blacks and whites would becomes culturally light brown:
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I’ve read your “mulatto nation” post. What I find the most shocking, was that some people find this idea “unsettling” and “unnatural”.
While I’m generally against globalization and losing different cultures (and diversity), “mulatto nation” thing, or even “mulatto world” sound pretty natural and “normal” to me.
Maybe I am just naive, but I believe it’s possible to be mixed (in any way: race, culture, etc) and yet not forgetting about both of your cultures. It is hard, maybe even impossible for many people (especially if one race or culture is considered “bad” in the society you live in), but I must admit I find the idea of “mixing” appealing.
Like I said, I loved your post, but I am not sure I understand what you mean by “cultutally light brown”. Maybe that’s because I don’t know that much about black (or white) American culture(s).
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culturally light brown = Afro-European, but more Euro than Afro.
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I read Kelly’s post and I think I’m a pretty racially aware person and I wasn’t able to discern any racism in what Kelly said, even looking between the lines. I don’t know Kelly personally so I don’t know how she treats other races in real life(what people say and how they behave are often different things), so I’m only judging her by the words and I didn’t see anything she said that was deserving of the term “racist”.
Kelly said: “I hope that I am someone that is raising my kids to see that our color is just a covering over what is important.They are taught that the PERSONS that they choose to be with need to be GOOD people, regardless of race.”
Now if we term people like her racists, then what superlatives do we have left to describe those that tell their kids not to associate with blacks?
I think it’s possible to alienate well intentioned people by being too quick to label them racist. Now if she said something racist, I’d be happy to call her out on it, I just didn’t see anything racist that she said. That said, I do believe that most whites view themselves as superior to blacks. As I’ve found, some are ashamed of that view, and some openly embrace it. I won’t however assume such a view about any given white individual unless they give me reason to think they feel that way. I also don’t think racism is a binary off or on thing, but that it’s a continuum. There’s a world of difference between a “color blind racist” as you call them and neo-nazi skinheads that assault non-whites.
There are also blacks who are racist. Blacks who don’t want to associate with people outside of their race and wouldn’t think of attending a white church even if they were opened with welcome arms, or who don’t like Latinos. Not that I believe black and white racism are the same in nature or intensity or power. I just think this part of the human condition takes effort on BOTH sides to eradicate.
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Hell, I already live in a mulatto nation. I get nervous when I’m around too many white people. Seriously.
But where I think that people don’t quite see the resiliance of racism is when they presume that a mulatto nation means no more racism. In fact, what it means is an increased colorist racism.
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Tulio:
I called Kelly a colour-blind racist because of what she said she teaches her children:
“They are taught that the PERSONS that they choose to be with need to be GOOD people, regardless of race.”
It is that word “regardless”. Like she is holding her nose. I agree with kmoney, who said above:
Dear Kelly:
The point of the above post is that your “anti-racist” ideology isdefined by your use of the word ‘regardless.’ That mentality is problematic in that it sees DIFFERENCE AS A PROBLEM to be overcome, not a natural part of life. It seems to be the best most some people can do, but it is still hurtful. Remember: promoting “tolerance” still implies that there is SOMETHING NEGATIVE to be “tolerated.” That thinking is still racist and the root of the real problem.
But then you point out:
“Now if we term people like her racists, then what superlatives do we have left to describe those that tell their kids not to associate with blacks?
I disagree with that sort of thinking. I think it is entirely possible that most whites are racist. Whites tell me I am watering down the word and making it useless. Yet they are LIMITING its meaning to just neo-Nazi skinhead jerks. Why? Grass does not wear out the word green. Why is it any different with the word “racist”? More here:
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Tulio said:
“There’s a world of difference between a “color blind racist” as you call them and neo-nazi skinheads that assault non-whites.”
Yes, I know:
“There are also blacks who are racist. “
I know that too, but my view of black racism is quite a bit different than yours:
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maybe the black community should start punishing black celebrities who take roles in movies and play characters in their music that are ultra negative…. DERP! why has this not happened yet?
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It may be just my observation, but it seems like the majority of commenters who identify themselves as white are offended by this blog. Am I wrong in my interpretation that the point of all of this is identifying racism as a negative issue in culture at large (and American culture specifically)? The role that whites play is discussed a lot, but that seems logical to me given that they hold the most decision making power at the moment in this culture. If racism is to be dealt with, it will inevitably require some action on their (our) part. Why does everybody (the majority of white commenters) take this blog as an attack on whites?
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As a white Christian person I want to understand. I am grateful for this site.
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I came across this site as I am researching for an English class I am taking (as a 38 year old deciding to go back to school). I found it very interesting and insightful.
I am white, as previously established middle aged, and male. I would be defined as the wealthier side of middle class as I am currently out of work by choice after selling a business I started and am enjoying the liberty of being a stay at home father as I further my education. I grew up in lower middle class america. I have no higher education beyond high school (until now).
I never considered myself racist, but don’t discount the possibility. I have never viewed skin color as a way to establish superiority. I like to believe I am open minded and willing to accept responsibility for who I am as an individual. I will say that when I was younger I felt a lot more awkwardness around black people, but I never understood why. I don’t feel that now and attribute this to greater self confidence in dealing with awkward (or new) situations/interactions and by joining the working class in Seattle and eventually starting my own business. I interacted with many different races, sexual orientated people, and social classes. I never went out of my way to hire a black person or a woman or lesbian/gay individual, although plenty worked with me while I was a manager and for me while I was a business owner.
I have never viewed any of my actions as racist. To be honest, I have always been more concerned with the struggles I face as an uneducated person (as looked down on by my better educated friends), as a single father fighting for custodial rights in a state system that strongly favors the mother, and as an overweight american who struggled with being seen as lazy as a result of my poor physical appearance. But, is it still possible I am racist? As an omission of truth can be a lie, can the omission of race being important in my life be seen as racism?
I can tell you honestly, although you have the choice to not believe, that I don’t desire to be a racist. I am struggling myself to be accepted by society and we all experience problems of life in our own personal way. As I struggle to identify if I am racist or not it becomes more difficult when an argument presents an impossible resolution. I also grew up during a time that we were only allowed to say “African American” and the word “black” was, in and of itself, considered racist. Now, many black individuals are divided on whether black or African American is the preferred term. I was also taught growing up that the color of our skin is not the basis to believe in ones superiority over another or their inferiority, but now if someone discounts or eliminates the discussion of color whatsoever they are seen as racist for ignoring the difference of color. In the end I am left more confused than when I started. Should we not be celebrating the attempts being made to understand one another in the melting pot of cultures that is America? Talking and discussing to further enlightenment?
As I grow older I relish new relationships and opportunities. After traveling outside the US for the first time in my life a few years ago I had a new found respect for how “spoiled” I had been in my life. It gave me new perspective on life and appreciate for other cultures and other people. I enjoy celebrating the differences all around us. Variation is one of the things that makes life so interesting and enjoyable. I may never know what it is like to be black, or woman or gay…to understand the stark difference in how easy I view life due to my pre placement in it and how difficult others may view life because of unjust hardships they have had to experience. But it does not mean I don’t want to understand or am not open to understanding and I should not just be labeled a “white” “racist”.
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@Robb,
Have people done that to you?
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The whole post refers to “white Americans”. I am a white American. When the term “whites” is used does it not directly refer to me as a white individual? It is possible I don’t understand the usage of the term.
On a side note, I used to be a process server (deliver legal papers about court appearances, etc). I always served papers with a respect for the person I was serving understanding that I was delivering bad news…sometimes seriously bad news. Part of my service area was in predominantly black or Asian neighborhoods of south Seattle. I have been called many racial names, threatened, and physically forced back to my car. Sometimes this did involve being called racist for being a part of the system that was oppressing the person I was delivering papers to. I chose not to engage because I did understand that what I was delivering was life changing at times and sometimes anger can make you say or do things. I saw it more as a situation of “shooting the messenger” to use a metaphor.
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Robb, if I said that “White Americans” elected President Obama, what would that mean to you? How many Whites would I be indicating?
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I honestly don’t know what it would mean to me. Probably that the white people who are citizens of America had a great influence on Obama being President. Maybe it would help for me to understand what exactly is “White American”. Not trying to be difficult, but if you are saying I am not specifically a part of it, as a white american, then I need some clarification
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@Robb
No it does not refer to you as an individual.
In a post I submitted last year (talking about Chinese-Americans in Mississippi during Jim Crow in the 1930s), I said
(https://abagond.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/chinese-americans-in-mississippi-under-jim-crow/)
I used the word “whites”.
Was that referring to you specifically as an individual? Were you a white person in Mississippi in the 1930-40s and had the power to decide whether or not a Chinese American would be admitted to a white hospital or a white swimming pool and to determine if he was part black or not?
I hope you can understand how the use of “whites” in the vast majority of this blog refers to relevant social and political force of the white demographic for that time and place. It does not refer to any individual. Even in 1930s Mississippi we can find a white doctor willing to treat a Chinese American patient even if they were refused admittance to the white hospitals. It makes a statement such as “Whites did not admit Chinese to the white hospital” any less a true statement.
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^ It DOES NOT MAKEa statement such as “Whites did not admit Chinese to the white hospital” any less a true statement.
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Thanks, jefe. That was a great illustration. I can see now that my initial defensive posture was misaligned. I do feel that it stems from being drilled in school never to utter “black” and that you must say “African American” or you are a racist. I think as people struggled to express feelings there were moments all people of all races probably got really touchy about certain words or topics. I think part of the problem is “White American” culture promoting kids to “just not talk about it” therefore “we aren’t racist.”
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@Robb
so what is your solution on how to fix this? Even you were taught the skill of “reading, writing and speaking while white”? How do we unlearn or unteach that? Can you see how it was not at all helpful in treating the white supremacist hierarchial nature of US society?
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@Robb
Did you go to a hyperwhite school (ie, >90% )or at least one with very few blacks (<10%)? I never met any blacks that thought "black" was particularly racist and should be replaced by the more colour blind word "African-American". Even when I see blacks use it, it is geared for a white audience.
Abagond discusses this on a post
(https://abagond.wordpress.com/2008/06/03/african-american/)
But notice that whites never use "European-American". Everyone else, however, is a hyphenated American.
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@jefe
Once I spoke about European Americans in a college class, and this white woman blew her top about “We aren’t all the same, don’t put us all in the same category, we have all different backgrounds.” People like that can’t even imagine having the hegemonic government and media term for your ethnicity imposed on you (“Hispanic”) and having to listen to it every single day in silence (and aren’t even aware that any of this happens).
On the Stuff White People Like list they include “To Be Offended”.
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@ Jefe
Thanks.
@ Robb
I pretty much agree with what Jefe has been saying to you on the “all Whites” thing. He threw you a link for a post I did on it.
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@ Robb
My own take on the use of racial language:
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When I was in school (young) I didn’t think about asking “well who said these words are or are not okay?”
I grew up in a suburb of Seattle. It was definitely less than 10% black. We had a pretty decent Hispanic and Asian (a lot of Samoan kids) population and I would say 60%-70% white. “African American” was one of about 8 “politically correct” terms I was taught and told that “black” shouldn’t be used. Its hard remembering things super clear from 20 years ago, but i remember several white friends who thought they were “very diverse” calling me racist for saying “black”. I was very shy and impressionable when I was young, hell, maybe I still am, but it hurt and stuck with me because I didn’t think I was racist for what I said and didn’t want to be labeled that way.
Thank you for the links.
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@jefe
“so what is your solution on how to fix this? Even you were taught the skill of “reading, writing and speaking while white”? How do we unlearn or unteach that? Can you see how it was not at all helpful in treating the white supremacist hierarchial nature of US society?”
I honestly don’t know how to fix it. It would seem to me that it has to do with what is taught to America’s youth.
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@Robb,
Well, it seems that you have made a first step. You seem now open to the idea that one can discuss “whites” without referring to each and every white American. Whether you pick the word “white” or another word, there has to be a way to discuss it as it is still here.
The term “African American” emerged in the 1980s as a way to view Americans in a colour blind fashion. Terms like “white” “black” “brown” “yellow” “red” sounded like political power movements to whites (and I am not referring to individual whites) that marked whites as racist, so a new politically correct vocabulary was devised to ease the discomfort that whites felt. This was even after the 5-race model of America was invented in the mid-late 1970s.
These replaced the Jim Crow terms of “colored” and “Negro”, where Negro was the politically correct term before the late 1960s, and “colored” was the segregation term. Both are now seen as dated. The term “Black” emerged to the forefront as a more empowering term to discuss white oppression and black struggle.
These terms made whites uncomfortable. It reminds them of a past they wish they simply could forget.
They thought by not thinking of colour, that racism would simply go away, hence the replacement by terms with no colour element to them. But it is interesting that no suitable term was invented to replace “white”. Whites rejected “European American”. But they need to apply non-colour terms to everyone else who isn’t white.
I did not hear the term “African American” until after I finished university. I still heard the Jim Crow terms in my early childhood (60s), but those were not the ones taught to me in school (70s). Then, it was “Black” and “White”. I just happened to come of age after Jim Crow but before Colour blind racism.
I hope you now understand that whites revised the education system in the 1980s-90s to avoid using colour terminology, by branding it racist. They are taught that by using colourless terminology, then they can avoid being racist. You even admit that that is what you learned. Now you see it doesn’t fix anything. It simply forces people to pretend it doesn’t exist, or use colourless code words to describe it.
Maybe you can elect to do some things as an “individual”. (I don’t have that much hope for “whites” in the sense of the political and social collective force.
1. Educate yourself.
There is a wealth of information on the past and present history of US race relations and domestic and international political ideology on this blog. You don’t have to agree with all of it, but at least it will get you thinking.
You can start with this one:
(https://abagond.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/colour-blind-racism/)
2. Do something about “what is taught to America’s youth”
You have a child, right? After educating yourself, you can explain to your children the political ideology used to handle racism that is taught in schools, and why that will not do much about fixing the race relations in the USA.
If you have time or motivation, you can escalate it to your kids’ school (teacher and principals) or even better, to the local district school board. Examine what is being taught in the schools and voice your opinion. Do not vote for school board members that advocate the spreading of racist ideology (including colour blind racism). But one needs to unlearn some things first.
3. Speak Out
You are taking an English class, right? The idea of how language use is altered to meet political ideologies and thought control is an excellent topic to write about. Maybe write an article or essay that will come under the eyes of whites.
This blog is not written for whites. But that doesn’t stop you from doing it.
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#5 and #6 are contradictory. Either blacks and Whites are basically the same, and it’s just a cosmetic difference, or they are deeply different, and race is an important category.
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