mrmiguu said:
And this is exactly where I think our emotionality clouds our reasoning abilities. I, along with many others, would never assert that the people we like to call minorities could never be racist. I know for a fact that I have been prejudiced and have allowed these prejudices to cloud my vision of who I thought a certain person or group of people could be. If I even slightly thought that my prejudices and then socio-political power hampered the personal or group development/access/mobility of that group, then I would definitely fall into the category of being a racist.
Your post reads like a modern textbook for a survey course in sociology. The fact is that the most raging racists out there have zero effect on any group's developmen/access/mobility. All it takes to be a racist is a belief that other races are inferior to your own.
Yes, certain ways of thinking and speaking can be categorized as racist
Yes, like the form that goes "All races are inferior to mine," and its analogs.
but that system of racism cannot be disconnected from its power dynamic.
You're begging the question. Yes, it certainly can. Using power to enforce racist doctrine is something else.
If we divorce it from the larger complex of classism and the capitalistic thought that gives rise to it so (un)naturally, then we lose the root and basis of our desire to adequately destroy it in our lives.
I'll pretend this makes sense. Classism has existed in far more non-capitalistic settings than in capitalistic ones. Classism exists in every single society. And so does racism, even among people of the same race (ex. Japanese vs Chinese).
We then start saying things that everyone is racist...
We realize that a lot of people don't know the definition of "racist"?
To suggest that "minorities" are just trying to dodge being racist is a narrow and emotionally-driven suggestion that only serves to deepen divides and side-step the history that it actually was European people who presided over the creation of the societies that institutionalized racism, classism and sexism to the degrees that we saw them and see them.
That's
complete bullshit. You think none of that ever existed on the African or Asian continent? You're kidding yourself.
I personally call "white" people Europeans because I know it's important for all people to remember that we ALL have cultural/geographical roots that help to define, not only our history, but our present and future....
Yeah, well, except that I'm not European, I'm American. My grandfather was European. He was also an engineer. I'm no more European than I am an engineer. So I'd really appreciate it if you'd
not call all "white" people Europeans.
whiteness and blackness talk of color and pain and narrow understanding....European, African, Asian, NATIVE American and other terms place us solidly and bravely back on the pages of historical clarity where we all belong.
I'd just as soon move forward, thanks. Understanding history is one thing, but I don't "belong" on the "pages of historical clarity." I belong in and to the 21st century, where people of all races, religions, genders, sexual orientations can work together to create Microsoft and YouTube and Sony and Toyota, while people who live in the "pages of historical clarity" work together to teach college, or serve us hot fries.
It is important to know the difference between the thought dynamic of prejudice and the power dynamic of racism. Even a moment of honest, genuine introspection will help us to see that. In that I am 100% assured. I've seen it happen. Watch a movie called "The Color of Fear" and alot of this stuff will become clear to us.
Yeah... I don't really trust Hollywood to teach me what to think, thanks.
We can brand anybody any label we please, but if it doesn't give us clarity to move forward into the light of positive human development, then we can throw it on the dung heap of botched historical discussions that are miles high. Whether Michael Richards is a racist or just prejudiced is not my concern, ultimately, as he has no way of directly withholding access to me in anything that I seek to endeavor. Now if the the modern Hollywood system of cinema creation makes it exceedingly difficult for Spike Lee to get the same access to distribution and funding than it does Steven Spielberg, then we can talk racsim.....if it's about Spike being an African person...if Spike was a sucky director, no sweat.....merit!.....but that's not the issue for Spike.
No, the issue for Spike is that he's had more than a few chances, but he's a one-trick pony with an axe to grind. Hollywood's about selling tickets, not giving people with terminal race paranoia a place to vent.
Let's hold off on the name-calling/labelling and turn up the heat on the SYSTEMIC instances that actually impact lives and livelihoods. Watch the HBO cablecast "The Corner" and you will begin to see how racsim lives in the lives of people in our world in our country (I say "our" loosely!)....but let's look at SYSTEMIC dynamics, access, mobility issues....and then when we can point a finger to a person and people (and we WILL), then we have a real conversation about something that will actually have a positive human impact in this day and time.
How about lets talk about what
actually happens as opposed to what HBO says happens? Look, the racism issue is like the crime issue. If you watch TV, you probably think that crime is rampant, given the number of CSIs and Law and Orders and Cops, etc., ad nauseum. People love to watch programs about criminals. They love to watch documentaries on Hitler too. And they love to watch programs about racism and racists. For some reason, people like to keep in touch with evil. Some people like to believe it's always right outside their door. But the truth is that it's a global economy now and ideas rule. If you have to great ideas, you win, no matter what color your are.
Peace to all who tickle here,
Peace to you as well!!