Racism and Society

The video in class today brought up some very complex and important questions regarding race relations both in this country and abroad. My favorite quote in the entire movie was by the professor that said reparation is a process not a single event. This is so true because a single commemoration or financial reparation will not undo the harm caused by slavery, segregation, and white supremacist ideology. And, there's no way that someone can point the finger at specific people today and make them pay out of pocket for the wrongs done by their ancestors--that will not fix the problem; it will only regenerate the cycle of animosity and blame. Blame and shame should be pointed towards the people that directly benefited from slavery and perpetuated segregation, as well as those continuing to hold white supremacist ideals.

The way to heal rifts caused by slavery is to first acknowledge the wrongdoing, which some legislation has done. I don't know how African Americans would feel about a government apology, though because to me it seems a bit empty. In order to truly repair the damage done by a racist government, it needs to create funds and programs to aid the economic development of impoverished families. Instead of harping on the past and focusing on blame and hate, people must look to the future. The government needs to step in and replace former impediments with equalizing legislation. But, the government cannot make racist people unracist. Culture underlies politics, and if the culture changes, so will the politics. Maybe if people realize that racism is on its way out, they will conform quicker.

One quote in particular that was disturbing to me was said by the co producer. She said that she and "her people" are angry at whites and they should feel guilty for slavery and its aftermath. Her statement is racist and exemplifies how harping on the past only irritates current discourse. I don't appreciate this because I never agreed with slavery, segregation or race superiority and I am white. I truly do feel for those that have been oppressed or are poor because of racialized legislation in this country, although I have never directly experienced that oppression myself. Blanket statements regarding race are pitfalls in the discourse for obvious reasons. I know that all people are valuable and equal and the only true impediments for upward social mobility in this country are money and thus education (and for ethnic immigrants: language), not race or country of origin. The problem of class inequality will probably never be solved, but the unequal distribution of races among the classes is wrong and should be attended to.

Real equality in this country should be our number one goal because hypocrisy is unacceptable. Truman had to integrate the army because Germany dropped pamphlets on Black regiments referring to our hypocritical policies. How can we propagate equality for Iraqis and hand them our fashion of democracy when that's not even the case at home? We've come far in the past 60 years but we still have racist attitudes in this country. I don’t know if racism will ever go away because it is the most visible feature about a person. Yet, through culture we can make it the least relevant or important.