Racism-problem

RacismGoalisJusticenotGuiltIftheKKKkeepspeopleoutofschool,weunderstandthatasracismButifFewerPeopleofColorCanAffordtoAttendPrivateSchools,CollegeandGraduateSchoolsIsthatRacism?Racismis“systematizedoppressionofoneraceofanother.Inotherwords,thevariousformsofoppressionwithineverysphereofsocialrelations—economicexploitation,militarysubjugation,politicalsubordination,culturaldevaluation,psychologicalviolation,sexualdegradation,verbalabuse,etc.—togethermakeupawholeofinteractinganddevelopingprocesseswhichoperatesonormallyandnaturallyandaresomuchapartoftheexistinginstitutionsofsocietythattheindividualsinvolvedarebarelyconsciousoftheiroperation”JamesBoggs,RacismandtheClassStruggle147-148.RacismisPrejudicePlusPowerNotJustWhiteandBlackRacialJusticeEconomicJusticeGenderJusticeAreIntertwinedRacismisasinRacismisasin:asinthatdividesthehumanfamily,blotsouttheimageofGodamongspecificmembersofthatfamily,andviolatesthefundamentalhumandignityofthosecalledtobechildrenofthesameFather.Isn’tRacismOver?BecausetheCourtshaveeliminatedstatutoryracialdiscriminationandCongresshasenactedcivilrightslegislation,andbecausesomeminoritypeoplehaveachievedsomemeasureofsuccess,manypeoplebelievethatracismisnolongeraprobleminAmericanlife.DistinguishBetweenPersonalPrejudiceandPersonalActsversusSystemicandInstitutionalPreferencesforWhitesMovementtowardauthenticjusticedemandsasimultaneousattackonbothracismandeconomicoppression.Thecontinuingexistenceofracismbecomesapparentwhenwelookbeneaththesurfaceofournationallife.LookbeneaththesurfaceBishopspointto5areasthatillustratecontinuingracism:EmploymentEducationHousingCriminalJusticeOppositiontoAffirmativeActionEducation?•African-Americansreceivemoreandtougherdisciplinaryactionthantheirwhitecounterparts,evenforthesameinfraction.•Drop-outrateisfarhigherthantheirwhitecounterparts'rate.HousingSegregationPatternsOppositiontoImmigrantsBlackscomprise13percentofthenationalpopulation,but30percentofpeoplearrested,41percentofpeopleinjail.HumanRightsWatch:IncarcerationandRaceOppositiontoAffirmativeAction:HISTORYRacismhasbeenpartofthesocialfabricofAmericasinceitsEuropeancolonization.WhetheritbethetragicpastoftheNativeAmericans,theMexicans,thePuertoRicans,ortheblacks,thestoryisoneofslavery,peonage,economicexploration,brutalrepression,andculturalneglect.Nonehaveescapedoneoranotherformofcollectivedegradationbyapowerfulmajority.FoundersofCountry?Theeducational,legal,andfinancialsystems,alongwithotherstructuresandsectorsofoursociety,impedepeople'sprogressandnarrowtheiraccessbecausetheyareblack,Hispanic,NativeAmericanorAsian.Thestructuresofoursocietyaresubtlyracist,forthesestructuresreflectthevalueswhichsocietyupholds.Theyaregearedtothesuccessofthemajorityandthefailureoftheminority.Membersofbothgroupsgiveunwittingapprovalbyacceptingthingsastheyare.WhatisStructuralRacism?ImportanceofStructureCanYouRestrictWithOneWire?DependsonHowYouArrangetheWiresStructuralRacismDirectsUstoExaminetheWaytheWires(Institutions)AreInterconnectedPerhapsnosingleindividualistoblame.Thesinfulnessisoftenanonymousbutnonethelessreal.Thesinissocialinnatureinthateachofus,invaryingdegrees,isresponsible.Undertheguiseofothermotives,racismismanifestinthetendencytostereotypeandmarginalizewholesegmentsofthepopulationwhosepresenceperceivedasathreat.Racismismanifestalsointheindifferencethatreplacesopenhatred.Theminoritypoorareseenasthebyproductofapost-industrialsociety--withoutskills,withoutmotivation,withoutincentive.Theyareexpendablepeople.RaceDisadvantageWehavelongsincegrownaccustomedtothinkingofBlacksasbeing“raciallydisadvantaged.”Rarely,however,dowerefertoWhitesas“raciallyadvantaged,”eventhoughthatisanequallyaptcharacterizationoftheexistinginequality.HarlonDaltonRaceAdvantageInmyclassandplace,IdidnotrecognizemyselfasaracistbecauseIwastaughttoseeracismonlyinindividualactsofmeannessbymembersofmygroup,neverininvisiblesystemsconferringunsoughtracialdominanceonmygroupfrombirth.PeggyMcIntosh,1988Today'sracismflourishesinthetriumphofprivateconcernoverpublicresponsibility,individualsuccessoversocialcommitment,andpersonalfulfillmentoverauthenticcompassionHowstarttocombatracism?Startwiththeunderstandingthatracismis“hard-wired”intooursocietyandinstitutions.Itisliketheelectricwiresinthewalls,ortheplumbing,ortheairandheatductwork.Invisible.Important.AlwaysThere.Itisalife-longstruggleforjustice.BewillingtomovebeyondyourcomfortzoneTransformativeEducationEducateSelfandCommunityabouthistoryandrealityofthebarriersofstructuralracismHowitaffectsus,Howitaffectsothers.CREATEasafeenvironmentforopenandhonestdiscussionStudyBishopsPastorals“BrothersandSistersAll”ListentoPeopleofColorThereareresourcesfortraining&experthelpQuestionsforReflection•PersonalobservationsofexamplesofPrejudicePlusPower?•StructuralorInstitutionalRacismincommunity–Housingpatterns?Criminaljustice?Education–public&private?Employment?ResponsetoAffirmativeAction?EconomicJustice,GenderJustice•Notaboutguilt,butidentifyingandchallengingunearnedprivilegeandreplaceitwithJustice.Dr.ShawnCopelandandBillQuigley