One of the themes that I keep seeing as I peruse the rather lengthy list of racist incidents at college and university campuses is the idea of “real racism.” Comment after comment are posted on how nooses and blackface are not “real racism” and that dialogues about these events should not take place as they might dilute conversations about “real racism.” It should be noted that the majority of “real racism” commenters are usually anonymous white folks who have decided to say when “real racism” has occurred and when it is just “crying wolf.”
The concept of “real racism” is highly dubious at it constructs racism as something overt, malicious, and with intent. The majority of racist acts in 2007 at colleges and universities are not overt, malicious, or with intent.
“Real racism” conveniently erases most acts of racism by limiting conversations on racism to a white-majority defined dialogue that encompasses only what white folks “see” as racism. By labeling the majority of racist events as not valid or “real”, the majority culture at most universities can simply ignore acts of racism because of their own defining of what is and what is not racist.
It makes me wonder then where so-called “real racism” comes from if photos of blackfaces and hanging nooses are not racist?
Does “real racism” sprout forth from a context-less, history-free abyss? A seemingly random event?
Or perhaps it comes from all of the cumulative acts of racism that are covert, lacking in historical awareness, and without malicious intent? The events that are defined as “real racism” by the dominant paradigm have to come from somewhere. Racism begets racism, in all its forms.
Tags: Higher Education, Race, racism, Social Justice, student affairs, Thoughts Reflections
IMO, real racism occurs when there is intent. If there is no intent, it allows people who see even the most mundane things as racist to level that charge. When you try to apply racism to something that was never in any way meant that way, simply due to a superficial resemblance, I think you do dilute discussion on actual acts of racism. If you cry wolf too often, I think most people start to tune you out and when the wolf really is outside your door, no one comes to help.
FB, I can’t resist asking - what if someone grows up with a particular belief about a racial or ethnic group that happens to be factually and demonstrably false (for example, that Mexicans are lazy)?
When they express that belief, is that racism? There is obviously no intent to maim or harm, but the harm has been done.
What if the person, despite being shown evidence that the belief is factually incorrect, continues to repeat that belief? Is that racism?
I will concede there may be circumstances where there may be no intent to be racist but a racist comment can be made. (I appreciate that you are using racism in its strictest definition here.) However, there is a significant difference IMO, in a racist statement made from ignorance and one based on maliciousness.
However, I am not going to split hairs with you on this “real racism” concept. If there is no reasonable racial context to something, claiming racism rings hollow and I would not consider that racism. The whole OSU “blackface” issue is a perfect example of this.
What is the difference between a racist statement made from ignorance and one made from malice? Can you be more specific?
Derek, I’m going to blockquote your first comment as it is a direct example of what I am talking about in my post:
Where do you think “actual acts of racism” come from? Do they simply appear out of nowhere?
This conversation reminds me of what is taking place with students at PSU who did not intend to hurt the feelings/maim the dignity of students at VT.
Hurt without intent is still painful.
The definitions of malice and ignorance are pretty evident.
Eric,
Me saying that there has to be intent (note my subsequent caveat) does not limit that to anything. That is my opinion. You have yours. However, as I did eventually with the OSU football debate, I (and I suspect many others) will simply not engage in, what I consider to be, a spurious, invented topic. That is each of us expressing our freedom of expression. So if you want to take this as verification of your last comment in the quote, so be it. But I am not going to give credence to “crying racism.”
As for hurt and pain, yes hurt and pain occur. And as discussed in the OSU football debate, if you get hurt and upset over something that superficially reminds you of something, then I feel the responsibility lies more with that person. You cannot expect the world to revolve around your own impressions that cause you pain. If there is a “real” reason for that pain, then that is an entirely different story. I can hate to see someone be in that pain, but at some point they have to deal with what, in my opinion, is either hypersensitivity or an agenda because, if that is where that pains come from, there is not much I can do to alleviate that pain. It is not just in the area of racism, but I think people are far too quick to get offended in today’s society and then expect something to do be done about the fact that they are offended. I get offended all the time. That is just life. Unless they direct something at me, in most cases, they owe me no apology or remedy.
This is a textbook example of blaming the victim.
The most common example of victim-blaming that I’ve seen is the one in which women are partially or completely blamed for being raped or otherwise abused (the “but you asked for it/ you wore that skirt” argument).
I hope you can see why this is morally reprehensible, but in case you can’t, let me remind you: When a person - and that almost always means a woman - is raped, they the victim of an action by another. The rape (or crime in questions) would not happen without the actions of someone other than the victim.
Blaming the victim should be no more morally acceptable in other situations.
To use a less serious example: If I get my wallet stolen out of my loose, accessible back pocket, someone might say “but you practically invited the thief to steal it by not protecting it.”
That is completely irrelevant: The thief took the wallet. That is the transgression here, not where I placed my wallet.
I am making a normative moral argument here - in other words, I am arguing about how the world should be in order to be a just place.
Simply claiming “but this is the way the world works” is an admission that immoral, unjust situations are permissible, and I refuse to accept that we can’t change things.
Dennis,
This is such a weak argument that I probably should not even respond.
1. Even tangentially comparing getting offended at someone’s dress for a football game and rape is completely meaningless. Though less jaw-dropping but equally inapplicable is the comparison to having the wallet taken. In both cases, a crime as committed. Regardless of what one does to make commission of that crime easier, more inviting, etc. it is sitll a crime and the ultimate blame lies on the perpetrator. Sure, maybe you should be wise to lock your house to avoid a burglary and you did not help your case, but someone still broke a moral and legal code by coming in and taking your stuff whether the house was locked or not. Someone dressing up for a football has no intention of doing harm to anyone else, so these comparison are irrelevant.
2. Based on this response and others I have seen here, we are supposed to try to remedy situations where someone is offended/hurt/etc. even if there was no intent. Where is the line? What if my existence as a conservative, Christian, white male offends someone? Do I owe someone a remedy? What my neighbor is offended by the color I paint my house because it brings back a bad memory of an old girlfriend. Do I owe them some type of remedy? Should I have to repaint my house because they were offended? Can you see the problem with the assertion you are making here? If there is no intent, yet someone manages to link something completely unrelated to something they find offensive, then where is the line? And how can I be held responsible for a connection that you make?
I agree with changing society where change is needed. But I do not think we need to be walking around on eggshells, modifying everything we do, because someone finds some connection to something they find offensive.
Here is the bottom line and it may be a bit insensitive on the surface. You have no right to NOT be offended. I do have a right to express myself. Your non-right cannot trump my right. I understand that we should be careful how we use our rights if that directly is done to cause pain, but that is not the case in the example we are discussing.
Joseph Orosco, a philosophy professor at Oregon State University, has a post on his site titled, “It’s only racism when I say it is.” It definitely addresses the same themes as my post and may provide additional insights to this discussion…
First of all, malice needn’t be present in order for something/someone to be racist. It simply is not implied in the definition (“racism”). It is entirely possible to pre-judge without intending to do so. Many people who consider white the “normal” or “default” race don’t think that way maliciously. Still racist.
But insisting that you refuse to “walk on eggshells” when someone calls attention to how hurtful your actions have been IS MALICIOUS.
If, as you claim, racism consists only of those actions that are intended to cause harm (it does not), what does it mean when you dismiss people who try to educate you about harmful actions that come from ignorance? Is it not racist to claim that you just don’t have the time or will to have consideration for people who are not white? Basically you are saying that black people’s POVs and experiences don’t matter.
It would probably do you some good to actually listen to black people talk about their experiences with racism.
[…] http://ericstoller.com/blog/2007/12/02/real-racism/ […]
[…] The fall term at Oregon State University provides an example of this idea of doing nothing but saying that we are looking forward type of thinking. In the fall term, OSU’s community was focused on two separate racist incidents. A student wearing blackface was featured on the front of the campus newspaper (ensuing conversations, editorials, and Facebook groups underscored a campus climate that is not bereft of racism) and a noose was hung in the yard of an OSU fraternity. Both incidents received a lot of press and generated several meetings amongst campus community members. An official statement from President Ray was issued in November. […]