So this whole thing with Chris Matthews “forgetting that Obama is black” falls into that same range of racism as “Pretty for a black girl” and the “You’re not like those other black people” claptrap often espoused by the “I’m not racist, but…” crowd. They’re coded as compliments, but the subtext is still an ugly one that frames racism as being the fault of the oppressed. After all, if we’d all just be a credit to our race then our problems would go away right? Right. Oh wait, no that’s completely wrong.
Let me give you a quick history lesson on American race relations and what can happen when black people in this country are just going about their business. We can start with Rosewood, Florida. Now let’s move on to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and of course the riots that broke out right here in Chicago. What’s that? Oh, you think the early 20th century is ancient history? Okay. Let’s talk about a Baptist church in Selma, Alabama. Still too far in the past? Okay. Let’s come forward to cases like Lenard Clark’s or Abner Louima’s. Or this one on New Year’s Day 2010.
This incidents are as much a part of America’s racial history as the “I have a Dream” speech, traffic lights (invented by Garret A. Morgan, peanut butter, open heart surgery (successfully pioneered by Dr. Daniel Hale Williams), and all the other positive moments like the election of President Obama. I’ve heard people that claim to be colorblind (or post-racial) insist that the future hinges on seeing people without including race. Of course their future seems very…pale with some of the same people complaining about the continuing existence of institutions like the NAACP, HBCU’s, and other organizations that predate the Civil Right’s Movement.
I’ll buy that part of the problem is the failure of our educational system to teach history comprehensively, but that’s not the only reason for these attitudes. America’s efforts to “transcend” race are still about America’s efforts to forget the past entirely and of course to ignore anything happening right now that might require confronting reality. Racism isn’t going to go away as long as we try to pretend that ignoring race is a solution. The idea that race is something for POC to overcome is the equivalent of buying racism a new costume to replace the old hood.
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Transcending Race…A History Lesson
Quite the crowd they have over there at MSNBC, isn’t it? I saw this on YouTube along with Jon Stewart’s dissection of it. It was a real WTF moment. I wonder when we can expect Keith Olbermann’s soliloquy on Chris Matthews’ racism?
Can we also throw in “well-spoken” or “clean cut,” or, as a matter of fact, any sort of complimentary adjective which is followed by “black man/woman?” These ones drive me nuts, as much if not moreso than people recounting crimes/trials who throw in the perpetrator/defendant’s race for no apparent reason, other than to say “but hey, what can you expect from them AMIRITE”
I figure if there’s something said about race or racism, but it’s only ever white people saying it, then it’s probably not as racism-free as they think it is.
What I kinda wish these people would understand is that they’re hanging a big fat lantern on the fact that they never forget that other black people are black, oh no. The comment would be without significance otherwise.
In order to move past racism the past is going to have to be let go and the civil rights movement has to die.
White people are willing to do that(since it involves erasing their own guilt), but black people aren’t willing to let the civil rights crusade end.
Having a huge political machine contstantly shouting that not only are black people equal to other but that they are constantly being discriminated against puts white people on edge.
They don’t want to be reminded of the past and it creates an us vs them environment which perpetuates a desperate sort of racism.
If you ever hear a white person talk about how “we are losing the country” that is what he is talking about. People shouting “minority majority” are not helping matters since that makes white people even edgier. It should make black people stop and think too because the minority majority people are talking about is not black people its hispanics(my people) and asians. I don’t think the democratic party is honestly looking out for minorities it is honestly taking our votes and saying nice things to us while it does whatever lobbyists want.
If we want true equality instead of some nice pats on the head minorities should be with the Republican party. Yes there are some old school whites only people in the republican party, but honestly they were born in a very different time. Their message is most qualified person for the job and that is the message we should all be on board with. People no matter what color they are respect that message not the quota (we know you aren’t good enough to get the job or college admission on your own so we will get it for you) message of the liberals.
That just paints a big target on the backs of non white people. The goal of civil rights should be a colorblind society not a hypersensitive socitey.