Sociologist: White Supremacy So Deeply American That We Don’t Even See It
Options
1CK1S
Members Posts: 27,471 ✭✭✭✭✭
White supremacy is so deeply ingrained in American life that institutionalized racism doesn’t even need racists to persist.
Most Americans understand that racism is considered wrong, but many white people fail to see more subtle forms of racial prejudice that are more readily apparent to blacks and other minorities.
“The main problem nowadays is not the folks with the hoods, but the folks dressed in suits,” Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, a Duke University sociologist, told CNN. “The more we assume that the problem of racism is limited to the ? , the birthers, the Tea Party or to the Republican Party, the less we understand that racial ? is a collective process and we are all in this game.”
Bonilla-Silva calls this “racism without racists,” which is also the title of his book on American white supremacy.
He told CNN that the discussion about the fatal shooting of Michael Brown and the grand jury’s decision not to charge Officer Darren Wilson shows a need for Americans to update their language on race.
Many whites like to claim they “don’t see color,” often pointing out that they don’t care whether a person’s skin is green or purple – colors not commonly associated with human beings.
But research shows that’s simply not true.
Babies show a preference for their own race by about 3 months old, according to the book Everyday Bias, and another study showed white NBA referees call more fouls on black players while black refs call more fouls on white players.
“Human beings are consistently, routinely and profoundly biased,” said the book’s author, Howard J. Ross.
Another study he highlights in the book asked participants to look at photographs of a fight between two white men – one armed with a knife and the other unarmed.
Then the researchers showed a photo of a white man armed with a knife fighting an unarmed black man.
Most participants correctly identified the white man holding the knife in the first photo, but the study found most people – black and white – incorrectly said the black man had the knife in the second photo.
“The overwhelming number of people will actually experience the black man as having the knife because we’re more open to the notion of the black man having a knife than a white man,” Ross told CNN. “This is one of the most insidious things about bias. People may absorb these things without knowing them.”
Another study found job seekers with white-sounding names, such as Brendan, were 50 percent more likely to get invited to interviews than applicants with black-sounding names, such as Jamal.
Most of the people who called Brendan instead of Jamal would probably deny their decision was racially motivated, said a UCLA researcher who has studied racial bias.
“They’re not lying — they’re just wrong,” said researcher Daniel L. Ames.
These unseen biases might even be more destructive than overt racism, he said.
“They’re harder to spot, and therefore harder to combat,” Ames said.
White supremacy is hiding in plain sight, but it still carries the power to shock — as Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson did when he leveled the charge against former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Racism carries such a stigma that it tends to end conversations, rather than start them, so it sometimes softens the blow by referring to racist behavior as racial bias.
But that can be problematic, said Crystal Moten, a history professor at Dickinson College.
“Do you want to lessen the blow or do you want to eradicate racism?” Moten said. “I want to eradicate racism. Yes, I want opportunity for dialogue, but the impact of racism is killing people of color. We don’t have time to tend to the emotional wounds of others, not when violence against people of color is the national status quo.”
Comments
-
The other day I was wondering where the CNN specials on this topic are. They've been doing that "Black in America" ? (Soledad) as well as political stuff but never seem to want to go in depth on this subject.
-
Didn't read, but ? been knowing this ? .
-
we who?
people know whats up they just choose to ignore it
-
Didn't read, but ? been knowing this ? .
? been knowing, but ? don't really understand it. You can see that on this board. Most of the people on here think the average white person is a closet Klansman. The point of the article is that that's not really true. The article argues that the average white person might be racist, but it's not necessarily intentional and they aren't aware of it. The distinction is important because you wouldn't battle a klansman the way you'd battle someone who is just ignorant. For a klansman, violence may be the only way to beat him. For the ignorant person, that same tactic may only justify the racism that he/she didn't realize he/she harbored within. -
for White supremacy to be destroyed black people have to make ourselves better than white people in all things
-
for White supremacy to be destroyed black people have to make ourselves better than white people in all things
That wouldn't destroy white supremacy either. White supremacy will always exist in America as long as whites are the largest racial group. -
-
Another study he highlights in the book asked participants to look at photographs of a fight between two white men – one armed with a knife and the other unarmed.
Then the researchers showed a photo of a white man armed with a knife fighting an unarmed black man.
Most participants correctly identified the white man holding the knife in the first photo, but the study found most people – black and white – incorrectly said the black man had the knife in the second photo.
“The overwhelming number of people will actually experience the black man as having the knife because we’re more open to the notion of the black man having a knife than a white man,” Ross told CNN. “This is one of the most insidious things about bias. People may absorb these things without knowing them.”
...
Another study found job seekers with white-sounding names, such as Brendan, were 50 percent more likely to get invited to interviews than applicants with black-sounding names, such as Jamal.
Most of the people who called Brendan instead of Jamal would probably deny their decision was racially motivated, said a UCLA researcher who has studied racial bias.
“They’re not lying — they’re just wrong,” said researcher Daniel L. Ames.
They're lying. They know they're discriminating.
But I do believe that a lot of black people have the same negative assumptions about black people too.
-
The other day I was wondering where the CNN specials on this topic are. They've been doing that "Black in America" ? (Soledad) as well as political stuff but never seem to want to go in depth on this subject.
Because they'd have to come to the realization that they themselves are guilty of it too -
The Lonious Monk wrote: »
I would have to disagree their personal sense of being better might remain but if we actually surpass them in every area. Who cares about their attitudes.
-
I don't buy the "they don't realize it" rhetoric.
It's a cop out. -
That's the thing. They FEAR the day we realize this. They want it installed in our heads that will always be inferior to them. This ? is all by designfor White supremacy to be destroyed black people have to make ourselves better than white people in all things
-
The Lonious Monk wrote: »
I would have to disagree their personal sense of being better might remain but if we actually surpass them in every area. Who cares about their attitudes.
Who cares about their attitudes now? If they thought they were superior but still gave Blacks a fair chance, would you give a ? ? Asians beat them out in a lot of areas, and while they are happy to put Asians on top of the minority pile, it ain't like they are out there trying their best to do right by Asians. -
The Lonious Monk wrote: »The Lonious Monk wrote: »
I would have to disagree their personal sense of being better might remain but if we actually surpass them in every area. Who cares about their attitudes.
Who cares about their attitudes now? If they thought they were superior but still gave Blacks a fair chance, would you give a ? ? Asians beat them out in a lot of areas, and while they are happy to put Asians on top of the minority pile, it ain't like they are out there trying their best to do right by Asians.
You are missing the point if black people achieved what I suggested we would not have to worry about anyone giving us a fair chance nor could anyone put us on top because in all areas that matter we would putting ourselves there. -
blackamerica wrote: »
I don't think black children grow up understanding that they have
To destroy their competition.
I personally see white supremacy as a challenge and nothing is sweeter than beating a white person at anything. Watching their envy and jealous passive aggressive anger is better than sex -
ThirdEyeFive wrote: »I don't buy the "they don't realize it" rhetoric.
It's a cop out.
My ? my ? my ? ...
-
Winnie Mandela wrote: »
Babies show a preference for their own race by about 3 months old, according to the book Everyday Bias, and another study showed white NBA referees call more fouls on black players while black refs call more fouls on white players.
I read some studies about this in graduate school, their are many recent studies that currently show a younger preference than 3 months, now. However, yes white supremacy is deeply ingrained in American society. The great majority of black peoples sexual attraction and sexual preferences to non-blacks is rooted in white supremacy. ... and they don't even know it. Yet, you just thought Kim Kardashan, Coco... and some random Latina looked good, come again.
The reality is.... everyone has a preference for their own, where by nature they work, develop, and create for the interest of their people. However, black people due to slavery view this as abnormal. When in reality racism could possibly be a natural element. Black people are so consumed with white people and their racism towards them, that they fail to note that Hispanics, Asians, Arabs ect are just as racist to blacks than whites are. As long as blacks continue to seek validation they will continue to suffer psychologically. White people have shown you who they are since you been on these shores.... and now you expect them to change?
Since the Obama presidency black people have become blind... blind due to the fact other races will now have sex with you... blind because theirs a biracial man in the white house... blind because some black kid from the hood is now living it up... Like Cornell West said ferguson represents the end of the post racial/ color blind society Obama represented, and what many blacks fell into. Especially the younger generation.
Arabs and Hispanics can be black bruh. -
Mind control is real.
-
for White supremacy to be destroyed black people have to make ourselves better than white people in all things
we are already better than white people. -
ThirdEyeFive wrote: »I don't buy the "they don't realize it" rhetoric.
It's a cop out.
willful ignorance.. its 2014 were living in a time where boundless information is available at a moments notice. I pull out my phone and Google random ? I don't know how many times a day.. if your "ignorant" to ? like this in this day and age.. its by choice bruh.. -
for White supremacy to be destroyed black people have to make ourselves better than white people in all things
Or just breed them off the planet which is currently happening. Whites have been minority in Toronto for a couple years now. -
I stopped reading at sociology.
-
Whites are minorities in many areas and they still rule. They are minorities in south america and they run that ? .
I am also not willing to replace white supremacy with Asian supremacy which is exactly what would happen if black people don't work harder on ourselves -
ThirdEyeFive wrote: »I don't buy the "they don't realize it" rhetoric.
It's a cop out.
willful ignorance.. its 2014 were living in a time where boundless information is available at a moments notice. I pull out my phone and Google random ? I don't know how many times a day.. if your "ignorant" to ? like this in this day and age.. its by choice bruh..
Willful ignorance implies it is deliberate. I doubt White people get to google and think "I could look at some police brutality statistics, but I think I'll just look for some cat memes instead" -
cannonspike1994 wrote: »
Sadly this is not so at least not in the areas that count.
They have better educational attainment and access to more capital
