I have a friend who
has been trying to get me in the same place as one of her friends for months.
She wanted nothing more than for me and this kid to go rounds on whiteness and
racism. I’ll admit I made some mistakes, like assuming he had done minimal
research on the subject of racism in the context of the US and social
constructs (spoiler, he hadn’t), but I was also in that buzzed state where
everything is funny until it isn’t anymore. As a result I can’t remember
specifics, well that isn’t entirely true at one point he conceded I was right
about something and because I’m an asshole, I had to respond with “I know.”
Sometimes I forget
how insular my groups are. Even those friends I have who disagree with me can
usually recognize the value in what I’m saying, and honestly it has been a long
time since I’ve had a through conversation with any conservatives. People who
read this blog and disagree with me usually disagree on far left politics,
which white privilege and racism aren’t. I want to organize this in three
parts: social constructs, whiteness as a race, and the summary of the real
issue.
I’ve written about
social constructs before. And now I remember when he conceded my rightness. C
made assertions that race is biological and gave an analogy about chickens
sticking to their own (by color) on his family farm. They stick with one
another because of comfort, expectation, and fear. He noted that we as humans
should be above that (presumably because of higher thought), but it is base and
instinctual (bonus points for anyone else who started humming “All about that
bass”). I pointed out that doesn’t make since because we’re biologically
inclined to strengthen the gene pool by breeding with people genetically
different (SCIENCE, drops mic), that these distinctions are social constructs. Race
only means something because we’ve decided it should, and we know this because
it means different things in different places. For example, there are white
people in Mexico, who would be people of color by the US’s standards. I noted
that gender too is a social construct which we know because while the US (and
the West) have been slow to get on the bandwagon, gender isn’t a binary, and
some places like India has recognized a third gender for a long time (even if
not legally till recently). And like gender, race is evolving as well, with the
inclusion of Celtic and Jewish people (among others) in the white race. I
continued to make the argument that whiteness becomes more inclusive when white
power is perceived to be in jeopardy, and that the inclusion of some races in
whiteness pushes for the stratification of race between the racial binary of
white and black, which adds to racial tensions among people of color who may
for obvious reasons within a white supremacist society would want to distance
themselves from blackness, the perceived opposite of whiteness. This can play out in the model minority myth. This is particularly
interesting when it plays out because white supremacy is a zero sum game; you’re
either part or you’re not. However, minority groups drawing distinctions
between themselves to seem less like the opposite of white doesn’t make them
perceived as more white. In the struggle to end oppression this isn’t an
effective strategy instead it is a participation in white supremacy to continue
to inflict oppression. Personally, I think this is because for whiteness to
mean something, which is essentially it means to have power and privilege, then
we need to have the numbers to be in power, but also for it to be a restrictive
group i.e. everyone can’t be white for the system of oppression to work; this is
aided by intersections of privilege and oppression.
Let me be clear
because there seems to be some kind of confusion: white is a race. I know we’re
the default race which can give the illusion we are not raced, but we are. We
have a socially constructed meaning. At some point in the conversation C wanted
to know why we can’t have white pride. *Wait for it.* On the positive side of
things at least he knows we have a race. On the negative that is a very awkward
thing to say if you’re not a member of the Klan. He was referencing that other
races have pride in their race, but he claims society says we should be ashamed
of our race. I don’t know what society he’s living in. But yes, there is a
pride movement for minority groups in the US whether it be racial or sexual
orientation. Marginalized groups are grabbing onto the reasons they are being
discriminated against and saying fuck you to those in power and attempting to
generate their own. He wants people to feel that about being white. I argued
that we are the dominate culture and thus we can’t because we have power
already so we can’t look for it in the ways that the oppressed have to. If you
want to see white pride turn on the television or open a book because we’re the
default, we’re the norm, and that is pride and power. Don’t get me wrong, we
should liberate ourselves from participating in the oppression of others. Of
course, our mutual friend baulked at his use of the phrase white pride, and it
was awesome to watch. He claimed that it shouldn’t have the racist connotation,
but that is like racism because people have preconceived notions about white
pride like they do about people of color. To which we can only all shout NO
very, very loudly. These are not the same, and the social connotations are not
the same. Honestly, cry me a river that you want to be proud of your race and
you’re afraid people are going to think you’re a racist, well that is the price
you pay for participation in a racist society built by the exploitation of others. I then made a comment about “white
people, man, we’re terrible.” And he said that pisses him off when people say
that because it means all white people are terrible. I countered with no,
pointing out that the group is not representative of individuals. However,
taking issue with the statement because it feels like I’m distancing myself
from whiteness is legit, not the intention, but a legit criticism.
This brought us to
the real issue. No matter how many times I said, I’m not calling you a racist. That
is what he heard. At one point it dawned on me that was the issue. He was taking
everything personally. We weren’t talking about racism and structural
oppression; we were talking about his feelings. He asked me if I had seen the
John Stewart interview on white privilege from last week, which I hadn’t
because John isn’t left enough for me so I don’t often watch. And I don’t need
him to explain white privilege in four minutes. It is too complicated. C proceeds
to explain the argument that by claiming white privilege exists means he didn’t
work for what he has, that is some kind of handout. As a person who studies
welfare and has heard all about how we don’t need affirmative action because it
makes people lazy and unwilling to work this actually made me laugh in his
face. I pulled myself together, and explained the easiest player setting analogy.
Having privilege doesn’t mean you didn’t work hard it just means you didn’t
have to work as hard as someone with a more difficult player setting. Not your
fault, but true nonetheless. Also, I pointed out that everyone who participated
in the patriarchy participates in the oppression of others. Remember my
definition of patriarchy includes racial, class, etc. implications. The patriarchy
can only exist if racism, sexism, and classism exist. These systemic
oppressions are used to prop it up and center power with a specific group of
people. I participate in racism by not taking to the streets and overturning
the criminal justice system, which is built on racism. Letting these oppressive structures exist is
enabling them and participating. It sucks, but it is true. I participate in
classism by buying goods. In order to live in society as it is means to participate
in the structural oppression of others. I’m not letting anyone off here; if you’re
not tearing the system down then you are enabling it. There is no way to engage
with society with participating to a degree. We have to do what we have to do,
but don’t sit across from me saying you do nothing to participate that you're a helpless bystander because off all people white men have the most agency within our society. That said
participating isn’t the same as being a racist. [Aside, he argued that the
systems in place were racist, but are no longer so because we’ve taken the
racism out. I argued that isn’t possible that the racism has become less overt
and more wrapping in the cloak of classism. This is when I figured out he has
done nothing to research his views just decided he believed this stuff. I made
several recommendations for reading including the New Jim Crow and “The case for reparations” both of which he had a visceral
response to. I had to explain “The case for reparations” argument before he
would agree to look it up.] Finally, at some point he argued we can end racism
with education, which I said impossible with the racism already engrained in
the educational system…I don’t need white people teaching black kids about
racism. I think they already know. The education needed in schools about racism is how to tear down oppressive structures, and I don't think the state is going to fund that.
The real problems here
are 1. He took no time to investigate where his views and beliefs were coming
from (fear), 2. He takes everything personally because he is afraid to have
contributed to oppressive systems (and be called racist, so he's on the defensive), and 3. He is completely invested in keeping
the system as it is because it worked for him so it can work for anyone. If
this is what you’re bringing to the table then you’re not going to participate
in the overturning of oppressive structures. When it comes to oppression we all
mess up. Sometimes you’re going to directly hurt people and sometimes it is
going to be more indirect. Recognize it, own it, prevent it from happening
again, and move on. Do the work. In the end, we know you can't change people's minds through argument so I'm sure he went home thinking I'm nuts, but *shoulder shrug* there are zero fucks to be given.
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