This is a hard article to write, for I am a white person who doesn’t want to be defensive—or racist. But last month I was a bit disconcerted when I saw that a respected acquaintance asserted on Facebook that all white folk are racist. (I assume he used the word racist as an adjective rather than as a noun.)
What is Racism?
Like most controversial terms, racism (or racist) is not easy to define to everyone’s satisfaction.
Here is the Oxford online dictionary definition of racist (as an adjective): “Showing or feeling discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or believing that a particular race is superior to another.”
In many circles today, racism is understood as racial prejudice plus power, and I think that is a helpful depiction of the issue. Racism is experienced negatively primarily by those who are minorities and without significant social or political power.
Thus, racism is closely linked to both white supremacy and white privilege, with the latter being a by-product of the former. While many whites, such as I, may eschew the concept of white supremacy, it is undeniable that all of us whites benefit from white privilege.
Are All Whites Racist?
Two years ago I read and reviewed Leroy Barber’s new book, Embrace: God’s Radical Shalom for a Divided World. (Here is the link to my review of that book.) Then in November of last year, I was quite pleased when Barber, who is an African-American, was the guest preacher of the church where June and I are members.
Barber preached a good sermon, and after the worship service we had a restaurant meal with him, our pastor, and a few others. All of us were white except for Barber, but it seemed to be a good and cordial time.
Shortly after that, Barber and I (Leroy and Leroy) became Facebook friends, but soon I began to feel a little uneasy with some of his posts. They were mainly for his black friends, it seems.
So, it was with some consternation that I read a Barber FB post last month in which he asserted that “all white folk are racist.” (That posting, and the many comments on it, can be found here.)
It was disappointing to read Barber’s posting, for I thought he was working for reconciliation and that my pastor and many in our church, including me, were allies working with him in combating racism with the goal of full equality and mutual respect for all people.
Barber's blanket statement that all of us whites are racist was not helpful.
What Can We “Racist” Folk Do?
This coming weekend, Sept. 28~30, Rainbow Mennonite Church (RMC) will be holding a symposium on “The Ongoing White Supremacy of Our Everyday Lives: Consider, Confront, Change.”
Our guest speaker, who will deliver two keynote talks and the Sunday morning sermon, is Dr. Jalane Schmidt, a bi-racial professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia and the co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Charlottesville.
It will be interesting to hear what she has to say to us RMC’s church members, most of whom are white, about being racist. It will also be interesting to hear what she will suggest about changes we need to make.
Perhaps all of us who benefit from white privilege are so much a part of the problem that there is little we can do to solve the persistent problem of racism.
Maybe the best we whites can do is just to seek to understand the ravages of racism from the standpoint of people of color—and to keep trying to chip away the structures of white supremacy in American society.
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Yesterday I also read these statements by Austin Channing Brown, whose book "I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness" was published earlier this year.
ReplyDelete“White people desperately want to believe that only the lonely, isolated ‘whites only’ club members are racist. This is why the word racist offends ‘nice white people’ so deeply. . . . Sadly, more white people are more worried about being called racist than about whether or not their actions are in fact racist or harmful” (p. 104).
“White people don’t want to believe that we sense the discomfort, hear the ignorance, notice the ways they process race, our bodies, our presence. We know them; we know they are racist” (p. 105).
I would prefer to have sent this by email, but that system crashed last night.
ReplyDeleteSome people and organizations are bent on looking for trouble rather than goodwill or reconciliation. At one time "racist/ racism" had a viable meaning, as you quoted from the dictionary. But like so many other words in common usage, the definition has changed and "racist" is now a swear word. It is not just used at people who have less skin melanin. I have also heard the term used between African Americans and African immigrants back and forth. It is a term of hatred - and sometimes we need a term to voice that feeling. Sadly, it has also become a new "heresy" - something from which one cannot repent, as you have described.
Thankfully, most people are of goodwill, not trouble-makers. I have never heard the term used by my African American friends. (In fact, I am far more likely to hear it from "white" acquaintances. There does, and will always need to be reconciliation, because people feel hurt, for we are human. From that we can repent and rebuild friendships hopefully. But for those who seek trouble, just avoid them. And don't fret swear words. Hopefully the other party can develop a better vocabulary of goodwill and friendship.
Lord have mercy on me a sinner.
It was not yet 6:30 when I received these significant comments from a local Thinking Friend:
ReplyDelete"Troubling blog on a subject I have long pondered. Though I have tried to be color- blind, I fear I sometimes fail the test— that is, when I am willing to be truly honest with myself. Yes, I am a social worker who stands up for equality across the board. Yes, I have seen first-hand the ravages of small minds that can’t embrace ONE humanity. Yes, I have tried to feel with blacks and others oppressed, the pain of daily hardship and rejection.
"But look where I live and the places in our city I refuse to go and the inner emotion I experience when faced with a poor black teen who isn’t regarding me, warm and fuzzy. Sad but true, I am not even close to color-blind. Instead, I can only promise to keep working on myself and be open to becoming like my children in San Francisco who are teaching their children and me to take race out of my vocabulary."
I think these are very helpful comments--and what is said in the first part of the second paragraph is largely about the structures of white supremacy that allows us whites to experience white privilege.
DeleteThere is a reason why most people live where they do, and while it is not necessarily a racist choice by each white person who enjoys living in a "good" neighborhood, there is probably considerable racism behind why there are "good" neighborhoods" and "bad neighborhoods."
About ten minutes later I received these comments from an elderly (meaning he is in his 80s as I am) Thinking Friend in the Deep South:
ReplyDelete"Friends do not use words like racist to describe their friends. Thinking friends think before they speak. When a person resorts to name calling, he/she has quit thinking."
Yes, it is hard to see accusations of all whites being racist as something other than name calling. But that is the reason I wanted to give Rev. Barber the benefit of the doubt by saying he is using the word as an adjective rather than as a noun.
DeleteTo say all white people are racists defines who they are in a negative way (as least to most people's point of view). To say they are racist describes some (many or most?) of their actions.
While some of us whites may not be racists, we still may be "guilty" of various racist attitudes and actions from time to time--and that may be Barber's (and Brown's) main point.
And then these comments from another local Thinking Friend:
ReplyDelete"Thanks for your courage in tackling a very difficult topic with sensitivity. You help move me forward in these difficult times. The Southern Poverty Law Center produces excellent resources on white supremacy and hate groups."
June and I have been supporters of the SPLC since 2004 when we moved back to the States, and I agree that they do much valuable work in combating hate groups, including those groups advocating white supremacy.
DeleteBecause of their good work, I don't know what is gained by African-Americans when they say that all whites, including co-founder of the SPLC Morris Dees (who is a white man), are racist.
Another local Thinking Friend sent the following substantial comments by email:
ReplyDelete"A difficult, troubling subject indeed. My own take is that most if not all whites, myself included, are racist in the sense that in meeting a person we will notice that person’s race. Having grown up in the segregationist South (yep, that old), I have heard it argued that the minds of those of us in that category are permanently programmed in our youth to think of African-Americans as different and inferior. If that is the case, I have tried desperately to correct myself as I have gone through life in contact with a wide variety of people, but I cannot step outside of myself and say for certain that all vestiges of that are gone. Others will have to judge by my words and actions.
"Having said that, I strongly suspect that blacks are racist in the same sense—they notice immediately the race of the persons they meet. None of us, unfortunately, live in a race blind society. What I hope for is that in both cases any further judgments depend on what happens next--judge the individual by words and actions. Maybe the unconscious mind is programmed (I hope not in my case but cannot prove a negative) for stereotyping, but consciously erase any stereotypes and move on. The effort to try to do that has been enormously rewarding in my personal relationships, however imperfect my white mind may be."
I appreciate these thoughtful comments--and they express part of the reason I am troubled by the blanket statement that all whites are racist: they emphasize a stereotype rather than an assessment of the words and actions of many whites, like this TF, who are working for a more just and equal society for blacks.
DeleteI just now received the following comments from a Thinking Friend in Kentucky:
ReplyDelete"That is thoughtful, Leroy. I don’t think all white folks are consciously and with purpose aforethought racist, but I have to admit that prejudice toward blacks or people of other ethnic backgrounds lingers subtly in my thinking. When I go to Wendy’s and am not treated like I think I should be, there creeps subtly into my mind, 'Oh, she’s black! What did you expect?' We should be attentive to such traces of racism."
I also appreciate this honest comment. Perhaps those subtle thoughts are so universal among whites that it is, in fact, true to say that all whites are racist. But, as I tried to say in the previous response, don't our words and actions need to be considered as well as, and perhaps more than, the lingering "traces of racism"?
DeleteThis is a Very interesting subject and one I suppose will be with us until we enter Eternity!
ReplyDeleteI try and start with the fact that we have Nothing to do with how we come into the world and who we are.
This helps me have Tolerance with whoever I come in contact with; regardless of their race.
Remember, we are All human and Not perfect; so we need to be aware of this as we communicate with others.
We need to look to GOD for our strength and tolerance of others so we can fulfill what we are instructed to do in our Bible.
My Pray is that we will Love others as ourselves and be Kind to All peoples.
Blessings to All,
John(Tim) Carr
Good to hear from you again, John Tim, and I appreciate your comments.
DeleteYes, how I wish it were possible for all of us, especially those of us who are people of faith, to just see every person regardless of race, gender, or whatever as equally human beings created in the image of God and to be treated (loved) equally as persons created in the image of God.
Surely that is the goal for which we must strive--but we who have been privileged probably will have to work hard to correct all the errors (sins) of the past when many people (people of color, women, LBGTQ people, etc.) have not been respected equally and have not been treated justly.
ReplyDeleteI think it is extremely important for us -- especially white Americans -- to own our racism. I don't think you can grow up in the United States without being racist. Is it a matter of degree? Of course. Is it often largely unconscious? Of course. Do good people work not to be. I certainly hope so. I suspect people can be free of racism only insofar as they grow up or live for long periods of time in multi-racial circumstances in a culture where race is not an issue.
Yes, growing up in a culture where whites are a very small minority, my children's "racism" is quite different, I think, than for whites who grew up in the U.S.
DeleteHere are very helpful, thoughtful comments from Thinking Friend Tom Nowlin in Arkansas:
ReplyDelete"Your article this week made me think of black philosopher George Yancy’s December 2015 New York Times article entitled 'Backlash,' an article I recently read in a philosophy class dealing with communication and discourse analysis. I believe this piece helps us understand the perspective Barber (whom you mention) as a black man brings and what he means when he refers to all whites as 'racists.' Like you, I am a bit taken aback when this type of language is directed at me. I certainly see myself as the least racist person you (or I) can imagine. In fact, I do not see myself as a racist at all!
"In this piece, Yancy initiates his race discussion by first relating himself as a sexist (humbly and somewhat diminutively), simply by virtue of his maleness within the bigger universal picture. He uses this approach to say, hey, look, I might deny that I am a sexist but as a male I am still a part of the male gender system that 'sexualizes' women. He then applies the same logic to 'race' and 'racism.' By making his case this way he calls our attention in his mind to the real possibility of being in a different way what one denies. He sets the individual understanding of identity against the universal aspects of identity. We are both -- individual identity and universal identity -- but because we can objectify and thereby separate ourselves from the established 'racists' discourse we tend to separate ourselves from this universal aspect of our identity. Though we may individualize ourselves from the universal and established discourse, we are still identified with the system. To say otherwise, is to deny our universal selves.
"Applied to race, by association with the universal concept of 'whiteness,' we are unavoidably a part of the system of 'whiteness' (including white privilege, racism, etc.), even though our particular actions as individuals would say otherwise. This is what makes our actions so much more significant when we act differently than the 'white' universal system. This makes our contrary actions so much more powerful.
"In short, the counter-discourse of Yancy and Barber being presented is not so much individualized as it is universalized. I believe there is a Foucauldian aspect of post structuralism in this discourse. You and I as individuals may not individually act as racists but in the more detached universal sense are inherently a part of the 'white system' in some measure, and in some sense a part of the greater 'racists' system. In a universal sense then, according to this understanding of discourse analysis, we are indeed 'racists.' Individually, we are not."
"This is my take on Yancy, Barber, and similar discourse… Thank you for making us all think!"
Thank you so much, Tom, for your thoughtful and helpful comments. I did not know of George Yancy, and I appreciate you introducing him.
DeleteAs he often does, Thinking Friend Eric Dollard in Chicago shares highly pertinent comments:
ReplyDelete"Thanks, Leroy, for your thoughts on this difficult issue.
"I think that all of us, regardless of race, are racists to some extent because it is built into our psychological defense mechanisms. We are all a bit leery of those who are different. But these sentiments need to be resisted. I have no desire to be a racist and I do not regard any specific race as superior, even though I sometimes have to struggle against this leeriness of those who are different. Ultimately, there is only one race--the human race.
"I am definitely a beneficiary of white privilege. This is sad in the sense that everyone, regardless of race or gender, should have the same opportunities and privileges I enjoyed. Those of us who have lived in the cocoon of white privilege cannot fully understand the indignities and discrimination that people of color must endure in their day-to-day lives because we have never had to endure racial discrimination. And even though we cannot fully understand, we still have a moral obligation to work to end discrimination against all minorities, and women, who are so often victimized by men of all races."
Thank you, Eric, for your good comments. Your linking racism and sexism is in line with what TF Tom wrote in the previous comments about George Yancy's ideas.
DeleteA while back I had the privilege of seeing a local production of the musical "Avenue Q." which is a combination of Sesame Street (complete with both people and puppets) and real life adult problems. One song I especially remember is "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist." The song ripped through the cast and convicted all of them. It was a humorous demonstration of Paul's warning "for now we see through a glass darkly." When we combine what we know about institutional racism with what we all hold in ignorant racism, you do not have to one of those people shouting down "Black Lives Matter" with "White/Blue Lives Matter" to be a racist. Admitting that we are not free of racism is just part of acknowledging "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
ReplyDeleteFor a little more about the show "Avenue Q" see this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenue_Q
Thanks, Craig, for your comments. I had not heard of "Avenue Q," and I look forward to learning more about it.
DeleteAs I will be writing more about in my Oct. 5 blog article, Jim Wallis's 2016 book is titled "America's Original Sin"--and that, of course, is racism as manifested against both indigenous peoples of North America as well as enslaved people from Africa.
I was also intrigued with a quote I read in the Economist last month--and may expand on later: "White privilege is the secular white person's Original Sin."
About ten hours ago I received the following "confession" from a Thinking Friend, and close personal friend, in New York:
ReplyDelete"I have just read your blog “Are All White People Racist?” Thanks for the blog. I have just discovered how racist I was.
"I give money to some charities. At least I give my consideration to each request/mail I receive and weigh and choose the ones I want to give to. When I was sorting through the request mail the other day, I caught myself just throwing away any black related request and then saved all other requests to review and give. Unconsciously I rejected all the black related requests without any thought. I was shocked, why? I examined myself and discovered that it was my racism on unconscious level. I have given money to number of church/mission, social and environmental justice organizations plus number of Native American groups/issues. . . .
"I worked with all my heart to support social, environmental, racial and political justice and I didn’t have any problem on the level of my brain/head, but I discovered my racism against African-Americans deep down on unconscious level with some kind of hatred. So I sent some money to a Black college and they responded right away with a great joy.
"This is my confession."
I wish all of us could be as honest, and as pro-active, as this dear Thinking Friend!
DeleteYesterday afternoon a local Thinking Friend sent me an email with the following question and comment:
ReplyDelete"I’m confused. Does white privilege imply all whites enjoy the benefits so are all racist? I know being white has some cultural privilege as does being rich. Seems like racism is not trying to fix it, not caring that it is true."
There are some, it seems, who definitely imply that all who enjoy the benefits of white privilege are racists. But I do not find that to be a helpful way for people of color to enlist white people of goodwill as their allies in combating racism.
DeleteAnd then this morning I received the following as part of a long email from a Thinking Friend in Texas:
ReplyDelete"Thanks Leroy. I'm a recovering Southern Baptist. That being said, I'm also a recovering racist. When I relapse, I find myself thinking stereotypical thoughts about our African-American sisters and brothers. I guess I'm also a recovering misogynist, for I started typing 'brothers and sisters,' then changed it.
I think "sexist" would have been a more appropriate word than "misogynist" in this statement, but I appreciate this TF seeing that even the order in which we mention groups of people indicates, perhaps, whom we think are more important.
DeleteSince misogynist literally "woman-hater," I think sexist is more appropriate since it means "relating to or characterized by prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex." The latter is seen, perhaps, in our "normal" way of saying brothers and sisters, men and women, and boys and girls.
Sometimes these blogs bring back bad memories. I have frequently been called a racist. Usually a questionable organization looking for trouble (may it find them). Another recovering Southern Baptist (former friend) I grew up with has also called me this swear word, since we were white and had lived in sub-Saharan Africa for a number of years. Forget that we had many African friends with whom we grew up, as well as many other nationalities.
DeleteBut it also brought back the memory of Church World Service's support of ZANU-PF's war against immigrants who had lived there for hundreds of years. I prefer the phrase "Killing Christians in the precious name of Jesus." All a part of Soviet imperialism to control the natural resources - copper, gold, diamonds, uranium... Look at the tyrannical devastation since.
Leroy, I've been meaning to read this for sometime and apologize for my delayed response. Our university has hosted Leroy Barber a couple of times and I've read his book. I've no problem acknowledging that "I'm a racist" because of the benefits my skin allow me without my doing anything other than existing in said skin. James Cone reminds us that there's no repentance without reparation and for me, acknowledgement is the first tiny step toward something more whole. For Leroy to name it for me I see as truth telling. When it causes discomfort, which it will, that says more about my privilege and desire to not appear but still maintain, than it being a wrong accusation.
ReplyDeleteDrew, I appreciate your comments, and I was interested to know that you had heard Leroy Barber and read his book, which I still think is a helpful one. As I said in my review of it, I thought the chapter about Black Lives Matter was constructive.
DeleteAnd I agree with you about all of us who are white being the beneficiaries of white privilege. And certainly I don't disagree with the complaints of Barber and Cone and all people of color who have suffered from discrimination and unfair and unjust attitudes and actions.
I was an admirer of Dr. Cone, and some of my first blog posts back in 2009 were about him. But I don't know what it means to repent of being white--or to repent of having white privilege. Neither the color of our skin or the benefits that that has brought us is something we have chosen--although, certainly, most of us who are white have not done enough to dismantle white supremacy that has caused us to have white privilege.
Christian preachers/teachers have long said that all people are sinners--but with that statement has also been the "good news" about forgiveness and reconciliation being possible. But I don't know what "good news" there is for us whites when we are universally labeled as being racist. As I tried to say in my article, I don't see how that leads to reconciliation.
I don't particularly care if I personally am called a racist or not. But it does take away some desire to be more deeply involved in working for racial justice when it seems that perhaps anything I would do (or am doing) is not helpful. And just feeling guilty for being a racist doesn't have anything positive about it either.
I have recently read Jim Wallis's book "America's Original Sin," and I thought it was quite good. (I have been an admirer of Jim for many decades now.) But what does it mean, and how does it help anything, for him to be called a racist--which he must be if all whites are racist?
What I would like is for people like Barber to talk about is how we white people can best work as allies of people of color in combating racism rather than being dismissed as racist.