The irony of course is that everybody, to a certain extent, is racist, consciously or unconsciously. Black people can be tremendously racist, especially when it comes to Asians and Mexicans. Asians can be racists, too, and even within their own racial group (have you ever heard Japanese people ripping on Koreans, Vietnamese and Chinese?)..[/quote]
Speaking as a black person, I can honestly say that far too many members of my extended family are racist – although they would not consider themselves to be such. They have a distinctly “us vs them” mentality that permeates almost every aspect of their dealings with white people. Having grown up in a primarily white community and gone to primarily white schools, my sense is that black people actually have MORE racist tendencies than white people. And it pains me to say that because it really shows that victims often choose to emulate their oppressors (just look at the treatment Palestinians get from Israelis) rather than distance themselves from that behavior. It amazes me sometimes how open-minded many white people can be when dealing with black people, whereas many black people are quick to openly draw on stereotypes and make fun of white people for being un-hip, uncool or whatever. Just think about the percentage of white people who voted for Obama vs the percentage of black people who voted for McCain or Hillary. Yet no one considers black people to be racist for voting for Obama solely based on his race, and that’s exactly what the majority of black people openly admitted to doing. I almost get the sense that black people feel that being the victims of institutional racism in the past has given them license – in perpetuity – to pay it back on spades. And I just don’t get this. When I was in law school I took a class called “Race, Racism and the Law,” and you wouldn’t believe the number of black (and white) students who believed that racism is by definition an instrument of power, and that a minority group can never be racist against the majority. I also don’t understand why so many white people literally cower in fear when they are accused of being racist. By contrast, if you call a black person racist they will just shrug and dismiss it. The word holds absolutely no power whatsoever over them, but it is practically kryptonite for white people. When debating Obama’s merits (or lack thereof) during the campaign, some white people actually had the nerve to call ME racist against black people! That’s how utterly ludicrous this discourse has become. As another poster said, I almost feel sorry for white people. They are too afraid to speak their mind or to be honest with themselves, and this is unfortunate because as you said, Allan, deep down, we ALL have prejudices and preferences. Yet it is only white people (who hold the dubious distinction of being in the “majority”) who must censor themselves.
It’s not right, it’s not fair, and it’s embarrassing. And what’s most distressing is that this double standard creates a tension between the races that is only exacerbated over time. Thanks to the media’s shameless over-protection of Obama, he is in danger of being the first first affirmative action president.
