There’s a been a lot of reporting on Barack Obama’s pastor, Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, who espouses a black liberation theology. I have my issues with his theology, but when it comes to race, I find it absolutely baffling that he’s being called a “racist” by white males. Well, ok, not that baffling, because the majority of white males in America don’t know what racism is.
In any case, Rod Dreher started blogging along those lines here, but then he published this response from a reader (Rebecca), and I think that for my first post on the subject, I’ll defer to the words of another. This is must-reading on the issue of race.
I think that you’ve discovered one of those places where black folks and white folks completely part ways. What the Rev. Wright was saying is completely true - from a very afro-centric point of view. This country was founded with racism written into the constitution. My husband lost a job a couple of years ago because of a racist while all the whites looked the other way and waited until the damage was done to reprimand the man. My husband and I just had a conversation about whether the US is fundamentally a bigoted country and he pulled out these two facts as beginning and end.
Part of it comes down to white people spending their time looking lovingly at what we do right. Black people say, “great - you got that right, but it doesn’t do much to help me when such awful things can still happen to me and I have no recourse.”
The fact of the matter is that black people view America differently than white people do. And it’s not really a hateful thing so much as an explanation for the petty troubles and sometimes large injustices which they deal with at various points in their lives.
My husband told me in our conversation yesterday that he was able to move past being pushed out of that job by a racist because, “I just know that’s the way it is. Hopefully things will keep getting better, but for today the reality is that a black man can lose his job and not be able to care for his kids for no reason than his race. And the people in power - all of whom are white - who are the system - looked the other way. Whatever their personal feeling about it is, the white power system aids and abets the racists within it. That’s a racist system.”
If he got up on a pulpit on Sunday and forcefully said pretty much the same thing, would you judge him to be a white hating bigot? With his white wife and kids who could pass for white and many white friends who break bread with us regularly?
I think that this issue is just more complicated than you realize, Rod. And it looks completely different from the other side. What you see as hateful rhetoric, sounds to a lot of black people an accurate description of their everyday struggles. Do you get to tell people that their struggles aren’t real? Or that they can only talk about them in nice ways with 5 positive comments for every negative one like a fighting couple in therapy?
At its bottom I think that these divergent views owe as much to the fact that white people tend to grossly underestimate how affected black people are by the racism which they experience as it does to race baiting nonsense from the likes of jesse jackson. I have always been surprised with those african americans I have gotten to know well to find out how deeply and profoundly they are affected by racism. I have seen a full grown man in tears because a little girl ran to her mom with terror on her face when she saw him at the play ground. I have heard black women make choices about where she will or will not live based on whether the local school her children would attend had any history of racist graffiti or slurs. I have known women who would rather send children to sub-par schools then to one where they might be subjected to racist taunts. I know several black people who live in majority white areas who will drive into poorer majority black areas to shop because they just don’t want to deal with the stress of going out in the middle of a bunch of white people.
If you were shaped by such experiences, then odds are that what Jeremiah Wright has to say probably wouldn’t seem hateful - it would just seem like common sense. Now, that’s not to say that he communicates it in particularly useful ways. Or that he isn’t sometimes guilty of overplaying the point. But I think that simply equating what he’s saying with a white pastor making similar comments about black people is inaccurate.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Jason 03.13.08 at 5:34 pm
In this country a black man cannot be fired simply because of his race any more then a white man can be killed by a black man for his money. Both are illegal. Do both happen? Yes. But both are illegal.
Any person who thinks he is fired because of his race can sue in civil court and has a good chance of winning if he actually did get fired because of his race because of the modern rules of discovery. This country’s legal system is very pro-defendant in criminal cases, but (unlike almost every other country in the world) this one is very pro-plaintiff in civil cases. A person fired for his or her race in this country has a better chance of winning damages in court then in any other country in the world. And all Wright can do is complain, as if blacks are the only people in the world who face injustice.
In a sermon delivered at Howard University on January 15, 2006 he said that Americans are “selfish, self-centered egotists who are arrogant and ignorant.” He needs to look at himself. He needs to stop trying to help only blacks, and instead seek to help and minister to anyone and everyone regardless of race. Freedom is in Christ, not in the color of your skin.
Travis Prinzi 03.13.08 at 6:56 pm
Jason, why do blacks, on the whole, have less pay, worse jobs, worse education, fewer opportunities, and a far higher percentage of poverty than whites?
lonelypilgrim 03.13.08 at 8:53 pm
God damn America.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=58858
revgeorge 03.14.08 at 10:15 am
Travis said,
“why do blacks, on the whole, have less pay, worse jobs, worse education, fewer opportunities, and a far higher percentage of poverty than whites?”
Short answer, government. Long answer, government. A good place to start is The Real Lincoln.
Jason 03.14.08 at 4:38 pm
Travis, I don’t know the answer to your question. But neither do you. We can only give our best guess, but like many questions in the world there is no clear answer. Studies have shown that shorter people on average earn less then taller people. Why? Who knows…
I’m not saying racism is over in this country, but my point was simply that the original article was wrong when it said black people can be fired for their race. Civil rights legislation in this country put an end to that. You’ll never hear Pastor Wright say he is thankful for that though, because all he knows how to do is spew hate towards “white America.”
Do black people on a whole probably face more struggles then white people on a whole? Probably. But there are individual white people who face far more injustice (not necessarily racial injustice… but violence, theft, rape, etc.) then some individual blacks. Ministers of God should help all people, not just one race.
One last point, most of the violence that kills black people and puts them in jail for violent crimes is “black on black.” To blame “white America” for that is stupid. You could say “white America” needs to better educate blacks… but that assumes black crime is caused by the failure of white America to educate blacks. Black people need to stand up for themselves… civil rights legislation has enabled them to do it; its just a matter of self-motivation at this point.
Travis Prinzi 03.14.08 at 10:52 pm
Jason, lots to respond to here. First, I appreciate your interaction here. A good, spirited conversation on this is what’s needed.
Travis, I don’t know the answer to your question. But neither do you.
Sure I do. White privilege.
Fair points about Wright, for the most part; I’m not a huge fan of the guy himself, and I’m not a huge fan of the social gospel.
One last point, most of the violence that kills black people and puts them in jail for violent crimes is “black on black.” To blame “white America” for that is stupid.
I don’t think it’s stupid. I think centuries of oppression created the atmosphere of poverty that has led to increased criminal activity. I don’t mean to excuse sin by saying that, but quite frankly, it’s much, much easier for a white, middle class suburbanite to avoid the trappings of an impoverished, inner-city culture and the crime that goes along with it.
You could say “white America” needs to better educate blacks
Which would be sort of racist, wouldn’t it? I’m not entirely sure what you’re saying here…
Black people need to stand up for themselves… civil rights legislation has enabled them to do it; its just a matter of self-motivation at this point.
Agree with the first point…disagree that whites have nothing to do with it. And the last sentence is racist. Sorry. “Blacks aren’t getting out of poverty because they’re not motivated” is simply not accurate. Tell that to all the black people who have tried, but don’t have access to all the privileges whites have. Start with Peggy McIntosh’s article, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” On the whole, black Americans simply don’t have the same kind of access to quality education and resources that whites have, and it’s not because they’re all unmotivated.
lonelypilgrim, I’ll repeat what I just said; I’m not a big fan of Jeremiah Wright. But the “God damn America” statement is being taken way out of context. “Damn” is in contrast to “bless.” In other words, he’s saying “God judge America” or “God curse America.”
revgeorge, I really gotta read that book! I’ve heard a lot about it.
Jason 03.15.08 at 7:59 am
Travis,
So does white privilege also cause taller people to earn more then short people? Or do you call that “tall privilege”? (in which case that still just begs the question of what actually *causes* it?)
You don’t know for sure what the cause of lower wages or increased criminality in the black population is. If centuries of oppression is the cause, then why are there are places in the world that make the poverty most blacks face in this country look like riches and yet students there excel and serious violent crime is relatively low. And if centuries of oppression is the cause, then why have so many black people whose ancestors were oppressed escaped the cycles of poverty and crime?
It is not “racist” to say blacks who are upset at the high levels of black on black crime should help their fellow black people lower those levels. What is racist is for you to blame whites for black on black problems. I am the opposite of a racist. I believe all races are created equal, and I say what I say out of love for black people. The longer the black community blames white people for their problems, the longer it will be before they figure out *they* are the ones who can solve their problems and the longer their problems will continue.
The blacks (and whites, there does exist poor white people you know) who have escaped the cycles of poverty in this country are the ones who stood up and said *I’m* gonna do something to get out of this situation. The one’s who haven’t escaped have sat back and said *they* haven’t helped me enough.
Travis Prinzi 03.15.08 at 8:16 am
Can you show me the studies that prove tall people make more than short people?
What is racist is for you to blame whites for black on black problems.
What’s a black-on-black problem?
Seriously, can you honestly say that many problems in the inner-city black communities in America are not the fault of whites? I don’t know how anyone can even dispute that. It was racism that created the poor inner cities, and it’s racism that perpetuates it.
Meritocracy is a myth. It’s simply not true that we’re all on a level playing field, and any poor, inner city black person who tries hard enough can get it. We’re heading, slowly, in that direction as a country, but we’re far from being there yet.
Jason 03.15.08 at 9:02 am
Travis, to answer your questions:
Here is one study: http://www.nber.org/papers/w12466
It has long been recognized that every inch of height adds about 2% to the average salary of people. There are many various theories as to why that is, but no one knows for sure.
Black on black crime is an example of a black on black problem.
Finally, yes, I can say inner-city problems are not the faults of whites. Slavery was the fault of white slave owners. But not every white owned slaves. And slavery ended a long time ago after white people died by the thousands in this country *ending* slavery. No black person can blame “whites” in general for slavery… to blame “whites” is pure racism. And as far as blacks getting fired because of their race (as the author mentioned), white people passed the legislation that made that illegal a generation ago. I have no doubt racism on the part of *some* white people helped create black poverty. However, there is no proof that racism on the parts of “whites” perpetuates black poverty.
On the other hand, there is ample proof that many black people teach their children to blame “whites” for their problems instead of teaching them to do something about their problems themselves.
I’m not going to sit and complain about “tall privilege” because I’m 5′7″ and statistics say I will earn 14% less then someone who is 6′2″. No, rather I’m working my way through law school and I’m gonna break the trend… and I won’t blame anyone but myself if I don’t make it. That is how I was raised.
Travis Prinzi 03.15.08 at 1:08 pm
If the study is accurate, then yes, that’s “tall privilege,” it’s injustice, and it’s wrong.
I honestly don’t have time at the moment to reply, but I’ll get back to the rest of this stuff as soon as I can.
Travis Prinzi 03.15.08 at 2:17 pm
No black person can blame “whites” in general for slavery… to blame “whites” is pure racism.
No one is saying that whites are “by nature” slaveowners. That would indeed be a bigoted statement. But in America our historical race problem is rooted in whites enslaving blacks.
However, there is no proof that racism on the parts of “whites” perpetuates black poverty.
All you need is to honestly look over the last couple hundred years of American history to know that the poor sociological state of blacks in America is rooted in acts of oppression by white people. Since civil rights legislation, things have begun to change, and the whole situation has gotten a lot more complicated. And there are many ways in which oppressed groups respond sinfully, especially to the welfare state created by white liberals for the purpose of maintaining power; I’m not denying that.
The fact that the condition of blacks in America is the result of centuries of white oppression doesn’t negate the moral responsibilities of black people. But the fact that whites remain either deliberately or unwittingly blind to their privilege and access to social capital is unacceptable.
Jason 03.15.08 at 2:52 pm
I did not say racism did not perpetrate black poverty. I said that, today, it does not perpetuate it, and the past hundreds of years has nothing to do with perpetuating it (causing it to continue) today. The past is the past. Black people have every legal response to racist attacks on their jobs and education. At this point it only harms blacks to blame “white people” for their problems.
What do you want white people to do, set up a 5% tithe to give blacks some of their ‘white privilege’? And I guess you want tall people to give 5% a year to the “short people capital fund” too? Seriously, what is your solution to these “injustices” other then to complain about it. Being 5′7″, my own personal solution to the “tall privilege” problem is to prove the statistics wrong.
Now is when blacks need to stand up and solve the problems history has dealt them, because “white people” have shed their blood to free them and have passed the laws that enable blacks get and keep jobs regardless of their race. Blacks need to take advantage of those opportunities, not just sit back and blame whites. White people living today had nothing to do with slavery, and many of their ancestors had nothing to do with slavery (except for perhaps dying to end it).
Darin 03.19.08 at 11:57 pm
It seems in todays society nobody wants to take responsibility. They want to blame others for why they are not getting ahead. I think its a mindset perpetuated by black leadership today. If only MLK were still with us, I don’t think black people as a whole would be in the “rut” they are in. I am a white male, I have a college degree, and not because of white priviledge. I worked my way through college, and it took 6 years for me to get a 4 year degree. I am now a software engineer for IBM. I educated myself and improved myself, and none of it was because of white priviledge. It was because I was taught I had to work for everything I get in life. For some reason, a large segment of black people today feel something is owed to them. A sense of entitlement Again, I blame this in part on black leadership today. And I blame much of “black society” following black leadership, on the breakdown of a strong family system. Because it was my family and father that taught me to work hard for what I wanted. I believe we are not seeing that in the black community like we should. So I believe once that problem changes, it will have a dominoe effect on the rest of “black issues” today.
Travis Prinzi 03.20.08 at 12:06 am
Darin (and Jason, too), we are only about 40 years removed from the start of the civil rights movement. You really think that as soon as that got started and some legislation was passed, suddenly we were all on equal playing ground, that anyone who worked hard enough would make it? That after hundreds years of systematic, institutionalized racism, it just, poof! went away, and now there’s truly the exact same opportunity available to all, if they’d just work hard enough?
You’re misunderstanding “white privilege.” “White privilege” does not mean that you automatically get whatever you want just because you’re white. Of course you still had to work hard to get where you are. But that hard work, that journey, is easier for the majority of white folks than it is for the majority of black folks. It took me 6 years to get a 4 year degree, and I worked my way through college, too. That doesn’t negate that fact that my whiteness made the whole process easier for me, despite the hard work, than it would a black person.
Meritocracy is a myth. There are white people who are successful solely because of inheritance. There are countless black people who have worked harder than any white person and not made it because of institutionalized racism. The idea that we’re all on an equal playing field and that those who work hard do well and those who don’t fail - that’s a myth. It’s simply not the way things are.
While I can agree that a culture of entitlement is problematic, who created that culture? You blame black leadership. I’m more inclined to start with white liberals.
Check out the post where I give a reading assignment, and read the article on white privilege.
Darin 03.20.08 at 5:20 pm
Travis, I’m not sure where you live, I live in the midwest. I would like to hear some of your reasons it is harder for someone who is black than someone who is white to overcome their circumstances. IE, a middle class black kid, compared to a middle class white kid. Is it easier for one than another. Some might argue that is easier for the black kid due to affirmative action. I have a black friend who came from a middle class family, who after he graduated college. Made the statement, it will be easy for me to break into this “market” journalism, because “I’m a black male” These were his words. So I would like to hear some examples of what you are talking about. Now how about a black kid from a lower class family, vs a white kid from a lower class family. Are you saying its easier for the white kid to “get ahead” That he has more opportunities? In our church we have kids white and black that are from lower class families. And From my experience I see these “kids” opportunities coming not from the color of their skin, but instead by the level of effort they put forth to their education. My wife, who is black, grew up in a middle class home herself, and I can attest, she did not have any less “opportunity” than I did. Probably more so, she was elegible for more scholoarships than I was. She worked her way through undergrad then grad school. Partially on scholarship.
Now all that being said, I’m not saying racism doesn’t exist, My wife is black, and I know it still exists, but…… per the law, the playing field is level. In reality is it level, sometimes yes, sometimes no, for black people. And sometimes yes, sometimes no for white people.
Travis Prinzi 03.20.08 at 7:34 pm
Darin, I hear what you’re saying. I think there’s still a widespread inequity not because under the law there’s inequity, but because the lingering effects of racism are evident when it comes to poverty and opportunity. There are poor white folks and poor black folks. But there is a systematic problem still dominant which has led to a high number of blacks in the inner cities of our country (I live down in the city of Rochester, NY - one of the only white families on our block, and the others all moved here for the same reason we did - to minister and do a church plant in a few years). It’s quite evident that at the very basic level of education, the same opportunities do not exist for poor, inner city black kids as for the white suburban kids just 15 minutes down the road.
Now, you might say “that’s class, not race.” Well, there’s intersectionality of oppression. But why are so many of the poor people black? If the government funds schools, and the government really cares about equity under the law, why are suburban schools so much better funded? If it’s about providing equal opportunity, why is city education so poorly funded compared to suburban education? I know that good teachers make all the difference in the world and that money doesn’t solve problems; but having financial differences at the very earliest levels of opportunity doesn’t sound very equitable to me. How do we break this cycle? And how is it not a result of the remaining effects of racism?
Darin 03.21.08 at 9:33 pm
Travis, I do believe what you’ve described is “class” and not race. But what you are saying is that the “class” issue you’ve described is created and perpetuated by our government, and we need to provide better opportunities for this lower class. I do agree equal opportunity for all is important, especially for those who want that opportunity. And unfortunately this is part of the problem in many inner city schools. I believe that much of this mentality we have in the inner city schools comes from parents, “black leadership”, white liberals. And that is these kids are continuously told, you don’t have equal opportunities and whites, so its hard for you to get ahead. Look what “we’ve” done to you as a society. We owe you better, but we’re not giving you better. This creates in a person, the feeling, that “you owe me” or “someone owe’s me” This continually tears down. I prefer to build up, and say, you can overcome, you can, you can, you can….. work hard, work hard, work hard… There are many other cultures who are in this “low class” that do overcome because of their mentality is different. I would include “african” black people in this group as well. I had a friend from church who was from africa, and he came here, and had an incredibly strong work ethic, which caused him to succeed in many things. So if a “black kid” living in the inner city does have a poor school system, he can overcome this, but he has to make the decision to do so. And yes, life is not fair. And its not fair that black students living in the inner city don’t have the same level of education as suburban white kids. It’s also not fair that poor white kids living in the inner city, don’t have the same level of education as suburban black kids.