How to Be Less Stupid about Race

1. Racial stupidity pervades society, reinforcing white supremacy

White supremacy wants you to look at four hundred years of uninterrupted racial terror and conclude "Things aren't so bad."

Pervasive ignorance. Racial stupidity refers to illogical, ahistorical claims about race and racism, denial of racial oppression, and beliefs in racial superiority. This ignorance is not accidental but deliberately maintained by power structures to preserve white dominance.

Systemic problem. White supremacy is a system of power that channels material resources to people defined as white. It's embedded in major institutions, economic systems, and cultural norms. The majority of citizens have never seriously studied racial history or current realities of oppression, allowing harmful myths and stereotypes to persist.

Historical roots. Modern ideas of race and white supremacy emerged gradually between the 16th-19th centuries to justify European colonialism and exploitation. Though relatively recent in human history, these concepts have profoundly shaped social, economic, and political systems worldwide.

2. Critical race theory exposes systemic racism and white privilege

Critical race theory is kryptonite for the myth of color-blindness and helps cut through the bullshit of postracial propaganda by specifying the role of social institutions (especially laws and legal practices) in reproducing racism.

Legal framework. Critical race theory emerged in the 1970s as legal scholars grappled with persistent racism after de jure segregation. It examines how laws and institutions perpetuate racial inequality, even without overt discrimination.

Key concepts:

• Racism is ordinary, not aberrational
• Race is socially constructed, not biological
• Whiteness functions as a form of property
• Interest convergence: racial progress occurs when it benefits whites
• Intersectionality: multiple forms of oppression intersect and compound

Challenging color-blindness. CRT rejects claims that racism is over or confined to individual prejudice. It reveals how "race-neutral" policies can reinforce racial hierarchies and how apparently progressive measures often fail to address root causes of inequality.

3. Black women's voices are crucial for understanding intersectional oppression

Listening to black women means coming to terms with white women's racism.

Unique perspectives. Black women experience overlapping forms of marginalization due to both race and gender. Their insights are essential for understanding how different systems of oppression interconnect and reinforce each other.

Historical contributions. Black feminists like Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, and the Combahee River Collective have long articulated the specific challenges faced by black women, often marginalized in both anti-racist and feminist movements.

Intersectionality in practice:

• Addressing wage gaps that disproportionately affect women of color
• Recognizing unique health disparities and medical racism
• Confronting stereotypes and discrimination in education and employment
• Centering black trans women in discussions of violence against black communities

4. Obama's presidency revealed the persistence of racial inequality

Obama went out of his way to prove his "non-threatening Negro" bona fides in 2008 when he distanced himself from Jeremiah Wright, then pastor of his church, Trinity United, in that famous Philadelphia speech, the one that moved wealthy white Democrats to tears.

Symbolic progress. Obama's election was hailed as a post-racial milestone, but his presidency exposed ongoing racial divisions and inequalities in American society.

Constrained by race. Obama often avoided directly addressing racism, instead emphasizing personal responsibility and "colorblind" policies. This approach appealed to white voters but failed to confront systemic racial issues.

Policy limitations:

• Increased deportations and border militarization
• Expanded drone warfare and surveillance
• Bailed out Wall Street while many communities of color struggled economically
• Limited response to racial justice movements like Black Lives Matter

5. Trump's election exposed the normalization of white supremacy

Trump speaks for so many white Americans because he centers what sociologist Joe Feagin has called the white racial frame, a wide range of racist "stereotypes, prejudices, ideologies, images, interpretations . . . narratives, emotions and . . . inclinations to discriminate" that whites mobilize to justify and maintain the racial order.

Not an aberration. Trump's overt racism and support from white nationalists revealed how deeply entrenched white supremacist attitudes remain in American society.

Broad appeal. Trump won majorities across white demographic groups, regardless of education or income level. This demonstrates how racial resentment can override class interests.

Dog-whistle politics:

• Equating "law and order" with suppression of racial justice protests
• Promoting xenophobic immigration policies
• Using racially coded language about "inner cities" and "thugs"
• Amplifying conspiracy theories with racist undertones

6. Media perpetuates racial stereotypes and misinformation

Given the prevalence of fake racial news and white supremacist reporting across the mainstream press, is it any wonder that Breitbart and other cesspools of white nationalist dogma have found eager audiences for falsified crime statistics depicting blacks and other people of color as natural born criminals?

Biased representation. News media consistently overrepresent people of color as criminals and underrepresent white offenders. This distortion reinforces harmful stereotypes and justifies discriminatory policies.

Lack of diversity. Newsrooms remain overwhelmingly white, especially in leadership positions. This limits perspectives and perpetuates blind spots in coverage of racial issues.

False equivalencies:

• Framing white supremacist views as just another "side" of debate
• Downplaying systemic racism by focusing on individual acts
• Normalizing extremist positions through excessive coverage
• Failing to provide historical context for racial conflicts

7. Interracial relationships don't automatically solve racism

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but we're not going to end white supremacy by "hugging it out." And we're certainly not going to fuck our way out of racial oppression. That's not how power works.

Beyond individual connections. While interracial relationships can foster understanding, they don't inherently challenge systemic racism or power imbalances.

Complexities of intimacy. Interracial couples must navigate societal prejudices, internalized biases, and differing lived experiences of race. Simply being in a relationship doesn't guarantee racial awareness or antiracist action.

Challenges:

• Fetishization and exoticization of racial "others"
• Colorblind attitudes that minimize racial realities
• Pressure on partners of color to educate or represent their entire race
• Family tensions and societal disapproval

8. Becoming racially literate requires ongoing education and action

There is no quick fix for racism. Go back and read that sentence. Then tell a friend. There's! No! Quick! Fix! None.

Lifelong process. Challenging racism requires continuous learning, self-reflection, and active engagement. It's not enough to simply declare oneself "not racist."

Concrete steps:

• Study critical race theory and the history of racial oppression
• Amplify voices of people of color, especially in decision-making spaces
• Examine one's own racial socialization and implicit biases
• Support organizations working for racial justice
• Confront racism in personal relationships and institutions

Beyond awareness. While education is crucial, it must be paired with action to dismantle racist structures and redistribute resources. This involves personal growth, collective organizing, and systemic change.

Last updated: November 18, 2024