I have to take a break from talking about my banking fiasco. It’s too much right now. More updates soon.
I’ve been presented with this conundrum on several occasions. The one that sticks in my mind is hearing a teacher complain about a student who wrote something in his journal that read “I’m black. You gonna hate me, too?” Now, this student is actually white. But there is something powerful in what he wrote, even in a school journal where he fully expected his teacher to read it. First, there is the co-opting of being black that he took on for whatever reason. It doesn’t matter if he “acts black” or hangs out mostly with black students. He is comfortable even saying the words “I’m black” and what I hear from that more than anything is “I’m human”. Secondly, he is indicting the teacher whom he believes is exhibiting racist behaviors and being unfair to black students. If he is noticing this, then what are the black students noticing? THE SAME THING, THAT’S WHAT.
But we can’t navigate race issues without looking at the design of race. That’s what the brilliant Jay Smooth is talking about in this video that I watched this morning. He reminds me of myself in that he’s not uncomfortable talking about race but knowing that most people are and that sometimes the conversations about racism get absolutely nowhere. Let me amend that to say MOST times. People don’t like difficult conversations, but I’ll tell you what sets me off in a way that nothing else does: when, in discussing race, they utter the sentence, “I’m the least racist person.”
What I want to know is: who is the most racist person against whom you are comparing yourself? Are we talking straight up Klan members? David Duke? Joe Wilson? Is there a continuum of racists out there by which one might use a Venn diagram to place themselves?
Of course not. It’s just silly to say. Stop that.
While you’re thinking about that, listen to the full 11 minutes of Jay Smooth. Dude is amazing.
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
What a great way to frame the discussion.
Love Jay Smooth. Love TED. Love you.
Brilliant.
My other favorite is “I don’t care if your black, white, yellow or green” (sometimes purple is substituted there).
Jay’s opening trips me out. I can’t imagine asking someone “What are you?” with regards to race. But I’m not big on personal questions and it took being a newspaper reporter to get me to be able to realize that most people WANT to be asked about themselves.
No one ever asks me “What are you?” except some people check to make sure I’m not part Latina right before they say something prejudiced about Mexicans.
How do you feel about “What are you?”
I was asked “what are you” a couple weeks ago by a student. She’s black, I’m white. we had a nice little conversation about the intersection of genetics and culture and passing and praising fair skin all from the one question.
Did I actually type “your” for “you’re”? Oy.
“I’m the least racist person I know!” translates to, I have friends and family that are racist and I can’t change their views – but, I am not racist so don’t lump me with them!
I love, “I’m not racist, I hate everybody equally!”
To me it’s a disclaimer that says “I know people who espouse way worse crap that than the terrible crap I’m about to espouse, so you know, degrees of badness, man, big picture.” It’s always someone who wants a cookie for having thought about race issues, without realizing that they haven’t yet learned anything.
My paternal family did their damnedest to make me a card-carrying member of the triple-K…just like them. Their constant belittling and blinded fervor was enough to push me away from the family completely.
That in mind, “I’m the least racist person I know” is a true statement for me. But to use that as a disclaimer, and/or follow that with a slur, is both ignorant and unconscionable.
Oh, I wish I had known he was here! That’s right down the road from me.
‘it’s the connection that we maintain with our imperfections that allows us to be good’ – brilliant!
Must ditto Suebob…have had situations in which someone checks me out before saying something blatantly racist.
I’m the least perverted racist I know. Wait, that’s not right.
It’s really fun to see and hear him speak un-post-processed. Great find!
The video was great, and I agree with you… he is amazing.
I do not think I have ever uttered the phrase “I am the least rasist person I know” but I suppose I can appreciate where it might come from… in my family, my views are often vastly different than the others….and not just about race or sexual orientation (don’t get me started about the debates I had with family and friends about how prejudice we are as a society against young people, especially the DREADED teens). I can see how a person could feel like they have had good conversations, in some instances even able to change relatives or friends minds & hearts about things, only to feel like its all wiped away when someone challenges or is offended by something you did or said. Jay Smooth has the right idea, those challenges are the spinach in our teeth, it happens to all of us and it certainly doesn’t imply that we never brush our teeth, but in the heat of the moment, it is hard to remember that.
I grew up in a bubble…seriously…which meant I wasn’t raised with racism. Of any sort. Which I guess was a good way to be raised. As it turns out.
I didn’t see anyone with truly dark skin until I was in HIGH school….and to me, it was just…different. From what I had seen every day…but different was never bad.
Actually, the guy in high school was incredibly popular because he was different. Never wanted for attention from guys and girls.
I guess the Island was kind of cool like that. Canada is sort of cool like that in general.
Jay Smooth puts it very nicely indeed. Thanks for sharing.
About 15 years ago, in an email conversation among homeschoolers, a white friend claimed she wasn’t teaching her children about race. She said she never described people by their skin color, for example, and her children didn’t even notice the race of other people.
A black friend wrote back, “That’s your privilege as a white person, that you can teach your children to ignore race. I can’t teach that to my son. It wouldn’t be safe.”
I never saw race issues the same again.
I love the shock of the continuum of racism. I may use that next time I hear that phrase.
This was great. I absolutely love the “move from the tonsil paradigm to the dental hygene paradigm.” I truly appreciate you for sharing!
Awesome video!
When someone says “I’m the least racist person” you say to yourself “Who is he/she trying to convince, must be themselves because I’m not”.
How about “I don’t see black” or “I’m not a racist because I have black friends”. WOW, really!!!
Racism is forever and we must continue “Moving Forward” and “Pray for strength, faith, courage, and wisdom”.
God is Love!
Loretta