"...but some of my best friends are black"

[perlmonger]

bradhicks points out how the events of hurricane Katrina demonstrate how deeply ingrained racialism is in US society. Read it.

And in UK society.

And in me.

Being aware of a problem, acknowledging it openly, is the first step in dealing with it; it's not the last step. Also, while I'm at it, what's your first reaction to the word "Muslim" as contrasted to, say, "Christian"? How about "woman" and "man"?

Comments

[syllopsium.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, but I submit it's not about the colour of someone's skin - it's about stereotypes from the more vocal/noticeable people of that group.

I think it's really a class issue - there were a large number of poor coloured people in New Orleans. If they had an encampment of 'white trailer trash' would the situation be much different?

I'm sure there is some residual racism in many places, and that's it's more pronounced in the US - but it's not necessarily the major issue.

[dkmnow.livejournal.com]

Yuppers. The more vehemently a person insists that they are free of prejudice, the more you can be sure that they are ignorant as to the nature of prejudice. And in such ignorance, they are ruled by it. Sporting the costumes of "political correctness" is all too easy. Learning to truly accept others as they are - or ourselves, for that matter - is a lifelong committment. No matter how polished one's halo, ego-defense is no substitute for profound self-awareness and humility.

[easterbunny.livejournal.com]

I think it's something I have a problem with and I wish to god I could vapourize it right out of my psyche. For any group of people that I find my internal monologue whispering "I mustn't treat this person any differently from anybody else," there is an indication that I still conciously recognize that I might treat that person differently. Which results in me being over-chipper or too friendly or generally making a jackass of myself. But other people are occassionally jackasses to me for being female or a damn foreigner, so at I know that an awful lot of people struggle with it.

[perlmonger.livejournal.com]

Yah. That's a good marker.

Given that I know of no way to cancel a lifetime's conditioning instantaneously, I'd kind of like to find some way of translating that awareness of prejudice (in the literal as well as colloquial meaning of the word) into not overcompensation but rather dissolution. Any helpful hints welcomed :)