North Star Writers Group

I have devoted a considerable number of columns to issues pertaining to racism, but I have never written about the issue in its own right. This may be simply because it is a touchy subject, but it also may be because I find it to be a very consequential one. It is much easier and less intimidating to comment pithily about the Oscars, the Super Bowl and other weightless matters we all consider with such painstaking seriousness.

Either way, I’ve finally conjured up the guts and the energy to discuss racism directly, in hopes that whatever insight I can shed will be considered both openly and at such a distance from me that I will feel safe.

The issue of racism finds itself in a unique category. I do not believe it is alive in our culture because of any realistic presence in our hearts or minds, but because of its presence on our lips. The percentage of Americans who are actually racist is negligibly small, although, if one were to base judgment only on the way we so haphazardly throw around the word racism, it would seem as though it were alive and well.

I realize that my claiming that racism is dead in America will be greeted with less than unanimous appeal. After all, how do we explain the lopsided percentage of ethnicities in our prisons, the persistent segregation of churches, the prevalence of non-American-born cab-drivers and gas station attendants? How can we possibly explain affirmative action? How do we account for these without mentioning racism?

Racism is a potent word. Webster’s Dictionary defines racism as, “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.”

There are two things in this definition on which I want to comment. First, racism is a belief. A true belief is different than, say, “I decided yesterday that the world would end on a Tuesday.” Beliefs have to be based on something real – either some form of education or some form of logic. For instance, when you hear something enough times, especially if you are young, you will probably begin to believe it. And obviously, logical ideas are more believable than illogical ones.

Secondly, a racist does not merely believe that a member of one particular race will probably assume a particular characteristic. A racist believes that all members of a particular race will absolutely assume a particular characteristic, because it is inherent in their genetic code. This is what separates it from stereotypes, which are merely tendencies, and not necessarily based on anything inherent.

Until late in the 19^th Century, people had reason to believe that African Americans were inferior human beings. They had practically no opportunity to demonstrate their capacity for intelligence or profound emotion. Dark-skinned people were treated as though they were genetically inferior beings, and as a result, many people assumed that they truly were genetically inferior. Parents believed it, and consequently, so did their kids. It was a grave, sinful, horrific miscalculation, but it was calculated, and it resulted in the true definition of racism. When human beings are treated like animals and children are taught from infancy that this is morally acceptable, racism is inevitable.

Today is different. We no longer have any logical reason for believing dark-skinned people are at all inferior. Although, as stated earlier, not all the percentages line up (this is the result of American psychology and stereotypes, and is a topic that requires too many words for this column), people of various races are more frequently appearing in every position with strenuous physical and mental demands. Clearly, different races are equally capable as athletes, artists, scientists and even politicians. (Personally, I would be flattered to belong to a race that was genetically unable to succeed in politics.)

I have not met every family in America, so I can’t say this with certainty, but according to my experience, the number of parents who racially indoctrinate their children is very small. If I am correct, then this rules out most opportunities for racist beliefs based on repetition.

Since every race has proven to be equally capable in every way, and since children are no longer being fed racist poison, to say that racism is alive and well in America makes no logical sense.

Therefore, maintaining this belief is the result of repetition.

I wonder if there is a dark corner of human psychology that believes it is safest to assume the worst. By constantly repeating that America still suffers from a racist population, we will be more careful, or more aware – just in case. It makes some sense, but judging from our current situation, I don’t think it is working.

I think our hyper-sensitivity has turned many of us into scared, apologetic, nincompoops. All the energy we put into sanctifying ourselves from racism has only heightened our awareness of color and segregated us more. We have lost our ability to tackle problems because we are obsessed with one that isn’t even there. The truth is that America is not suffering from present racism, but from residue left by racism of the past.

Racism is one of the most harmful beliefs imaginable. It always has been. Understanding this is not hard. The hard part is to accept, first, that there was a time when racism was very real, and second, that this time is no longer.

American hearts have been purged of racism. If only we could purge our lips.

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This is Column # NS48. Request permission to publish here.