Time and Relative Dimensions in Race

Well, I was quoting Eric back at Eric, and we were each commenting on Risch's comments (which were taken from the Times article). That explains the use of research material.

But as far as anecdotal stuff goes, my experiences are limited to anti-semitic comments uttered in my presence and to the fact of my adoption (I've never bothered finding out about my biological parents -- though I have learned that my birth father was/is Irish, and that both my birth parents were Catholic).

Not the same as "race," I realize -- but many of the same machinations concerning group identity, identity politics, etc., are operative in these scenarios.

I think my interest in race and racialism -- particularly how such concepts are understood and theorized (and subsequently introduced into public policy based) -- comes from my having no absolute fix on my own biological heritage.

You may not agree with my theorizing (or with the conclusions I reach based on my study of race, language, and identity politics -- which are intricately connected, to my way of thinking), but I think you'll find that I'm serious and respectful in my dealings with racial issues.

Interestingly, when I was living in Italy, I met an Irish expat who bartended at the Celtic Druid pub in Bologna (he was also a law student), and I asked him whether "Irish" was a race or a nationality. He went with race, unhesitatingly.

In my post, I'm anecdotal because I'm not trying to solve the problem, just remarking on the situation and the skin I'm in.

What's interesting are the reactions to this kind of disclosure.

A mixture of relief that yes, we can talk about such things no matter the melanin and that scabby, ugly white guilt defensiveness.

I didn't look for pity or kudos or solutions but there were a few folks that felt the need to separate themselves from race in any form and then to discuss a 'what now' approach as if race can't be a conversation unless we are trying to 'fix it'.

Blacks are asked how it feels to be a problem.

Asians are asked how it feels to be a solution.

I am told to shut the hell up.

It's frustrating to me either way -- and Jeff, incidentally, none of my relatives would hesitate to agree with your bartender acquaintance -- that it continues to be made as large of an issue as it does. I've been over this before, but every time I come across articles about 'the changing role of X protected-from-discrimination-by-law demographic,' I want to scream, "They're just people. We're all just people. Can we just treat each other like people?"

Of course, there are plenty of people who'll look at me and say, "You have no right to say that, because... "

Well, yes, if you're into post hoc arguments, you're right. I don't happen to like them, personally. I like my counterarguments based on something a little more substantial.

Regardless, thanks for accumulating all of this and linking to it. It's making for some thought-provoking reading.

I don't want to misread your comment, here, Jason, and I don't want to infer meaning into it that might not be there.

But I am clearly in the 'what now?' category. Self-expression and personal anecdote are necessary. I encouraged my readers to come and read what you had to say.

I described it as level headed, as an honest exploration of the topic you brought to light. I took no umbrage in its posting. I took no exception to what you had to say. I took no exception to the majority of the comments that followed it, save one. And I did so as a misunderstanding.

However, your thoughts touched my thoughts. Your feelings touched my feelings. And as a tangent to the discussion on race, I expressed my weariness with the typical patterns such discussions travel, and an eagerness to turn those patterns into progress.

Proactivity, rather than reactivity. It's how I live my life in general. My weariness with the typical race dialogue was meant to imply previous dialogue on the subject. Considerable dialogue on the subject. You can't be in college now without having that dialogue frequently. It's a day to day factor, and for some people, it's a constant factor.

I expressed a primary sentiment. That there should be a what now. If you're identifying a problem, search for solutions.

I'm not certain what your feelings on that tack are, or if you have any one way or the other. But I feel that the distinction you made implies that you have one.

Clearly I do as well. Being white, yes, there is a certain frustration in this sort of discourse. If only because I cannot fully identify with it. Being unable to identify or fully empathize, I seek to improve the situation however I can.

Sometimes I can only do it with a link on a blog. Sometimes I can do better. But when presented with the opportunity, I do something.

Make of that what you will.

And, certainly, follow-up would be appreciated, as this is the sort of dialogue that I embrace. Something directly dealing with race, but tangent to it, and unable to be separated from it.

Hmmm... I'm just not the 'what now?' guy. I guess I'm not sure anything has to be or should be done. There's nothing inherently 'wrong' with prejudice. We all are.

I don't even think I had a point when I wrote my piece other than to point out that race affects all of us in different and personal ways. And this is how its affecting me at this stage in my life.

But its also frustrating to me to have a conversation about race that has to turn into a "let's fix this" thing. That's not it...let's just be allowed to talk about it and not talk about it in victim/assailant terms or in sing kumbaya togetherness terms. Just talking about race.

I had a conversation at lunch yesterday with a group of folks. One person is the mother of a 7 year old who is having trouble in school because he is the only black child in class. He wants to change his name to kyle from caleb because kyle is a white name. Wow.

The other people sitting with us were 3 white people, 2 girls, 1 guy. Immediately one of the girls starts talking about how she never considered race when she was a kid and had a black friend and how she couldn't imagine that kids were like this couldn't imagine that they thought about race at 7. It didn't come off as helpful, it came as apologetic and as 'let me step away from racism before we begin.' It totally missed the point that this woman was dealing with this problem today. And not in a 'how do we get our kids to not be prejudiced' manner but in a 'how do I help my son get through 2nd grade without the teacher continuing to suggest therapy and medication?'

It was frustrating. 4 of us are talking about how we've dealt with this, whether or not we recognized the way children talk to each other, how they treat different students, whether or not this was a real problem, the differences in the ways our parents would deal with these situations (one of the white people talked about how he knew kids that went into therapy in 3rd grade and stayed until 6th grade...while myself and the black mom noted that black people don't 'do' therapy almost as a rule. As my dad says...that shit is for the birds) and it was useful discussion in helping to come to some realizations about her son and her problem. We discussed some books to read, some options for schooling. No Kumbaya, no give peace a chance, no marches on city hall...just a reasoned discussion of race that hopefully helped this individual deal with a specific situation.

Meanwhile, the 'step away' girl gave us anecdotes of how she wouldn't go to summer school because she was scared of the latinos and convinced they would kill her. Not because she was struggling with her own racial identity but because she was sure of theres.

And that's why I get frustrated with the 'what now, step away, its a non-issue' convo.

and Tiny -- you don't have to walk on eggshells around me. We're just talking. You don't have to apologize for 'maybe misreading' my thoughts. Opinions are open to interpretation and are all just part of the discussion.

As long as you didn't do the "silent glare, eye roll, ignore and continue conversation" thang with step away girl.

I have been given to understand that this is considered rude in some circles.

ya know...that 'theres' should be a 'theirs' ...sometimes I hate grammar.

I'm not walking on eggshells, Jason, this is actually how I operate. ;) I try not to infer meaning when it's easier to sue for clarity, if you follow that. Reading a book from a long dead author affords me interpretation. When in discourse with a living in breathing person, I try for certainty. That said, moving on.

It seems to me as though much of this was caused by a misunderstanding. It seems possible that we're both programmed to see certain reactions as certain things, and assume something that looks like it might be 'step away' or 'the same old race talk' are what they appear to be at first glance.

What you've just described above is an example of the sort of conversation I was seeking. You helped this mother to find ways of dealing with her son's uncertainty, you supported her through something that was obviously bothering her. You tried to help her improve the condition of her life, and as a tangent to the exercise, you discussed race and your experiences with it.

When I say 'I tire of the same old race discussion', I mean I tire of the race discussion I've head umteen times in coffee shops, in Philosophy classrooms, in Sociology panels, etc. The one that contains blanket generalization, sweeping accusation, negation of white point of view, etc.

Talking about Caleb's desire to acquire a 'White Name' isn't that same old tack. It's something that troubled the mother, and helping her through that, helped her improve her life.

As you say, you can't 'defeat racism'. It doesn't exist in the material world. You can't destroy it. It exists inside of our minds. The way I've chosen to deal with it, then, is to deal with the effects of its presence.

In... er... short? Ahem. That discussion is the sort of discussion I'd embrace. And that reaction from that woman is the sort of reaction that makes me mutter. (As it's the typical white reaction to the 'same old race discussion.')

At one of those diversity training seminars I attended -- divisive, needless things they are -- the instructor asked how often the white people thought about the fact that they're white. The consensus seemed to be, only during divisive, needless diversity training seminars.

He then asked the black people how often they thought about being black.

Slightly more often, it would seem.

I don't know if Yoon has ever mentioned her experiences while in Korea in any publically accessible form (still trying to convince her to start blogging) or if I should be the one to relate them but she says that she didn't really *feel* the full impact of racism on her daily life until she'd been part of the majority while there. I've been thinking about that a lot lately. That and stretching out sentences like taffy.