racism: not my problem

[tielan]

I get the feeling that some folks don't think racism is their problem.

On one hand, I feel the agreement bubbling up within me. I'm not overtly or intentionally racist. I try to judge people by who they are not what their background is. I don't have problems with people as racial types, I have problems with people as individuals.

On the other hand, the questioner within me demands to know: "If racism isn't my problem...whose problem is it?"

I considered that this morning and here's how I laid it out.

I guess I have a 'get-out-of-racism-free' card, in a way. I'm a Person-of-Colour but I tend to think of myself as being brought up white - the old banana joke. It would be nice to see more Asian heroes and heroines in mainstream TV but I take what I can where I find it - and sometimes my connection isn't with 'the Asian' character at all. My racial type has a different history of oppression, one that involved being looked down upon but doesn't involve slavery and the denigration of humanity. (And these days, all your university place belong to us. Muahahahaha! *cough*)

Still, just because I can use the 'get-out-of-racism-free' card doesn't mean I should.

If racism isn't the problem of the people who aren't racist - if it's the province of the people who are racist, then we're putting a lot of faith in humanity's ability to self-criticise. Abusers are not generally inclined to admit to being wrong, let alone likely to change their behaviour to accomodate the victim.

So, if racism isn't the problem of the people who aren't racist, and it's ignored by the people who are racist...that leaves racism as the victims' problem.

And I disagree that abuse is the problem of the victims; that bystanders have nothing to answer for.

So...racism is my problem, too.

Comments

[viciouswishes.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree that racism is everyone's problem.

At least here in the US PacificNorthwest (where I live), there is a history of racism against Asian Americans with Japanese internment camps in WWII and the exploitation and expulsion of the Chinese at various points in the last 100 years in different areas. I think it's very interesting how much this area tries to forget the past and welcome everyone into the tech industry. Except, you know, the other racial minorities that racist notions have shifted to, especially those in the lower income bracket who are less likely to have college degrees.

[tielan]

I read something about that the other day - about Japanese internment camps during WWII and how there were some that were built in Indian reservations in order to develop those areas in infrastructure.

They had a meeting or a conclave at the anniversary to share the histories. I have to hunt down that article, they mentioned what looked to be some very interesting books in it.

[viciouswishes.livejournal.com]

I'd definitely be interested in reading that article if you could find it. It's almost like they were "hey, we're going to cover up the racism, decimation, and neglect of the naive peoples by building an racist camp on top of the reservations." I sometimes seriously question what type of asshole you have to be to be in government.

[tielan]

*tries to think where it was*