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RaceVClass 23 - 10 Apr 2012 - Main.KippMueller
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| | I realize this is going to be a pretty damn controversial post, but I feel compelled to speak on the subject. I sometimes become concerned that classism becomes too easily conflated with racism in our world.
There's many draws to calling a certain policy racist: | | | Such “overly reductive” statements like the ones the speaker made are likely to incite feelings of white guilt, and make white people less willing to join in dialogues that even relate to issues of racism (such as classicism). And it is very important to include all people in these discussions. Because of white privilege, white people have the opportunity to ignore issues of race that surround them, since they are not directly confronted by them. I remember being shocked at hearing people discuss our “post-racial” society soon after Obama was elected across my predominately white college campus. By making general, incorrect statements about white people being “greedy” and “oppressive,” instead of describing the numerous historical factors that have made white people the privileged race in our society, such a speaker is likely to make people less willing to talk about race at all.
I do believe, however, that classism is inextricably linked to racism. The way the country has been structured since its creation has caused this. Though it is possible to speak strictly about classism in certain contexts, I believed that in most other contexts this would lead to a very incomplete discussion about the issue. Of course other factors such as gender and education also have strong roles in classism, and should not be forgotten. But it cannot be ignored that in our society whiteness has great advantage, especially in regards to socioeconomics. For example, “studies suggest that working-class whites are typically better off in terms of assets and net worth than even middle-class blacks with higher incomes, due to past familial advantages” (Tim Wise, White Like Me, viii). By acknowledging such facts, we are not ignoring the existence of classism, but better understanding its many components. | |
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> | -- ShefaliSingh - 09 Apr 2012
Thanks Shefali,
Totally agree with most everything... in particular your last paragraph. But I don't think it's at odds at all with what I'm saying. I'm pretty sure you don't either. But just to be sure I'm not advocating to replace discussions of race with class. I agree that they're inextricably linked and that both should be addressed.
I do empathize with all stereotyping. And I, like anyone else, don't want to be told what I believe or excluded from anything based on the color of my skin... it's an awful, devastating feeling.
But you say to feel empathy towards others stereotyped instead of feeling alienated. Why not both?
No one should be judged, excluded or alienated for the color of their skin, plain and simple. Doesn't matter what color you are. I never chose the color of my skin.
And, anticipating the tangential discussion about white privilege which benefits me regardless of whether I chose my color or not, I get that. We all agree that exists. No need to go down that road.
But I personally unequivocally do not believe that justifies alienation. It just means that institutionalized white privilege is something to be cognizant of and something to be resisted.
And I don't believe it's unjustified for me to feel a sense of alienation just because I'm white. I don't think you do either, Shefali, but I just sense from the thread generally a resistance to it and I want to address it outright.
-- KippMueller - 09 Apr 2012 |
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