Why is the institutionalized racism such a shock to people?

[anarch]

I keep seeing all sorts of comments, articles in major media, etc., that come across as totally shocked that there is widespread racism in America today...and inherent in our social policies, too.

I realize that Katrina and the aftermath have made it glaringly obvious, but it's not like it's a recent development. You know, the Jim Crow laws weren't really all that long ago...did everybody just forget? And what about our prisons? Isn't the ratio of imprisoned black men enough to make people think something's not right?

And all this stuff about "parts of the U.S. are just as bad as the third world" and so on...did nobody ever go outside of the touristy parts of N.O. before? Or to any "bad neighborhood" in any big city? Oh, that's right, nobody goes into those parts of town unless they're looking for drugs...or if they happen to freaking LIVE THERE!

I suppose I'm glad this is getting attention now, although horrified at what it took to bring it out into the open as far as public discourse. I will continue to hope that this new attention will bring some real progress....


Whew, ok then, rant off -- :rant:

[OldLeftieLawyer]

1. No one thinks of themselves as racist

Oh, sure, right away you've got to eliminate the KKK members, as well as the Aryan Nation, The Order, those other hatemongering morons.

But racism is so ingrained, so subtle, so easily accepted, it becomes the norm to react with surprise when the word is applied to the situation. A better acceptance, for most people, is "That's how it's always been," or something like "If they'd just get an education ............"

Having lived through the civil rights brilliance of the sixties, and watching, even now, with great relish, as the murderer of the three workers in Philadelphia, MS is brought to justice, I must say, with great, great sadness, that I believe nothing will change because of Katrina. There will be lots of noise, lots of denial, tons of lip service, a few token gestures that photograph well, and, when all is said and done, nothing will change.

[anarch]

2. I wish I could disagree,

I really do...but I think you're probably right. :(

[jedicord]

4. Some people here (Texas) seem to have been given a license to be rascist.

Seriously, I've heard the "n" word bandied about so much lately. It's as if one person said it first, then another, and the spigot was let out because no one (but me and my husband, it seems) is offended.

GAWD I live in a sick town!

[izzie]

3. People also live in sort of a dream world.

It is like they think we give Millions over seas and more than any country does. That our health care and education is the best in the world. It is what we want to think about our selfs and not the real way life is. Look at the Bush's they are really clueless.

[anarch]

5. I guess this is what I was ranting about, really

Some people do indeed live in a dream world. Even shutting off the TV and going outside doesn't help them see, if they live in some kind of suburban fake-town, where there are two cars in every garage and you never talk to the neighbors.

Other people live in a seemingly endless nightmare world of blight and decay, and it seems nobody ever gives a rats ass about them until their miserable existence is broadcast 24/7 on the news networks.

I suppose I'm just bitter....

[Just Me]

6. 'Cause people'd rather believe the illusions on teevee than,...

,...the reality hidden away from view or attention. In my view, the situation is a blend of media misrepresentation of facts and a people who'd rather deny that their nation produces inexcusable suffering than to take action to address such problems.

[tamtam]

7. Thank you

and might I add right on. What really bothered me is coming here and seeing so many threads with people who just couldn't believe the blatant racism. I don't understand what you are so surprised about? Do you mean to tell me people stop paying attention to racism after they gave black people the right to vote?

If you don't believe it from the horses mouth look at the statistics on crime, death, infant death, and poverty in regards to black people.

Institutionalized racism wasn't born on August 28th 2005; this is years in the making. I say if your surprised then your part of the problem because you haven't been paying attention.

I'm not keeping my hopes up about people becoming aware of the problem. Some of us talk a good game now but once the media attention is gone the awareness is gone. It's a damn shame it took such a horrific tragedy to wake Americans up. What we saw in New Orleans is real that is America not some far off place in Africa.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

8. Well said!

Yes, that's exactly correct, I think, and what's really odd is that, suddenly, everyone's a benefactor as the poor people displaced by Katrina are moved into their cities and towns. They'll pride themselves on how kind they're being, and, believe me, there will even be the thought - perhaps unspoken, perhaps spoken in hushed tones - about how good they're being to "their new black friends."

But, consider this as an affirmation of how deeply ingrained racism is in our society and our culture: what about all the displaced and homeless people who were already living on the streets of our cities? Most of them are minorities, and they're now even more second-class - perhaps third-class? - than they were before because they lack the cachet of having survived Katrina.