SUBTLE RACISM.. The most dangerous kind for it is the place in the human heart where racial and ethnic Terrorism is quietly nurtured.
The most insidious racism in our culture now is SUBTLE, not overtly in the open like American slavery where it started as a foundation stone in our American psyche. Every white person is responsible to deal with this for it's in our evolutionary DNA. This is why it is dangerous and hard to notice, sometimes even by those who are innocently its victims.
It is an attitude, a frame of mind that unfortunately is often not conscious to its owner. In this form racism is not about personally mean words or actions to ones who are 'other' when encountered in personal life. But instead shows itself in a failure to be much aware of obstacles and lesser rights, opportunities and privileges that the 'others' are afforded by the social structure compared to those of the privileged dominant group.
It is an attitude, a frame of mind that unfortunately is often not conscious to its owner. In this form racism is not about personally mean words or actions to ones who are 'other' when encountered in personal life. But instead shows itself in a failure to be much aware of obstacles and lesser rights, opportunities and privileges that the 'others' are afforded by the social structure compared to those of the privileged dominant group.
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| Subtle Racism can be felt as a student not receiving due attention. |
Such subtle racism will not be concerned about these discrepancies under the law and will exert no energy to correct them. But will usually see such activity as no ones responsibility or 'business' and find it irritating and as only 'stirring up trouble.' Such peaceful but resistant protest activity is actually an essential behavior for any healthy democracy.
Subtle racism can with clear conscience insist, " I have black friends.", " I never mistreat anyone." and " Our races get along well in our town until someone stirs things up." And when such subtle racism continues to not be made conscious and owned it WILL time and again break into the open volcano -like either personally or collectively as overt and hostile violence. Charlottesville, VA is a most recent example. And as usual there is a strong voice present that seeks to protect the open racist hostility claiming it is simply 'one side' of the problem, thus not naming it for the Terrorism activity that it surely involves. This is why many are expecting the President to be more clear and forceful about naming it Terrorism, the same as he has done with ISIS supported Terrorism.
Subtle racism can with clear conscience insist, " I have black friends.", " I never mistreat anyone." and " Our races get along well in our town until someone stirs things up." And when such subtle racism continues to not be made conscious and owned it WILL time and again break into the open volcano -like either personally or collectively as overt and hostile violence. Charlottesville, VA is a most recent example. And as usual there is a strong voice present that seeks to protect the open racist hostility claiming it is simply 'one side' of the problem, thus not naming it for the Terrorism activity that it surely involves. This is why many are expecting the President to be more clear and forceful about naming it Terrorism, the same as he has done with ISIS supported Terrorism.
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| Charlottesville, VA August 12 2017 |
Presently groups who are openly hostile racists and whose declared message is one of claimed white superiority and privilege under the law are feeling embolden in our American culture. They will openly suggest that their voice of open hate and claimed superiority is a constitutional right they enjoy. They of course do have freedom of thought and speech rights in America but no citizen has a right to purposely intimidate or threaten others with bodily harm. Such behavior has another name which it should always be called. It is TERRORISM, behaving and using symbols intended to make others afraid of bodily harm. (As always when conflicting protests of any kind become physical either side can lose control and become guilty of physical violence. But this should never be used as an excuse to not declare what is intentionally a Terrorism activity from the start. )
https://www.thoughtco.com/examples-of-subtle-racism-2834960
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