Race, Denial and the American Nightmare
1997; Project Innovation Austin; Volume: 118; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0013-1172
Autores Tópico(s)Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies
ResumoShortly after assassination of Martin Luther King I sat in a university classroom and listened to a black civil rights worker predict that South Africa would elect its first black president long before United States. I challenged this seemingly preposterous statement with obvious, reminding him that South Africa was one of few republics that not only legally sanctioned, but celebrated acts of racism. Undeterred, he suggested that the main difference between whites in South Africa and whites in United States is that South African's are willing to acknowledge their bigotry, while most white Americans deny it, rationalize it, and act it out daily. Then he challenged me with obvious... Where there's denial Mr. Fischler, there's little opportunity for change ... tittle opportunity for growth. Six years later, in 1974 New Orleans' singer/songwriter Randy Newman reiterated black civil rights worker's message of pretense and denial in his bitterly sardonic song, Rednecks ... Now your northern nigger's a Negro You see he's got his dignity Down here we're too ignorant to realize That north has set nigger free Yes he's fee to be put in a cage In Harlem in New York City And he's free to be put in a cage on South-Side of Chicago and West-Side And he's free to be put in a cage in Hough in Cleveland And he's free to be put in a cage in East St. Louis And he's free to be put in a cage in Fillmore in San Francisco And He's free to be put in a cage in Roxbury in Boston They're gatherin' em up from miles around Keepin', niggers down. While Randy Newman penned his lyrics twenty-three years ago, his message remains accurate today. He describes all too well America's proclivity for residential apartheid, with research studies suggesting that white's simply aren't willing to move in, live in, or stay in neighborhoods that are more than eight percent black. Memories of Newman/civil rights worker's message returned to me as I read following personal in a small town, New England college newspaper ... Personal Three horny men looking to tag-team young afro-american virgin ... x5950, x7041, x5912 The community collectively wondered who would write such a thing? Why? ... An investigation began. Three of newspaper's editors eventually admitted to writing ad, claiming it resulted from late night pre-deadline fatigue and a poor attempt at humor. The community's response was mixed. A few thought ad was funny. A few more searched for a politically correct response. A few less were annoyed. More than a few were angry. Most just didn't care. Too few acknowledged hurt, pain and loss of self-esteem that personal could generate. Even fewer acknowledge possibility that might reflect attitudes of me than just a few. I wondered about racism American style and prevalence of attitudes reflected in personal. I asked 100 undergraduate students if they'd help me in determining extent to which similar sentiments might be shared by keeping a journal and recording day-to-day comments or experiences involving bigotry and hate. Here's a sample of what they found: I'm loading out on my couch in front of t.v. watching college football with a couple of fraternity brothers. I really get into college games and I get vocal about it. Although I swear at players, I rarely involve their nationality. One of my buddies yells at t.v., `you dumb coon, you couldn't catch ADDS if it was injected into you' (meaning he dropped ball every time). …
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