Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Racism and White Privilege on the Liberal-Left

Colorblind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity (City Lights Open Media)I've just seen this article by Tim Wise which contains an excellent analysis on racism amongst white liberal, left-wing thinkers and activists.

Among the issues covered are:

- The attitude that "Barack Obama is not like other Black people".

- The failure to address racism amongst other movements including the women's movement and LGBT activism.

- Does President Obama make white people feel good about themselves?

- And is San Francisco really more racist than places like Jackson, Miss?

I am so tired of hearing white women say that women did not work outside the home until the 1970s. My grandmother had a career well into her 70s (in the 1970s) and my mother started her second career after retirement in her early 60s. To paraphrase Sojourner Truth, ain't they women?

He also rightly points out that the Summer of Love was not that meaningful for lots of African American people, as they were being targeted by the police in Oakland. In my article Celebrating the Legend that Is Motown, I also talk about the fact that 1967 saw major race riots in Detroit.

Tim Wise is the author of Colorblind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity.

Very clear analysis. My question is: what is he doing to change the situation?

I strongly recommend this article. Check it out: With Friends Like These, Who Needs Glenn Beck? Racism and White Privilege on the Liberal-Left.

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