BLACK BUZZ NEWS SERVICE
Special Report
Pittsburgh PA.
June 8, 2010
BBNS
Blogger Black Buzz attended a National Conference on Race in America in Pittsburgh PA on June 3-6, Hosted By The School of Social Work, And Center On Race, And Social Problems of the University of Pittsburgh.
The Session on The White Way? Discussing Racial Privilege and White Advantage. Saturday, June 5, 2010 2-5 p.m.
Highlights of that Session:
The following report was made by Dr. Joe Feagin, who is currently the Ella C. McFadden Professor of Liberal Arts at Texas A & M University.
Joe Feagin acquired his BA degree from Baylor University and his PhD in sociology from Harvard University. Over the course of four decades he has taught at the University of Massachusetts, University of California, University of Texas, University of Florida, and Texas A & M University.
Dr. Feagin's primary research efforts focus on racial, urban, and gender issues. He has served as the Scholar-in-Residence at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and has written 200 articles and 57 books in his research fields, one of which, Ghetto Revolts, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
Among his books some coauthored, are Systemic Racism, Racist America, The First R: How Children Learn Race and Racism, Racial and Ethnic Relations, The Many Costs of Racism; White Men on Race; Black in Blue: African- American Police Officers and Racism; Two-Faced Racism: Whites in the Frontstage and Backstage; and most recently, The White Racial Frame, How the United States Racializes Latinos, and Yes We Can: White Racial Framing and 2008 Presidential Election.
He is the 2006 recipient of a Harvard Alumni Association lifetime achievement award and was 1999-2000 president of the American Sociological Association.
Historically, white Americans have created racial oppression in North America. And this racial oppression is still the foundational reality of the U.S. Most whites ignore or downplay this reality. Social scientist have developed weak analytical concepts: prejudice, stereotypes, bigotry, intolerance, assimilation. Much stronger concepts are necessary. Our foundational oppression ( 246 years of slavery, 90 years of Jim Crow, 85 percent of our history) generated systemic racism and a strong white racial frame- the set of racist stereotypes and prejudices, racial ideologies, racial images, racial emotions, racial narratives developed to rationalize & explain well-institutionalized oppression targeting people of color and the extensive white power and privilege that oppression has created over centuries. This frame (worldview ) accents virtue/superiority of whites versus vices/inferiority of racialized "others." ( I focus here on pro-white & anti black sub frames-seen in various actions of educated whites. )
Early creation of white racist frame ( 1600s): Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia lays out extensive anti black' pro white framing in developed white racial frame : Black Americans are natural slaves, smell funny, are lazy, less intelligent, physically ugly, oversexed, ape-linked and animalistic, and musically unsophisticated. They cannot think well; cannot if freed be integrated into white society. Whites are superior in every important way.
Jump to the present, to white actions and racial framing seen in brief excerpts from interviews/diaries my colleagues and I have done in many field studies. Some research questions :Do whites of various ages still do lots of everyday racism? Has the level of white-racist thought commentary, action declined as much as opinion surveys and pundits suggest ? Or has much white-racist commentary and action become concentrated in the social backstage, " with less performed in the social fronstage" because of social pressures to fake being colorblind"?
From 7500 racist accounts from brief (8-12 week) diaries by 626 white college students (28 colleges) One white student (Midwest) talks about home: At home we usually all sit in front of the television to watch the news together. We were watching the news and my father {white male } noticed that most of the stories they were telling had to deal with primarily black people. Once he started that the negative black jokes poured out of his mouth. He had some customers in the house ( we own our own repair shop ) and he was still telling the jokes. He never thought twice about it. He never thought about what his customers might say or do. Some of the jokes were along the lines of "why is Tylenol white ? Answer: Cause if it was black it wouldn't work!" Everyone in the room was laughing and they all had their own responses to the jokes. One lady (around 30 years of age ) said Yeah..... that is true. "
A white college student (another Midwestern college ): Three of my ( white ) friends and I went back to my house to drink a little more before we ended the night. Dylan started telling jokes: " What's them most confusing day of the year in Harlem?" "Father's Day.... Whose your daddy ?" Dylan also referred to black people as "Porch Monkey's." Everyone laughed a little, but it was obvious that we all felt a little less comfortable when he was telling jokes like that. My friend is not a racist person. He has more black friends than I do, that's why I was surprised he so freely said something like that. Dylan would never have said something like that around anyone who was a minority. People know the places they have to be politically correct, and most will be.
A white female student's investigative actions, near a major southern university: When I went to pick up the laundry, I saw a young black man sitting in the driver's side of a mini-van with the engine running. My first thought was that he was waiting for a friend to rob the store and he was the getaway driver. Even worse, I had to look into the store to see what was going on and what (or who )he was waiting for.
A leading white corporate executive defends his view that black Americans have less intelligence than whites (to a white stranger, an interviewer): Dr. Shockley, inventor of the transistor who did substantial sociological research showed that, matched on a variety of variables--blacks are born differently--on standardized intelligence tests. It's very socially unacceptable to say blacks are not as smart as the whites, are not as smart as the Asians, but there's a lot of research pointing to the fact that it is the case. And the liberals cannot accept that on a critical basis because it violates the empirical philosophical ideals that everybody has to be equal and that the reason for differences is caused by environmental and cultural factors.
Local white business leader reacts to a question asking how we would feel if his child married a black person ( to a white stranger, an interviewer: I'd be sick to my stomach. I would feel like, that I failed along the way. I'd probably take a lot of blame for that. I would feel like probably I failed out on the job along the way or they would not have those tendencies to do that. I'd feel like I probably failed as a father, if that was to happen. And it's something that I could never accept.... It would truly be a problem in my family because I could never handle that, and I don't know what would happen because I couldn't handle that, ever.
Middle- class white man in his 40s types comments on black Americans on Internet interview: I find the " black" race to be, in general, morally corrupt as well as culturally & intellectually defunct. Unfortunately, other races have chosen to emulate the behavior of the black race vs. working to assimilate the black race into the common American, Euro-centric culture.
Another college-educated white man in his 30s describes black women in his typed words on Internet interview: I dislike my dealings with the loud, abrasive, obnoxious, wanna-be ghetto or African-continental poseurs who make up for any real knowledge with a lousy attitude and in-your face obscenity, especially in line at the grocery store. I dislike the ones who have multiple children on welfare by father unknown', just so they can collect a check. I dislike the ones who name their children in an idiotic fashion.... just to seem like they know where Africa is on a map, or in a misguided attempt to seem more"African."
Protesting Racist Performance: A white college graduate diaries about meeting with five white college graduates (four with graduate degrees) for a sports outing on a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend: A few of the MBA graduates were expressing their happiness about having a long 3 day weekend ahead. One of the male MBA graduates (who I will call Rob ), who is now employed at a large corporation earning more than 6 figures per year as a stock trader, was standing at the front of the room. Rob stated, " Yes, since it is Martin Luther King day'[ with a sarcastic tone and smirk on his face, he used his fingers in a quoting motion to emphasize these words] then we get an extra day of [sports]." He continued by saying, " You know, if we killed one of them [ African Americans] everyday we could get the whole year off." At this point I turned my head to face Rob. A couple of people in the room knew me and were aware of what I study and my anti racist views. The other two male graduates from the MBA program responded to Rob's comments with smiles and boisterous laughing. The other female looked toward the floor and remained silent. After the room went quite again I responded by saying, "Look Rob, I would rather you start with this tonight OK, I can't believe you just say something like that, do you even think about what that means, I don't want to hear it," as I began shaking my head in disgust."Oh Judy it's just a joke," he replied. He continued by saying, "You know Judy studies these things, she studies race and all that."
Basic Lessons: No Post-Racial U.S. Whites invented this "post-racial" language/lying.(1) U.S. racism is deep, foundational, systemic, everywhere today.(2) Involves old racial hierarchy-whites at top with power and/or privilege, others below.(3) Many billions of racist commentaries and performances, routinized actions in fronstage and backstage, annually. (4) Legitimized & reproduced by constant white racist framing: white Americans as superior and deservedly privileged and Americans of color as inferior and racially"othered" (since 1600 ).
Some Countering Strategies: Uphill struggle, but systemic racism is human-made and can thus be unmade- only with substantial efforts. (1) Areas of personal action : Study, know our racist history well. Teach ourselves, others how to respond to racist events : Call racist acts out aggressively. Strategies: Use pointed humor ( " Rob, Did you learn that joke from the Klan?") Show puzzlement (" Can you explain that comment?"). Reframe racist event to accent positive framing. Where people have conflicting frames in minds (e.g.,justice/fairness frame versus white racist frame), activate positive the justice/fairness frame. Counter-framing is required for change. We must regularly call out racist performances, backstage and fronstage. We must teach/encourage more (especially white) people to "see" and understand everyday racism & how to dissent often in all settings, backstage and fronstage.(2) Areas of collective action:Create more national multiracial organizations calling out individual/systemic racism & teaching how to challenge/eradicate everyday racism. Create Stereotyping 101, Racism 101 courses in Media & from pre-kindergarten to grad school. Create well-organized movements to aggressively pressure socialization organizations (e.g. media ) to honestly assess society's racial oppression and press for structural change.
Only large-scale movements can bring major changes in systemic racism. Eternal organization= price of liberty.
Sources: J. Feagin, Systemic Racism ( Routledge 2006); J.Feagin, The White Racial Frame (Routledge 2010); L.H. Picca, J. Feagin, Two-Faced Racism (Routledge 2007 ); J.Feagin, H.Vera, P. Batur, White Racism ( Routledge 2001); J. Feagin, E. O'Brien, White Men on Race ( Beacon 2003 ). (Two quotes from dissertation by Brittany Slatton.)
jrfeagin@yahoo.com
Blog: http://www.racismreview.com/
Charles A. Gallagher a professor of sociology, and chair of the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, Pa was the other resource person for the session on white privileges. The moderator was Kathleen Blee distinguished Professor of Sociology, psychology, and history and chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh.
A long an intense Q & A period followed this excellent session.
* Note the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work, And Center On Race And Social Problems claimed that this Conference was the largest ever held in the U.S. on Race in America. Attendees came from all over the U.S, and 16 Major National Universities also helped to sponsor this historic event. Other sponsors were the Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, The Pittsburgh Foundation.
6 comments:
I personally have conducted my shopping while Black tests in which we would send in three testers to shop in various stores that required you to get waited upon for said service. These tests were conducted in the Pittsburgh Pa area using three testers two of whom were Black, and one white person. All three parties arrived at the counter at the same time for service. In each case the store employee was white that was rendering the service, automatically asked the white person FIRST may I help you please. The white person said Oh! she who was Black had arrived at the store before her and she was next. The white store employee looked puzzled and confused. At another business establishment all three of the testers arrived at a counter that had no store help present.When the white store employeee arrived from back room she looked directly at the white person first, and asked her may I help you. And the white lady said "this lady referring to Black woman had arrived before her."
I sent in four testers into a local upscale furniture store in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh PA. The testing team consisted of two whites, and two Blacks. When both whites entered said stores they were asked promplty can I help you please. When the two Blacks entered the store they had to wonder for three, and four minutes before someone said " Can I help you find something." In one store both of the whites were asked "May I help you. " And the Blacks were never asked can I help you during their entire time in said store which was twenty minutes.
A Civil Rights complaint was filed with the City Human Relations Commission, on a Refusal To Serve based upon race, Black. We did obtain an apology, and they entered into a Consent Order, and Decree stating that they would cease and desist from discriminating against all people on the basis on race & color.
That complaint change their business behavior in reference to Blacks, but they were still the same old tired ass racist.
Its true that whites generally have taken for granted their racial privileges.
White privilege is a manifestation of racism inherent in the systems of white Supremacy.
The Civil Rights Laws are designed to check discriminatory behavior, and pattern & practice discrimination by Respondents. You can't legislate out racism. The various Civil Rights Laws & Executive Orders should make you change your behavior if enforced, but those Civil Rights Laws can't change the deep seeded bias, racism and bigotry in your heart.
Only God can change the racist heart.
Everyone should read Faye Anderson's excellent article about the sell out Ben Jealous (NAACP) in reference to his behind the seen dealing with the criminals at Wells Fargo.
http://andersonatlarge.typepad.com
http: www.huffingtonpost.com/faye-anderson.
andersonatlarge@gmail.com
THIS IS TYPICAL BEHAVIOR FOR MANY IN WHITE AMERICA. THEY DON'T KNOW THE DEGREE OF THEIR RACISM. IN A NEW BOOK, THE GOD DEFINED SELF (A LAYMAN'S PERSPECTIVE ON RACISM IN AMERICA), ANDRE' D. DAVIS BRINGS AMERICA UP CLOSE AND MAKES THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM IN THE LAND OF THE FREE & HOME OF THE BRAVE. THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR ANY AMERICAN SEEKING TO BE A PART OF THE ANSWER AND SEE RACIAL RECONCILIATION TAKE PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY. READ THIS BOOK AND JOIN THE NATIONAL DISCUSSION ON RACISM. THANK YOU, ANDRE'
Dr. Feagin also stated in the session on white privilege and white advantage that he had one of his graduate researchers, who was a Black female conduct survey work on the attitudes of white males in reference to their views and perceptions of African American females. The Black female researcher polled white males from all socio-economic classes, and professions throughout the USA.White males on college campuses were also included in the said poll/survey and the results were astounding. The researcher found that 85 percent of the white males surveyed had a negative opionions of Black women that ranged from negative, very negative to extremely negative. This research study was conducted in 2009 in the Age of Obama.
Blogger Black Buzz states that the attitudes, views, and perceptions of Black females by white males is rooted in how Black women were treated by their colonial masters in the antebellum, and post antebellum period. Black females were always viewed by whites as less than human, inferior and always in heat like a dirty savage. The idea, and sterotype of an exotic Black less than human always in heat Black women has been with us for over four hundred and ten years. Southern & Northern Plantations were wholesale breeding grounds in which white masters frequently and consistently raped and had illicit sex and affairs with the slave and free women of color. Why would any white man want to have sex with someone that he viewed is less than human ? Isnt that a little hypocritical ? Couldn't his white wife satisfy his lust, and sexual urges and behavior ? But again I asked why would you want to have sex with an inferior human being ? What does that say about the white man ? The lightskin Mulatto woman was most preferred by the nasty white masters of the antebellum period. The Mulatto woman of all skin colors sometimes had more power than the lonely and neglected white house wife.
Miscegenation has been so wide-spread in this country that perhaps millions of Blacks, and Native Americans have passed over into the so-called white race to exscape from the brutality of being Black in a racist society.
Researchers at Ohio State University once said the number of Blacks that have crossed the color line is shocking.
I have three great Aunts and four Uncles who are living as whites in North Carolina, South Carolina, and in Savannah Georiga.
It was also pointed out in another session that Black women only account for 6.1 percent of marriages to males other than Black males. But Black males account for 13.2 percent of all marriages to females other than Black, and the bulk of that number is to white females. So 94.1 percent of Black females remain loyal to Black males are they are just simply not marrying because the available Black pool is shrinking.
The average Black female is reluctant to deal with a white male because of the warped nefarious historical relationship between Black females and white males in the USA. But nature and love know no color line.
Andre thank for your insightful comments and I will obtain a copy of that book to read.
Note a correction in the last comment: It should read as follows.
Miscegenation has been so wide-spread in the USA, and throughout the African Diaspora that perhaps millions of Blacks, and Native people have crossed over into the white race to escape from the brutality of being Black in the Americas.
In the opening session of the Conference on Restructuring Inequality, Julian Bond former chair of the NAACP, and professor in the history department of the prestigious University of Virginia stated that 3,000,000 housing discrimination complaints were filed on the basis of race from 2001 to 2008. These complaints are (charges) were filed with HUD,the various State Human Relations Commissions, the various State Human Rights Agencies, local Human Relations Commissions and with Fair Housing Organizations. Geo. Bush's U. S. Justice Department only filed 20 Lawsuits out of the three millions racial discrimination complaints that were lodged against Respondents.
The banks,realtors,mortgage companies,owners, sellers,predatory lenders have absolutely nothing to fear as far good sound enforcement. They the discriminators have a free hand to discriminate against people of color as though the various Civil Rights Laws don't even exist. Congressional, and State Legislative oversight is practically non-existence in the area of Civil Rights enforcement.
And Ben Jealous new chair of the NAACP let Wells Fargo off of the hook after the NAACP had filed a class action Lawsuit against Wells Fargo for their predatory dicriminatory lending practices against Black people. What did the black victims of Wells Fargo receive from the duplicitous back-stabbing actions of Ben Jealous ?
What remedy Mr. Jealous, did you give to all the thousands of Black people that were discriminated against by said Well Fargo ? How did you make the victims whole ?
Now we have learned that Wells Fargo is now the main sponor of the NAACP's National Convention to be held this summer.
Uncle Ben the slick traitor needs to really resign from his position for being a true sell out. Uncle Ben's actions appear to be right out of the Barack Obama playbook.
W.E.B. Dubois has to be turning over in his grave with the likes of Uncle Ben running the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization.
Mr. Jealous Civil Rights is serious business, and you should not play back room politics with the lives of millions of people who have put their faith, and trust in you to continue the legacy of the NAACP.
Malcolm X would call you a true "House Servant."
Don't we have a Martin Luther King Jr. Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells- Barnett, Angela Davis, Fannie Lou Hamer, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Elaine Brown, out there somewhere all rolled into one to lead the NAACP ?
Quite frankly I wouldn't have my dog go hear or listen to anything that Uncle Ben has to say.
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