Follow-on to my post about racism

[T]he problem of race in America has never been solely or predominantly a minority issue. It is first and foremost, as Carter said, a problem of whiteness.

A little while back I posted my opinion of folks who are making very vocal complaints about being labeled racist. Today I come across this article which expands the point even further. It is a bit long but worth reading, especially if you care about eliminating the issue of race as a divisor in our society. The author makes a point I think bears repeating; it's summarized above.

A somewhat longer quote gets to the heart of the matter:

It's a one-sided deal for people of color; as "post-racial" in effect means post-black, post-brown, post-red and post-yellow, while leaving the normative racial framework of whiteness intact. Race is the challenge people of color must confront and, dare I say, "get over."

But a post-racial America does not demand the same of those who identify with, and claim the social construction of, whiteness and perceived privileges and cultural superiority therein.

This is why, it would seem, Obama's body standing behind the American presidential seal has a critical segment of America losing its hold on reality -- a reality, I would argue, few have ever been forced to acknowledge up to this point.

Whether it's the birthers, tea-baggers, deathers, indoctrinators, or "You lie!"-ers, they have neither veiled their racial animus nor cloaked their white nationalism. The prevalence of racist images of Obama brandished by protesters juxtaposed with calls of "taking our country back" are reminiscent of D.W. Griffith's fictional America as depicted in the film Birth of a Nation.

And the pride with which this segment of society has rallied the troops around its shared sense of whiteness reveals that their skin color is the one true object of pledged allegiance and determinant of professed patriotism. [Emphasis mine.]

Those who protest so very strongly that they resent being called racist not only are racist, but have reversed the historical role of an oppressed minority: they have become the oppressed minority of "white supremacy racists" in America. As well they should be.

Enjoy that label while you can, boys. [/sarcasm]

We speak of "playing the race card." Now it's become "playing the racist card." The first step in overcoming a problem is realizing you have one. Some of us are already past that point; some may never get there. But everyone dies, so I see a solution in sight. My family is largely Hispanic--of color--so I'm encouraged that my grandchildren will grow up not thinking they're "white" and that whiteness is somehow the preferred state. I mean really, just how pure are any of us?

I know I'm an "evil librul," but I see great beauty in diversity. There's an exotic newness; a great opportunity to learn and become better informed. But I do see a great division between people. It's between the educated and the critical thinkers, and the un-educated and slavish believers by choice. There is nothing at all noble or right about being ignorant, and certainly nothing to be proud of.

Don't believe everything you're told. Listen. Question everything. Think.

That is all.