Oregon Public Broadcasting

1st congressional district 2012 election 2012 session agriculture art arts author beer births books budget business central oregon college congress crime culture death penalty eastern oregon economy education employment energy environment eugene fishing food gangs gay rights health health care high school history homeless housing jobs law legislature literature living media mental health military movies music native americans obama occupy portland occupy wall street onthejob oregon our town outdoors parenting police politics portland portland business journal portland mayor pregnancy prison public health race rebroadcast recess recession religion republicans rural schools science shooting sports supreme court talking business technology teen theater unemployment union university of oregon washington water weekend women youth

I've noticed that the health care reform debate got side-tracked, partly by comments about "racism".  Many of those opposed to the idea claim that the proponents are using allegations of racism to stifle the debate.

I'm wondering what the different sides mean when they talk about "racism". 

If you'll indulge me, I'd like to make a couple of points with a personal anecdote:
A number of years ago, I had a bad relationship with my boss.  One evening, as I was waiting for my wife to come and join me to head home, I was feeling frustrated, angry, and resentful. 
Hardly noticing it, there was a young African-american man walking down the street by the parking lot, and my stew of emotions somehow latched onto him and I started thinking a whole series of nasty, racially charged things about him.  When I noticed the subtext of my thoughts I was horrified to find that I was racist, something I would  never have suspected of myself before that day.

I wanted this to illustrate two points: One is that racism is largely an irrational, subconsious attitude, which manifests in ways that may have nothing overtly to do with race. 
The second point is that according to the "common wisdom" among those who study these things, a substantial portion of the American public has at least a bit of racism hiding under the floorboards of their minds.  Having it there, and acknowledging it doesn't make you a Skinhead, or a Klansman, or even an Archie Bunker.

It's well past time to inject a little honesty with ourselves, and with each other on this subject.

posted 2 years, 7 months ago
view in context