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Matt Smith -> RE: A Matter of Color... Skin Color - One Stop Thread (11/26/2007 2:02:26 AM)
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ORIGINAL: zamdad
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Well, if you're not dismissing them outright, then I'll welcome any response you have to the ones I posted. What can you find in that research that might inform our understanding of racism?
While in college, I studied one study after another. My advisor was absoultely right in his assessment of academics. It's nothing more than some person coming up with a theory and publishing his/her research to support it. Then, someone ele comes along and publishes a theory to counter the first theory. On and on it goes all while spending someone else's money.
I'm sure that, like you, most of my opnion/perspective on racism comes from life experience more than academic research. Yes, I am white. Growing up my parents had friends of every color. As an adult I moved to Alaska. The town I lived in had an Army post, an Air Force base, a college, and was the central community for many rural natives to come and get supplies, gather for events, etc. In the Army, during basic training, one of my drill instructors hammered home the point that in the Army, there is no race; everyone is green. I have been to several native villages where I was made to feel unwelcome because I am white. At the same time, I did not let that bother me as I continued to engage everyone in the village. I have also worked in corrections, both behind the walls and in the community. As i said in an earlier post, the onle place i have seen true racism take place was inside the prison. UNtil we get past ourselves and learn to ignore color, begin looking at character instead of pigmentation, we will never rid ourselves of racism. Like the media, academicians don't want it to go away because it generates money.
You didn't answer the question I asked about the study I linked to: "What can you find in that research that might inform our understanding of racism?"
I'm sure there's a lot wrong with academia. You don't have to convince me. But that doesn't keep some research from being well designed and informative. I'm a little concerned that you're focusing too much on the idea that academia's bad, and I don't see you focusing on a specific study that may or may not reveal something useful.
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I asked asked about your perspective on the matter as you chimed into this thread communicating some form of expertise citing stats, studies and personal experience. As I indicated in previous conversations with you that you have expressed feeling discriminated against, feeling the effects of prejudice, with regard to your lifestyle choice. I fail to see the correlation between being discriminated against for behavior as opposed to skin color.
I'm not sure what you mean by "correlation." I mean, my synagogue was vandalized when I was a kid. They did significant damage. I remember when my congregation had to fix that part of our building, and then outfit it with security measures so nobody could do the same thing again. I was sad about it, angry, scared. I remember wondering if the vandals were hiding nearby and watching us, waiting for another opportunity to strike. I remember wondering if they would return, if I'd encounter them and what I'd do.
Some Black churches have also experienced vandalism, or they know there's a distinct possibility that it will happen, based on the community they live in. Do I have some idea of what that prejudice feels like to those church members? Yes, I expect I do. I expect the grief, powerlessness, and anger, are the same... the fear that next time they might go after people rather than property... concern for your safety and loved ones... paranoia from not knowing who in the community was involved, or who else may secretly feel the same way... along with a sense of fierce unity among your congregation. Even though my religion was a personal belief, and my participation in a congregation was a chosen behavior -- not something like skin color -- I have to imagine it feels the same.
I think the same would be true for any group that's had a facility vandalized, burnt down, or whatever -- or that lives under the threat of violence. That experience will be a window into the experience of any group who faces similar prejudice.
And vandalism/violence is only one kind of prejudice. I give it as an example. But other kinds of prejudice could also be windows into someone else's experience -- e.g. prejudice as it appears in political dialogue, or in employment discrimination, or tokenization, etc.
Best,
Matt
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