If I had a dollar for every time I heard a statement start with the words, "I'm not racist, but ..." I would be a very rich man.
No matter what massively bigoted statement follows, they seem more preoccupied with trying to convince others (and/or themselves) that they are not racist.
The question must be asked: If ignorance remains as it does, and people are more frightened of being perceived as ignorant than of being ignorant, are we making any progress?
Race relations are complex and difficult, yet it seems in the many years since the civil rights movement, image has outweighed substance. People have ceased being real with themselves and others.
Usually the "I'm not racist, but . . . " is followed by some statement like, "black people are loud" or, "Mexicans don't have insurance." These statements are laced with emotions and are derived from our stereotypes. Stereotypes, however, are not the fundamental problem.
We need stereotypes. They are necessary for our brain to process information. At any given second, your senses are being bombarded with all types of datasets, which are simultaneously being processed. To make any sort of sense of this monstrous stream of information, your brain groups things into categories. Racial stereotypes are no different; everyone has internalized racial stereotypes.
Stereotypes do contribute negatively to race relations. If you perceive another group as untrustworthy or dangerous, chances are you will not want to associate with them. Barack Obama's recent speech on race addressed the stereotype problem. He mentioned his white grandmother, "Who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe."
He went further to try to address the anger and resentment that built through time in both the white and black communities. He went on to ask America to have a real dialogue, one that looks at the root causes of problems rather than choose demagogues. Conservative talk radio of course chooses the demagogue route.
Rush Limbaugh is the perfect case study of the modern angry white male. He rails all day about the ills of our "liberal welfare state," and what he sees as ethnic favoritism toward minorities. The problem, of course, is that Limbaugh is wrong and a liar. According to his housekeeper Wilma Cline, he on enough "hillbilly heroin" to kill a small donkey at the same time he proclaimed that the drug dealers should get the death penalty.
But the reason he is wrong isn't because of his ignorant and uniformed stances, or the fact he gets higher than Amy Winehouse. Limbaugh is wrong because he contradicts his core principles constantly.
According to a column he wrote, Limbaugh believes in working toward a "color-blind society." Essentially, he wants no special treatment for anyone whatsoever. Of course, he doesn't take into account the very unequal playing field that already exists in America. Of course, he perpetuates the vilest of racial stereotypes (just listen to the song, "Barack the Magic Negro," he aired on his radio show).
But Limbaugh isn't racist; he is just working toward a post-racial America, just like Clarence Thomas and Alan Keyes.
Limbaugh and his ilk fuel this idea of white oppression, but they didn't invent it. Rush became popular because he voiced the ignorance that was just under the surface. Political correctness, no matter how well intentioned, produced a backlash because the "silent white majority" felt that its freedoms were under assault.
Race relations are complex and difficult. But progress isn't made without open and honest dialogue. We are kidding ourselves if we expect to have discussions on issues such as race without understanding they will be uncomfortable.
Ignorance is uncomfortable, but it is here to stay.
I actually agree with Limbaugh that we should move toward a post-racial society, and that speech should never be censored. In order to accomplish this, however, a balanced open and honest dialogue should begin.
The Daily Show did a segment after Obama's speech where Jon Stewart and his "black correspondent" Larry Willmore had a hilarious and uncomfortable frank race discussion. Stewart asked questions like, "Why do your car stereos have to be so loud?" and Willmore asked, "Why do you ruin music?"
The jokes that are funniest are the ones that show us truths about ourselves.
So rather than worry about being perceived as ignorant, just be ignorant. That does not mean use racial slurs or derogatory comments, it means say what you really feel without trying to qualify it. The more open and honest you are with your feelings, the easier it is to examine why it is you feel that way.
That is how we will learn and move forward as a country. Progress is a slow process, but when the ball starts rolling in the right direction, nothing can stop it.
