Colorblind Ideology is a Form of Racism

Big Don

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[h=1]Colorblind Ideology is a Form of Racism[/h]
A colorblind approach allows us to deny uncomfortable cultural differences.
Published on December 27, 2011 by Monnica T. Williams, Ph.D. Psychology Today EXCERPT:

[h=2]What is racial colorblindness?[/h]Racial issues are often uncomfortable to discuss and rife with stress and controversy. Many ideas have been advanced to address this sore spot in the American psyche. Currently, the most pervasive approach is known as colorblindness. Colorblindness is the racial ideology that posits the best way to end discrimination is by treating individuals as equally as possible, without regard to race, culture, or ethnicity.

At its face value, colorblindness seems like a good thing — really taking MLK seriously on his call to judge people on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. It focuses on commonalities between people, such as their shared humanity.

However, colorblindness alone is not sufficient to heal racial wounds on a national or personal level. It is only a half-measure that in the end operates as a form of racism.

[h=2]Problems with the colorblind approach[/h]Racism? Strong words, yes, but let's look the issue straight in its partially unseeing eye. In a colorblind society, White people, who are unlikely to experience disadvantages due to race, can effectively ignore racism in American life, justify the current social order, and feel more comfortable with their relatively privileged standing in society (Fryberg, 2010). Most minorities, however, who regularly encounter difficulties due to race, experience colorblind ideologies quite differently. Colorblindness creates a society that denies their negative racial experiences, rejects their cultural heritage, and invalidates their unique perspectives.

Let's break it down into simple terms: Color-Blind = "People of color — we don't see you (at least not that bad ‘colored' part)." As a person of color, I like who I am, and I don't want any aspect of that to be unseen or invisible. The need for colorblindness implies there is something shameful about the way God made me and the culture I was born into that we shouldn't talk about. Thus, colorblindness has helped make race into a taboo topic that polite people cannot openly discuss. And if you can't talk about it, you can't understand it, much less fix the racial problems that plague our society.
END EXCERPT
The proper netspeak term for this is OFFS.
At its face value, colorblindness seems like a good thing — really taking MLK seriously on his call to judge people on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.
Yeah, because treating people as individuals is wrong, each individual person must ONLY be treated as representative of a group, be it racial, nationality, sex, etc...
It focuses on commonalities between people, such as their shared humanity.

However, colorblindness alone is not sufficient to heal racial wounds on a national or personal level. It is only a half-measure that in the end operates as a form of racism.
It is not my responsibility to heal anyone's wounds, unless I personally caused them. Sorry, being born in the 1970's I never owned slaves, oppressed Chinese railroad workers, hung a "No Irish" sign, etc. Get over yourselves. MTFU. The world would be so much better without those a holes who make up the grievance industry and their followers who go through life looking for reasons to be offended.
This is the kind of fuzzy headed liberal "thinking" that leads to being eaten, and the stupidest goddamn thing I have read in years, and I read Interview with the Vampire.
 

arnisador

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It is not my responsibility to heal anyone's wounds, unless I personally caused them. Sorry, being born in the 1970's I never owned slaves, oppressed Chinese railroad workers, hung a "No Irish" sign, etc. Get over yourselves. MTFU.

If you didn't cause the problems, they don't exist?

The world would be so much better without those a holes who make up the grievance industry and their followers who go through life looking for reasons to be offended.

There are legitimate grievances. You mention never owning slaves, but the Civil Rights Act was passed within my lifetime. And that didn't end all problems.
 

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So basically, the article suggests it's unfair to deny people their chip on their shoulder....

Interesting perspective.
 

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If you didn't cause the problems, they don't exist?

He didn't say that..he said it's not his responsibility to "heal their wounds". And I have to agree. Why should I, simply due to the color of my skin, have to...for example...pay for "reparations" that some people want? If I was a direct descendant of a slave owner I would still argue that it's unfair and un-American to be expected to pay for the "sins of my father". Even more so for someone like me who had the bulk of my Ancestory immigrate into the this country after the Civil War.
 

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Sorry, but that's just plain stupid. Color-blindness is meant to be done by institutions. Restaurants, churches, libraries, museums, hotels, etc ... These are all places that need to be color-blind and treat everyone the same. Color-blindness is not meant to be a method of personal interaction. That would be stupid since each person that you interact with is different with their own background, history and ideology. That the writer assumed that color-blindness would be used as a means of personal interaction tells me that, psychologist or not, she needs to get out and interact with real people more.
 

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First, I agree that it's not your "responsibility" to heal anyone's wounds. It's not an obligation that you, because your parents are Caucasian, must atone for the mistakes made by people you've never even met.

But, there are times, IMO, where it's in your interest to do it. Without even getting into the entire reparations and chips on shoulders issue, diversity is a very good thing. Diversity of thought and culture are fundamental concepts upon which our country was founded. We've all heard the metaphor of the Great American Melting Pot. I think of it as more like a stew than a fondue. What makes America pretty awesome is the fusion of multiple cultures.

Getting back to the article, it's willful ignorance to pretend that tension doesn't exist. What I mean is that it's there whether you choose to acknowledge it or not. This is a kind of conflict avoidance and often ends up making things worse over time. So, while it's not your responsibility or even an obligation, it is often a good idea to resolve conflict.

To be clear, I'm talking about on a personal level. One on one or within a group or team.
 

Tgace

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First, I agree that it's not your "responsibility" to heal anyone's wounds. It's not an obligation that you, because your parents are Caucasian, must atone for the mistakes made by people you've never even met.

But, there are times, IMO, where it's in your interest to do it. Without even getting into the entire reparations and chips on shoulders issue, diversity is a very good thing. Diversity of thought and culture are fundamental concepts upon which our country was founded. We've all heard the metaphor of the Great American Melting Pot. I think of it as more like a stew than a fondue. What makes America pretty awesome is the fusion of multiple cultures.

Getting back to the article, it's willful ignorance to pretend that tension doesn't exist. What I mean is that it's there whether you choose to acknowledge it or not. This is a kind of conflict avoidance and often ends up making things worse over time. So, while it's not your responsibility or even an obligation, it is often a good idea to resolve conflict.

To be clear, I'm talking about on a personal level. One on one or within a group or team.

And I don't quite understand your point...it's in my best interest to do what? Take responsibility for something simply because of a lack of melanin in my skin?
 
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Big Don

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I am such a racist bastard I don't have white friends, no, really, everyone at my dojo is hispanic, and other than that, my best friend is black. They don't feel I am to blame for past racism, not being idiots, why should I?
 

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And I don't quite understand your point...it's in my best interest to do what? Take responsibility for something simply because of a lack of melanin in my skin?
Simply this. If you're on a team and there's conflict, it's generally in your best interest to resolve the conflict. If that conflict is due to racial, ethnic or some other kind of cultural tension, ignoring that is counter productive.

Are you obligated to address it? Only if you're the boss, IMO. Are you required to address it? Only if it's created dysfunction to the degree that you have allegations of harassment, hostile work environment or a similar, legal situation. You may also be required to address it if there is an EEO complaint, or if you have a union and a grievance or allegation of an unfair labor practice is alleged. Otherwise, and the main point I wanted to make, is that resolving conflict is necessary in order to get things done.

So, to sum up. If you're dealing with a one on one situation, or you're part of a group or team, even where there's no obligation to handle it, it's likely in your best interest.

Acknowledging racial tension does not equal taking responsibility for it, though. I don't think I ever said that you have to take responsibility for it. Interesting that you went in that direction.
 

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I am such a racist bastard I don't have white friends, no, really, everyone at my dojo is hispanic, and other than that, my best friend is black. They don't feel I am to blame for past racism, not being idiots, why should I?
It's great that you're not a racist, Don. And you don't have racist friends, either. That's heartwarming.

They could still be idiots, though. All racists are idiots. But not all idiots are racists.
 

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It's great that you're not a racist, Don. And you don't have racist friends, either. That's heartwarming.

They could still be idiots, though. All racists are idiots. But not all idiots are racists.


Sorry Steve, it won't let me rep you for that! :)
 

Tgace

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Acknowledging racial tension does not equal taking responsibility for it, though. I don't think I ever said that you have to take responsibility for it. Interesting that you went in that direction.

Really?

This is what you wrote.

First, I agree that it's not your "responsibility" to heal anyone's wounds. It's not an obligation that you, because your parents are Caucasian, must atone for the mistakes made by people you've never even met.

But, there are times, IMO, where it's in your interest to do it.

That seems pretty straightforward.
 

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What a load of self loathing cobblers I'm reading here by those (I'm looking at you, Steve :p) who are intelligent enough to know better.

I know full well that there was real hatred and segregation in America right up to my own life-time but, by any measure, you are not responsible for what your ancestors did ... the end.

Any 'minorities' who want to be victims and perpetuate something bad, well that's up to them but they shouldn't be surprised if things don't get any better whilst they play that simple-minded game because there are plenty of those who are truly racist quite willing to play along with that. Meantime, just as there are black people fed up to the back teeth of being treated with suspicion because people the same colour as them choose not to be good citizens, so there are white people equally pissed off at being treated as if they were automatically racist neo-nazi's just because they don't have a tan.

Here's a big piece of advice to those still stirring the race pot a generation on from when it started to cease to be relevant - either help make things better or **** off.

Can you tell that I have a whole new perspective on the trivialities of human idiocy since my wife died?

Anyhow, I'm not supposed to be in here ... I put myself on self-imposed leave from the Study as the irony of it's name was getting too much for me {slinks off growling}.
 

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Really?

This is what you wrote.

That seems pretty straightforward.

Okay. So thanks for allowing me to clarify. What are you looking for, Tgace? Just feel like busting my balls a little?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

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What a load of self loathing cobblers I'm reading here by those (I'm looking at you, Steve :p) who are intelligent enough to know better.

I know full well that there was real hatred and segregation in America right up to my own life-time but, by any measure, you are not responsible for what your ancestors did ... the end.

Any 'minorities' who want to be victims and perpetuate something bad, well that's up to them but they shouldn't be surprised if things don't get any better whilst they play that simple-minded game because there are plenty of those who are truly racist quite willing to play along with that. Meantime, just as there are black people fed up to the back teeth of being treated with suspicion because people the same colour as them choose not to be good citizens, so there are white people equally pissed off at being treated as if they were automatically racist neo-nazi's just because they don't have a tan.

Here's a big piece of advice to those still stirring the race pot a generation on from when it started to cease to be relevant - either help make things better or **** off.

Can you tell that I have a whole new perspective on the trivialities of human idiocy since my wife died?

Anyhow, I'm not supposed to be in here ... I put myself on self-imposed leave from the Study as the irony of it's name was getting too much for me {slinks off growling}.

I think you guys are reading into my posts things I don't intend. I'm not saying to beat yourself up or anguish about things you had nothing to do with. I'm just saying that, if there's some kind of conflict or tension on a team or in a group, it does no good to dismiss or ignore that conflict, racial or otherwise. Better for everyone to acknowledge and address it. Unless you're British, who might prefer to suppress it. :)

I'd argue that this is making things better.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
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Big Don

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Simply this. If you're on a team and there's conflict, it's generally in your best interest to resolve the conflict. If that conflict is due to racial, ethnic or some other kind of cultural tension, ignoring that is counter productive.

Are you obligated to address it? Only if you're the boss, IMO. Are you required to address it? Only if it's created dysfunction to the degree that you have allegations of harassment, hostile work environment or a similar, legal situation. You may also be required to address it if there is an EEO complaint, or if you have a union and a grievance or allegation of an unfair labor practice is alleged. Otherwise, and the main point I wanted to make, is that resolving conflict is necessary in order to get things done.

So, to sum up. If you're dealing with a one on one situation, or you're part of a group or team, even where there's no obligation to handle it, it's likely in your best interest.

Acknowledging racial tension does not equal taking responsibility for it, though. I don't think I ever said that you have to take responsibility for it. Interesting that you went in that direction.
How about acknowledging racial tension is promulgated by those with chips on their shoulder?
Why is it in my best interests to placate idiots? Simply because there are so many? If I'm one on one or part of a team, and there is racial tension, someone is fing stupid.
 

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