HOW WHITE PEOPLE CAN WORK FOR RACIAL JUSTICEREVISEO EDITION
PAUL KIVEL
Advance Praise for UPROOTING RACISMUprooting Racism continues to
be a pO'werful and wonderful book, a O\1jor contribution to our
understanding of racism as white people. It amwers many of the
questions whites have dlOUght about but were afraid to discuss. Not
only does Kivel address tough issues related to whiteness and
racism, creating greater underslanding of the complexities of these
issues, but he also identifies specific wa)'S that whites can be
allies for change all done with honesty, forthrightness, respect,
and from the heart. For any white person who is sincere about
working for social justice, here's the source.-
-Judith H. Katz, Ed. D., author of White Aware"ess: Ha"dbook/or
Anli-Racism Training; and The I"clusion Breakthrough: U"leasbing
rbe Real POUJer 0/DiversityPaul Khci wriles MID clarity and deplh
in a '!)Ie !hal ire than C\"et, we as white people need to put our
shoultkrs to the task of.
working with people of color to uproot racism. A'i Idiscuss in
rmre detail in the book, it is inOOequate to say "I am not
prejudiced," and morally evash'e to say "I treat C\tt)one the
same." In a world in which racism continues to be one of the
bedrocks of our on.izations and institutions, in which rmSl people
of Ollor, C\'Ct)' single day, are confronted with therepercussions
of racial discrinWtion, t, and exploitation, we IWSI ask oursehoes
"What do I stand Ji)l Who do I stand with? Do I stand for rnciaI
justice, the end of discrimination and rnciaI oolence, and a
society truly based on equal opportunity? Do I stand wilh people of
color and white allies in the struggle to uproot racism?"'
These arc the questioos Ichallenge }OU with as }UU begin to read
this book.What do }OU stand for? Who do }'OU stand with? What are
}OU going to do about it? I hope this book helps you to be clearer
and tmre eJIl'CUvC in answering these questions. Paul Kivel Marc"
2002
INTRODUCTION TO THE REVISED EDITION XV
A note to readers outside the United Statesany of Ihe examples
used in the book from the United States, where I live and about
which I hmot to infonnation. Many reports, snldies, and accounts M
ofracism in other white majority societies show similar patterns
ofracism against people of color in such countries as Great
Britain, Canada, France, Gennany, Australia, and New Zealand. For
example, the Pareldl Report, "The Future ofMulti-edmic Britain,"
doruments extcnsh'C institutional and cultural racism throughout
Great Britain. Ifyou live in a while majority rountry, talkto
people ofcolor, im'CStigate the studies and reports, and don't let
yoursdfbe compL1Cent or indifferent simplybecause the situation is
not exactly the thaI which I describe in the Uniled Stales.are
rrore access same as
xvi UPROOTING RACISM
Introduction: "Only Justice Can Put Out the Fire'"It is not
another book about how bad 61led with facts and figures about
inequality and injustice. In this book I want to talk to )QU
personally about what rncism means to those of us who arc white,
and how we can tmke a difference in the struggle for racial
justice. TIlere is fire raging across the United States -usuallya
series of bmsh fires erupting whenc''er conditions arc right,
sometimes a fircstonn, always a smoldering cauldron. Whether it is
major urban uprisings, intellectual debates, or everyday conflicts
in our ncighborboods and schools, racism is bumffig us all. Some
ofUS have lhiId-degree bums or have died from its effects;
rmnyothers lilt! in the chaned wreckage. Most of us suffer fu5t.
and second-degree bums at somc time in our livcs. \le all live with
fear in the glow of the fire's menacing and distorted light. As
white people we do rmny things to SUI'Vh'e the heat. Som.! of us
lOOve to the suburbs, put bars on our windows, put on our hearts,
and teach our children distrust for their own protection. Some of
us believe the enemy is "out there" -and we can be safe "'in
here,"Most olus OC\'eI' talkabout what it means to be "in hcrc"with
other white people and why we are so afraid of people with darker
skin colors "out there." When we don't talk about our fears, we are
pm'Cllted from doing anything effecth'e to put out the fire. lUll
after poll shows that most white Americans are scared. We are
scared about violence; we are scared about the economy; we are
scared about the safety, education, and future of our children.
Much of the time those fem are directed towani people of color
-long-tenn residents or recent inunigrants. It is easy for us to
fOOlS on them, and yet doing so is devastating to our ability to
address the critical national issues of jobs, education, social
infrastructure, familyviolence, and economic development. Since the
uprising in South Central Los Angeles in 1992, white people arc
C\'CIl more afraid than before. Once again people of color brought
the injustice of racism to our national attention. We saw the fire
flare up and again we were frightened. Manyofus wanted to do
something, to pickup a bucket and throw water on the 8ames, but the
size of the blaze seemed to make our individual efforts useless.
Besides, many of us thougbt that we were too far awayfrom the cause
of the fire to make a difference. A:ople of color were defined as
the problem and the inner cities as the site. In fuct, Ibere are
already lIames in our (all 100 often predominanOywhile) schools,
churches, neighborhoods, and workplaces. Poverty, family violence,
crime, drugs, fear, suicide, and despair are not limited to
somewhere "out there" nor to "those people."A BOOK ABour RACIS.\I
FOR WHITE PEOPLE.
HIS IS T
racism is,
Our houses arc burning out from under us, and we need
to pick up our buckets and start carrying water now. But just
like the volwltecr fire departments in rural conununities and small
towns, we need to be part of a fire line where evtryone realizes
that when the sparks are flying, anything (3Il catch on fire. We
need to be a comnwnity that is alert for the signs of sparks and
embers so they can be put out before a bigger
blaze develops. We don't need scare tactics. 1bcy just rcinfonx
the fear and paral)sis. "don't need nwnbcrs and statistics. They
produce numbness and despair. ,, need to talk with each other,
honestly, Simply, caringly. We need to learn how to talk about
racism without rheloric, whieb funs the flames; withoUI attad
,
#'
Let's Talklater in this book. You also may mn'e an ethnic
identity>QU are proud o( and )Uu ha\'e a religious background, a
culture, a country of origin, and a history. WhatC\-'CJ' your other
identities, )UU probably are not used to being addressed as white.
"Other" people are Ahican American, Asian American, Pacific
Islanders, Native American, tino/as, or Muslittti. "Other" people
have countries of origin and primary languages that are not
Fnglish. Rarely in this country do we identify oursehoes or each
other as white. It is an adjecth--e thai is seldom heard explicidy,
but is everywhere implied. People are assumed white wllcss
otherwise noted, much as people (and animals) are assumed to be
male. Read me following lines: He walked into the room and
lrnmediately noticed her. This new sitcom is about a middleaged.
middlHlass couple and their three teenage children. The average
American drinks two cups of coffee a day.
I
A.\I TAlJ.1(j TO YOU as one white person to another.
I amJewish, and I will talk about that
Women today want to catch a man who is strong, but sensitive.
She didn't know if she would get into the coUcge of her choke. My
grandmother In'Cd on a fum all her life. I have a friend who has
AIDS. He won a medal on the Special Olympics basketball team Are
all these people white? Read the sentences again and imagine the
people referred to are Chinese Americans. Does that change the
meanings? Try making them Native American. How does that change the
meaning?If you are of Christian background, what happens when
you
make them Jewish or Muslim?
In reality, we would Rn'e to specify they are Chinese Amerian or
Nam-e AmericanorJewish or Muslim because we would Dot automatically
assume they were. Similarly w }OO and me. m:: asswne we are white.
It can seem like we're stating ith the obvious. Yet there is
something about stating the obvious that makes us feel Wlcasy,
marked. Why notice? What's the point of sa}ing I'm white? We howe
been led to belie\'C that racism is a question of panirular acts of
discrimination or oolence. Calling solOCooe a name, denying sonrone
a job, excluding6
someone from a neighborhood - that is racism. These certUnly are
acts of radsnL But what about living in a wh suburb where people
ofcolor are excluded or harassed? What ite about 'working in an
organization where people of color are paid less, have mlre menial
workor fewer opportunities for advancement? What about shopping in
a store where }{)u "'" treated respre cautious, feruful, and
hesitant around people of color. These are ph)5iologicll and
p5}cltologica1 responses that we can notice in owsdves and see in
other white people. These responses belie our ,UbaJ. assutanttS
that we don't notice racial differences. There's absolutely nothing
wrong with being white or with noticing the difference that color
nDkes. You were hom without choice intO }(JUT fumily. You did not
choose lOur skID color, native language. or rulture. '\bu are not
responsible for being white or forbeing raised in a
white-dominated, racist society in which you have been trained to
run'e partiadar responses to people of color. 'YOu are responsible
for how you respond to racism (which what this book is about), and
}'Ou can only do that consciously and effectively if)oo start by
realizing that it makes a crucial difference that )llU are
while.
1 2 UPROOTING RACISM
this dcnial.
''I 'm Not Racist " nmlER W I'm not racist. I don't belong to
the Klan.
rr IS F.\SY OR DImCUD' TO MY that we're white, the phrase \\-'t
often want to say
next is "But I'm not racist."1bc:re are lots ofwa)"S that we
have learned to phrase
I hare friends who are people of wlor. I don't see color, I'm
color blind. I do anti-racism work I went to an unlearning racism
workshop.
This book is not about whether )UU an: racist or not, or whether
aU white people are racist or noC. are not conducting a moral
im't1ltory of ourseh'eS, nor creating a moral standanl to divide
other white people from us. T avoid being called racist we may daim
that we don't notice color and don't treat o people differently
based on color. Howe\'Ct, we all notice color in just about every
situation we're in. It's not useful or honest for any of US to
claim that we don't. It is too pervasi\'t! a construct of our
society to avoid When we say things IiJie . don't see color," we
are tr)iog to maintain a selfimage of impartiality and fairness
(and whiteness). Some of the motivation behind the claim that Vi'e
are color neutral is to establish that we don't mistteat people or
discriminate against them because of their race. Ultimately, this
discIainu pm'el1ts us &om taking responsibility for challenging
radsm because we believe that people who sec color are the problem
The only way to treat people with dignity and justice is to
recognize that racism has a profound negative effed: upon our
lives. Noticing color helps to counterad: that effed:. blStead of
being color neutral we need to notice mudl IlXlre acutely and
insightfully exactly the difference that color makes in the way
people are treated. Just as it's not useful to label ourseh'CS
racist or not, iI is not useful to label each other. White people,
indi"iduaUy and coUecthrly, have done and continue to do SOD!
\'CI)' brutal things in the name of whiteness. We may want to
separate ourselves from the white people who commit these acts by
daiming that they are racist and we are not. But because racism
operates institutionally, to the benefit of all white people, we
are connected to the acts of other white people. Of course )ou're
nOi a menDer of the Klan or other CAtrefniSl groups. Of course )QU
watch what )'Ou say and don't make rude racial comments. But
dissodating from white people who do is not the answer. '\bu
maywant to dissociate )uurself from their actions"
13
but }UU still need to challenge their beliefs. Y can't challenge
thenl or e\'t;n speak to ou them ifyou have separated }uurself from
them, creating some magical line w the racists ith on that side and
}UU over here. This divire recent historical times in western
Europe, those with English heritage were pen:eived to be pure
white, The Irish, Russians, and Spanish were considered darker
races, sometimes black, and certainly non-while. The white
categoryWM slowly extended to include northern and middle European
people, but still, e\'en 70 years ago, it definitdy excluded
castenl or southern European peoples such as Italians, R>les,
Russians, and G"""", In the last few decades, although there is
still prejudice agaUist people from these geographkal backg:rowuis,
they have become generally accepted as white i the n United States.
1 The important distinction in the United States has alwa)S been
binary - first between those who counted as Christians and those
who were pagans. As historian Winthrop Jordan has wrinen:
R
AC'S.\I'S BASFD ON TIlE coscm OF
WHITF..'.'ESS -
Protestant Christianity was an important element ill Englisb
patriotism . . . . Christianity was interwoven into [an j
Englishman's] conceptioll o his own nationality, and be was
thereJore inclined to regard the Negroes' lack o true religion as j
j J part o tbeirs. Being a Christian was not merely a matter o
subscribing to certaill doctrines; it was a quality il/berent in
oneself and in one's SOciety. It was interconnected witb (Ill the
other attributes o 1I0rmai and proper men. 1 JM Africans and Native
Americans were rom'med to Ctianity, such a simple distinction was
no longer nsefuI, at lea.! as a legal and politieal difference, In
addition, because Europeans, Nath-e Ameri5 ofbow they were being
defined. Although a few scientists still try to prove the existence
ofraces, most scientists have long ago abandoned the use of race as
a valid category 10 distinguish between humans. n 111ere is such
tremendous genetic difference or variation within racial groupi gs,
and such huge orlap betlveen them, that no particular racial
groupings or distinrtions based on skin color or other phf.'iical
characteristics are useful or justi1ied. That hasn't stopped Imlly
people from believing that distinct races exist and from trying to
use scientific language to buttress their arguments.' There is
likewise no scientific (Le., biological or genetic) baus mwded,
1WIed, ensI:nd, and 10rtured the TainoiArawak peoples. The U.S.
Army al Fort Clark delibernlely di stributed sutallpox. 1 infected
blankets to the Mandan in order to IW1 them T oday we blame
l)C()ple of color for racism by saying, "look at the way they act,"
"If they weren't so angry ... ,It or "They are immoral, lazy, dumb,
or Wlambitious."REDEFINITION wanl 10 hold adults responsible for
what they do. Therefore we must carefully and accurately
investigate what happened so that we can SlOp violence. Ifwe don't
look at the O\'CraU context and take differentials of power into
acwWlt, we can be susceptible to the tactic ofredefinition. For
example, he , "It was IlUItual co.mat." "She hit me first." "It
takes Iwo 10 6gbt." Ifwe am no longer claim that Colwmus simply and
innocently discovered America, we try to redefine that C\'Cnt too.
The 1992 quincentennial llUlscum exhibit in New York was called
"FncoWlter," a word implying some 1C\'el of mutuality, equality,
and neutrality. In the sam.! \-ein we say, "The settlers had to
proted: them'ieh'eS from lndian attacks." T oday we redefine racism
as a nrutuaI problem by saying, "This COlUltry is just a big
melting pot,n "An)body can be prejudiced," or "I\:ople of color
attackwhite people too," IT WAS UNINTENTIONAL
At this point in the battle the group or indi idual with more
power, who has clearly v done something that resulted in some kind
of devastation, m claim that the damage ight was unintentional and
therefore their responsibility was minimal. The ballerer sa things
such as . dkln't intend to hit her." "I didn't mean to hit her so
hard." "Things got out of handn First of all, da.itm of innocence
by someone who hast), desaibe how white people were al'W}"5 afraid
of them. I began to notice
66
my own and other people's gestures - the tensing, the
guardedness, the suspicion,
the watchfulness. White fear is primarily fear of men of rolor.
( aM have fears about wo of color, but they are not as visceral or
pcnasi\'e.) For example, I grew up playing cowbo and Indel the
cournge and integrity to inlmupt verbal abuse. Following are
suggestions for wbere to start. If }OU can teU at the beginning
that a joke is likely to be off ensive or imohoes stereotypes and
putdowns, }OU can say something like: "I don't want to hear a joke
or story that reinforces stereotypes or puts down a group of
people," or "Please stop right
1 07
there. It sow)(1s like your story is going to make fun of a
group of people and I don't want to hear about it," or ". don'l
like humor that fIl3k>s il lUlSafc for people here," or "I don't
want to hear a joke that asks us to laugh at someone else's
expense." There are rmnyways to say something appropriate without
attacking or being oft'ensr.'C )Qursel Using "... statements should
be an impol1aDt part of lOur strategy. Rather than attacking someon
it is stronger to state how)U" feci, what }UU want. Other people
may still become defensn.-e, but there is rmre opportunity for them
to hear what lUll have to say if )'00 word it as an "F statClrellt.
Often you don't know the story is offensive until the pundilinc. Or
you just are nOl sure what )Qu're hearing, but it makes )'OU
uncomfortable. It is appropriate to say aftenvards that the joke
was inappropriate because ... , or the scory was offensive because
... , or it made you feel uncomfortable because ... Trust }Qur
feelings about it! In any of these interactions you may need to
explain further why stories based on stereotypeS reinforce abuse,
and why jokes and comments that put J>OO1)le down are offensive.
Rather than calling someone racist or writing someone 00;
interrupting abuse is a way to do public education. It is a way to
put what }l}U know about racial stereotypes and abuse into action
to stop them. Often people telling racial jo are defensive about
being called on the racism and may argue or defend thcrmel,er's
ofAfrican Americans invoh-ed at all levels ofthe civil rights
movement, but perhaps not e\"eO a rmjority ofAfrican Americans were
acti\'e participants.
There Wt'J'e a "Ubstantial nwnbcr ofwhite allies in the
struggle, but ccrtainly thcy were fur from a majorityofwhites. But
those that were acm-e were elfecthoe enough in ooofrontingwhite
power that the country could not oontinue to operate without
attending to some of the most glaring aspeas or racism at the
lime.
There are ongoing stmggk!s todayto end racism. The question I
hope to le"I'J'" of America. Second, our history affects our
current SituatiOrui and experiences. The effects of sJavery, the
genocide of Nathoe Americans, the conquest of Mexico, and the
banning of Chinese and later all Mian immigration continue to
influencc our lives and the lives of people of color. Third, we
cannot build bUSt and an honest conunitment to creating equality in
this C01l1ltry ij' we are dCll)mg the injustioo; of the past. Our
good faith efforts to cbauge the S}Stcm will not be taken seriously
if we continue to deny or distort the record of white racism.
Fourth, the past, t.'\'CIl with all its hoD'Ot, can give us hope
for the future. While Americans did contribute to abolishing
slavery and ending conlie labor. u;, expanded the ,'Ole to people
of color and women and allowed them to hold elected office. \lie
ended le sanctioned segregation and broadened the democratic base
ofthis C01l1ltry. u;, can ea1io'" about Afiican Americans, !here ;s
much ,, can do to end racism 1St them Below are questions and
activities to use as a starting JX)intQUESTIONS AND ACTIONS:
AFRICAN AMERICANS1.
List wa)5 that at one time or another you or )'Our unity have
downplayed, minimized, or denied lite effects ofslavery and
post..la\ryJUn Crow segregation on the AfricanAmerican romnnmity.
List wa)5 )Qur fumily may have colluded with or benefited from the
economic exploitation of African Atrericans. What are 00)' !hat,
acth-ely or Ihrough maction, )OU have resisted lite full ntegration
ofAfrican Americans into )uur workplace, school, sodaI i
organizations, or congregation? Notice which contemporary national
problems are bJanx.'d predominantly on African Americans. What
national polities are being iliscussed to blame and punish African
Americans for these problems? Analy.LC )'Our mmmunity. Which parts
- schools, reacational fucilities, job sectOIS, clubs - are
presently de fucto segregated? a Which of these do )'OU participate
in? b. What amId you do to challenge this segregation? Notire what
specific institutional practices mntribute to de facto segregation
n i )itrary, racially I>ased, and a continuation of historic
patterns of discrimination, Thompson notes, '1>enying felons the
right to lute after they have served their sentences and done their
time runs against both the idea that people can redeem themljeh and
one of the nation's most imponant prindples, the right 10 choose
who gol'trnS you."" As prominent neoconservative soe on )'Our
metropolitan area if aU people had access to good education and
decent jobs? What would ha\'e to happen for this to become a
reality?
10. Aflinmti\'e action is a 1001 for full inclusion and equal
opportunity for aU people, oot only people of color. Go back
through these questions and substinue ,,"'Orren for people of
color. Substitute lesbians and gay men for192 UPROOTING
RACISM
people ofcolor. Substitute people with Wsabilities. Substitute
seniors and )oung people.
11. What fears, doubts, questions, or concerns do )'Ou rur.-e
about afJlnmtft.-e action? Where do your fears come from? What
coukl you do to answer your questions? Who could )'Ou talk with
aboot )'Our concerns? 12. Have ),ou e\'Cl" been chosen for a job,
training program, coUege-la"Cl program. or holLSing opportunity for
which )'ou were less qualified than othas? Have )uu ever been gn'en
preference because of family conneaions, economicbackground, age,
race, or gender?
13. Think again aboot Question 12 and try to under.itlnd "")'
that fumily connections, economic batkgrolUld, race, age, or gender
may have given )'Outhe bCllcfit ofthe doubt compared to other
applicants.
14. Do )'OU think that veterans, sons of alunmi, fanners, or
odler people whoreceive preferential treatment experience self
-doubt, lowen.'{( self-esteem, or
feelings of guilt because of iU
15. Besides numerical goals, what measures would)Ou suggcst be
used to roonitor racial and other fonm of discrimination ? 16. How
are you goi g to respond to people who say that affimntft.'C action
wtfuirly ndiscriminates against white males?
17. list three things )Uu can do to defend or strengthen
affinltn'C action programs la in )'Our workplace, COl1DlUJnity, or
state. 18. Choose one that )OU will start doin
AffiRMATIVE ACTION
1 93
Angry White Guys for Af firmative ActionPRoPOsmoN 209 (which
would run'C eliminated affintive na were passed), a group of white
men in Oakland came together to iliscuss way.;; that we could add
our efforts to those of people of odor who were defending affintive
actioD. We were angry that racism continued, angry that na
affinrtive action was being curtailed, and angry that white men
were being portrayed as ra the victims of affinnative action
Program'i. naunt olmiClvcs Angry While Gu)S for Affirmative Action
and began a campaign to address white people on the issue. We dtose
the name to challenge the conventional thinking that all white men
were racist, reactn'e, and resentful of affintive action. na As a
group, we felt that since we had benefited so directly &om
aflinmfu'C action progrnms it would be hypocritiad to deny these
benefits to people ofcolor just when they had finally gained access
to them That, of course, would be further racism. When we gathered
for meetings ofAngry White Guys for Affinmtivc Aaion, our goal
.1101 to Wlderstand our privilege, but to use our status as white
men to counter the was racist attacks on communities of color.
WorlGng closely wilh organi;t.ations led by people of color, we
mapped out a Slratcgy to reach white peopk in the urban and
suburban areas arolUld us. We g3\'C talks and conducted
v.'Orkshops, we wrote editorials, we stood on street romcrs with
our b3lU1cr, we ronductcd a walk of hope between urban and subwban
churches and synagogues, we educated white people about the history
of affinmtive action and about the decepth-e and manipulative
tactics being used to attack it. And we talked about our O\VIl
experiences as beneficiaries of affintive action, na challenging
the myth of a level pla}iug field. (See the section on white
benefits in Part II of tIUs hook for my personal account.) In this
workwe were foUowing a long tIadition ofwhite people who have been
allies to people of color in the struggle to end racism
Abolitionists, anti-imperialists, anti lynching crusaders, Civil
Rights 1OO\'Cment activists - we have a proud history of white
people, induding white n, using their education, their experience,
their money, their access, their \'OiCCSt their hearts, and their
minds to chal1cnge racism Although institutional dtange seems
difficult to tackle, we are already ul\'Oh'Cd in SC\'Crai
institutions in our daily mes. Our workplace, the schools we or our
chiklren attend, the stores v..'e patronize, the places we
socialize, the comnnutiry with which we congregate for religious
worship - we have some It't'trnge at each of these institutions. We
need to analyL.e the institutions we are a part o evaluate the
influence we ha\'C either alone or with others, and devise
effective strategies for challenging racism. The next
I action pro in California ifit
N 1996, CONFRONTF.D
Wlnl
'"
sections suggest some W3}S you might focus on institutions )'OU
are already im'Oived with. including )uur workplace, )'Our school
system, the police, the aimi.na1 justice S}stem, and )'Our
religious organilation.
ANGRY
WHITE
GUYS fOR AffiRMATIVE ACTION
1 95
At Workin the workplace and economy. As David Roediger explai.ns
in his book The W ages o Whiteness, part of Ihe campaign to f
entice white male workers into industrial jobs during the 19th
century was the rationalization that at least they were not slaves.
They cou1d keep their white masculinity intact, n while giving up
their economic indcp;ndence, because they were told that being a
worker in a factory was not the same as being a slave working for a
master. Male industrial workers e\'entually borrowed the language
of slavery to desoibe their ''waged sla\'Cry." They pla)'Cd on
similarities between their work situation and that of slaves, at
the same time trying to keep the diffcrentts dear so they could
preserve industrial jobs for whites. The relationship of racism to
work issues is complex. In general. early white industrial workers
were manipulated by racism, and in tum they used radsm to gain
economic benefits. EmplO1'C1'S manipulated racism to create a false
sense of pride and opportunity among while workers, which workers
then used to separate themselves from male workers of color. \lurk
in the United Stales is still highly segregated by , race, and
gender. The overall economy. as weD as most large organilations. is
verticaUy segregated as wen. Upper-m iddle- and uppel'dass white
IOCD have access to the jobs with the n'OSt money, pmyer, and
statUS. Women, working-class whites, and people of color are strung
out on the economic h ierarchy, but are found disproportionately at
the bottom in the least secure, most unsafe, poorest paid jobs.
Racism has a1wa been intimately tied to the economic hierarchy, and
an early purpose of racism in the United States w:jst, etc.)? 4.
What are you going to do about it?
Up 10 this point we ha\-e been talking about institutions that
may ha\'e IOOre effect on US than we howe on them. There is much
that we can do to change them, panirularly if we work in concert
with others. But they can present fonnidable chaIJenges to our
abilily to organae and sustain social action. There is one
instirution o\'Ct which we ha\'e a lot of mntrol. It is a place
where we can work to make changes with the people who are closest
to us. This is a place where we can practice the sliiJls we want to
dc\'CIop and model the kind ofsociety we want to buikl This is a
place that can nurture and sustain our struggles against social
injustice "out there." This place is at home ,vith our fumiJy.236
UPROOTING
RACISM
Home and Familyof social action as including how we Ih'e with
other fumiJy n:.!rOOcrs. The walls separating us from the community
are penneable, and racism doesn't stop at the door. This section
will give )QU ideas for eliminating racism in the wa)5 )Uu Jh.'C
with others and raise }Qur children. Although }UIU' fumily
JllCtlilers may all be white and }Qur nei bors appear so, there gh
ImJ' weD be people of orher rulture people in intemcial fumilies,
people of mixed heritage, or people who arc passing as white armng
}uur friends. l\!ople ofcolor may also be providing services for
you, }uur dilldrcn, your apartment, house, or }ard. Our environment
is seldom as white as we assume it to be because we generally don't
notice people of color when their presence doesn't challenge our
sense of dleir proper role. Our homes are I separJble from the
greaterconmnmity than they have e\'er been. They are connected to
the outside world via 1V (including cable channels), computer
V
Ein'
OFrEN WE mINK OF R-\CIS.\I
as an issue out there, in the commmlity. We don't think
games, the internet, to}S, music from CDs and cassettes, radio,
books, magazines, the daily newspaper and direct market catalogs.
Each of these provides a vehide by which racism , can enter your
home, but they also give you opportunities to respond to it.Do you
talk about racism where you live? When you and other family members
watch a movie, discuss the news, or talk about daily events, do you
notice and discuss racism?Talking about racism is not easy for
roost of us to do. Few of us grt"W up n homes i where racism or
otherdiffirnlt and emotional issues were mentioned at all. We come
from backgrom)ds of silence, ignorance, or a fuIse belief that to
talk about racism is to further it. When talk about race did occur,
SOil:.! of us experienced conOid with funily members
because we disagreed over racial issues. We can admowledge and
overcome these past experiences and Q"Catc an abmsphcre in our own
hon:.!s where we can openly and respectfuly talk about issues of
race, gender, or class. l It is challenging to raise white children
in the highly racist sociery we live in. When babies are born they
are unaware of racial difference and attach no intrinsic value to
skin color. e know that they begin to notice racial diJfcrences and
their effects between the ages of two and ID'e. Througllout rheil'
childhood rhey an: borOOarded wirh stereotypes, misinfonnation, and
lies about race. Without our inten'etltion theywiU become the
racist,bock troops of !he next gcneratiolL They ImJ' not (or they
may) herome members of extremists groups or commit hate crimes, but
they may well become white people who acrept the injustice, racial
discrimination, and violence in our society and perpetuate237
racism through their coUusion. That is why we must begin
leaching them at an early age to enDt-.tce diffcrcu.ces and to beco
anti-racist acth-Ns. We can start this process by assesing our home
and family environment for evidence ofracism s ut: ha,'e an impact
on fumily, friends, and neighbors by the ph)sicaI environment we
create in our home. Do the calendars, pictures, and posters on your
walls reflect the diverse socierywe fure in? Arc there books by
worncn and men, lesbian, straight, and gay people from rmny
different cultures? Are there magazines from ronmuutities ofcolor?
t: don't get extra points if there arc Nor arc we Ir}ing to create
an ethnic muscwn. But paying attention to our environment broadens
our perspecthre and counters the stream ofnegative racial
stereot}pes that otherwise enter our home through the media. It is
C\'en more important to disruss racism and to pay attention to our
home if we have children. As responsible parents we need to think
about the toys, games, computer dolls, books, and pictures that our
)Qung ones are exposed 10. It is not just children of color who
need Latino/a, Asian-Amerkan, Native-American, and African American
dolls. It is not just children of color who are hurt by computer
games that portrny people of color as eW, dangerous, and
expendable. I am not recommending that you purge your house of
fuvorite games and to or become funatical about the racism )'Ou
find in )'Our child's life. Children don't need to be protected
from racism. They see it all the time. They need to be given
critical thinking tools for reoognmng, analyaog, and responding to
the different fonus that rncism tak.
Cuu ncil
akaki, Slml/gers From a Di jJerelll 2. Quoted in ROIllkl T
Shore: A flistoryrofAsia/I Americal/s (Nt\\, 'brk Penguin, 1989).p.
47.
Z_ Of coorsc then; \\\.'n; ft. ..... WOnlt'll ofany color who
\\'t!n; . eigible f I-etCrans' benefitS. although women served in l
many capacities ltal lo the war c/l"orL bny white worncn i aoo
II'IlTi and \\umcn of color Wl'fC. in f , dispbct.-d frool act
3. TIlis S1i(1'e 100 lIpe: Figblillg Odillral Misillf ormali()ll
abolll Africall AlIU!riClllIS (New YOrio;:
247-2S8. 10. This phrlSC and the Slatislics on the draft are
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in Mk:hacl Eric D)'SOIl, I .lla), NOI Get 1"OO'e IHtb lOll: The
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is quite cullmon. the Los Angeles Survey of Urban lnequatity, f r o
iceas lik ' instance, indicates th.1t white home burers are tll to
n:ceil"C fami' a..;sistant't' in pUrdl .I. Percenlagcs are from
1996 and dr.III'O from F.d\\'3rd N. Wolff, Rt'('Cnt Trtlds ill
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