Reverse racism

From RationalWiki
(Difference between revisions)
Jump to: navigation, search
m (Reverted edits by ListenerX (talk) to last revision by ShadowofLords)
(Undo revision 944464 by ShadowofLords (talk) be careful with wholesale reverts)
Line 9: Line 9:
 
It's sometimes used by so-called "Men's Rights" groups to claim feminists are sexist towards them.<ref>[http://www.mensrightsblogs.com/feeds/ Men's Rights Blogs].</ref>
 
It's sometimes used by so-called "Men's Rights" groups to claim feminists are sexist towards them.<ref>[http://www.mensrightsblogs.com/feeds/ Men's Rights Blogs].</ref>
  
It is also commonly referred to as the "''It-sure-is-tough-being-a-white-guy-in-America-today Syndrome''". (Sometime shortened to the  ''ISITBAWGIAT Syndrome'').  It can be found in Great Britain, Australia, and to a lesser extent Canada, too, under different names, of course,
+
It is also commonly referred to as the "''It-sure-is-tough-being-a-white-guy-in-America-today Syndrome''". (Sometime shortened to the  ''ISITBAWGIAT Syndrome'').  It can be found in Great Britain, Australia, and to a lesser extent Canada, too (under different names, of course).
  
 
==Sociological challenges==
 
==Sociological challenges==
  
Many current sociological definitions of racism focus on a central idea of racism requires not just racially charged beliefs, but also the power to affect races differently.  The very systems of the western world therefore qualify as racist by cause of the "culturally sanctioned beliefs, which, regardless of intentions involved, defend the advantages whites have because of the subordinated position of racial minorities".<ref>Wellman, David T. (1993). Portraits of White Racism. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. pp. x.</ref>
+
The dictionary definition of "racism" is "a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race," with an alternative definition as a synonym for "prejudice."<ref>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism</ref>
  
This however disqualifies the very idea of "reverse racism".  Even if a minority held racially-prejudiced beliefs about the racial hegemony, they are unable to disadvantage them outside of the small scope of their personal life, specifically because they lack the power to oppress in more covert manners.
+
Certain sociologists find this definition limiting, for political reasons. David T. Wellman, in his pioneering book on this subject, ''Portraits of White Racism'', explains that when sociologists go "fishing for racists," if they were to use the above definition of the term, they would, for some reason or other, only snare the non-bourgeois variety. This, says Wellman, is unacceptable because it fails to classify those white people who "defend [[Capitalism|the status quo]] in the face of black demands for [[Revolution|institutional reorganization]]" as racists.<ref>Wellman, David T. ''Portraits of White Racism'', 2nd ed. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1993. pp.31-32.</ref>
 +
 
 +
Sociologists instead use [[Loaded language|a definition]] that is expressed succinctly by the formula "racism = prejudice + power." This means that only <s>bourgeois</s> white people can be racists (some take it a step further and say that ''all'' white people are racists), while those poor little minorities, who obviously have no power whatsoever to act on any prejudice of theirs, cannot be guilty of anything of the kind. Using this definition not only permits sociologists to net the much-coveted bourgeois "racists," but also lets them pretend that reverse racism does not exist.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
Line 22: Line 24:
  
 
==Footnotes==
 
==Footnotes==
<references />
+
{{reflist}}
  
 
[[Category:Racism]]
 
[[Category:Racism]]

Revision as of 17:38, 7 January 2012

White men... have been rendered completely powerless in this society
—American novelist H. A. Covington[1]

Reverse racism is a snarl term generally employed by right-wing ideologues[2] and white nationalists,[3] referring to actions and attitudes that ostensibly accord racial minorities the same "preferential treatment" once enjoyed by members of the racial majority — or, indeed, any slight, real or imagined, against whites by those of other races, most often in North America.[4] The term tries to delegitimize the emotions and efforts of those who work for racial equality, and to undercut their efforts.

The term is a favourite of concern trolls, who suggest that those working towards equality take things too far, and in order to avoid the label they must reduce their efforts. This is essentially blackmail.

The overuse of this term — especially by white-supremacists who attribute all minority advancement to "reverse racism" — has proven frustrating to those discussing more legitimate instances of the phenomenon, such as those (successfully) challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court cases Regents of the University of California v. Bakke and Gratz v. Bollinger.

It's sometimes used by so-called "Men's Rights" groups to claim feminists are sexist towards them.[5]

It is also commonly referred to as the "It-sure-is-tough-being-a-white-guy-in-America-today Syndrome". (Sometime shortened to the ISITBAWGIAT Syndrome). It can be found in Great Britain, Australia, and to a lesser extent Canada, too (under different names, of course).

Sociological challenges

The dictionary definition of "racism" is "a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race," with an alternative definition as a synonym for "prejudice."[6]

Certain sociologists find this definition limiting, for political reasons. David T. Wellman, in his pioneering book on this subject, Portraits of White Racism, explains that when sociologists go "fishing for racists," if they were to use the above definition of the term, they would, for some reason or other, only snare the non-bourgeois variety. This, says Wellman, is unacceptable because it fails to classify those white people who "defend the status quo in the face of black demands for institutional reorganization" as racists.[7]

Sociologists instead use a definition that is expressed succinctly by the formula "racism = prejudice + power." This means that only bourgeois white people can be racists (some take it a step further and say that all white people are racists), while those poor little minorities, who obviously have no power whatsoever to act on any prejudice of theirs, cannot be guilty of anything of the kind. Using this definition not only permits sociologists to net the much-coveted bourgeois "racists," but also lets them pretend that reverse racism does not exist.

See also

Footnotes

  1. http://www.counter-currents.com/2011/03/hold-back-this-day/
  2. Reverse racism tag at Blogspot. Note the majority are anti-Obama.
  3. The best example is a post on Stormfront, but RationalWiki is really hesitant to link to them at all.
  4. Winnipeg Sun, Reverse racism continues.
  5. Men's Rights Blogs.
  6. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism
  7. Wellman, David T. Portraits of White Racism, 2nd ed. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1993. pp.31-32.
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Community
Tools
support