[Marxism] America's deep-seated racism

[Mark Lause]

Lajany Otum is putting his finger on THE issue when he complains of an idea
of whiteness as a state of mind that can be turned off or on at will.  I
realize that this is the whole prescriptive aspect of the "whiteness" idea,
and one of the major reasons I object to it.

The institutionalized discussion on race boils down to telling Walter...or
me...that we are addressing racism by deciding to repudiate our "whiteness."
We aren't.  The only thing that might do is to give us a very cuddly-wuddly
and comforting feeling about ourselves. In the real world, we might as well
be trying to levitate the Pentagon with our positive vibes.

And equating this with blacks deciding to "pass" as white hints at the
entire flaw in the thinking....

The society sees us in racial terms and treats those of us regarded as white
differently than it does those who are seen as people of color.  What's in
my head about my race isn't going to shape how the society and its
institutions are going to respond to my efforts to get a decent education,
find a good job, buy a house or get my kids into a school.

ML