[Marxism] The Cost of Being Black

[Anthony Boynton]

Re: [Marxism] The Cost of Being Black

Racism is a real material force, but that force is
much bigger than “a question of instutions”.

When Mark Lause wrote that racism is a question of
“institutions  and power rather than abstract idea’s
floating in people’s heads.”, I think he wrongly
contrasted “institutions and power” with “abstract
idea’s floating in people’s heads.

Human consciousness is a material force, after all. If
it were not, it would not exist materially in the
circuitry of our brains, our computers and the
internet, nor on the pages of newspapers, books, etc.
If it were not, it would not guide the actions of
individual human beings, groups of human beings,
organizations of human beings, etc. 

Racism is not just an abstract idea, it is a social
relationship and a social consciousness that reflects
that relationship, and continually aids in reproducing
that relationship.

The “abstract” ideas floating around in a loan
officer’s mind when she/or he is considering whether
or not to okay a mortgage application from a “black
family”, or from a “white” family,  or from an
immigrant family, or from a gay family, are part of
the material force of racism.

Consciousness changing is part of the process of
fighting racism.

In the 1960’s, when I was a high school student and
took groups of dope smoking white suburban kids to
Free Huey rallies, my consciousness changed, and so
did the consciousness of my hippy friends. 

Changing political and social consciousnesses through
many different forms of struggle, including the
exchanges on this list, is one facet of the class
struggle.

Anthony



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