Dispelling the Myths of Racism
by William “Brother” Rogers
Racism. The very word itself conjures up many images, ranging from injustice toward minorities to unmerited claims for special treatment. In general, whites claim to be sick of hearing it, and blacks claim to be tired of experiencing it.
Nearly everyone today agrees that racism is wrong, but we disagree on exactly what racism is, when it occurs, and its prevalence and impact in our society.
A national dialogue on race has begun, and any honest conversation first requires a mutual understanding of the facts, or more appropriately, the debunking of certain myths about racism. I will describe three myths in today’s column.
Myth 1: Racism is not a serious problem.
Is racism as serious and bad as some would have us believe? This is a legitimate question and one that deserves a straight answer. Is racism the cause of all social ills affecting our society? No. Do some people cry racism to mask their own shortcomings or for political reasons? Yes.
But the hard, sad, greater truth is that racism is real. Very real. It is a serious problem in America. It is a serious problem in Mississippi. It is a serious problem right here where we live, worship and raise our children.
While racism is not the excuse for everything that has gone wrong in society, its pervasive effects are much stronger and more influential than most of us admit. Just as an alcoholic must admit his problem before successful treatment begins, so too we must recognize that racism is hurting us all before we can begin the important, necessary work of racial healing.
Ironically, the myth that racism is not a serious problem grew out of the success of the civil rights movement, notably the civil rights laws of the 1960s. Believers in the myth, many of whom opposed those laws at the time, now claim those laws successfully legislated racism out of existence. They logically conclude that if racism is not a problem, it does not require a remedy.
Significant progress has been made in the last 30 years and must be acknowledged. Still, 30 years of progress has not undone 300 years of practice. Laws have changed, but many attitudes have not. Discrimination may be illegal, but prejudice cannot be outlawed by government. It is a matter of the heart—a sickness that requires healing.
Interestingly, the Race Relations Team identified lack of awareness about racism and its effects as the most important racial problem in our community. During our initial deliberations, I confess that I was surprised to hear black friends say that there are stores right here in Starkville where they do not feel comfortable shopping. Unfortunately, racism is still a serious problem.
Myth 2: Racism is not my problem. I never owned slaves and am not responsible for the sins of my ancestors.
Proponents of this myth argue, “I don’t discriminate, so don’t punish me for the sins of my father.” On the surface, this argument sounds compelling and has much appeal. After all, it is indisputable that slavery ended over 130 years ago at the end of the Civil War.
The critical flaw in this argument is its lack of historical perspective. The problem today is not slavery, but the legacy of slavery, i.e. that blacks are morally and intellectually inferior to whites. The legacy of slavery manifests itself in comments such as, “Everybody knows a black can’t play quarterback.”
Slavery’s legacy that blacks are not as smart as whites is one reason some whites would be uncomfortable being operated on by a black surgeon, hiring a black financial advisor, voting for a black political candidate, or even having a black school teacher for their child.
By the same token, many blacks are keenly aware of slavery’s legacy and as a result mistrust whites. For example, they may be suspicious in dealing with a white principal, police officer, or banker.
Since Oktibbeha County’s and Mississippi’s population is roughly 65 percent white and 35 percent African-American, such a climate of mistrust is a problem for all of us. History has bequeathed the legacy of slavery to us. Whether we continuing passing on that legacy is a decision each of us must make.
Myth 3: Racism will always be a problem, so working to improve racial harmony is hopeless.
In a Gallop Poll released this past summer, a majority of Americans – 58 percent of blacks and 54 percent of whites – agree that “relations between blacks and whites will always be a problem.”
Improving race relations is a formidable task. Layers of mistrust have increased with each generation. Many whites and blacks are brought up with stereotypes about each other. Unlearning prejudice that was instilled in us as youngsters is as hard as learning to write with your other hand.
However, just because a task is difficult does not mean it is impossible. In fact, success comes when we trust in God, cast off a defeatist attitude, plod through our mistakes, and work even harder.
The progress that has been made in improving race relations has come about because concerned citizens at the grassroots level were intentional in bringing about change. The leadership of local clergy and community leaders and the success of groups such as Promise Keepers and the Race Relations Team are reason for hope today.
To continue this effort toward racial healing, we must recognize first that racism still exists and second that, as my grandmother says, “the ground at the foot of the cross is level.”
Racism. The very word itself conjures up many images, ranging from injustice toward minorities to unmerited claims for special treatment. In general, whites claim to be sick of hearing it, and blacks claim to be tired of experiencing it.
Nearly everyone today agrees that racism is wrong, but we disagree on exactly what racism is, when it occurs, and its prevalence and impact in our society.
A national dialogue on race has begun, and any honest conversation first requires a mutual understanding of the facts, or more appropriately, the debunking of certain myths about racism. I will describe three myths in today’s column.
Myth 1: Racism is not a serious problem.
Is racism as serious and bad as some would have us believe? This is a legitimate question and one that deserves a straight answer. Is racism the cause of all social ills affecting our society? No. Do some people cry racism to mask their own shortcomings or for political reasons? Yes.
But the hard, sad, greater truth is that racism is real. Very real. It is a serious problem in America. It is a serious problem in Mississippi. It is a serious problem right here where we live, worship and raise our children.
While racism is not the excuse for everything that has gone wrong in society, its pervasive effects are much stronger and more influential than most of us admit. Just as an alcoholic must admit his problem before successful treatment begins, so too we must recognize that racism is hurting us all before we can begin the important, necessary work of racial healing.
Ironically, the myth that racism is not a serious problem grew out of the success of the civil rights movement, notably the civil rights laws of the 1960s. Believers in the myth, many of whom opposed those laws at the time, now claim those laws successfully legislated racism out of existence. They logically conclude that if racism is not a problem, it does not require a remedy.
Significant progress has been made in the last 30 years and must be acknowledged. Still, 30 years of progress has not undone 300 years of practice. Laws have changed, but many attitudes have not. Discrimination may be illegal, but prejudice cannot be outlawed by government. It is a matter of the heart—a sickness that requires healing.
Interestingly, the Race Relations Team identified lack of awareness about racism and its effects as the most important racial problem in our community. During our initial deliberations, I confess that I was surprised to hear black friends say that there are stores right here in Starkville where they do not feel comfortable shopping. Unfortunately, racism is still a serious problem.
Myth 2: Racism is not my problem. I never owned slaves and am not responsible for the sins of my ancestors.
Proponents of this myth argue, “I don’t discriminate, so don’t punish me for the sins of my father.” On the surface, this argument sounds compelling and has much appeal. After all, it is indisputable that slavery ended over 130 years ago at the end of the Civil War.
The critical flaw in this argument is its lack of historical perspective. The problem today is not slavery, but the legacy of slavery, i.e. that blacks are morally and intellectually inferior to whites. The legacy of slavery manifests itself in comments such as, “Everybody knows a black can’t play quarterback.”
Slavery’s legacy that blacks are not as smart as whites is one reason some whites would be uncomfortable being operated on by a black surgeon, hiring a black financial advisor, voting for a black political candidate, or even having a black school teacher for their child.
By the same token, many blacks are keenly aware of slavery’s legacy and as a result mistrust whites. For example, they may be suspicious in dealing with a white principal, police officer, or banker.
Since Oktibbeha County’s and Mississippi’s population is roughly 65 percent white and 35 percent African-American, such a climate of mistrust is a problem for all of us. History has bequeathed the legacy of slavery to us. Whether we continuing passing on that legacy is a decision each of us must make.
Myth 3: Racism will always be a problem, so working to improve racial harmony is hopeless.
In a Gallop Poll released this past summer, a majority of Americans – 58 percent of blacks and 54 percent of whites – agree that “relations between blacks and whites will always be a problem.”
Improving race relations is a formidable task. Layers of mistrust have increased with each generation. Many whites and blacks are brought up with stereotypes about each other. Unlearning prejudice that was instilled in us as youngsters is as hard as learning to write with your other hand.
However, just because a task is difficult does not mean it is impossible. In fact, success comes when we trust in God, cast off a defeatist attitude, plod through our mistakes, and work even harder.
The progress that has been made in improving race relations has come about because concerned citizens at the grassroots level were intentional in bringing about change. The leadership of local clergy and community leaders and the success of groups such as Promise Keepers and the Race Relations Team are reason for hope today.
To continue this effort toward racial healing, we must recognize first that racism still exists and second that, as my grandmother says, “the ground at the foot of the cross is level.”